Lowen Ki
Well-Known Member
Ok two questions, how can you tell firstly, and what are the consequences of this in terms of behaviour etc?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
A gelding who has been cut late...
- Thread starter Lowen Ki
- Start date
Suziq77
Well-Known Member
I had a gelding who wasn't cut til he was rising 3 - i could tell because (a) his breeder told me, (b) i was given his castration certificate which had the date on it and (c) he always poohed in a pile like a stallion does. Fabulously easy to muck out, had a lovely topline, bags of presence in the showring and was the nicest person to handle once I managed to convince him that there was only one person in charge and it wasn't him. He was always top dog in the field and could get distracted my mares in season but would always come back and listen to me when I asked him to. Best pony ever
ps - he could have become a tyrant in the wrong hands - when I got him (as a 5yo) he'd been sent back by the person who first bought him as he became bargey and bad mannered
ps - he could have become a tyrant in the wrong hands - when I got him (as a 5yo) he'd been sent back by the person who first bought him as he became bargey and bad mannered
Lowen Ki
Well-Known Member
Thanks Suziq, what techniques did you use to prevent him becoming 'argy bargy'? Sounds like it wasn't a problem for you guys which is great news!
Suziq77
Well-Known Member
I had purple toes for a while as he used to charge at me and stamp on my feet when I opened his stable door then try to barge out - the first day I had him home he escaped and after that I would go in "ready" for him, telling him to get back. I never got angry with him, just really firm - but I was young then and very brave so I expect he could just tell I wasn't going to back down either. I was as stubborn as he was and my mum used to say we were two peas in a pod. He was 14.2hh so not that small given that I was 12 when I got him. When I went off to Uni we leased him to three little girls in succession and he taught them all about eventing and dressage and no one ever had any trouble from him. He was never allowed treats from the hand until he was about 16 though!
I think it's largely about having the confidence to handle horses without showing any fear or doubt - which isn't that easy once one of them has given you a scare. Personally I hate leading horses across open fields, any horse, particularly if there are other horses in the field too but I still don't like it if it's only one horse. I try to get mine to come to the gate for me and I don't think I'll ever get over that fear which I think comes from being trampled by a mare I had when I was 11 who was hard to catch - she was hooning around with one of the geldings and they cannoned into me from behind. These days my 5 year old mare sometimes picks up on my lack of confidence when I lead her but because she basically trusts me this usually just manifests itself as her doing a little jump and me realising that I need to breathe to help her feel relaxed again - it was a bit tricky when I first got her but now she knows me we work together
There are always professionals you can call on to help with tips too, I've learned so much about working with youngsters from my current trainer just by watching how he handles them and talks to them. Now if I have a tricky moment with a horse I try to picture how he looks when he's dealing with them in my head as I get on with the job in hand and that seems to work!
I think it's largely about having the confidence to handle horses without showing any fear or doubt - which isn't that easy once one of them has given you a scare. Personally I hate leading horses across open fields, any horse, particularly if there are other horses in the field too but I still don't like it if it's only one horse. I try to get mine to come to the gate for me and I don't think I'll ever get over that fear which I think comes from being trampled by a mare I had when I was 11 who was hard to catch - she was hooning around with one of the geldings and they cannoned into me from behind. These days my 5 year old mare sometimes picks up on my lack of confidence when I lead her but because she basically trusts me this usually just manifests itself as her doing a little jump and me realising that I need to breathe to help her feel relaxed again - it was a bit tricky when I first got her but now she knows me we work together
There are always professionals you can call on to help with tips too, I've learned so much about working with youngsters from my current trainer just by watching how he handles them and talks to them. Now if I have a tricky moment with a horse I try to picture how he looks when he's dealing with them in my head as I get on with the job in hand and that seems to work!
Lobelia_Overhill
Well-Known Member
I used to ride a horse who wasn't gelded till he was 6y/o or something, he was a lovely quiet horse to ride, the only "odd" thing was that he neighed like a stallion with his mouth wide open!
PollyP99
Well-Known Member
Mine was gelded at 6, he displays just like a stallion for example when a new gelding was added to the field, he did the whole prancing down the fence line, rather beautiful strike outs for some minutes, then he went off and ate the grass! He is grumpy but I think thats just him, he is not agressive to other horses and is bottom of the pile in the herd.
I think it depends how long ago the one you are perhaps considering was gelded and if they covered a mare or not, this could make a lot of difference.
In general once the testorone is out of the system you would not know for most horses just the odd quirky behaviour. Mine fancies donkeys for example, fine at fun rides with loads of other mares but show him a donkey and his tail is flat on his back, neck aloft prance, prance, very amusing!!
I think it depends how long ago the one you are perhaps considering was gelded and if they covered a mare or not, this could make a lot of difference.
In general once the testorone is out of the system you would not know for most horses just the odd quirky behaviour. Mine fancies donkeys for example, fine at fun rides with loads of other mares but show him a donkey and his tail is flat on his back, neck aloft prance, prance, very amusing!!
Ibblebibble
Well-Known Member
don't think late gelding is the cause of this, all 3 of my geldings do it and only one was cut late, it's just a 'look at me' boy show off thing
new pony was only cut at 3 yrs and he poo's in a pile , so much easier to poo pick like suziq says
other than that he is just the same as the other 2 boysjendie
Well-Known Member
I have a mini shetland who was gelded after a long career as a stallion. He was 18 when he lost his bits, a few weeks before coming to us. Apparently he was quite poorly after the op. He is an angel of a pony, there isn't a mean bone in his body. He lives very happily with a mare and his last foal. Has acute seperation anxiety if he gets seperated from them but apart from that he is a perfect gentleman and we love him to bits.