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Message |
    
barbara carry (Oscarvv)
| | Posted on Friday, Dec 29, 2000 - 11:45 am: |   |
I am getting tired of my 8 month old colts nipping (me) and mounting my other colt. But I was hoping his neck would get a little thicker/more muscled before gelding him.
Any ideas if his neck could get better muscled if I wait a little longer to geld him?
I am unsure of his breeding...was told he is a 3/4TBx1/4Perch but think there is a Saddlebred somewhere in his past.....
Thanks
Barbara |
S. T. Bruce (Kari)
| | Posted on Saturday, Dec 30, 2000 - 10:24 am: | |
Generally speaking, the longer you wait to geld the greater the possibility of the neck getting thicker. However, why would you want a thicker/more muscular neck? As a rule, the thicker the neck, the less suppleness the horse will have. The nipping can be corrected by you and the mounting will probably be corrected by the other colt. |
barbara (Oscarvv)
| | Posted on Saturday, Dec 30, 2000 - 10:38 am: | |
Hi there
Thanks for the response.
This colt (my husband's) has a nice long neck but it is very thin...so I was hoping for a little muscle to help balance out his conformation.
I know the nipping is a behavior problem which I should be able to keep in check.
The colt(mine) being mounted is very laid back and bucks him off eventually but doen't seem to mind it terribly. I don't like to see my colt being slammed out in the paddock all day long. Anytime this colt sees the back of a horse all he thinks about is mounting.
I just made an appointment for him to be gelded 1/4. |
Eva B. Orndoff (Eveo)
| | Posted on Sunday, Dec 31, 2000 - 12:18 am: | |
I think a thin neck goes along with being a baby. In fact, my vet says she likes to see youngsters on the lean side for at least their first couple of years.
One benefit (I've read) is that early gelding causes a foal to grow a little taller. Something about the stallion hormones causing the growth hormones to shut down earlier than with a gelding.
Don't be surprised if the colt continues his play mounting for several months after his surgery.
I don't know how many foals you've been able to watch as they mature, but their physiques do change quite a bit as they age. I wouldn't worry about neck muscling just yet. |
Eva B. Orndoff (Eveo)
| | Posted on Sunday, Dec 31, 2000 - 12:20 am: | |
PS--geldings can be plenty nippy. Make him stop it asap. |
Sally Payette (1sally)
| | Posted on Sunday, Dec 31, 2000 - 6:47 am: | |
Eva is right. Stallions are usually shorter than their gelding counterparts. Also, sounds like your colt is maturing quickly and probably will be capable of breeding in another couple of months. On top of that, genetics are genetics. And if your colt is of the breeding to be tall and thin, that is what he will be. Unless you geld after he is a mature stallion (approximately 5 to 7 yrs old), he will not hold onto the stallion muscling after being gelded and this will slowly fade anyway. |
barbara (Oscarvv)
| | Posted on Sunday, Dec 31, 2000 - 8:05 am: | |
Thanks for the input.
Yes, I agree, his nipping must be stopped.....sometimes easier said than done. But we are working on it and he is getting better. He is going thru a phase, however inappropriate. He never use to bite or nip.
I know foals go thru all sorts of stages and growth spurts and I am keping mine on the lean side. They are both going to be at least 16.3hh, so I am being careful of them growing too fast.
Sally, you are right, he seems to be maturing VERY quickly. Mounting my colt is almost all he can think of doing. |
Jordana Meisner (Presario)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 2, 2001 - 10:56 am: | |
It sounds like NOW is the time to geld him! My gelding started his nipping quite suddenly when he was about that age. I knew it was time. He was gelded at 10.5-11 months, and he quick picking almost immediately. He only started it again when he begin teething heavily. When he started that again (EVERYTHING had to go in his mouth), I started jabbing him with my thumb under his chin as soon as his mouth headed for me. He couldn't see me doing it, so didn't associate it with me, and while I became a bit thumb sore (!) he never became head-shy. If you are going to punish him physically for his nipping, make sure you make it count, and make it fast. Lightly smacking him will make him think it's a game, and if you aren't quick, he may not make the association. Also, every time he points his teeth in your direction, vigorously begin rubbing his nose, face, and all over his head until he's had enough and decides you need to stop. A few times of this and he'll think twice before opening his mouth!
As for his neck - he's 8 months old - he'll have a pencil neck for a while! He's also not in work, so he has no muscling built up. He'll be fine. |
barbara (Oscarvv)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 4, 2001 - 7:01 am: | |
Thanks Jordana
Unfortunately, my vet cancelled the gelding for today. She said it was too cold, and we must wait until Spring. Or we can colt take him to a clinic to have it done. |
Jordana Meisner (Presario)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 4, 2001 - 12:13 pm: | |
Hmm, I guess I don't understand why it's too cold? |
barbara (Oscarvv)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 4, 2001 - 12:51 pm: | |
It was a new one to me but she said she was afraid he could become hypothermic from laying on the cold ground. |
Jordana Meisner (Presario)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 4, 2001 - 2:19 pm: | |
Oh, gotcha! That makes sense. Still, I'd be finding a way to get him done now if he's behaving they way he is. When I had Rio gelded, it was mid-Feb, which here in NC could have been anything from 30 with sleet/freezing rain (or worse) to 70 degree sunshine. I bought a few bales of straw and deeply bedded a run-in shed so we could do the deed there if necessary. As luck would have it, the weather was closer to the latter, at about 60 and sunny! |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Friday, Jan 5, 2001 - 9:07 am: | |
Hello Barbara and Jordana,
For the 20 minutes he is down I would not think this would be a big deal. I certainly would not lay him down on frozen ground, too hard. Why not put a blanket under him if this is the concern? |
barbara (Oscarvv)
| | Posted on Friday, Jan 5, 2001 - 1:44 pm: | |
DrO
I honestly don't understand my vet's concerns but trust her judgement....maybe she is also afraid of having him hosed (if needed) when it is freezing outside.
My horses are now at a former race horse barn and the stalls are surrounded by an indoor rubber excerise "track". I thought the barn would be well suited for gelding.
~Barbara |
Eva B. Orndoff (Eveo)
| | Posted on Friday, Jan 5, 2001 - 3:56 pm: | |
I had mine gelded in February. Although freezing ground isn't an issue here, the colt was down very briefly. Also, I understand the operation is often done standing. Is that an option?
I chose to have mine done in the winter months because I didn't want to have to deal with nasty flies. |
barbara (Oscarvv)
| | Posted on Friday, Jan 5, 2001 - 5:53 pm: | |
I am not desperate to have him gelded so I will stick with my vets advice. Actually, since moving him to a new barn, his behavior has improved dramatically.
What I have heard about standing castrations is that they are usually done on more mature colts/stallions, -not sure if that is true.
My vet said she will geld him in early Spring before fly season.
The temperature here (VA) has not been above 35 degrees for what seems like forever....and it really has been at least a few weeks. Although, there is warmer weather in our forecast.
~Barbara |
Karen Schumaker (Tycon)
| | Posted on Saturday, Jan 27, 2001 - 6:58 pm: | |
I just had my 8 1/2 mo old TWH Colt gelded yesterday, standing. Seems to have tolerated it quite well but obviously sore today. Walked 1/2 hr in the afternoon and will again tonite for 1/2, given some Bute to take the edge off, and kept away from my mare to avoid rearing. Any other suggestions? Thanks, love this site. Karen |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 30, 2001 - 11:48 am: | |
We have some recommendations in the article on castration that goes with this forum.
DrO |
SHIRLEY WARNICK
Member
Username: Swarnick
Post Number: 2
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 16, 2003 - 12:51 pm: | |
Hi Dr. O.
I have read a lot of varying opinions about the earliest age to geld and reasons for doing so however, since I have two miniatures I am not inclined to geld them early to induce growth and having them become taller than they would if left ungelded. I guess what I'm asking is, in this case, what would be the latest I should consider having them gelded to avoid this possiblity? They are not breeding quality horses so I do intend to geld them eventually.
Thanks, Shirley |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 8596
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jun 17, 2003 - 3:14 am: | |
If you are trying to keep them as short as possible and you think keeping them a stallion will help this, gelding around 24 to 27 months should help. Note that the difference in height between geldings and stallions is not great, and even a somewhat controversial finding (see the article for more on this).
DrO |
