9 month old colt - advise please - as much as possible

[TJP]

As above, a 11 year old gelding Thoroughbred. He wont be staying in for the 3 weeks, he will be out in the yard with the Shetland Pony on a night, and in during the day, or in at night, out during the day.

Hi, good luck with you little chap. I have a colt who has ran with mares over the winter. I had to remove him from them last week as he has suddenly decided he is a big boy lol. He has started biting them and displaying very stallion like behaviour. One of the mares has several bare bits to show for his attentions! Just keep an eye when you put him out with the sheltie in case he realises spring is on the way. We have our 'big boy' out with a retired gelding now, amazingly he is quickly becoming boss at a very young age. He will be out with other youngsters next month hopefully - it's the best thing for him in my opinion. Our boy is brought in occasionally and reminded how to
Lead/ stand in halter, get groomed, load on trailer, pick up feet, copper supp and wormer when required. Then back into the field and left to be a foal.
Hope all goes well

 

[Spring Feather]

30 years ago, the general view was that gelding a colt would slow its growth. Now the opposite is the view and my personal belief - based on considerable experience of watching both colts and geldings grow up (including full siblings) - that gelding a colt young will get it growing taller than it would if it was left entire. Leaving a colt entire, though, will develop a better topline - particularly in the neck!

I'm not aware of any studies - and it would be a hard one to set up as so many different factors influence growth. Early foals almost always end up bigger than late foals. Foals from maiden mares will normally not be as big as the same mare's later foals, etc. etc.

I completely agree with Janet and those have been my findings also. Colts that I have had gelded early have definitely grown taller than I was expecting and colts I've left entire for longer have not grown as tall but have been far bulkier than their counterparts who were gelded earlier.

I'm sure some establishment did do a study on this, maybe 15/20 years ago if memory serves me right?? Will have a search through my memorybanks and see if I can remember who it was who did it. There's certainly been some American vet studies which have come out with the same findings as us.

Anyhow, back to the OP. I would handle for short periods of time, regularly. I don't believe in turning youngsters out in fields, not to have human contact until they're brought in to start work at 4, but others may and that's their prerogative. I would be doing everything in hand that you would with a grown horse; groom, pick feet, teach tying, wash down etc. so that when you do come to breaking the horse for ridden work, nothing will come as a shock to him. Unless you are seriously planning to use him as a breeding stallion I would castrate him. I would not allow nipping - get an empty Jif lemon and fill it with water, and squirt him when he tries this. Nipping very often leads to biting, not what you want. Most importantly be sensible with him, don't treat him like a child, be fair and firm and enjoy him.

 

[NicolaC]

Good luck with your boy. I now have 3 welsh boys. 2 Gelding's and a 8 month old colt. My 6 year old section A was gelded at 18 months and he is now a stonking Section A. My section D was also gelded at 18 months old and now stands 15hh. He was only supposed to make 14.2hh. Most of his brothers that his breeder bred has been kept entire and non have made his height. Even his breeder doesnt know where he got his height from. My colt foal will be kept entire and will be used for stud duties. He is being kept entire because he has fantastic breeding and because he is Cremello and has been tested negative for the grey gene. Both of the other two have got fantastic breeding but even though the D had the best temperament even as a colt there was no way I was keeping him entire. It is better to have a top class gelding than to have a middle class stallion. xx

The best thing to do with him if you do not intend to show him would be chuck him out with other yearlings and let him be a horse. Handle him daily so he know respect but just let him be a baby. xxx

 

[Touchwood]

Agree with Janet 100%. In our experience leaving entire improves muscle development and topline but inhibits height.