Gelding a Yearling (beware, gross stuff ahead)

It's ironic that I've just finished reading a book called "Wild at Heart", a call for men these days to stand up and be real men... and then witness the gelding of our yearlings at the ranch. For those that know me, I love blood and guts, so I was able to film the whole procedure for Cody, short for Dakota.

First the vet checks Cody's vitals. Everything seems to be good.

Then Charlie administers an antibiotic and a sedative with painkillers. I'm not sure what they used, but it was only enough to get the horses to lie down and be compliant. The horses were able to get up within 15 minutes of the procedure. Tony, the ranch manager and the most authentic cowboy on the ranch, is helping to keep the horse calm and still.

Disinfecting solution for the instruments. The bottle is to squeeze the solution onto the surgical area, and the sponge is used to rub it well into the tissues. Judging by the color, I'm guessing that it's iodine.

For those with weak stomachs, you may not want to watch this.

Note the sickening "crunch" at around 42 seconds :)

Nate, Jonathan, Anne and Anna. Don't you love the expression on their faces? Note Anna's apron is still on... the girls had rushed over from the kitchen to watch.

Cody, what a trooper! Back on his legs in 10 minutes! The sweet and patient Chelsea is guiding Cody back to his stall for some well deserved down time. Her words to me just before this picture was taken were, "Some days are just really tough."

If you see in the background, some of our guests are observing the event. I think it's really great that the guests are allowed to observe all the workings of the ranch and get involved. Some of the guests were helping to hold the horses still during the procedure and walking them to their stable afterwards. We have an awesome family with 5 kids staying with us until Sunday, whose boys love waking up early, before breakfast, to shovel manure and saddle the horses with the wranglers. It's experiences like these that really teach the kids about enjoying hard work and the facts of life, which I hope to pass on to my kids one day :)