Cost of Gelding?

WelshD

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My colt will be gelded this autumn

My normal farm animal vet 'doesnt do equines' so I have registered the ponies with a local equine vets who are lovely but pretty expensive

I'm just wondering what is the normal cost for a straightforward gelding please?

Am I right in thinking it would be normal for the pony to have the operation at home and in the field? Pony is 16 months old and both testicles seem to be present and correct

I havent discussed it with the vets yet and obviously will but just wanted to know other people's experiences
 
Can range anything from £120-£300. Depends which vet.

Previous vet charged £100....

Current vet charges £150-80.

Other vets I know in the area charge up to £290!
 
my vet £90-130 cash, standing at home (he does all the local gypsy stallions)as long as you can get a headcollar on it so he can sedate it he will geld it

a friend paid £320 to have a shetland gelded and she had to take him to the vets, they would not do him for 3 months until he was well handled
 
I had 2 yearling colts done at the end of March for £100 each which was the absolute best price in the area I could get. Payment in full at the time, plus I had to provide a helper. The highest was about £200 each, so it was definitely worth the time spent phoning different local vets for prices.

The boys were done at home, actually in the stable rather than the field...
 
out vet always says get them done before the frost, same in spring before the flies. price was a few years back £75
 
forgot to say, done in field or yard and vet said leave in field as cleaner. if other horses with him, if they are calm ok if not then put a electric fence between them for 2 weeks till fully healded
 
£120 at my equine vets, and they are always done indoors, and left indoors for a few days so you can keep a close eye on whats going on. It does vary from practise to practise, so it may be worth you ringing around to find a reputable one that will do it for less?
 
Our vet quoted £130 for cash -under sedation with incisions left open.

In the end he had to go into hospital as he had a retained testicle where they close all the incisions and he ended up with an infection.
 
Thank you all for taking the time to reply :)

Pony is a Welsh sec A, 16 months old and his testicles look present and correct but obviously I know there can still be complications
 
That's what I am dreading! I have been quoted £140-250 depending on size of animal, it's an 11hh pony so I am expecting the total to be no more than £200 all in. Fingers crossed!

No wonder mediocre colts go for virtually nothing at auction!
 
Stood in the stable £120, thats what we paid earlier in the year.

Friends on the next yard paid £300 - theirs was done at the vets.
 
then you paid a lot of money figgy

my vet does all the gypsy colts and stallions so he does lots standing, in the field or on the lorry and cos he does so many is quick and efficient also cheaper than most and does stallions standing. if you can hold it for sedation he will castrate it is what clients are told.
 
Haven't had any done for a few years but it used to be about £300 for two colts. Done sedated at home and given antibiotic jab and pain killers. We would leave them in the barn for a couple of hours to keep an eye on them and then would turn them out. My vets and I think they are better off moving about to help keep swelling down.

It might be too muddy at this time of year to turnout straight away.
 
I was quoted £192 and when I went to settle bill yesterday they told me it was £550... apparently there were loads of hidden extras!!!

I would expect to pay that sort of money if my horse was a rig and and retained one (which my youngster had, that's how I know ;)), that's just ridiculous! You should have asked them to break down the costs so you know what you've paid for.
 
was it a quote or an estimate?

did you have it in writing?

did you challange it?

that is very expensive, i hope you refused to pay

I havent paid it yet... am ringing trading standards on Monday to see where I stand. I was told 3 times that it was £192 and that was if we brought him in to the vets... it would have been £50 dearer to have him done in the field as there would be the call out fee on top - so one of the hidden extras that they neglected to tell us about was the £132 to have in stay in their stable overnight!!! Oh but that did include the mucking out and bedding lol.
 
I would expect to pay that sort of money if my horse was a rig and and retained one (which my youngster had, that's how I know ;)), that's just ridiculous! You should have asked them to break down the costs so you know what you've paid for.

Havent paid yet... believe me I am going to challenge it... and find another vet
 
I havent paid it yet... am ringing trading standards on Monday to see where I stand. I was told 3 times that it was £192 and that was if we brought him in to the vets... it would have been £50 dearer to have him done in the field as there would be the call out fee on top - so one of the hidden extras that they neglected to tell us about was the £132 to have in stay in their stable overnight!!! Oh but that did include the mucking out and bedding lol.

was it a straight forward castration? ifso why did he stay in would be my first question?

i would imagine if you dont have it in writing you wont get much joy with trading standards but i wish you luck
 
No wonder the country is over run with colts! If the vets did gelding days or something to encourage people to get them done if it worked out cheaper. Our vets charge £100 so not too bad
 
well... i have been in touch with trading standards today and they told me that the vets are legally obliged to only charge me the original price that they quoted - £192 So I will be back in touch with the vets this week
 
well... got a letter back from the vets today apologising and have knocked the bill down to £315... still not £192 yet... so I will be writing back to them again
 
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