Gelding!

[lucydales]

Has anyone any thoughts or advice on gelding yearlings please?

eg.

Would you have the vet out and do it standing up, or have them knocked out?

Would you take them to the vets operating theatre to be done? (Would that put them off loading and travelling afterwards?)

How much do you pay in each case?

I have two vets each offering different things and can't decide what's for the best!

Sadly it seems Tim's tummy tapping days are numbered!!

[Deleted]

Claude was done when he was a two year old I think.
We just had the vet come out and do it when he was standing up and he was fine.
We have had section B's cut as yearlings and the same for them too.

[Anna]

We do them stood up, at home, on a clean straw bed (or rubber wth a bit of straw to "mop"). They are under sedation and local anethestic applied to area. Then as soon as they are around from sedation and theres not flys about they are out somewhere quiet to keep them moving but not too busy.

About £120.

[harleydales]

I ahd a 5 year old Shetland done in the field with no problems at all. Can't remember the cost as it was about 10 years ago!!

Poor Tim, make the most of them while you can lad!

Edited to add it was done under local anaesthetic

[cadeby]

Lucy - I personally would have Tim gelded at home. The less stress the better, and he can potter around the yard he knows, next to horses he knows, immediately afterwards.

I prefer standing-castration, but some vets aren't happy with this, so be guided by the vet you trust the most.

Don't linger too long with your decision. Our flies are already back with a vengeance.

Hugs to Tim - when I logged on and read the title I thought the deed was already done

[sammy]

I don't know but can I ask why??
I thought you were keeping the little man entire.
Lucy, tell me to bog off if you want to, just wondered

[DalesLady]

we had two fell colts done last week, the first ponies we have ever had gelded. It was simple enough and both were in the same stable, (huge by the way) and vet chose to keep them together. They were lightly sedated, stood up and there was little bleeding and has been no dripping since. Both swelled a little after a few days as vet said they would, but neither has had any problems.

We havent had the bill yet though, so don't know how much it cost.


Edited to add they were both yearlings, one 12 months, the other 11

[taffydales]

Tommy was done as a two year old, standing castration, he did have to be knoecked out bless him and was very wobbly, I think the cost was around £150.00, Digga on the other hand was very straight forward, but had complications a week later so had to call the vet out, he needed a course of antibiotics and the infection cleared up fine, but it did cost me over £250.00, my vets are quite fussy about the time of year due to the flies, I also kept them in my small paddock for a few days while they were healing.

[lucydales]

Barbara, I think it's nearly certain that Tim will loose his best mates as he is frightening Sue a little and keeping me on my toes and that's only going to get worse! I also find it difficult running two separate herds with my current (and planned) facilities and think 3yrs is a long time to wait for fathering only very few foals when there are a number of other eligible chaps about! Jo said he was nothing special in his genetics, ie plenty of most about, so it seems the easy life option! My heart says NO, my head says do it! It is lovely to watch him playing boys stuff with Pants, he is still scared of Isaac though!

Decisions, decisions! If only he hadn't tried sh*gging his Mum!!

[SuzieP]

It's jolly hard keeping a colt and I don't blame you for thinking long and hard about this, Luce. Sending a hug - not an easy decision x

[harveydales]

Echo Sue.

[lyndales]

We had Colin's Trotter gelded last January, and 2 irish cobs probably in March - in all cases they were knocked out briefly (1 cob needed 4 doses!) They were done on home ground. They all recovered quickly - particularly the hard to dose cob! and were up within 20 minutes. We had no problems - a little swelling which is normal. Our vet leaves us with a course of antibiotics as a matter of course - quick lesson from Helen (Cadeby) how to administer! Have got 2 mini shetties and a welsh A to have gelded this year. No more foals for us (Awaiting a shettie foal at the moment, lost a mare and shettie foal on Monday)

Good luck Tim and Lucy x

Lynda x

[jay]

I'm really sorry you're having to take this decision now Lucy. Best of luck x

[lucydales]

Thanks very much everyone!

Lynda am so sorry to read you lost a mare and foal, you must be devastated. Huge hugs to you all

[Debbie]

Linda I'm so sorry to read that Its the part of birthing that's rarely mentioned, even with people. A joyous occasion all gone so very sad.

Lucy I don't envy you having to do this one whit. Sounds like you've looked it up one side and down the other.

If you're keen to try running on your first homebred colt in the future, would it be worth looking to see if there's someplace else you could board him for the time being? Ie, perhaps boarding him with a group of yearlings/older colts where he can still get his boy time?

I'd be listening to any advice Claire would be giving too, as bringing on colts can be tricky. They all aren't meant to be stallions, that's for sure. Some of them let the testosterone go to their heads, and that's the end of any reasoning. As for him going for his mother... wellll, morals are loose when it comes to critters. ;D

Best of luck with your decision.