# Does gelding a colt determine it's height?



## Mulligans Run (Sep 20, 2010)

I have heard several times now, that if you geld a colt when it's really young it will shoot up and be tall. Has anyone else heard this or have you seen a trend to taller geldings when they are cut as weanlings? Just curious as it keeps popping up in conversations and I'd love to know what the concensus is.


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## lildrummer (Sep 20, 2010)

Mulligans Run said:


> I have heard several times now, that if you geld a colt when it's really young it will shoot up and be tall. Has anyone else heard this or have you seen a trend to taller geldings when they are cut as weanlings? Just curious as it keeps popping up in conversations and I'd love to know what the concensus is.



NO! never heard of.

Lildrummer


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## Marty (Sep 20, 2010)

Personally I think it is an old wives tale, but here is a good little article for you to consider:

http://americashorsedaily.com/castration/


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## Mulligans Run (Sep 20, 2010)

Marty that article stated...



> In addition, colts castrated at 4-6 months of age generally experience few post-castration complications such as swelling or infection. I like to castrate colts two or three weeks prior to weaning and then turn them back with their dams where they can get plenty of exercise and a little TLC. I’ve gelded colts as young as 30-45 days of age, and they do fine.
> Colts gelded prior to puberty often grow taller than if they were left intact until after puberty. The testosterone surge at puberty (18-24 months) triggers closure of the growth (epiphyseal) plates in the long bones of the legs, and the horse stops growing taller. The theory is that colts gelded at less than 1 year of age do not experience the pubertal testosterone surge and that allows more long bone growth and extra height.


Interesting. People ask me all the time why I geld so young. I believe there are too many stallions and I like only the best as a stallion (personal preference) I also like to compete in gelding classes. However I've also seen babies I thought were pet quality bloom and become really nice and I wish I had waited.

Thanks for the link. Going to read more....


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## rabbitsfizz (Sep 20, 2010)

The forum just ate my reply again, that is twice today so far!!

Basically, as said, the growth plates on a gelding close after those on a colt.

That being said, our little ones rarely go through the kind of growth spurt seen in TBs so I do not think we have anything to worry about.

I have been gelding colts on the mare for 30 years and have never seen any noticeable difference in the heights they grow to.


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## minimomNC (Sep 20, 2010)

I have heard it, had it explained by a vet but here is a sentence from BloodHorse from April 2001 that also explains why it happens. Its not like the horse would grow drastically taller but I would guess between 1 - 3 inches.

If a horse is gelded earlier in life, then it will grow taller--closing of the growth plates in the legs is delayed with early castration.


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## Mulligans Run (Sep 20, 2010)

minimomNC said:


> I have heard it, had it explained by a vet but here is a sentence from BloodHorse from April 2001 that also explains why it happens. Its not like the horse would grow drastically taller but I would guess between 1 - 3 inches.
> 
> If a horse is gelded earlier in life, then it will grow taller--closing of the growth plates in the legs is delayed with early castration.


Thanks Karen - 1 to 3" is alot when it's a mini. Good to know.


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## disneyhorse (Sep 20, 2010)

I think it's an old wives tale.

I bought two full brothers (two years apart.) Sire is 34" and dam is 38".

One was gelded at 3-6 months old and matured about 34" tall.

The other one I gelded at two years old and he matured at about 36" tall.

I think genetics will determine how tall they will grow! Otherwise all those "early gelded" minis out there would be oversize!

Andrea


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## Reble (Sep 20, 2010)

yes, I have heard that and some vets believe that.

found this info:

Horses gelded before puberty usually grow taller than if they were left stallions. The testosterone rush at puberty triggers the closure of the epiphyseal plates (where bone growth takes place), so the stallion essentially quits adding height at puberty. The horse gelded at one year of age has a gradual, delayed puberty and the additional time may allow him to add extra height.

I also have hear they do not get the thick neck.

A horse goes through puberty between 18 and 24 months. There is a difference in how your colt will develop which depends on when he is gelded. A colt gelded before puberty is much less likely to develop the mating related behaviors of the stallion. He will end up taller by up to 10cm or 4 inches than if he were left entire. The younger a colt is gelded the more likely he is to end up with finer features, less muscle mass and a thinner neck than as a stallion. Furthermore, the younger a colt is gelded, the easier he may be to handle and if gelded very young the incision required is very small and can be sutured closed and very little scarring results.

I am thinking their talking about horses not miniatures, so height would be less.


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## StarRidgeAcres (Sep 20, 2010)

Interesting topic. I've also heard this several times.

The reasons given makes sense to me and if I remember my history (don't count on this!lol) I believe that when young male singers were castrated early in life to maintain their "boy soprano" ranges, it was widely documented that their limbs grew longer than boys who were not castrated. It increased their overall height as well as the length of their arms. Not so much their torso length I believe.

I have a gelding that came from very tiny (short and not so refined) parents where his half siblings (no full siblings exist) were never very leggy or "fine" but he grew taller than expected and his legs are much "leggier" and finer than I would have thought. Also, his neck as stayed very, very thin. He was gelded at 4 months, 1 week of age. I gelded him so early because I knew from the onset he was not what I (personal preference here) wanted as a stallion. But now, he's not so bad.




But I've always wondered if his gelding so young is what made him take on those traits that I didnt' see in him as a baby - the thin, long neck and the fine legs. I'll never know, but it's interesting to think on.


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## HGFarm (Sep 20, 2010)

I have seen articles over the years that addresses this to be true, based on what goes on internally and also from other studies done.


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## uwharrie (Sep 20, 2010)

I can't answer about horses but I know with dogs if neutered early they tend to be taller and a bit more weedy.


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## AnnaC (Sep 20, 2010)

I was just going to say the same thing. Research seems to show that male dogs castrated before 12 months of age will be more leggy, thinner boned, with less substance, than those left until they are older.

Anna


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## Tucker (Sep 20, 2010)

I have gelded all my colts at different ages.and have never had one grow any taller,But I now wait till there a yearling to geld .not that it makes a differece just what I do,all seem to be as tall as there mom or dady, works both ways I guess.


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## Lmequine (Sep 20, 2010)

I have not noticed a big difference in ponies or minis gelded at a young age (say under six months old) but I have seen a notable difference on our big horses gelded at a young age (say from birth to one year of age). Our Arabians and Quarter Horses that were gelded well before they were a year old tended to grow taller and mature slower, not attaining their full height to five or six years old. Radiographs of the knees especially show those growth plates remaining "active" at a later age than half siblings or full siblings of the same age that were left intact. There has been various research done on the subject at Colleges and Universities.


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## Frankie (Sep 20, 2010)

I think even with those having experience, you will get different answers.

I do tend to geld rather early, but, I have changed my mind, but only due to growth.

Just in case.

I have gelded 4 at less than 6 months.

My 4: As 2 years olds were:

32", a background of 32", including full siblings.

36", a background of 32", including full siblings.

37 1/2, a background of 36", including full siblings.

39, a background of 34", including full siblings.

The background was at mature height, mine were 2, and I might add that they all grew more after 2.

Just more thoughts.


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## Sue_C. (Sep 20, 2010)

> Thanks Karen - 1 to 3" is alot when it's a mini. Good to know.


But think about it in perspective. That is in reference to what...an animal 15hh-18hh?? You would not get that same growth with a mini...perhaps 1/8th inch to 1/4 inch perhaps, proportionately speaking?


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## Songcatcher (Sep 20, 2010)

Sue_C. said:


> But think about it in perspective. That is in reference to what...an animal 15hh-18hh?? You would not get that same growth with a mini...perhaps 1/8th inch to 1/4 inch perhaps, proportionately speaking?


Well, I'm not a math teacher, but if you are talking about 1-3 inches on a 15hh-18hh horse, and a Mini is 8hh-9hh, that would equate to 1/2 - 1 1/2 inches on a Mini.


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## Sue_C. (Sep 21, 2010)

I am no math teacher either, but HAVE certainly gelded my fair share of colts, and never had any of them become HUGE just because they were gelded. What I was trying to get across was you aren't going to get a mini growing 3 inches taller because it was gelded.








Besides, even if it did grow a smidgen more, it is by far outweighed by the fact the neck and throatlatch stay more "feminine" which I much prefer on my geldings than the thicker throatlatch and neck of many of the later gelded horses. I would rather it be nice, "natural" and easily kept than have to fight with sweating etc... Don't have to put up with stallion attitude either...I like to geld them ASAP.

The mini world needs more geldings, and a lot less stallions, and "scaring" people with "OMG...it will grow huge if you geld it early" is not what we need.


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## Shortpig (Sep 21, 2010)

The only one I have gelded to date is Koda I believe he was 3yrs old at the time. Have not noticed him growing taller but he certainly has become the Chunky Monkey. This even though he is not a slug he loves to run and play with his Dad. He is just a Chunky Monkey. But I attribute part of that to his shorter body than the rest of his family. We will have to see how he looks after a few months with the Whitemans.


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## Songcatcher (Sep 21, 2010)

Sue_C. said:


> I am no math teacher either, but HAVE certainly gelded my fair share of colts, and never had any of them become HUGE just because they were gelded. What I was trying to get across was you aren't going to get a mini growing 3 inches taller because it was gelded.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I agree totally with this post. The only part I was disagreeing with was 3 inches on a big horse equating to 1/4 or less on a Mini. I think it is impossible to know just what _MIGHT_ have been _IF_ you had done something differently. I have seen plenty of 33-34 inch horses (mares and stallions) where BOTH parents were under 30.


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## rabbitsfizz (Sep 21, 2010)

AnnaC said:


> I was just going to say the same thing. Research seems to show that male dogs castrated before 12 months of age will be more leggy, thinner boned, with less substance, than those left until they are older.
> 
> Anna


Dogs are a different kettle of fish to horses when it comes to castration, and a lot also has to do with nutrition. The growth spurt of 1-3" needs to be taken scaled down for Minis, obviously, so there is a possible difference of maybe, 1" in a Mini, full grown. As to weediness? No, not in a youngster correctly fed and raised, they just get to the age when colts become obnoxious and then....they don't!

It makes no difference to their character or to their conformation if they are correctly fed.


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## Sue_C. (Sep 21, 2010)

> I have seen plenty of 33-34 inch horses (mares and stallions) where BOTH parents were under 30.


Oh my gosh, I hear ya THERE!



I had one colt that was by my 34" stallion and out of a 33" mare...that was 24.50" at birth, and is now competing in CDEs as a 40" pony!!!



ALL of his full siblings have stayed under 33", most under 32".


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