those with entires - rising 2yr olds - handling

[cob&onion]

My welsh D colt is rising 2 and yes he is still entire, he is a cryptorchid colt. Not ideal, was intending to have him cut as soon as i bought him but hey ho. Anyway he is due to have his op March time, after then am hoping to get him out this year doing some inhand classes. However he has become quite nippy lately and a bit bolshy, so been doing a bit of groundwork with him. Today i did 10 mins leading with him and getting him to back up out my personal space (he tries to walk through you at times), lifting his legs up and listening to commands such as walk and stand. Apart from the occasional nip he was a good boy and soon got the hang of letting me walk at his shoulder without me having to pull him along whilst leading my aim is to have him walking and trotting up in hand, be able to handle his legs/feet without him trying to get away and to have him tying up nicely for short periods without him pulling back, and have him leading in an inhand bridle ready for this year.
I wanted to ask if the nipping and him generally being opinionated and very bold would settle soon after he has been cut? he's far from unmanageable but would like him to have a few mannors before venturing out into the show ring
I expect some of the boldness and him being opinionated is to do with his welshy breeding - would just like less of the nipping and trying to walk over me!
Any tips?!

 

[joeanne]

Behaviour generally does start to settle once they are gelded.
Six months after I had my bolshy git cut, he was a typical dpe on a rope.

 

[cob&onion]

Behaviour generally does start to settle once they are gelded.
Six months after I had my bolshy git cut, he was a typical dpe on a rope.

Ooooooo i hope so!! he is generally a lovely boy, definitely changes though when the mares are in season - even though they are obviously separated - they have been coming into season all winter!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

If it stays frosty, then am sure your vet would be just as happy to geld him now for you Its the mud/dust that doesn't help afterwards in the healing.
Keep on top of him (as you currently are) and don't give him any time out after gelding but keep on re-inforcing the training.
Some colts will carry on coltish behaviour after for quite a time, just be very aware & keep on with him.

Good luck & hope he settles more for you soon

 

[Dolcé]

Agree with keeping on top of him, coming up 2 is the time most people give in and get them cut because it is where they start trying it on and testing boundaries (but then so do fillies and geldings at that age). We have 3 entires, all now rising 4, they have just never been allowed to behave badly and are treated like 'normal' horses, as in we wouldn't accept bad behaviour from the others either. Put the work in now and you will have a lovely pony with excellent manners

 

[cob&onion]

Thanks for the replies
Planning on bringing him down to the yard next week to do a bit more handling with him there, as opposed to doing bits in the field next door

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

Agree with what's said here - gelding him won't give him manners per se but will obviously calm him down hormone-wise..so you are right to be doing this groundwork with him and keep on top of his boundaries...bargey shoulders and walking over the top of you does seem to be a bit of a welsh D thing...but that doesn't mean you have to put up with it! Again, what you are doing is the right thing...
My wild boy did obviously change in some respects after gelding at 21 months...but only groundwork and boundaries gave him any idea of manners..and as someone else has said, its worth not turning away as such in this respect - have had to temporarily stop working my boy since Nov for various reasons and his manners have slipped accordingly...but I know he will come back in hand once I start again with him..
Good luck, keep us posted!