Late gelded competition horses. Training & attitude. Oh and hello!

Chloe_GHE

Chloe_GHE

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Hello Forumites!

I know I haven't been on here for aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages so please be kind it may take me a while to get back into the swing of things!

I wanted to pick people's brains on their experience with competition geldings that have been gelded late, and if they found them different to deal with compared to normal early gelded geldings (gelded pre 1 years old)

I've always had typical geldings up until getting D and there is a noticeable difference in his attitude and behaviour compared to the others. D was gelded in Oct of his 3rd year (so almost 4yrs old when it was done) and he does have what I would call an opinionated personality! (what's that they say about pets and their owners ;) )

Have you found late geldings to be more opinionated?...and if so in what way?...

The flip side of this seems to be that he is brave as a lion so for all his unsolicited opinions there is a real plus side :) We have finally begun his jumping training in earnest now and nothing so far (fingers tightly crossed) seems to phase him. We jumped some little spreads (1'9'' cross pole spreads) the other day and they had a coat and a rug draped over one end of the fence and blocks in the middle of the spread and he just pooped it no bother, not even a blink!

So....late geldings... are they all bold but independent minded?....

I have on offer the last of the xmas chocolate please take it from me I put on 2lbs over xmas and just as I was starting my healthy living kick another YARD of jaffa cakes and chocolate fingers arrived!!!! (late xmas gift)
 
Welcome back! You might find the post I made the day before useful as I was asking how late gelding affected stallions. The consensus was that their pre-cut attitude and temperament continued, so if a mannerly stallion a mannerly gelding and so on. I am simplifying it so the thread which is probably on p2 now would be worth looking at.

Good luck with your boy. Bold is good!
 
measles said:
Welcome back! You might find the post I made the day before useful as I was asking how late gelding affected stallions. The consensus was that their pre-cut attitude and temperament continued, so if a mannerly stallion a mannerly gelding and so on. I am simplifying it so the thread which is probably on p2 now would be worth looking at.

Good luck with your boy. Bold is good!
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ah! sounds like I made my come back a day too late, I will go and seek out that thread now :)

hmmmm mannerly isn't a term I would use for D! ;)
 
I only know one and he isn't mine, he's my friends. He's certainly a handful that's for sure but very talented. whether that is normal or not I don't know!
 
Those accustomed to stallions believe my gelding was cut late due to his behavour around mares.

He is not bold! Sensitive, intelligent horse who definitely has to be asked and not told. Avoiding a fight is essential, and I usually have to tell "old school" folk with the "make him" attitude, to politely b****r off. He is mannerly, but not impressed by sheath cleaning.

Very trainable and schooling advanced medium. Also very quick to make judgements - once he has decided something is a problem, he needs a lot of gentle persuading to review his opinion.
 
I've known, and owned, a few late cut geldings now (all of mine were done between 3-4 but I know a couple that were done 8/9ish) and I'd definitley say they have a bit more 'attitude' than those done before 1. Nothing specific, they are just a little louder and more opinionated than the others. they may have been a bit like that anyway, who knows, but it's definately a trait they share.

I quite like it and would actively look for one that had been done late.
 
Tbh, I haven't found stallions have 'a temperament' so would agree with the above, that innate temperament is far more a factor than hormonal influence. I would not say stallions are necessarily bolder/less spooky - in fact I might be tempted to say the opposite in some cases! They are more 'pressured' which can make many aspects of their personality more out there. And ones that have learned to shout and posture will often keep it up even after gelding, but that's not necessarily connected to boldness in terms of going new places etc.

SOME horses gelded post maturity continue to behave towards other horses in a 'stallion' way, although other stallions tend not to be particularly bothered, which would suggest it's not 'real'. The most 'stallion-y' gelding I've known was cut by 4 but he was whole hog, including all the equipment working and mares and stallions reacting to him as entire. Horses don't just produce testosterone in their testes so the theory on him was he simply came supercharged - which was probably why he was cut in the first place, despite very desirable breeding!
 
Mine was gleded at about 4years and he is no different, he's very intelligent so maybe it made him clever! haha The only thing is that he does get attached to mares, usually the big, heavy ladies... he is tall and lanky!
 
As far as training, horses that have been allowed to develop 'male' characteristics will often have a bit more about them, although usually this is most notable in ones cut after sexual maturity. And even quite late cut stallions almost always get easier to ride and compete after.

I certainly wouldn't choose or not choose a horse, or significantly alter the way I treated it only on the basis of when it was cut. There are some awfully chippy geldings in the world, too!
 
Scarlett said:
I've known, and owned, a few late cut geldings now (all of mine were done between 3-4 but I know a couple that were done 8/9ish) and I'd definitley say they have a bit more 'attitude' than those done before 1. Nothing specific, they are just a little louder and more opinionated than the others. they may have been a bit like that anyway, who knows, but it's definately a trait they share.

I quite like it and would actively look for one that had been done late.
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Having read all the replies I think D fits this bill the most, he is just a bit 'extra'. I like his attitude 99% of the time, but he can also be a bit of a brat every now and again ;)
 
J was gelded at about 3.5yrs. He is self confident, bold, cheeky and he chews everything. He is lovely, very easy to train. He is very willing to please and so his confidence works with you and not against you. I have had to be firm with him on the odd occasion though as he does seem to be a typical boy at times!
 
CS was cut late, and apart from being mouthy he isnt particularly colty.

He CANNOT be turned out with mares, as um, wont take no for an answer, to put it politely, but thats the only problem.


I dont really think his *attitude* is much to do with it, i think thats more genetics and just him TBH.
 
Chloe_GHE said:
Having read all the replies I think D fits this bill the most, he is just a bit 'extra'. I like his attitude 99% of the time, but he can also be a bit of a brat every now and again ;)
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An old horseman I used to have in to do teeth said that those gelded late had the volume turned up on life, and I think that's very apt for a couple I know :)
 
My TB was cut at 7 :D He's really well bred and had shown real talent before switching off from racing. I bought him 6 months after he'd been gelded (I didn't know this at the time) and he was a horrid biter. Fast forward four years, some Gastrogard later and patient handling, and I have a horse that is brilliant to deal with on the ground, though can still look a bit grumpy at times.

He has never pestered mares and is kept happily with my son's little mare. He is very bold to ride and jump - I have never known him even look twice at a fence, irrespective of how scary/bright etc. He is straightforward to ride and tries his heart out. He certainly does have something about him and plenty of prescence.

I'll never know if his bold attitude is related to him being cut late or if he would have always been this way.
 
Mine was cut late (about 3.5yrsish) having sired 4 offspring. He is not remotely interested in the mares even when they are winking at him!! He is quite highly stung though and can prance around a bit with tail in the air if excited. He is very sharp and spooky at times and can throw his toys out quite a bit. The worst thing you can do is lose your rag with him though - it makes him 10 times worse! Firm but fair is definatly the way to go and quieter the better. I agree with mtj's words. He can be speshul and temperamental/brattish! However I didnt know him before he was gelded so this could have ben true of him when he was a stallion! The saying above about living life with the volume turned up is just spot on!!
 
J was cut at 3 roughly and he is intelligent and quirky however has some talent for SJ. He is very cheeky, if he doesn't want to do something he will try his best not to although this was partly down swell to him being left feral as a baby and not being socialised.
He is however the most saint like horse in he field he will get on with anything and mares no
problem and he never causes trouble - for all his quirks I love him and he has been quite successful this year!
 
My boy was gelded at 6, he doesn't show any signs with mares, but if other geldings are close by he becomes very stallion like, prances, snorts and strikes with his front feet. He is kept with a mare in the field and he is fine with her. I always put a red ribbon in his tail at shows and try to warm up out the way, he can also be a handful to lead in the spring so usually use a chifney. The upside is he has a lot of presence in his dressage tests, and jumps anything, he has a very playful character, but sometimes forgets himself :-)
 
All ours have a lot of attitude but I don't think that's related to being cut late- the latest cut we had we got a year after being gelded at 10, we've got a couple who were cut at 4 or 5, but again all attitude full welsh ponies so hard to tell ;) Calv was cut at 2 or 3 I think, but you'd never know it either to look at him or attitude wise! Don't know if that's as we're on a gelding only yard, he likes a play in the field but think that's down to age- he's not particularly dominant to the ponies 3+ hands smaller and if anything is insecure at times and really takes a lead from the rider :)
 
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