Castration Advice please when to do experiances

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Nessie.x

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Hi all I need to get my 5mth old Dartmoor foal castrated sometime and I was wondering if you had experiance of when best to castrate? Vets advice was spring or Autumn when there are little or no flys.
I am just not sure when to get him done now or in the spring and let him develop a little
Any advice much appreciated
 
Its needs to be done before the frost & after the flies...thats what i was always told, i usually get mine done around Oct/Nov or March. But its also dependent on your vets as well, if they do them standing in the stable its not so weather dependent, my vets drop them in the field so the weather does need to be good. Personally, if you can, id wait until the spring & get him done then, but if hes being really colty now get them off asap.
 
A little different thinking here. Advice I got from a rancher who raised hundreds of QHs out on the range was to wait till the colt was sexually mature. The internal structures that facilitate sex ALSO are tied to urination and develop at puberty further than just when the testes are descended. If you can wait that long, its optimal for the long term benefit of the horse... if he's becoming a nuisance, castrate him as soon as you like!
 
I had mine done the 1st week of december. We thought that he was 9 months old at the time and he had shown signs of needing to be done (mounted by OH as he walked him out one day) But we later found out that he was only about 6 months. It has done him no harm and his balls were definatly there!!
 
Depends if he is busy being a 'boy' or not! You can castrate as early as 6 months if they are being a pain usually around 12 months is better.

Vets nowadays say you can castrate all year round now-well thats the ones from Newmarket anyway!
 
Had ours done last week - we was nearly 6months old. He's going to be living with a filly and we decided better safe than sorry. Both were there and he'd move to fresh non-muddy pasture for it.
 
thatsmygirl said:
At 5 months old, has he got any?? My 6 month old has two tiny peas and that's it.
Click to expand...

I had my boy done in april, and just laughed my ass off at the vet. He spent ages trying to castrate my boy. now I know him well, and he f'd and blinded. I asked him what was wrong, he said"Do you remember vringing in the tomcat to be done, well, the tomcat had bigger balls". Seemingly, the bigger they are, the easier they are to get out for the vet. I'm still laughing.
but on a serious note, yes, before the frost, after the fly, so I'd wait til spring, if you can!!!

Sorry, still laughing at my vet!!!!
 
Had two colts have their boy toys removed last week!
one 17months old,one 2 years old. would have them done sooner but the weather and flies dont help and also both had been seriously ill when brought home so couldnt do any kind of ops until they were on the mend!
both dropped in the paddock and didnt need any kind of stitching-if you leave them till they are older ie-3 years old then usually they need a stitch or two! also the dogs liked the offal for their tea!:D
 
My boy was done 2 weeks ago at 5 months. His had been dropped for a while and were quite large. Vet did it in our grass arena and was so easy, no hassle. Bailey is almost completely healed. Our vet was happier to do it now before Bailey got too many hormones as he was worried that he could have been tricky to handle.
 
Thanks for all you wonderful advice I have decided to leave him til spring he is such a calm boy at the moment I dont feel the need to rush. But i def want to get to him before he starts being a handful :D He was microchpped and passported yest and that all went well.
 
Personally I cannot see any advantage to waiting any time after 6 months is fine.

I think colts are happier as youngsters without the influence of testosterone fueling their behaviour.
 
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