Prevent unwanted horses by gelding your stallion or by providing the event at which other horse owners can get their stallions gelded. The Unwanted Horse Coalition's Operation Gelding will provide funds and materials to assist organizations, associations and events that sponsor clinics to which horse owners can bring their stallions to be castrated. The castration of a stallion will help prevent overbreeding and produce a gentler horse that is more rideable, more trainable and more saleable, allowing them to be used in several careers. Programs such as Operation Gelding can help reduce the number of horses being bred and aid in the adoption or sale of more horses.

This initiative is made possible by a special gift from the American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation and UHC; both organizations have donated seed money to get the program started. Operation Gelding is patterned after several initiatives undertaken by equine associations, organizations and events around the country.

UHC will provide information and forms necessary to conduct a clinic, along with seed money to defray the costs. Funds of $50 per horse gelded, with a $1,000 maximum will be awarded to individual groups once a year. Assistance will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis, subject to available resources. Organizations can apply by filling out the Operation Gelding Funding Form provided by UHC. Funding will be awarded once the clinic is complete and a veterinary statement is provided.

Any organization, association or event can participate in Operation Gelding. There are many ways that your organization can help with unwanted horses. Please review UHC's handbook, "Best Practices: How Your Organization Can Help Unwanted Horses,"which outlines other activities that organizations, associations and events can undertake to create programs that help horses in need. "Best Practices"cites many examples of how organizations and groups can get involved, including gelding clinics.