What would you do,,,,,,health MAY be passed on

[rabbitsfizz]

Carolyn if the person is as you describe them then they already know the answer and are really just looking to have it backed up.

So I will back it up- Geld the stallion, do not ever breed it, let the problem, hereditary or not, end with him.

Enjoy your gelding and know you have made the right decision.

There is NO stallion ever born, whatever people may think, that is absolutely essential to the breed and NO stallion born that is too good to geld.

If Buckaroo had been gelded as a yearling we would be none the wiser of our loss, so it would, in effect, have made no difference.

Geld him, it is the responsible thing to do.

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

Hi -I don't have time to read all of the responses here, but here's my experience with one of those things that "cannot be inherited" ~ or not.

Bought a mare that developed a "hitch" in her back left leg shortly after I bought her. I contacted the seller & he assured me it was an allergy that was something in her pasture at his place & it would go away since she was on new pasture.i researched that & found it was possible. Anyway, this was about 7 years ago. Professional thinking appeared to fall on both sides of the fence.

Talked to vets who said it might be fixation of the patella, but it wasn't heritable. Go ahead & breed her. Did that. Her 1st baby for me developed it at about 6 weeks. Had to have surgery because it was pretty bad & baby couldn't stay like that her whole life. Asked vets at the specialty clinic (which shall remain nameless here) & they assured me it was not heritable. It was just a coincidence. I told them this was a brood mare & are they sure about this? I really grilled these vets. My own research was inconclusive. They are assured me it was safe. Silly me. I listened to them.

Based on their assurances, I bred the mare again and guess what?? The new foal developed it at about 10 days old!! After all the veterinary assurances, I was deveastated. I gave mare & foal away to a home that won't breed them. The new owner had surgery on both & just keeps them as pets. What a mess.

So, all I can say, is take it all with a grain of salt. Any knowledge, it seems no matter what it's about, is up for future interpretation. You have to go with what you've been told, combined with what you know & make the best choice. That's all anyone can do. Good luck to your friend. - k

 

[Frankie]

I don't consider what is wrong with this stallion any worst than what I see others breed with,,,,,,but that does not make it right.

Vets have said,,,,,,"I would",,,,,,,but then they do not have to take care of then 2 horses with this problem.

I think each time anyone breeds they take a chance,,,,but knowingly the chance of a problem is bigger???

She reads here,,,,,,hasn't posted that I am aware of,,,,,and has also consulted a few members here when she noticed they lived in her area. All advice she has gotten so far,,,has been mixed, about half and half.

I think her heart and head are telling her no,,but she only breeds one or two, every 2 or 3 years, just for her.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

If you would have asked me this a couple of years ago my answer may have been different but now.. my answer is NO GELD HIM

there are to many horses out there and just no reason to breed a horse that you KNOW has issues be it passed on 90 percent of the time or 3 percent of the time.

 

[runamuk]

I think you could also look at the situation from the perspective of the animal in question. If the animal has a condition that requires medication then the animal isn't a healthy representative and breeding could be detrimental to the animal. Is it fair to put more stressors on an animal that is already suffering or debilitated?

There are plenty of other animals suitable for breeding why put one through this if it isn't in the animals best interest?

 

[Minimor]

I guess what I can't get past is this question--if the vets don't know if this condition is or is not inheritable....then how do they know that if it's going to be passed on, it would be passed on to every foal? How can they be sure it won't be passed on to 2 foals or 3 foals out of 5, or 1 out of 10, or whatever? I don't see how they can know one part, but not the other--that makes no sense at all.

I would have to say I would not breed this horse. Sure, no horse is perfect, but a fault that requires medication to manage it is something different than a croup that isn't quite flat as I might like, or a neck that is a little shorter than I consider ideal.

 

[FoRebel]

I think the bottom line in this whole thing is the ethical delema. Honestly, if you want a good ethical decision I would say it would be to GELD. The people who have said there is no stallion too good to be gelded are right! A friend of mine gelded one of her stallions and he is a wonderful halter/driving horse now. She can take him anywhere and he's good with the mares (on top of the fact that she doesn't have to worry about him getting out with the mares and breeding them!) I have seen quite a few stallions that have been gelded later in life and they are just as nice as they were before or nicer. I just think that the "correct" decision would be to geld this stallion. There isn't anything wrong with gelding a stallion and keeping him as a gelding. If this friend really wants to breed then she should go find a different stallion that doesn't have these problems or any problems that could be passed on to foals.

I just had to get my 4¢ in on this topic! LOL