A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock, such as domesticated camels.[1] By comparison, the equivalent term for castrated male cattle would be steer (or bullock), and wether for sheep and goats.
Castration allows a male animal to be more calm, better-behaved, less sexually aggressive, and more responsive to training efforts. Additionally, it is known for making the animal quieter, gentler and generally more suitable as an everyday working animal, or even as a pet (in the case of companion animals).[2] The gerund and participle "gelding" and the infinitive "to geld" refer to the castration procedure itself.
- ^ "3 Ways to Buy a Camel". WikiHow. March 11, 2023.
...in the US, expect to spend around $10,000 for a mature gelding and up to $17,000 for a pregnant female.
- ^ Cheney, Victor T. (March 6, 2006). A Brief History Of Castration: Second Edition. AuthorHouse. ISBN 9781467816663.