Here is a link to a horse forum, on it several posters discuss the recent gelding of horse. The interesting thing is that the posters are female and it gives some insight into their attitude to gelding in general. I hope its of some interest.

http://forums.horsecity.com/cgi-bin/bb/ ... 8;t=014607

I find this thread a fascinating insight into teenage girls. As far as I can tell from what's posted, they are all female and are probably all early to mid teen in age (with only one possibly older).

For those who don't want to read the very long thread on the HorseCity web site, here are a few quotes from it that give a flavor of what teenage girls think about castration:

The opening comment by “Missouri Barrel Racer begins, “My poor baby. He was gelded today, at 14 months, which I was hoping would be great….” Other members of the forum then continue with a series of comments, including one who wrote a doggerel poem for the occasion (I've only included the first four lines of a much longer piece).

CONGRATS!

You are the proud new owner of a gelding!

Of course he is going to be sore... think of what he had done to him today. snip snip. lol

You will love him more than you did before... at least I always do!

I'll pray for your boy. It is a tough time for boys….

BTW, what do ya' gals want to bet that no guys will answer up on this topic, *snicker*

Here lies his testicles - they really didn't want to leave

But an attitude adjustment is what he needed I believe

Just a little too studdy, and a little too bold

Better to lop them both off before he gets too old

Well im sure with time, he will learn to live without his two little soldiers. But we all know when the time is right...its time to "pick" the peaches.

Nothing wrong with having stallions, but geldings, like blonds, have more fun.

The thread brought back memories of my childhood. I grew up in a rural area, such that other than my brothers, there were no other children within over a mile of us. Until I was 12 and a family with a girl my age moved in just up the road. Diane loved horses and boarded her mare at a stable directly across the road from where I lived. We spent a lot of time together (in various activities). As I hit puberty, she was my first real girlfriend.

We were 13 when the two of us watched and assisted at the castration of a colt at the stable. The joy with which she celebrated the event and her frequent discussion of it afterwards, how much she enjoyed watching balls being cut off, was enough that I quit spending any time with her outside of school. I had assisted at animal castrations before (and did so after) but had never been with anyone who seemed to enjoy it like she did. For me it was just another farm chore, and not a very pleasant one. It's been over 20 years since my father sold the cattle ranch, and that was the last time I castrated anything.

Pleased you found the thread interesting, and that it brought back the memories you mention. I enjoyed your account of your childhoood on the farm. Lots of material there for someone to write a story!