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Questions about gelding a colt

3K views 8 replies 9 participants last post by  smrobs 
#1 ·
I don't own said colt, I only own mares actually. That's why I'm asking. What is a good age to geld? Colt is very quiet and laid back, almost too much actually. Also, the owner is worried that if she gelds him, he wont grow as much as if she waits. He's a year and a half now and still pretty small. The only bummer part is that she's eventually going to geld him (she's thinking about 2-2 1/2?) But for now he can't go out to pasture with any other horses his age :/ The other young horses are mares.

So, what age is good, and will it affect his growth at all? Thanks for the responses in advance :)
 
#5 ·
Actually, horses grow taller when they are gelded than when they are left stallions longer. This is a proven published fact. The reason is because the testosterone causes the epiphysis to mature and close earlier. So, gelding a horse allows for more growth than leaving one intact until its bones quit growing.

Gelding earlier lets a horse develop more hip and hind end instead of developing more neck. I would much rather have a horse with a more filled out and developed hind end than a coarse, thick neck.

We check at weaning if both testicles are down and geld any time after that when it is convenient for us. Late fall or winter, are preferred because we do not have to worry about flies. When a colt is gelded before the testicles are big and mature, there is less bleeding and a lot less swelling and they get over it much more quickly.
 
#6 ·
Iv had three colts gelded over the years did one at 6 months old never had swelling or anything. The last two i did as 2 year olds one was a starvation case bought him as a yearling. Had to wait till he was 2 because he wasnt dropped once he did he got real studdy in a hurry. The other one i also bought as a yearling he only had one testical so had to wait for the other to drop. That didnt happen till his 2 year old year he never got studdy. If both testicals are there geld him now why wait. The one i gelded at 6 months got to be 16 hands tall.
 
#7 ·
If you are not going to breed him, and are planning on gelding him anyway, the sooner the better.

It's been 14 years since we went through a colt process, but my mom and I each bought one last fall and they were both gelded together when they were just about a year old (and both had dropped). They handled it quite well and have been growing like crazy.
 
#9 ·
Cherie stated it perfectly. Geld them sooner and get height, geld them later and get the "studdy" look with the bigger neck and jowls and less height.

Both of my colts were gelded when they were yearlings and I see no reason not to geld earlier if he's dropped. Waiting longer only increases the odds that he realizes he's a stud and you end up with behavior problems.
 
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