Boarded colt to be gelded, how much to charge for care?

[KarenB]

Hi All,

I'm not a typical boarding farm, however I am boarding a few horses here for clients who live 45 minutes away. They recently bought a colt from me and plan to have him gelded. However, since they live so far away & they are quite busy with their jobs, they want me to do the aftercare (walking, trotting, meds if needed). What is an average fair price for that kind of service? Thanks for your input.

Karen

 

[Minimor]

If it were me, for a colt recently purchased from me, I would charge nothing extra. Maybe that's just me, but of all the colts we've gelded, there have been so few that needed any special aftercare--nearly all of them exercise enough on their own and haven't had to be hand walked--I keep an eye on them, but I check on them when I do morning/evening chores so there's no extra time involved for that. I couldn't justify charging anything for doing so little. Even the ones that do need some walking--it is usually only once or twice I have to take them out for a walk/trot to get them started, and that still doesn't amount to much.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I agree with Minimor. If someone who is already boarding with me bought a colt from me and paid to have it gelded themselves I would give them the couple of days of 'aftercare' for free. Once the gelding is finished I put them in a small pen by themselves until I am sure the anesthesia has worn off and then I put them back out with their buddies. They will self exercise and are ready to go within a couple of days. I have never had any 'meds' to give them afterward. IF something should go wrong and the vet needs to be recalled due to complications you could revisit the 'aftercare' question.

 

[Shortpig]

How old is he? That will make a big difference in the amount of aftercare he requires. I paid someone to care for Koda after his gelding. I paid $180.00 for approx 15 days of full care. He was 3yo and required running and exercising plus hosing off and meds for 10 days twice a day. Best money ever spent as the person who cared for him was a vet tech and she had a vet boarding at her place should something go wrong. If he's just a wealing that will make a huge difference as he should have the need for that care like Koda did.

 

[Reble]

I must admit, would charge something, or some people will start taking advantage of you next time.

Even just a small amount

You than, will take the time to do what is best, and not just put them out with their buddies.

This way you will know if he is eating and moving OK.

Best to stall him at night and just outdoors during the day.

Than you know he is eating and drinking, being with others all the time, you might not know?

Ask the vet what care should be taken?

Good Luck

 

[Viki]

I wouldn't charge anything. Like others have said, after care really doesn't amount to anything unless a problem occurs. Seems like 99.9% never have a problem. I've gelded several from sucklings to yearlings and never had to do anything after the surgery.

Viki

 

[attwoode]

Sounds like a caring new home - just what we all hope to find. Since it is in the best interest of the horse you're selling maybe you can just ask for payment for the food and shavings and limit the amount of time you'll board for free.

 

[Leeana]

I wouldnt ask for / charge anything unless they offered. Esp since they recently purchased him from you. Now, if they insist..yes that would be fine. Just my thoughts

 

[shorthorsemom]

Many don't need much aftercare at all. My vet says the minis are so much easier to geld than full sized horses, swell less and alot of times don't even need any walking. Perhaps you could tell them that if it becomes one of those difficult cases and takes considerable hand walking and hosing, that they could donate something for your time and efforts. If you are lucky it won't be any problem if the flies are gone and the surgery is an easy one.

 

[KarenB]

Thanks for all the replies. I have had many gelded here in the past. Under our vets recommendations, we normally stall them on straw bedding for the first week, and hand walk the first day, then exercise them at a trot every day at least once or twice. We don't keep them out in the dirt lots because we don't want dirt in the surgical area. I think I will give them the choice to make a donation towards his care if they want to.

 

[MiLo Minis]

You than, will take the time to do what is best, and not just put them out with their buddies.This way you will know if he is eating and moving OK.

Best to stall him at night and just outdoors during the day.

Than you know he is eating and drinking, being with others all the time, you might not know?

Ask the vet what care should be taken?

Good Luck

It would be very wise to ask the vet what care should be taken. My vet advises the worst thing you can do is to stall a horse that has just been gelded. Exercise will keep them draining well and heal them up the quickest. Being with his buddies rather than just standing around by himself will encourage exercise. It isn't difficult to keep an eye on a horse that is in a paddock with a few others.

 

[Reble]

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanks for all the replies. I have had many gelded here in the past. Under our vets recommendations, we normally stall them on straw bedding for the first week, and hand walk the first day, then exercise them at a trot every day at least once or twice. We don't keep them out in the dirt lots because we don't want dirt in the surgical area. I think I will give them the choice to make a donation towards his care if they want to.

sounds like you are on the right track, Good Luck

 

[ThreeCFarm]

I've had everything gelded from nursing foals to a 15 year old stallion. My vet advocates turning the new gelding out with their buddies ASAP. She's against stalling after gelding a horse. As for the concern about dirt, my horses are in grass pastures, and I believe they are better off there than in a stall. I've never had to give meds, etc. When I put one back out in the pasture, I watch to make sure he is moving fine (my pastures are right around my house) and is behaving normally such as always having a mouthfull of grass, LOL. If I were to see one not moving around much, laying down more than normal, then I would be concerned and I'd take action.

That said, I wouldn't charge anything either. I'm all for helping people that actually want geldings, because we don't have near enough mini geldings in the world--too many are left stallions. I would give them a date they need to pick the horse up by, and after that, say a week, I would start charging board.