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Post by palomino21 on Dec 28, 2007 19:06:16 GMT 1
Hi all,
Just wanted to ask what your experiences and opinions are on my 7 mth old Shetland that I have just bought.
He is fully registered etc and has not been cut, some people have said that because he is only a companion for my gelding and he will mature at around 35in he will be fine if handled well being entire but other people say that he should be cut at about a year old to stop him trying to escape if he smells a mare in season and that he will be difficult to handle, however from my personal experience I have found stallions no more difficult to handle than a tarty mare when she is in season and wants a man!!!
Am open to views as I am easy either way to cut him or not?
Thanks all
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Post by (\^/) Lotuspoint Joe (\^/) on Dec 28, 2007 19:12:21 GMT 1
if you are having him as a companion i would say get him cut now while there is no flies about.. otherwise as he gets older he could bully your other
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Post by Ryan&Dizzy on Dec 28, 2007 19:22:45 GMT 1
hummmmm hard one... i wouldnt geld just to lake a horse more easy to handle but if you arent planning to breed him and there are mares about i would geld him to stop mental torment on his behalf.
ive got a mini that im habving issues as to what to do with him. hes 3 and cover the summer jst gone before i bought him when i bought him the plan was to get him out showing this summer and then get him liecensed get him a mare for the following yr but im now uming and arrrring weather to geld him as the poor boy is gonna have to cope next summer with girls about otherwise.
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Post by horsemadpeter on Dec 28, 2007 19:28:18 GMT 1
I would have though gelding him when he is 3 Yaers old, to give him time to develop a decent neck etc. It's proven that gelded animals develop less quickly than entire ones.
From a male point of view.....ahhhhh poor thing...having experienced it once when I had a Colt gelded........Female vet, Female vet Nurse, and 2 girls to hold the horse down, whilst I sat on a wall cringeing......arrrrggggghhhhhh !!!!!
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Post by palomino21 on Dec 28, 2007 19:34:18 GMT 1
mmm, thanks for all the comments so far, so the poor little blighter is going to be cut, although he is only in with my 15hh gelding (who doesn't take any **** anyway) but now it raises another question - do I leave him until he is 3 so he can develop or do I do it now?
My gelding was entire until he was 6 and was fully developed but still loves the ladies and he must still have that presence as the ladies all love him!!
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Vicky&Beenie
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"The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears..."
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Post by Vicky&Beenie on Dec 28, 2007 19:36:12 GMT 1
it can be a suprise thought if he turns out to be a difficult stallion. some are good and some are just a bit uncontrollable. i dont think you should take the risk. i think he would be happier as a gelding
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Post by Louise C on Dec 28, 2007 19:41:58 GMT 1
I think it's more the worry if they get out or anything that's a good reason for getting them cut - it also means that he can go in with mares any time. They may have more of a neck if you leave them till later - but often they will grow just that bit bigger if you have him cut early.
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Post by horsemadpeter on Dec 28, 2007 19:51:42 GMT 1
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Post by sara on Dec 28, 2007 19:52:37 GMT 1
If you are not going to breed with him then I would get him cut, it is the kindest way
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Post by wally on Dec 28, 2007 20:06:24 GMT 1
It's far kinder to get them cut early unless they are an exceptional example of the breed.
He can live with any horses then and you will never have to worry about him getting out or getting at other folk's horses.
I agree that a nice stallion is as kind and easy to work with as any mare or gelding. But they are much happier if they have lots of jobs to do!
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varkie
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Post by varkie on Dec 28, 2007 22:11:54 GMT 1
Agree with everything Wally says - cut him now.
horsemadpeter - chances are he will have a happier life as a gelding, if he is not to be allowed to run as a serving stallion. This way he will have the stresses of a stallion removed, and will be able to be turned out with or near mares, and be much easier for his owner to manage, hence making his life much happier.
Edited to add: You shouldn't need people to hold down if gelding. It's really a very painless operation (forgive the pun) - I have seen knock downs & standings - really the worst bit is if you have a knock down, watching them get back up. The most we've had in the past is a vet nurse assisting vet, vet him/her self, and me. Other people there have just been watching. Tho we once castrated five ponies on one day, and had a whole team of vets & nurses working at once! But gelding really isn't that big a deal - once it's over, they just seem to walk a bit carefully for a day or two, then it's done with.
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Post by sarahfox on Dec 28, 2007 22:55:07 GMT 1
I agree with the above.Also just to point out,the earlier he is gelded the more minor the op,if you wait until he is fully mature it can be far more of a big deal.We have usually gelded by 2 or 3 at the latest with no problems atall but my PRE was 6 when he was done and he was in agony for days.
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cosmo
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Post by cosmo on Dec 29, 2007 7:00:27 GMT 1
If you're not intending to breed from him, then its far kinda to have him cut. Having a stallion is a big responsibility, and it may not apply to you now, but alot of yards won't take stallions, no matter how small.
Accidents can happen! I know of a 30" mini that managed to have its way with a 11hh welshie - the tart must have pratically laid down for him! The poor little guy was living in permanent torment with having the ladies so close by. His owner struggled to keep weight on him as he was stressing all the time. She finally had him cut and he was far happier.
I got bought my mini as a colt at 19 months. He hadn't been handled a great deal and to be perfectly honest was a nasty bleeder. Would have loved to have kept him entire and bred from him as he's a good example but he hadn't got the temperment as a stallion and I was on a shared yard with mares. I had him cut at the yard standing and to be honest its been the best decision I've made for him. He's a far happier pony, has a great temperment and we've have loads of fun and success showing.
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Post by marianne on Dec 29, 2007 7:25:28 GMT 1
Cut now while there are no flies. Unless an expert's told you he has stunning conformation worth passing on, you'll just increase his stress levels anytime he comes within sniffing distance of a mare.
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Post by lolamae on Dec 29, 2007 12:36:09 GMT 1
Personally, given the appropriate facilities for keeping a colt, I am inclined to leave cutting until they need doing at 2 or 3. Temperament is all, if they turn into an snappy, kicky, randy little 'He-Man' with the intent of world domination, then it's "off with the plums" at the soonest opportunity.
But, thinking off on a tangent here.........I am wondering about the procedure itself, reaching only 35" at maturity, will a Vet find it easier to cut him standing or down?
Having clipped many shetlands I have often wished, whilst crawling around underneath, that they'd lie on their backs for me to get at their undercarriage.
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