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Re: [RC] Questiions about Gelding a Colt - heidiI need some good concrete reasons to use to support my argument that ifwe're going to geld we should do it early. If my thinking is skewed I welcome all opinions, especially from any vets. The big question is . . . do we really want to geld at all? What Lif said. And what Sandy said. And in addition to that-- 1. With early gelding, you will get better growth and better manners. And the surgery will be less stressful to him. If his testicles have gone back up, you may have to wait until spring--but personally, I wouldn't wait a minute longer! If they have stayed down, do him while he is still on mom--they bounce back immediately if they can just get up from anesthesia and go find the dinner faucet for comfort. 2. I think Sandy or Lif mentioned it, but if his testicles are down, he can breed his mother possibly as early as 8 months. Be ready to separate them before that, or geld him before that. 3. Even the nicest of stallions would probably be happier as a gelding, unless you are in a situation where you can run him out "naturally" with another horse. Horses are herd animals, and having to be separated from others is a stress. 4. No matter how nice the mare and how nice the sire, and no matter how nice the colt, is the pedigree an outcross pedigree? If so, he will not be a consistent producer. Outcrosses make wonderful riding geldings, but do not make particularly good breeding stock, in general. (Yes, you can find exceptions--but they are just that.) 5. No matter how nice he is, are YOU prepared to be a breeder? The odds of getting very many outside breedings are not good, even with campaigning and advertising. It is a major hassle to stand a stallion, and unless YOU personally want to put together a breeding program and devote a lot of time, energy, and effort to it, and plan on producing foals of your own by this colt at some point, it just isn't worth the hassle. 6. Horses are not people. Too many people (particularly men, but not always!) think of their own sexuality when they think of gelding colts. Don't make the mistake of anthropomorphizing--nature is brutal to stallions, and geldings generally lead FAR happier lives. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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