Everybodies got a dream, here's mine

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Since we will most likely be getting a small farm soon I want to focus my interest in minatures by specializing in the promotion of geldings. I'm a huge fan of them and think they are still such a neglected part of the miniature community but such a vital part of it all too. I want to see these little guys have their own niche and start losing the reputation that they're worthless unless they can be bred and want to be a part of that change.

Are there others out there who think this would be a worthwhile endeavor? I'm not in it to make money that's for sure but I do love this breed and want to focus that passion in an area that doesn't go against my personal philosophies.

What are others doing in the way of promoting geldings and how can I get involved? I need some mentors and resources. Help!!!! please

 

[kaykay]

hi shirley

youve probably heard me say many times that we have gelded every colt born here or brought here and every rescue that was intact.

I am shocked by people that say they cant sell a gelding. I have never had trouble selling geldings! if i had more geldings this year i could have easily sold them.

I think people say they cant sell geldings because they dont market locally. They only market on the internet. You know who buys geldings?? Families do! Most (but not all) internet sales are breeder to breeder. I ALWAYS tell first time mini buyers to buy a gelding as their first horse. Unfortunately because intact stallions are selling so cheap right now a lot of new people buy one for their first mini. Huge mistake imo.

Also its a mind set. Too many breeders dont think their geldings are worth anything and they unknowingly transmit this to buyers. I dont even think they realize they are doing it. When a buyer comes to my farm I am always going on and on about the value of a great gelding. And i dont price mine lower because they are a gelding. And i never give one price for a stallion and a lower price if gelded. Not an option at my farm.

Ok ill shut up now. Im just really passionate about geldings

 

[Jill]

Count me in with the gelding enthusiasts!!!!

In terms of minis, I have seven geldings, if you count the one that soon will be. I also own one small pony gelding (over acheiving mini) and two riding geldings.

I've felt for years that the more people become aware of what you can DO with these horses besides breeding, the more popular geldings will become. Hand in hand will be the more respect the breed will earn in the eyes of "big horse" people who don't all feel like they should be breeders just because they own a mare.

 

[justjinx]

Shirley, we are working to promote geldings here too. alot of our show string will be geldings. we bought a few weanlings this fall and will be promoting them in the next few years.

we are trying to train every horse, be it mare or gelding or stallion, to cart as they hit the correct age...we want to promote USING horses too....

jennifer

 

[Kendra]

We have a lot of geldings. 25 currently, with another 7 or 8 youngsters that will be gelded next year or the year after. We have a lot of driving horses and do a lot of showing and parades, and it just makes sense to use geldings.

Too many people geld only those with serious faults. We geld any colt we don't plan to breed ... which, ultimately, is any but our three breeding stallions (and to be honest, we've gelded breeding stallions before too!). Our show string is nearly always all geldings, and it's not unusual for us to have 10 geldings with us at a show. Locally, we have huge senior gelding classes, always the biggest of the show, and many of those geldings have Circle J in front of their names, though they aren't all ours anymore! Three different geldings bred by us have been Supreme Halter Horse winners. People are always saying "someone made a mistake gelding that one!" but we'd do it again given the chance.

It's the show ring where geldings are still considered second class citizens, and it's the show ring where they continue to need the promotion. Our club has a very strong senior gelding showing (we had over 40 senior geldings shown this season) but we're currently still trying to get more Junior Geldings out in the showring and have an incentive program in place.

 

[minimomNC]

I love geldings, some of my best horses are geldings. If I buy a stallion he is usually a gelding before he ever leaves. I am a huge fan of them and love the Gelding Incentive that AMHA promotes. Thats one way to get the geldings popular, support the Gelding Incentive too.

 

[MInx]

Even through all those 20+ years of 4-H we always looked for gelding first. We did also own mares at times, and do own a little mare now.

I guess people just feel a gelding is more tractable without the harmones of heat cycles or raging testes although I DO know there are many great horses intact out there too.

How many time do I see on here someone with NO experience come on here with I just bought a stallion now what do I do with it?! Yikes! Baby steps first please.JMO no flames please

My horses are for us old people and kids therefore I always look at gelding first, then mares for sale. But the deciding factor is finding that right horse for the job at hand and to fit our family.

Gelding are probably the first choice for 90% of these first time buyers, or should be in my opinion. What the heck are they doing with a stallion?

Maxine

 

[EquestraDreams]

I've had the best luck with selling geldings - and at good prices too! They go quick to local families usually looking for a family pet, beginner show horse, and driving horse. The ones trained to drive, jump, obstacle, etc. sell at strong prices. It's a good market for miniatures, and many times the people who start off with one little gelding have so much fun, before long they are buying more!

 

[Equuisize]

Boy, I'm not sure what you do to get the message across that

geldings are such happy incredible animals.

In big horses it'd never even come up for discussion. It's a given.

Start your bandwagon up, I'll jump on..........

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

There is a farm called Gelded Acres that does that although I only talked to them briefly at Nationals.

I Think well of course I love my geldings and raven well she is always bugging me to geld all of our stallions so she can have them to show

I think not only famlies but those serious about showing also look for geldings and is a GREAT idea triggy

 

[dannigirl]

We also geld many of our boys. In the spring, all our yearlings are gelded unless we have a specific reason not to. I do believe we would have a market for more geldings than we usually have when they get to be about 3 and can carry a saddle or pull a cart. I just don't seem to have them that long

We do have a group of 10 senior geldings, but we use them for cart rides and saddle rides at daycares and such. They also visit nursing homes and do parades.

We show nearly only geldings. Our first AMHR national champion was a gelding and someone on the outside said "man he would have been a beautiful stallion" I just looked at her and said "and to me he is a wonderful gelding"

Love my little boys.

Angie

 

[nootka]

Shirley,

I applaud your "dream" and hope it can become more of a reality for more breeders. I seriously think that stallions should cost a lot more than they do, I hate to see intact colts going for under $500, and these are registered, too! Many of those cheapo colts come from good breeding, not a lot wrong with them, but people say they don't want to spend money to geld them, etc., etc., so someone ends up breeding him and having more babies they are selling for cheap, and hence it is hard to sell really nice colts/geldings, at least that's my feeling.

My policy is to geld every male unless there is a darn good reason NOT to. So, I am trying to think backwards, unlike so many breeders. I think it's best stallion management, too. Unless that colt is better than his dad, he's destined to meet Dr. Hunter (my vet), and be a few ounces lighter afterward. IT only costs me $65 for routine geldings, and $185 for surgical (adult monorchid).

Our local club, the NWMHC (http://www.nwmhc.com/) , offers gelding incentives, so perhaps a donation to their fund in your name/farm name, and some advertising would be of a big help to your cause as far as attention.

I have observed that in this club and area, there is quite a demand/use for good, sound geldings that "do it all" and many of these experienced campaigners make the rounds among the Youth and Amateurs and repeatedly take titles for them and themselves, and take serious money at our Year End Awards Banquet from the incentive fund. I don't think that is their "goal" (the money), but those geldings seem to have full dance cards.

Another thing I observed in this region, though not sure this will help you in any way, is that there is a serious deficit of "Jr." geldings (under 3). LOTS of Seniors, but in some classes, Mouse was alone as a 2 year old, and I think there were one or two weanling/yearling geldings out there. I guess this is the "wait and see" in effect, as in noone wants to make the cut before they know for sure how the horse matures?

I stand behind you in your pursuit of your dream, and let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

Liz M.

 

[minisch]

Yeah! Gotta love those Geldings! If you belong to a Miniature Club you can start a Gelding Incentive Fund. Where people nominate there gelding, paying a small fee, and also raising money with auctions, any kind of fund raisers.... at the end of the show season all points are added and winnings shared however you set it up. I did it, and I would love to see all Miniature Horse Clubs do this.

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Thank you all for this great info and encouragement! Liz, very good idea about the gelding incentives. I'm sure Kendra is right about the show ring still needing some support for geldings and donating to the incentive fund would be a great way to contribute.

Hmmm, now I'm going to have to hunt down Gelded Acres. If anyone knows a link to them, please post or PM me.

Thanks and everyone I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a very blessed and fruitful New Year!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Just look for a farm with an avenue of pollarded trees and you will be home!!!

It's a great idea, and very much needed.

 

[Chamomile]

I have a colt that I bought this year, just to be my show gelding. I'm TIRED of showing stallions. They have the ability to drain the "fun" right out of showing with all their antics. I'm looking forward to the steadiness of showing a gelding. He won't be cycling or worrying about who IS cycling!

Yea!! One thing though that was frustrating to me was the Super G. I was very disappointed to learn that my colts parents had to be nominated for the futurity, before my colt was born in order for him to be nominated for the Super G.

I realize that it has always been this way... but what about those awesome stallions that people geld late, or those "backyard" colts that people buy and then can't enter?? I think the Super G would take off even more, if you could nomiate ANY colt, reguardless if the parents were nominated. There aren't too many geldings in the mini horse world and allowing this would be a step towards encouraging people to do it! Sigh... just my opinion.

 

[justanothercowgirl]

Yep yep both of my horses are geldings and I love them! Worth their weight in gold, my Dad has a gelding that is awesome too and is always part of the showstring. My step-mom bought a gelding in the Fall to show as well. We have gelding power in our showstring for sure!!!!

Coming from a background of Quarter horses and Paints we do value our geldings!

 

[SkipsMom]

Any association- breed or show- that ignores geldings cuts off potiential revenue and with that memberships and manpower.

I own two mini geldings that were stallions when I bought them. Breeding was never on my radar and the then 3 year old stud was cut within 72 hours of his hooves hitting my ground.

I waited w/ the second one, he was 6 months old when I bought him, thinking "maaaybe" AMHR shows and such. Well, this past May as he approached his second birthday when he was able to scale his very sturdy and correct paddock fence he too joined the ranks of "geldings". As a horseperson with 35 years of ownership under my belt (25 of those as an adult) I am well aware of a stallions greatness, special needs and risks. Plus, as the word got out in the local community that I had a handsome mini pinto stud every jackass person who owned a mini w/ a working uterus was calling me to see about breeding services.

As an informed & educated amatuer owner a stallion is not something I need to keep. Even in the world of mini's, stallions are best left in the hands of very knowledgeable and experienced pro's. My soapbox...

On the other hand, all my full size horses are mares. I love their tenacity!!!!

 

[Littleum]

I love my geldings. I have NO interest in EVER owning a stallion- now or in the future.

GOOD (say, Regional level) AMHA geldings that can drive competitivly command relativly good prices down here in Texas- and if it's pretty enough to really halter in good company, it will be at a premium.

One thing I'd recommend is also concentrating on temperment... this is an ammie-saturated market, and most of the Mini-ammies have very little to no experience at the reins. Quality in a sane and tolerant packadge that most anyone can enjoy is a +++++

 

[tigeresss]

I have always been told "Why get a mare or a gelding unless you are going to breed? Stallions and Mares are intact animals with stallions being one of two dangerous animals in Canada(Bulls are the other one). They both have rageing hormones and unless you've got a breeding program set out geldings are so much better"

And I agree...Right now I have three geldings and one colt who will hopefully be gelded in the spring if his heart murmur is better or the same. I have met tonnes of stallions who are absolutely amazing and you would think they were geldings but on the other hand there's loads who are absolute nut cases. The same goes for mares. I find geldings are so much more consistent than mares/stallions and they'll do anything for you. But I also find stallys and mares can be very hard to get things to "click" in their brain for you but once you've "got them" you've got them forever.

I totally love your dream and think it's a brilliant one. Geldings are by far my favorite