Holdin' tight to the "Family Jewels"

[Performancemini]

OK. We don't want to breed. We want 'em geldings. But this little begger seems to being holding tight to those "Family Jewels"!

He's 15 months and there's nothing in sight . The vet said (about 2 months ago) that they are there; but they are both up there and tiny (don't think he's done a mini before to be honest-they should be tiny

). Seems like we had all the others we gelded in the past done by now. Sure would like to be able to mix the sexes by winter! (Dr. Tom-you out there?). Thanks ya' all!

 

[ontherisefarm]

I have heard of some of them not dropping until they were 3 or 4...some never drop then it is the fun expensive surgery...

actually if he can feel them then why cant he geld him now?

 

[Performancemini]

That's what I was wondering. He's a good enough vet; but I thought of calling our past vet out for it. He does a wonderful job of gelding. The only reason we switched was we needed a very good equine dentist and the present vet is a certified eq. dentist too. I know the vet's don't really appreciate us making them step on each other's toes though. But I have thought about it.

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

I'm not Dr Tom Taylor, I'm his son Dr Matt Taylor.

Testicles don't have to be down to geld. If the Vet can feel them then all is well, schedule surgery.

Dr Taylor

 

[Performancemini]

Thanks. Will do. (and sorry about the name mix-up

)

 

[shorthorsemom]

one of my boys held onto his jewels, they were quote "right there", they confirmed with ultrasound and he was gelded right at my barn, a field gelding just like my other boy that was fully descended. My boy did just fine. I swear he healed faster than my other boy, the testicles that are not down yet are really small. I like them gelded and didn't want to play the waiting game for the jewels to appear. Good luck... I didn't think the surgery took all that much longer either and the recovery was uncomplicated. My vet says the minis in her practice heal faster than biggies and my boy was feeling great really quickly.

 

[Magic]

Since we've moved to this area we've had more "rural" vets, with more cattle experience than horse experience, and no miniature horse experience before us. The female large-animal vet at our clinic is awesome and enjoys working with our minis, but she's been reluctant to geld our colts as weanlings. She says that she'd prefer to wait til they are at least yearlings so she "can be sure to get everything" because the horses and their testes are so small. I don't know if it's because the clinic gelding equipment is just one size, LARGE, or what. Our colts have been fully descended each year as weanlings so do you guys think I should just beg her to try gelding a weanling colt this fall and see how it goes? I don't want to make her uncomfortable but I do think that getting the little guys gelded before I wean them would be easier on them. Is smaller gelding equipment sold? Maybe I could invest in that myself? Opinions?