Testicular descent and gelding

[4horses]

At what age do colts typically drop? My colt has one where it is supposed to be, but one is further up and while you can feel it if you palpate but it’s not really dropped down yet. He’s 18 months, and fortunately for the most part a really good citizen. Although he does have to have a toy in his mouth at all times. I am thinking of getting him gelded while the weather is cooler but not sure if this is going to impact that?

Despite the cooler weather, we still have atrocious flies and I’m a bit worried about that. I’m still using fly masks daily. Between my horses and the cows next door, the flies never really go away.

[EventerAJ]

Florida breeder here. I know all about colts, flies, weather, and castration. lol

Colts are usually “down” at birth or shortly after. But quite common for the testicles to suck back up, and go up and down for the first year. Some of them are late bloomers and may not fully descend and stay down until age 2. But even the “high flankers” can still be palpated (even just barely) if the horse is normal and not a cryptorchid. Sometimes injections of HCG can help them descend, but I’ve never needed it.

Ask your vet, but I’ve had multiple vets say “if you can feel it, you can cut it.” However some vets are not as brave and may refer you to the vet clinic if they are wary of complications.

I had one colt I intended to geld at 10 months (on a nice cool December day), but the day he was to be done the right testicle went hiding. I was almost certain both testicles were down at birth, but I was worried! My vet told me to wait it out. I checked him every couple weeks; he was a sensitive, goosey colt not fond of my groping, but by August of his yearling year the right one was there. Still a bit “uneven” and higher, but definitely within reach. He was starting to act studdy, playing rough with friends and noticing the girls nearby. With upcoming FEH Championships in October, I decided to castrate him at the end of August so he would be healed up before the show. I worried a lot about the heat and bugs, but it honestly wasn’t too bad and I would castrate again in the summer if it was necessary.

If I don’t have a reason to keep a colt intact, I’d much rather geld them the winter before their first birthday. Less likely to develop bad habits before they hit puberty, can keep them with their filly pasturemates, and there’s a chance they could get a tiny bit taller/leggier. But there have been a couple I waited on, who had exceptional manners and didn’t interact with the girls. They have turned into wonderful geldings too.

[NancyM]

If the “ring” is closed, testicles are either on one side of the body wall, or the other. The ring usually closes quite early… I’ve had colts gelded at 5 months of age. If the ring is still open, they can’t be gelded… that’s when you get intestines coming through the hole if you do. That is what the vet checks for prior to gelding, that both testicles are present, and the hole in the body wall is closed. Testicles may be very small, and difficult for a layman to feel, but a vet with experience can find them if they are there. And can remove them. If you can palpate both, and the hole is closed, it doesn’t matter if one or both are still small. If the body wall is closed, and one or both are not on the correct side (the outside), that’s when things get more difficult and expensive.
Other than that, choose your time as you see fit. Good luck.