For horse owners with young male horses or stallions that need to be gelded, the Unwanted Horse Coalition continues to sponsor low-cost gelding clinics in many areas. The mission of the Unwanted Horse Coalition is to reduce the number of unwanted horses and to improve their welfare through education and industry collaboration.

4-H competitor riding a gelding

The impetus for these low-cost clinics is that the castration of a stallion will help prevent over breeding, in turn reducing the number of unwanted horses.
© 2017 by Heather Thomas

One of the UHC’s most successful programs, Operation Gelding, began in August 2010. Operation Gelding provides guidance, materials, promotional, and financial support to groups that wish to host low- or no-cost gelding clinics.

The impetus for these clinics is that the castration of a stallion will help prevent over breeding, in turn reducing the number of unwanted horses. Castration will also produce a calmer horse that is more rideable, trainable, saleable, and adoptable, allowing him to be successful in several careers.

Since its inception in 2010, Operation Gelding has aided in the castration of 1,982 horses at 172 clinics in 33 states.

As of January 1, 2017, Operation Gelding expanded to include a voucher program and additional funding up to $100 per horse.

Upcoming gelding clinics are taking place at the following clinics:

• Brandon Equine Medical Center October 28, 2017, Riverview, FL

• Clover Valley Veterinary Services on November 5, 2017, Port Orchard, WA

• SPCA of Texas on Nov 12, 2017, Greenville, TX

• Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic December 9, 2017, Newberry, FL

For additional information and forms necessary to participate in gelding clinics, please visit the Unwanted Horse Coalition website.

Looking ahead to 2018, the UHC will actively be raising funds to keep this momentum going. If you want to help reduce the number of unwanted horses and prevent unwanted foals, consider hosting a clinic or making a tax-deductible contribution.