A geling is a castrated animal — in English, the term specifically refers to a castrated male horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. The word comes from the Old Norse geldr ("barren"). Castration, and the elimination of hormonally-driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday working animal.