Does gelding a colt determine it's height?

[Songcatcher]

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.

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.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

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.

 

[Sue_C.]

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".