The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation has awarded the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) a grant of $10,000 to support expansion of the Operation Gelding program.

Operation Gelding provides funds and materials to help groups nationwide organize low- and no-cost clinics for owners who might not otherwise be able to afford to have their stallions castrated by a veterinarian.

“By gelding a stallion, the UHC aims to prevent unintentional and overbreeding, thereby reducing the number of unwanted foals,” said Doug Corey, DVM, UHC Chairman. “Castration will produce a calmer horse that is more ridable, trainable, salable, and adoptable, which means he will have a better chance of living a long life as a ‘wanted’ horse in a second or third career.”

The UHC approved an expansion of the program this past June, which will increase funding from $50 to $100 per horse gelded and offer a voucher option to help those with transportation or other issues. These changes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2017; however, funding is still available for clinics in 2016