pistolpete
Well-Known Member
Just idling musing about next horse again. Lovely stallion for sale near me but I don’t have facilities for one. Anyone done this and it’s worked out well?
Gelding a 14 year old pris and cons and cost?
- Thread starter pistolpete
- Start date
Errin Paddywack
Well-Known Member
I gelded my stallion at 14. Op went well, done in field and he recovered quickly. However he was always a bit of a bully with other horses so was only ever turned out with his half brother who was slightly bigger than him. I would not have put him in with a mare. My sister's gelding was gelded at 11 before she had him and he has retained a lot of stallion behaviour much to her mare's delight.
Other people will have had different experiences. Both of ours had been used at stud.
Other people will have had different experiences. Both of ours had been used at stud.
CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
A horse I was caring for and riding (owner at uni) was gelded at 16 due to some melanomas on his testicles.
He lost a fair amount of weight and did have to go back to the clinic once. I'm not sure if he had a harder time due to the melanomas (likely has more in his body). He did bounce back eventually though. This horse never "knew" he was a stallion. His manners and behaviors were impeccable, and he had no stallion-like behaviors.
It's possible when one is gelded later that they still have some stallion-like behaviors and urges. If the horse is well behaved now, he will continue to be. If he isn't, gelding isn't the magic cure, but can help.
It can work out well, but is a bit harder on them when they are older, so it should (IMO) be done in a clinic. Not saying one in the field wouldn't go well though.
He lost a fair amount of weight and did have to go back to the clinic once. I'm not sure if he had a harder time due to the melanomas (likely has more in his body). He did bounce back eventually though. This horse never "knew" he was a stallion. His manners and behaviors were impeccable, and he had no stallion-like behaviors.
It's possible when one is gelded later that they still have some stallion-like behaviors and urges. If the horse is well behaved now, he will continue to be. If he isn't, gelding isn't the magic cure, but can help.
It can work out well, but is a bit harder on them when they are older, so it should (IMO) be done in a clinic. Not saying one in the field wouldn't go well though.
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PinkvSantaboots
Well-Known Member
I have known a few cut late and they were fine my own was cut at 4 he is a bit field dominant and not keen on other horses coming too close but his sweet with people.
windand rain
Well-Known Member
Think it depends on temperament and nature mine was gelded at 18 months and is an evil git. Friends gelded at 8 and he is a poppet
pistolpete
Well-Known Member
Going to see him tomorrow hopefully.
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
The horse in my avatar was a competing and serving stallion until he was 9. He was professionally handled all his life before I bought him and his manners are outstanding and have stayed that way. He is 27 now.
I did try to give him a turnout friend but he was and remains, unpredictable with another horse in his paddocks. He will spend months fine and loving his friend but can suddenly decide he hates his friend and be nasty. He is also territorial in his paddocks. He will chase pheasants and the cat across the fields if he is feeling fresh. In hindsight I do wonder if I had given him a big friend (he is 17.2) rather than the 12h pony friends I tried, whether he might have been better with his turnout friends.
Ridden wise he was outstanding and highly successful. His stallion presence never left him and even today is still there. I do think a stallion needs to have been educated and handled properly in the early years for him to maintain the manners as a gelding in latter years, but isn’t that the case for any horse really. Whoever educated my horse I am ever grareful to. There’s not many horses that move over by simply saying ‘excuse me’ too !
I did try to give him a turnout friend but he was and remains, unpredictable with another horse in his paddocks. He will spend months fine and loving his friend but can suddenly decide he hates his friend and be nasty. He is also territorial in his paddocks. He will chase pheasants and the cat across the fields if he is feeling fresh. In hindsight I do wonder if I had given him a big friend (he is 17.2) rather than the 12h pony friends I tried, whether he might have been better with his turnout friends.
Ridden wise he was outstanding and highly successful. His stallion presence never left him and even today is still there. I do think a stallion needs to have been educated and handled properly in the early years for him to maintain the manners as a gelding in latter years, but isn’t that the case for any horse really. Whoever educated my horse I am ever grareful to. There’s not many horses that move over by simply saying ‘excuse me’ too !
Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
I know someone who had 2 breeding stallions gelded at 14 and 16, just because they weren't used at stud any longer and the owners thought they should have a better life as geldings rather than isolated stallions. I'm not sure how it turned out, because when I saw them they were still in separate paddocks, but could see and touch over the fence. The older they are the bigger the operation so would have to be done in a hospital with a GA.
tda
Well-Known Member
My dad had his stallion gelded at age 7, he had to go into the clinic as it was General Anaesthetic which holds its own issues. No problems and turned into a lovely sweet calm gelding quite soon after. He was an unhappy stallion and had been used for covering
Errin Paddywack
Well-Known Member
My stallion was done at 14. Fully knocked out in the field. I have had a lot gelded over the years and they have all been done in the field with full anaesthetic. It was quite funny at one point as the vet who was doing the op was just about to start on the second testicle when he started moving. She was saying top up the anaesthetic and my vet who was assisting was worriedly saying he has had a lot already. She got cross with him and told him to get on with it. He did and all was well.
A friend did have an older boy done standing and lost him due to intestines escaping through the incision.
A friend did have an older boy done standing and lost him due to intestines escaping through the incision.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
a non starter in my book. Gelding a 14 yo stallion does not necessarily produce a 14 year old gelding. You don't know what it will produce, it is not like gelding a 2 yo. Not knowing how it will be affected then you have no idea what is going to happen in a livery situation. `It may well retain stallion behaviour or after 6 months or so it may settle down if your YO puts up with it for that long.
If you don't have the facilities for a stallion then, to me, it would be out of the question.
As for cost if it is done at home I expect your practice will require 2 vets in attendance for what could be a while allowing for recovery time so it will be considerably more than a year old colt. Presumably you have somewhere suitable for the gelding and somewhere to look after it afterwards as your livery owner may not be very keen. Alternatively we all know what horse hospitals charge.
If you don't have the facilities for a stallion then, to me, it would be out of the question.
As for cost if it is done at home I expect your practice will require 2 vets in attendance for what could be a while allowing for recovery time so it will be considerably more than a year old colt. Presumably you have somewhere suitable for the gelding and somewhere to look after it afterwards as your livery owner may not be very keen. Alternatively we all know what horse hospitals charge.
Santa’s Irish draught
Well-Known Member
It will be expensive to gelid a horse at that age most vet probably require you to travel. So in my opinion it’s not worth it. Some retiain the behavior of the stallion and every stallion has the ability to produce for 6 months after the procedure so no livery yard will allow you to keep him there because of the risk of getting a mare pregnant.
rara007
Well-Known Member
Anywhere from 350 if you get someone who’ll do it at yours up well into the 4 figures for under GA. I wouldn’t be expecting much change in temperament at that age. If he’s not ok in company now don’t bank on him being ok in company once gelded.
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
thats not true, again!
Santa’s Irish draught
Well-Known Member
Seriously I said nothing wasn’t true I don’t know what your problem is horse have remaining sperm for at least 6 weeks it can take some older horse up to 6 months it’s possible for a horse to produce a foal at this time so a horse shouldn’t be around mares . it’s going to be more expensive because it a bigger horse than a foal.
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
Despite the fact you've changed your statement, its still not true.
Santa’s Irish draught
Well-Known Member
Whatever if op gets someone horse actually pregnant I blame you because it’s proven fact.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Actually chuckling at the idea of the OP buying a stallion, gelding it, it somehow finding a random mare to have a go with and the mare's owner coming after I'm Dun ? good luck with that ?