I need some opinions

[White Socks Miniature]

I have a monorchid colt (one testicle is present the other not) who has just turned a year. The left testicle which has been present all along is getting larger in size and the right has yet to make even the slightest appearence and cannot be palpated at all, even under sedation.

Medically I know both the procedures of a regular gelding vs. crypt. gelding, aftercare ect. in side and out. I also know that he could still maybe possibly drop. However, I have all mares and he is the only colt, his behavior in the last month has gone from sweet, well behaved baby to acting like a badly behaved stud. He used to be very good with personal space, clipping, being around other horses, general handling ect. I have even had my trainer come out to see if I was handling situations wrong or disciplining him incorrectly, but she would do the same! On sunday I was clipping him and he was getting very Peeved off about it, and reared up in the cross ties fired out at me, then turned around and tried to fire out at my dad who was helping me!

I have one mare who has reproductive issues and cannot get pregnant so I turn her out with him, but lately he has started chasing her like crazy and when she has had enough and finally gets mad at him, he just doesnt stop and will start again! I have since seperated them, however he then acts up towards people and horses even more!

Even thought I know the other testicle could drop I am still thinking about just going ahead and getting him gelded as I think he and I will be much happier. My vet (whom I think is awesome) will do the procedure but thinks I should be more patient, mind you he has never tried to do anything with my colt since he was 3 mos old.

I guess I am trying to weigh everything out... what are your opinions?

 

[~Amanda~]

It sounds to me like gelding sooner rather than later would be the best. He's not happy. You're not happy. He's not a stud prospect by the sounds of it (you're planning to geld whether he drops or not is what I was reading?). I have also heard that the longer you allow the "stud tendencies" to stay, the harder they are to get rid of.

With that in mind, I would geld him ASAP.

 

[Jill]

If he were mine, I think I'd get firmer with him (maybe swat him on the shoulder w/ crop and/or put a chain under his chin -- maybe...) and wait just about 2mos. The reason I say to wait is I think with the warm weather, spring in the air, there's a chance "it" will soon descend on its own, making the surgery and recovery much easier. So I'd wait just about that much longer and then have him gelded whether it is down or still mia.

Good luck!!!

 

[White Socks Miniature]

Yes I have been planning on gelding him since he was 3 mos old as he has bilateral upwards fixation of the patella.

I do carry a crop when I work with him also as he will listen to me if that is in hand!

 

[valshingle]

Here's something to consider. It is best not to geld during fly season. So depending on your area, you might want to go ahead and geld now or wait several months until fly season is over. If you plan to geld him anyway and fly season hasn't started, I would go ahead and get it done asap.

 

[JWC sr.]

I agree with the other posters as far as going ahead and gelding. I would also do his dad at the same time if I had that option. We have a wonderful gelding that has provided many hours of enjoyment over the years for the grandkids in the show ring and his dad is in driing training for Al & Susan B as a gelding also.

We did both of them on the same day, it is something we take extreme action to in our herd.

As far as the fly problem, our Vet packs cayenne pepper in the wound itself to ward off infection, cauterize the nerve ending and eliminate the possibility of having a fly problem. It sure works and we are in an aera where fly's are always a problem even in the winter months.

By the way Val, post some pictures of that angelique baby for everyone to enjoy, I think she is awesome.

 

[ruffian]

You could try this to see if the other testicle is close. Completely sedate him and roll him on his back. Then see if it can be found. I had a mono colt and when I sent him to State for gelding, they did that and the other popped right up. So it was much easier to geld since they didn't have to go in and find it. I had had him sedated but standing before and it hadn't dropped.

Good Luck - and yes I would geld him now.

 

[ClickMini]

I had my colt Danny done, and I am SOOOO happy I did. He was also monorchid. They did it surgically at Pilchuck, and while it was a little more spendy, the recovery was excellent (closed incision), and he was so much better afterwards. We are in a good season for it up here. I vote: GO AHEAD!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Seems to me you r decision comes down to which is more important to you, the chance of saving money on the gelding procedure if you wait and the other testicle drops or the mental/physical inconvenience of dealing with his testosterone created behaviors. If it were me and I had the funds to go ahead with a crypt surgery if thats what was needed, I'd choose sooner rather than later.

 

[Katiean]

I want to geld my 2 year old colt (he has both) but it is a matter of money. It costs $300 - $350 for a simple geld. So it is a choice between gelding or showing and we do want to show. So, he has to wait.

 

[HGFarm]

I would geld a.s.a.p. He will be healed up shortly, before bad fly season hits.

He is already developing behavior problems and becoming a 'pain'..... and no, he is not happy. You dont want him tearing your fences down and getting in with another horse and sounds like he is already showing a lot of aggression for his age.

snip, snip!!! You ALL will be much happier!

 

[~Amanda~]

I agree with the other posters as far as going ahead and gelding. I would also do his dad at the same time if I had that option. We have a wonderful gelding that has provided many hours of enjoyment over the years for the grandkids in the show ring and his dad is in driing training for Al & Susan B as a gelding also.

We did both of them on the same day, it is something we take extreme action to in our herd.

As far as the fly problem, our Vet packs cayenne pepper in the wound itself to ward off infection, cauterize the nerve ending and eliminate the possibility of having a fly problem. It sure works and we are in an aera where fly's are always a problem even in the winter months.

By the way Val, post some pictures of that angelique baby for everyone to enjoy, I think she is awesome.

I've never heard of using cayenne pepper for that. Is it effective? Does it hurt the horse or anything?

 

[JWC sr.]

We had a gelding party a couple of years ago and to prove his point about less problems he did 4 colts with the cayenne and 2 colts with the typical packing etc most folks use now days for comparison.

The colts with the cayenne were up walking around with very very little swelling and draining well with no flies whatso ever and the other two colts also took longer to heal. He exlained that the capsasin in the cayenne deadened the nerve endings and also kept the flies away.

As a youngster I saw a number of horses gelding by old timers and remember them using the stuff. It just goes to show sometimes the old folks knew what they were doing. We at Cherryville Farms have allways got a lot to learn so it was a great inexpensive trick to add to our bag of tricks.

 

[~Amanda~]

We had a gelding party a couple of years ago and to prove his point about less problems he did 4 colts with the cayenne and 2 colts with the typical packing etc most folks use now days for comparison.

The colts with the cayenne were up walking around with very very little swelling and draining well with no flies whatso ever and the other two colts also took longer to heal. He exlained that the capsasin in the cayenne deadened the nerve endings and also kept the flies away.

As a youngster I saw a number of horses gelding by old timers and remember them using the stuff. It just goes to show sometimes the old folks knew what they were doing. We at Cherryville Farms have allways got a lot to learn so it was a great inexpensive trick to add to our bag of tricks.

That is very neat. I will have to remember that.

 

[White Socks Miniature]

Thank you everyone!

Money is not a concern, I would much rather spend it and have a gelding then try and wait, what made me question is that my vet said to not geld yet, but there again he is not here everyday dealing with him!!

I think being a tech, I worry a bit more and start getting into all the complications, recovery periods, anesthetic, pain control ect ect. I forget to take a step back and keep it simple. He is unhappy, I am worried about him, my other horses are not happy with him... Its time for some "brain surgery"! I think I just needed some reassurance!

 

[midnight star stables]

Good luck! I've been reading this but didn't know what to say!