When to geld? Or keep entire?

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zoon

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I have a super little colt. Everyone keeps telling me to keep him entire, but I've never had any plans to breed from him so the plan was always to geld him. He will also be living out 24/7/365 with geldings so never really considered I have the facilities for a stallion either. I do have stables, but they are used a feed/rug rooms and are just there for an emergency as we have shelters fr the horses to use.

My question is - when is the best time to geld him? I was planning to do it next autumn, but people keep saying to keep him entire until later, see how he turns out and then decide. Never thought I was one to be influenced by peer pressure!

Here is a little pic of him a few months ago...

photoIce.jpg
 
If you are keeping him, and have no use for a stallion, then as soon as you want to is the answer I guess!
Now is a good time as the fly/midge population seem to be dying off (thankgod!)
 
Still full of flies round here, but yes - could do it a bit later when they go.

But everyone is telling me I am wasting a very good horse by gelding him and should be breedign from him (I know I shouldn't listen!)
 
if you've had Stallions before, are able to keep him "single sex" and are prepared to be treated like a pariah when its known he's a stallion whilst out and about, then go for it!
;);)

if i were you, he's got 2 yrs before he becomes a potential pain in the arse, so i'd keep him entire.

ps..has he been DNA'd?
 
I'd contact a stud and see what they say. Country Farm Stud specialises in coloured horses (and have two spotty stallions). They would tell you if he's really worth keeping entire. They compete all their stallions too, so would perhaps give advice on how to deal with a stallion... www.countryfarmstud.co.uk
 
He's a stunning colt but - by and large - stallions lead pretty grim lives. Unless they are kept at expert studs with proper stallion turnout facilities, the usual life these guys have is solitary confinement with extremely limited turnout. Many develop odd stereotypical behaviours. Some can be quite chilled but by and large a stallion will be unpredictable (or rather, VERY predictable!) around mares and geldings. Some can leap out of fields to chase passing riders on mares so think of the insurance issues too. I don't know enough about genetics to answer the next question: are you sure if you kept him entire he would throw stunning spotty foals??? I'd geld him and let him and you enjoy a happy, horsey lifestyle x
 
As soon as the flies have gone and both of them have dropped IMHO. Good point about if he was bay/solid colour too. On the whole, colts and stallions lead very lonely restricted lives; even if he was good enough, would you be happy restricting his habitat like that for what might be only one or two mares if you're lucky?
 
How old is he? I think a lot of people get colts gelded in the spring of his yearling year, before all the flies come out.

If he gets "Colty" to deal with, far easier and safer to get him gelded before he's 2.
 
You can get a mane test done to see if he is Homozygous...Also depends on if he has dropped yet ( i mean has both Balls !!!) as vet won't do it until they have anyway. He seems far to young at the moment. I had my youngster done at nearly 2 at that was beacuse he was getting riggy. i bought some RigCalm and it took the edge off until i could get the vet down to do the deed.
 
He's only 5 months and no sign of them yet! Hence thinking I'd do it next autumn when the flies went.

Whoever said "would you consider keeping him entire if he was bay?" - Thanks! Said that to one of the people who keeps saying I shouldn't geld and they didn't really have an answer to it! At least now I have a reply to all these people who keep bothering me about it! I am awful when it comes to people pressurising me - gets me all confused!
 
My vet did my chap at 13 months old but wanted to wait until this time of year to do him as there are less flies around. My vet told me to turn out as soon as he was done but my last vet with my last colt told me to keep him in...not sure which one was best, both had the same result.
He can still do the honers up to 6 weeks after the cut so bare that in mind if he's anywhere near mares or can get to a mare...some entire chaps will cross hot coals to get to a lady!!!
There are some people who feel that leaving them longer will help growth in a youngster but i think it depends on the horse and his temperament.
If you have no plans on breeding from him then for your and your lads sake i would get him snipped. You will still have a handsome boy that you can handle and turn out without the attitude.
 
I think you have hit the nail on the head there.
Why do people say he is stallion quality?

It seems to me that it is just because he is a spotty.
That doesnt make him stallion quality.

Are these people who have an expert eye that think this?

Not having a go at you, not at all. Seems you know the right answer is to geld him.
Just a pet hate of mine. To many "average" stallions out there, breeding for the hell of it.

It also cost a huge amount of money to do it properly. Gradings, DNA, registration, more gradings, getting a good competition record etc etc.
And also the isolated life they lead.

Do the wee man a favour and get him done when his balls have both dropped.

P.S - he is very cute!
 
Better to be a great gelding then an average stallion :)

He is a very striking chap, so get him gelded and have a whole world of fun getting him our there and seeing the world, and letting the world see him.

It can be a lonely life with even the best behaved of stallions - generally because other people are so wary of them, hacking partners can be few and far between a friend of mine has experienced.
 
I think you are very wise to geld your young man. My own stallion is now 21 and it is a big problem. With any other horse you could retire them safely in a field with other horses until their time came, this is not an option for him. I will, in the future, when he can no longer do any exercise, have to contemplate putting him to sleep. Needless to say I dread that day.
 
I kept my colt entire till last week- best desicion I made was to leave him entire for as long as I could- he's stunning- really well built and now moves in the show ring like a real show off- however only do it if he's not colty- mine was so easy to hangle I would forget he was entire until we were at a show- and he would wicker at mares.

He's super cute- but unless graded/have competition evidence I wouldn't keep a horse entire for life.
 
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