In The Horse By Christina S. Cable, DVM, Dipl. Becoming educated on the entire process of castrating horses can only help you make decisions that are best for your horse. In medieval times, kings rode stallions, and people of less stature often were described as riding geldings.
Castration also is called gelding, cutting, or emasculating.
Orchidectomy therefore is the surgical removal of a testicle. Castrating horses in the past was, of course, not always performed by licensed veterinarians. Even today in some cultures it is performed by a lay person. Although it is one of the most common surgeries performed by a veterinarian, it should never be considered routine, as the procedure can have very serious complications. Furthermore, the follow-up care is extremely important.