What do i do with this pony?

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Uggboot

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I will give the editied version!

I 'gained' a pony that was basically not having a great time with his last owner - long feet, not fed etc
The pony looked rank when it came to me - but fitted in nicely as a companion with my older horse. However, my older horse now lives out with my others so the pony is now not needed.
The pony is a colt - not yet ready to be cut as the vet wants one ball to drop a bit further to avoid complications.

It means he is in a lot as i have mares - and although he is fine in (he brings himself back in even after 20mins in field)
The pony originally came from a sales - the paperwork blatently isnt his, so im in the process of getting a petID passport for him.

My friends, and yard owner have all said i should get rid - he is costing me money, he is now healthy etc and at 12hh is never going to be any use to me.
However, i feel responsible for him - i basically rescued him.

Noone wants to loan him as he is a unbroken colt.
And if i sell him, it would be a nominal fee and i would worry where he ended up.
He is a 4yr old, nice looking pony - a bit nervy from his past - but thats all.

Other people have said PTS if i worry where he will go but how can i do that to a pony that has his life ahead of him.
The only reason i now cant keep him is my finances have changed :-(
 
The best thing you can do is put some work in if you have the time and knowledge.

A 12hh unbroken colt is pretty much worthless, but if you could get him doing some basic stuff, lunging, long reining, get him out in traffic in hand with a friend, find a small teenager to help you perhaps, and then he has a bit of a chance. If he proves sensible, he might be worth something to somebody.

Has the vet given any idea about how long it might take for the other ball to drop properly (probably as long as a piece of string!) ? I don't know about these things but would have thought if he is 4, then it should have happened by now, in which case that is more tricky.

The Royal Vet College only charges around £100 for castration I believe (good practice for the students) - are you anywhere near there? I realise your finances have changed but if you could afford to have him gelded, that would help him find a decent home.
 
He's four and his balls haven't dropped yet? Oh dear looks like it is complicated and will be expensive for you. PTS does seem a rather harsh option but you need to try and sell him or advertise as a companion. I'm afraid if I were to buy him I'd request to collect him as a gelding so that may still be one expense you may have to swallow unfortunately. He sounds really sweet though - I'm sure you have a good chance someone will take him on :)
 
He has company when he goes out, he goes out with a small gelding - but its a yard rule that he CANNOT go out while there are still mares out.
I think people have said it as im so, so concerned that, if i sell him for a nominal fee, he will be taken to the nearest knacker house / dealer.

Also, he is far from a 'poor little scrap' he is in great condition and get doted on by all the liveries as they go past his box.

I would LOVE to loan him - so i can have him back and safeguard his future, but noone ive asked wants him
 
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Have you spoken to another vet for another opinion? I too find it strange that a pony of 4 can't be cut.

Another option is to start breaking him in - then he is much easier to rehome. As Llewyln said - even if you can't fully break him if ther is nobody small enough around you can do quite a lot.
 
Uggboot said:
He has company when he goes out, he goes out with a small gelding - but its a yard rule that he CANNOT go out while there are still mares out.
I think people have said it as im so, so concerned that, if i sell him for a nominal fee, he will be taken to the nearest knacker house / dealer.

Also, he is far from a 'poor little scrap' he is in great condition and get doted on by all the liveries as they go past his box.

I would LOVE to loan him - so i can have him back and safeguard his future, but noone ive asked wants him
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I think you need to geld him asap and either keep him or advertise. If he's in good condition and has a good conformation he'll be snapped up. You have to try at least and advertise as a loan or lwvtb... or just sell. If you can't keep him, you have to let him go to the right person.
 
Speak to a local rescue centre and ask their advice - he needs to be gelded pronto if he is likely to have any good prospects.

If he is 4 and his balls have not dropped then they are unlikely to drop any day soon. Speak to the vet and see if you can get some kind of financial help with this.

good luck
 
The vet has said he 'could' be done but he was a little concerned about complications as one is borderline.
The only problem with that is it will cost me around £250 with extra drugs to be safe - and the flies are rife.
 
To be blunt, you've asked for advice, received advice and come across as if you've dismissed the said advice. I'm a little confused - what did you want people to say?

Gelding him will surely be cheaper than breaking him in. I agree that by gelding him he'll have the best possible chances of finding a nice home. I also agree doing groundwork with him will make him more appealing.
 
Think of it as money you didn't spend on buying/paying a loaning fee for a companion when your horse needed one.

As others have said get him gelded, started (long reining etc) and get him advertised. He's done his job for you, now you can set him on his way in life.
 
If both testicles are down he can be castrated normally, but if one isn't down then its criptorchid surgery, we recently paid £900 for a Shetland, nothing is going to change there now at 4 imo x
 
I was in a similar position with a little 'rescued' pony of my own, he only had one descended testicle by the age of 4 and at that age it's not going to drop any further. He had a 'rig operation' and was then backed by my daughter. We had him for 7 years, only selling him when It was either retire him aged 9 or sell him. he now has a super home with a lovely family with two little girls who adore him.
From this....
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To this...
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I think you should give your pony a chance of a new life too. It's possible that vets will refuse to geld him this late in the year and you may have to wait until autumn but in the meantime start work on his education, longreining, getting him used to a saddle and bridle etc. whetever you have to spend on castration you will easily recoup when he's sold if you put the work in.
 
Unless he is stallion material I think you're being unfair on him not to get on & geld him (potentially in autumn when less flies sensible suggestion). Then he can go out with anything, & not be kept in so much. If you want to wait because of flies, then back him, but do something. As he stands he is worth very little & probably will end up as meat if he is sold for a nominal fee. Give him the chance of a social life, hopefully with some fun as well. Time to move on, it's not going to drop anymore so you just have to make do with the more expensive operation. I don't mean to be harsh, but if you want him to go to a family home they are going to want a backed gelding.
 
There is no reason what so ever he cannot be gelded.
The longer you wait, the bigger the blood vessels can get and that in itself causes problems.
And at 4 you are turning him out with mares? That just asking for trouble!
Get him gelded and start the backing process. He stands a far better chance of getting a decent home that way.
 
joeanne said:
There is no reason what so ever he cannot be gelded.
The longer you wait, the bigger the blood vessels can get and that in itself causes problems.
And at 4 you are turning him out with mares? That just asking for trouble!
Get him gelded and start the backing process. He stands a far better chance of getting a decent home that way.
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I would politely suggest you re-read the OP's posts:

He has company when he goes out, he goes out with a small gelding - but its a yard rule that he CANNOT go out while there are still mares out.
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the vet wants one ball to drop a bit further to avoid complications.
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OP it depends on how long you can keep him for. If you don't geld until the autumn than you will more than likely have him over the winter as well. As he is in so much anyway then I wouldn't have thought there would be much problem gelding him now? Then as others have said back him if possible. What is his temperament like? Do you think he would drive? You may have more chance of selling him into a driving home.
 
Either put the work into him- have him gelded, maybe even break him, make him more saleable. Or keep the poor little chap.

Sad state of affairs when one of the options for a YOUNG pony, who has naff all wrong with it is PTS. He served his purpose of being a companion and know that you " no longer need him" you would actually consider PTS? what a throw away world we live in.
 
I think you have to geld him if you've any chance of selling him on. Hopefully you'll be able to recoup the cost of the operation when you sell him. I'd try and get him done ASAP as the summer is the best time to sell.

You could ring an equine charity like the Blue Cross or Horseworld for advice if you really can't afford to keep him.
 
GingerCat said:
I was in a similar position with a little 'rescued' pony of my own, he only had one descended testicle by the age of 4 and at that age it's not going to drop any further. He had a 'rig operation' and was then backed by my daughter. We had him for 7 years, only selling him when It was either retire him aged 9 or sell him. he now has a super home with a lovely family with two little girls who adore him.
From this....
jasper03.jpg


To this...
CopyofPicture180-1-2.jpg


I think you should give your pony a chance of a new life too. It's possible that vets will refuse to geld him this late in the year and you may have to wait until autumn but in the meantime start work on his education, longreining, getting him used to a saddle and bridle etc. whetever you have to spend on castration you will easily recoup when he's sold if you put the work in.
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Ditto the above - nut i would also put the word about your local RC/PC etc for a potential home
 
At 12hh he could make a cracking little driving pony. Its not difficult to start him off yourself, long reining in a bridle along quite lanes if you have them. If you do the basic training yourself its not expensive to send them away to be professionally put to the vehicle.
 
Does your vet think that the retained testicle is in the inguinal canal or in the abdomen? If it's the former, then they are likely to be able to locate & remove it under sedation. The abdominal option requires a GA and will obviously be substantially more expensive. Either way, if you are having him castrated, I would take him to an equine hospital in case of complications.

Our vets are quite relaxed about castration through the spring/summer months as modern fly repellants work so well.
 
Uggboot said:
The vet has said he 'could' be done but he was a little concerned about complications as one is borderline.
The only problem with that is it will cost me around £250 with extra drugs to be safe - and the flies are rife.
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Sorry to be harsh, but why on earth "rescue" him when you couldnt afford any problems that may arise?
 
To be fair the OP has said that her financial situation has changed, which we all are aware can happen in a second.
 
start doing a few bits with him, longreining, lungeing, perhaps even back him in the next few weeks. When the flies start to go, have him gelded....probably when sedated that other ball should 'drop' anyhow, either way, just pay the £250 if needed and then you can rehome him much easier :)
 
So he came from the sales with a dodgy passport that's not his and at the age of 4 your still waiting for a ball to drop.

Are you sure he's even four years old then?
 
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