Let's talk about geldings

[SkipsMom]

When I began searching for a mini my goal was to find a driving mini- the gender and color did not matter- a great mind was a must because I am a very experienced horse owner but new to driving. I found the little guy, a 3 year old stallion and bought him. Castrated him w/in 3 days of him being at home because my fencing isn't secure enough to keep a stud of any size separate for very long. The wealing stud I bought at the same time, he was just too cute to not purchase, remained a stallion until he became a management problem which was just this time last year as he turned 2.

Breeding was never on my goal list and the price of mares was higher than I wanted to go for a start up hobby. What was frustrating was that anyone who owned a mare, show or pet quality, had the price "up there" because she "could be bred". This is in complete contrast to regular size horses where geldings are prized for their disposition and mares are in some cases, second class, due to their hormones. No regrets buying the little studs and cutting them. The mini's selling price was so reasonable that the $110 castration cost at home was not an issue.

On the flip side I work for an equine vet and help repair the damaged little mini studs that non-focused/first time horse owners own. Some of the accidents could happen to large horses but with the mini studs it seems more prevelant to deal w/ a first time horse owner who bought a little stud and was not aware of the special needs and handling a mini stud need because of their desire to bred. That frustrates me. Of course the mini-studs that are sold to first time owners are "cull" quality so the offspring are born w/ issues also. Most often what we see are dwarft foals from a breeding like this. The owners are stunned and in some cases in tears because the little foal doesn't live. It is a heartbreak for everyone involved.

Geldings are great and when I attended a driving clinic up in Iowa a few weeks back my 35" appy gelding was a complete gentleman and received many compliments from the clinic goers.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I LOVE my gelding! He's the guy in my avatar. If I had to sell all but one, HE would stay! He drives, shows, easy to clip, trim, whatever. And he loves back. Several times when I was in the dumps I go out and sit in the paddock with him, and he would just come and stand with me. No words were necessary. He would even out his head on my shoulder and hug back.

Of course, that's not to say he doesn't have stupid moments, like yesterday. I was clipping him, he scared himself by banging into the wheelbarrow, them jumped ON me, then jumped back... sheesh....

:

Lucy

 

[mountain_waif]

....

 

[joylee123]

It's so great to see and hear what people have accomplished with their geldings :aktion033:

It just goes to show that a gelding can accomplish anything a stallion can... except BREED :aktion033:

You folks are all an asset to the breed

: You set an excellent example :aktion033: Kudos to you all!

 

[Margo_C-T]

It is certainly no secret that I both strongly believe in gelding, and in owning geldings!! Of my remaining 8 minis, half are geldings. I have four mares only because-- one is my retired matriarch, one is my B driving horse(I was actually looking for a gelding; this mare just fit my requirements so well-and I have a long history of mares as my riding/using horses, too, and have nothing against them for that!)--and the two younger mares are of my favorite bloodlines, bought as yearlings when I still thought I *might*be breeding-one I intend to sell, the other is SOOO totally what I love about those bloodlines, and has SUCH a great dispostion, that I am going to train her to drive-she is a perfect candidate for about ANY use!

Of my geldings, I trained three of the four, buying the fourth as to make a pair match for driving. I just recently finally got around to gathering and compiling the paperwork for AMHA Championships, and several ROMs, for two of my boys, and am looking forward to action from the Association....I have always LOVED an 'all-around', multi-talented horse,and that's what I like to show. IMO, a good gelding is the BEST prospect for that kind of use, and hopefully, that is being more and more realized within miniatures!

 

[Crossbuck Farms]

I own lots of geldings but my favorite is my absolute kick butt show gelding Mr. Move It. He can drive. At Candem,SC he killed the country pleasure driving classes. It was neat to take him outta state and see he can kill the competition even outta state. He already kills at home. He does everything and places in everthing. I am really stuck on my geldings. I own 5.

Sweetie

Charlie

Smokey

Move It

Harbor

I just have one left to break to drive and that is Sweetie. I just green broke Charlie on Thursday.

 

[showmofffarm]

Geldings are awesome! No hormones or testosterone to deal with! I always believed that a great stallion made for an outstanding gelding and I've had some really good colts gelded who have gone on to become World and National Champions and Top Ten horses.

 

[Jill]

Lois --

Yep, there are differences but they are really pretty similar in some ways, too! Here's a shaggy picture of them and in their fur suits, they look like twins but for their colors! Kind of crazy. Derby really "reduced the size" on Skipper, who's out of a 36.5" mare! It's hard to tell they are not just little blocky chunks when they are this shaggy (yeah, and fat but we are working on that...). I hope when we have foals in the future that the ones we sell will make others as happy as some of my special ones, including Derby, make me

:

Jill