Does gelding effect height

[Kinggizzmo]

The science of this in horses, dogs, cats, people etc is: as one gets older sex hormones and growth hormones increase when the cross the sex hormones damp off the growth hormones.
We see this in girls who are young have drunk a lot of milk with growth hormones and other type foods. I will never forget going to take our youngest to college. My husband sat quizzically watching the coeds. Did you ever see so many big breasted girls? I looked and thought about what my bio teacher had said.
Last year we bought a long coated German Sheppard form a breeder. Our contract says we can not have her fixed until she is 2 and sexually mature. She said it was highly correlated with hip displasia to have it done before. Once again I thought of my bio teacher.
I’ve done some research and it’s true. Moreover the animal control people know but consider it the less of two evils. I’ve thought off and on about tying tubes. That would prevent pregnancy but allow proper growth.
My question her do horses and dogs etc suffer the same sort of things that women with hysterectomies do? Do horse get bone disorders if gelded before sexual maturity?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Female horses are normally left entire (are only spayed in exceptional circumstances).

Males are regularly gelded (castrated) and have been for a long, long time. I don't know of any specific downsides to this.

 

[PurBee]

Im not sure with geldings as its estrogen release specifically which promotes the ’sealing’ of bone growth. I know this is a broad generalisation but thats why you get short curvy large breasted women and tall, slim small breasted women. Estrogen release late or early, which is tied to genetics, but as you state, can be externally influenced by dietary ahem ‘industrial farming hormone additives’!

So with geldings testosterone release would be curtailed with castration, testosterone promotes muscle growth. Estrogen is released via testes and adrenal glands in smaller amounts in males. when gelded testosterone can still be released via adrenal glands. My gelding has got as tall as his stallion dad, gelded at around 1yr old.

However, the work a horse is trained to do will also signal to the body the hormones required. So despite being gelded, if put into work , the muscle repair will stimulate testosterone release from the adrenals moreso than the gelding not in work.
Thats why female athletes bulk up Muscularly and lose their curves, and prone to PCOS, due to the physical demand of their sport on the body triggering more testosterone release. hirsutism and other male characteristics follow with prolonged demanding physical activity. We can be born with inborn endocrine imbalances, aswell as create them via diet as you said, or physical activity.

Seems the wisdom of the natural body will asjust to whatever demands are put on it. Providing all nutrients are supplied in adequate quantities to make those needed hormones.

 

[criso]

I've always heard that Geldings tend to get taller than those left entire if done before they hit puberty.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I've always heard that Geldings tend to get taller than those left entire if done before they hit puberty.

I have heard that before as well

 

[criso]

I'm sure i've heard the same about Bulls and Oxen too.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I had two full brothers a year apart. The older one I kept entire, the younger was gelded at a year. The younger one grew at least 2" more than his entire brother.

 

[ycbm]

My two year old grew like a weed as soon as his balls were cut off. He has gone from expected to mature at 15.2 to actual measuring at 16.1 at five years old.

.

 

[Mule]

Im not sure with geldings as its estrogen release specifically which promotes the ’sealing’ of bone growth. I know this is a broad generalisation but thats why you get short curvy large breasted women and tall, slim small breasted women. Estrogen release late or early, which is tied to genetics, but as you state, can be externally influenced by dietary ahem ‘industrial farming hormone additives’!

So with geldings testosterone release would be curtailed with castration, testosterone promotes muscle growth. Estrogen is released via testes and adrenal glands in smaller amounts in males. when gelded testosterone can still be released via adrenal glands. My gelding has got as tall as his stallion dad, gelded at around 1yr old.

However, the work a horse is trained to do will also signal to the body the hormones required. So despite being gelded, if put into work , the muscle repair will stimulate testosterone release from the adrenals moreso than the gelding not in work.
Thats why female athletes bulk up Muscularly and lose their curves, and prone to PCOS, due to the physical demand of their sport on the body triggering more testosterone release. hirsutism and other male characteristics follow with prolonged demanding physical activity. We can be born with inborn endocrine imbalances, aswell as create them via diet as you said, or physical activity.

Seems the wisdom of the natural body will asjust to whatever demands are put on it. Providing all nutrients are supplied in adequate quantities to make those needed hormones.

Interesting

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I had also heard the height thing (geldings growing taller than they would have been if left entire) but it's surely hard to prove. You cannot have the same horse grow to maturity once as a entire and then again as a gelding. Full brothers (and indeed sisters) aren't always the same height anyway and we know that some horses (mare's geldings and stallions) turn out shorter or taller than expected.

So identical twins? As they are rare with horses, maybe clones?

My own gelding is the same height as his sire and dam... whether he'd have been a short arse if left entire I just cannot say.

 

[Kinggizzmo]

Im not sure with geldings as its estrogen release specifically which promotes the ’sealing’ of bone growth. I know this is a broad generalisation but thats why you get short curvy large breasted women and tall, slim small breasted women. Estrogen release late or early, which is tied to genetics, but as you state, can be externally influenced by dietary ahem ‘industrial farming hormone additives’!

So with geldings testosterone release would be curtailed with castration, testosterone promotes muscle growth. Estrogen is released via testes and adrenal glands in smaller amounts in males. when gelded testosterone can still be released via adrenal glands. My gelding has got as tall as his stallion dad, gelded at around 1yr old.

However, the work a horse is trained to do will also signal to the body the hormones required. So despite being gelded, if put into work , the muscle repair will stimulate testosterone release from the adrenals moreso than the gelding not in work.
Thats why female athletes bulk up Muscularly and lose their curves, and prone to PCOS, due to the physical demand of their sport on the body triggering more testosterone release. hirsutism and other male characteristics follow with prolonged demanding physical activity. We can be born with inborn endocrine imbalances, aswell as create them via diet as you said, or physical activity.

Seems the wisdom of the natural body will asjust to whatever demands are put on it. Providing all nutrients are supplied in adequate quantities to make those needed hormones.

Thank you. It’s all very confusing to me. I received book learning but feel I need more. Do you know as per dogs and being fixed? I was contracted not to have Rebecca fixed before two as it would encourage hip displasia. At 5 months she had shoulder pain. The vet told us not to worry it would pass. So for a bit it did. But it came back and is elbow displasia which need surgery. She is fine now I guess, not being a vet. But while doing the surgery the surgeon checked her hips and said she has early signs of hip displasia. Per the breeder she on both side come from a no recent (at least five generations ) hip displasia. She is a German Sheppard Dog. I worry about her comfort as our last two GSDs have had it and it’s uncomfortable. The last dog Sheppy we had surgery for both hips which fixed the problem mostly.
I guess by now you are wondering about my fascination with horses. We have had Standardbreds in the past. And I love horse.
Thank you.