Development and Validation of an Equine Castration Model and Rubric.

This article focuses on the development and validation of a cost-effective recumbent equine castration model designed to enhance veterinary students' surgical skills in a low-stress environment. The model, constructed primarily from silicone and latex materials, allows practice of all procedural steps including testicle manipulation, fascial dissection, ligature placement, and emasculator use. Validation involved third-year veterinary students without prior castration experience and experienced equine veterinarians, with results showing good internal consistency of the scoring rubric and significant differences in global rating scores and surgical times between novices and experts. Both groups rated the model favorably for teaching suitability and safety, though some limitations in realism, such as difficulty manipulating testicles and ligature placement, were noted. The study concludes that this model can effectively supplement live animal training to improve student competence in equine castration.