When would you get a colt gelded?

[beks the artist]

As the title really, at what age do people generally geld colts? :p

[bimba]

TJ was done at about 18 months, I was going to leave him until the spring (so would have been around the time he was 2) to let him mature a bit more but he got quite bolshy and difficult so the nick nacks had to go!

[CityLights]

At work we always do them early in there yearling year, so about january/feburary time so they would be about 10 months old, the vet never had a problem doing them then and it was a time where they are still in so can be monitored but there arent too many flied about

im not sure if im going to cut king so its just when or if he becomes difficult to manage

[beks the artist]

Thank you both. Will keep this in mind x

[bimba]

Is there something you're not telling us Beks?!?!?!

[beks the artist]

Just doing some research.... ;)

[Smurf]

Vinnie was done at 14mths because he was a naughty little boy! If i could have waited alittle longer then i would have. Shetland ponies are not normally done till they are 2ish. I think it depends on what breed horse you have and if their bits have dropped or are big enough to extract??:p

[Tiaki]

Depends on the horse but generally I like to leave them as late as possible for them to develop fully.

Dylan was done at around 18months as he was turning quite stallion like :lol:

xxx

[Grey Haven]

Echo done at just before 18 months 'cos he was getting a pain in the bum!!!

[My Crazy Clan]

Jester was done at 4 1/2 years, Merlin 6yrs, I can HONESTLY say get them done young! its far less stressful for them and us! to go through, although mine were going to be keep entire but as usual things went wrong.

If your not intending to keep a stallion then I would have him done when he has both balls, its better in the winter and there is more chance of infection with the flies in the summer, I would have him done in the field and left out to walk it off, better to keep the circulation going.

If his ball haven't apear by 1, I wouldn't worry to much, the green grass brings them up in the summer I have noticed.

[MyBoyFinn]

Really wanted to leave Finn till Oct/Nov when he would have been 18 months, but he was a little monster so got them lopped off in March when he was 10 months.

[XxFudgexX]

Fudge was done at 15mths as soon as number 2 apperared he was getting really hard to handle very coltish.

[Zeitgeist Mom]

I did Zeitgeist at about 2 but I really should have done it sooner. He was acting very coltish by then, and was quite a handful. Gelding him made a massive difference. He covered a mare when he was 18 months! My vet book says that the testes start producing testosterone when they reach about 70g each. Zeitgeist's were double that when I gelded him!

Also, don't know how true this is, but I've heard several people say that they grow much taller if gelded younger. So if you don't want them to grow too tall, geld later.

[My Crazy Clan]

I've heard that to ZM but I don't quite believe it, I just think its different for each horse.

[Day Dreamer]

Actually the gelding/height thing does have a measure of truth in it. While still entire a lot of energy goes into replenishing semen and seminal fluid. Remove the testes and you free up more energy for growth. Obviously lots of it is down to genetics and other environmental influences but gelding certainly will influence it as well. It's commonly seen in dogs as well, those neutered young tend to be more leggy and gangly than their entire counterparts. This can have some negative affects in regards to joint health, bigger animal=more strain on the joints where they may not be designed to cope, more common in dogs and I've never heard of gelding being linked to that type of problem :D

Essay over, well done if you got through that!

[Loumoo74]

I had my 2 welsh A colts done at 10 & 12 months. Natives boy bits tend to drop earlier. I would have left Blackberry until later as it was May (getting on towards fly season) but I was sick of him mounting Dylan 1 lol!
He had one still 'up' so BayChaos travelled him to have him cut at hospital. I ensured I had a full week if anti Bs to prevent infection.
I know some people like to leave them later so they look more stallion like....but IMO that's just an opportunity for them to develop behavioural traits that are hard to curb. Also all the muscle etc disappears over time anyway, so pointless really!

[Ambers Mum]

we did ours between 10 months and a year, except for the little rig, who ended up in Liverpool at 3 years getting them dug out lol .

[beks the artist]

Thanks all.

So basically it's 10 months and beyond and when or if they start being too much to handle.

Will bare in mind ;)

[loubylou]

We got Chez done to tie in with weaning as he was going back to live with 2 mares and he was the result of an 8 month old Chester mounting a 3yo Lola so didnt want to risk it. As you would in effect be keeping him with boys its more of a personal preference :)

[beks the artist]

Neighbour has two mares... have spoken to her about it, it was jokingly said that she wouldn't mind having a colt next door and wouldn't mind if he visited her mares one night.... that was a joke! LOL! Anyway, he will most probably be gelded, couldn't be doing with a stallion and I feel it would be far too much for everyone involved xx