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Message |
    
Sara S
Nursing Foal
Username: Sara1971
Post Number: 16
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, June 03, 2007 - 10:04 am: | 
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I have a gorgeous dun Welsh Section A two year old colt. I initially bought him with a view to licensing him and standing him at stud and breeding a couple of my mares to him. However I am having some real handling problems. I also keep him separated from my mares for obvious reasons which I feel is a shame for him as he lives on his own but he is turned out 24/7. I am now thinking about gelding him in the autumn. I feel that my relationship with him is going rapidly downhill and I either sell him on to a stud or someone that will use him as a stud more than I will and has more expereince handling him or I keep him and geld him, and show him , let him live with my mares and break him to drive when he is older. What would you guys do if you had a really good colt? Sell on or geld and keep? I think he may have a better quality of life with me if he is gelded but is it a waste to cut a good stallion prospect?? |
Emily West
Breeding Stock
Username: Paintlover
Post Number: 188
Registered: 06-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 03, 2007 - 12:27 pm: |
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Sara,
I suppose if you really wanted some foals out of him you could sell him and retain some breedings but go with your instincts. I don't think gelding a really good stallion is wrong. I know that one of the top natural horsemen gelded one of his really nice colts out of great bloodlines because of how stud like he was. I think he partially did it to because his staff would be handling him a lot and he figured he could be dangerous. So, no don't feel bad about gelding him if you want to keep him. |
Heather Kutyba
Breeding Stock
Username: Heatherck11
Post Number: 582
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 03, 2007 - 02:19 pm: |
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Sara,
Considering the odds, gelding tends to make the most sense. Not many stallions hit the upper cream of the crop to be true sires.
Even if you sold him as a stallion, that doesn't guarantee that the person will keep him intact if his behavior declines.
One of my biggest rules in regards to stallions, is that behavior comes first. They EARN their testicles. One HINT of an issue, and they come off swiftly...
If you are having thoughts of gelding, you are probably right in your assumption.
I had/have a really good colt (he is gelded now!). I went through the same thing as you. There were a lot of folks who came down on me pretty hard for gelding him, but I made the right decision. It was the right thing for him, and mostly for me. |
Sara S
Nursing Foal
Username: Sara1971
Post Number: 17
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, June 03, 2007 - 03:17 pm: |
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Thanks Heather and Emily. Heather, did your colt calm down when he was gelded? I would hate to do it to find his behaviour didn't change! |
Heather Kutyba
Breeding Stock
Username: Heatherck11
Post Number: 583
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 03, 2007 - 03:48 pm: |
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Hi Sara,
 YES, and much sooner than I anticipated.
He had always been a GOOD colt, and his sudden shift the other way made it a "no brainer" for me. He went from a quiet, well mannered yearling to defensive and defiant. I had intended on leaving him intact, and evaluating him as time went on...but he lost the right.
Within 2 weeks, he came back down and was much less distracted. Granted, he was a yearling and had just begun the testosterone surge....but it was enough (along with a broken finger) to make the decision.
It was a gamble, so to speak. He has/had tons of talent, the genetics, the looks, etc and I was willing to go the long haul. Prepared to put him with a professional to have him campaigned if necessary. But, I just could not justify the shift in behavior.
I am happy to say, that he is a better horse for it. A stallion life is a solitary life and one FULL of rules and responsibilities unlike mares/geldings. He is happy, and I have a beautifully behaved animal I don't have to worry about (or worry about other people).
Think of it this way Sara, if you geld him, and his personality DOESN'T change...at least he's not off breeding and perpetuating the problem. But, if his behaviors are stallion-like, the likelyhood is that removing the testosterone factor (in time), will bring him back to earth.
At his age, those behaviors are not ingrained and will disappear as the hormone levels drop. |
Sara S
Nursing Foal
Username: Sara1971
Post Number: 18
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, June 03, 2007 - 04:25 pm: |
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Thanks Heather thats really helpful input. It is definately Stallion behaviour. I see glimpses of the 'gelding underneath!' now and then and he can be a very sweet soul, just obviously having trouble handling his hormones. I would hate for it to get worse and worse. Thanks so much for your advice |
Jan Owen
Breeding Stock
Username: 1frosty1
Post Number: 352
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 03, 2007 - 05:37 pm: |
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Sara,
The saying goes really good stallion/colt makes a really good gelding. I had bred a very well put together paso stud colt. The stallion owner really did not want me to geld but we wanted to keep him and he never would have gotten to get ponyied all over the place for his first 2 years if he had not been gelded. He is a spectacular looking gelding and moves like a dream and we are all happier. There will always be good studs out there to breed too. So if you really would like to keep him I say geld and be happy. |
Sara S
Nursing Foal
Username: Sara1971
Post Number: 19
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, June 03, 2007 - 06:26 pm: |
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Thank you very much Jan for your opinion. I was looking at him earlier and realised that he is stunning and will remain stunning even if he is gelded. I somehow wonder if I am taking something away from him (apart from the obvious! lol) but I think he will be even greater gelded as I will be able to do more with him. My showing for this season hasnt really taken off with him because of his behaviour so hopefully that will be another plus- I can get him out and about to more shows! |
Jan Owen
Breeding Stock
Username: 1frosty1
Post Number: 353
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 04, 2007 - 12:32 am: |
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I don't think gelding has taken anything but studdy behavior from our horse. Some of the greatest horses have been geldings! Look at Seabiscut...gelding A gelding can have his mind on work and not on "other" things |
Heather Cooke
Neonate
Username: Hcvideo
Post Number: 6
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Monday, June 04, 2007 - 03:46 pm: |
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From what I have read, SeaBisciut was a stallion but never stood at stud, Charles Howard bred him to only one mare after retiring. He didn't want him to leave the farm to stand at stud. Not sure what happen to the foal, the mare was not breed very well. |
Jan Owen
Breeding Stock
Username: 1frosty1
Post Number: 354
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 04, 2007 - 04:08 pm: |
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Heather...you are so right...I guess that is a good reminder to check on facts.....he was a stud and I guess he sired 108 foals at stud..I did check and I guess John Henry, PharLap, Exterminator are some great racing geldings. |
Jen
Weanling
Username: Jens
Post Number: 32
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Friday, September 28, 2007 - 08:19 pm: |
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I met John Henry at Kentucky Horse Park many years ago and he was a bit of a nasty boy when we were looking at him. Not friendly at all. However, perhaps the constant flow of people turned him off. I'd be nasty if I were a display piece also in my retirement. |
