darme
Full Member
Posts: 358
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Post by darme on Apr 30, 2014 17:53:03 GMT
I was told having a colt gelded encouraged the youngster to grow bigger , is this true or do stallions have a better chance of maturing taller
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Post by gillwales on Apr 30, 2014 18:45:11 GMT
I would consider this an old wives tale
a horse or pony's height is determined by genes and nutrition
It is true that a gelding is more likely to be able to gain weight than a colt as a gelding is unlikely to worry the weight off
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Post by Louise Dixon on Apr 30, 2014 19:51:59 GMT
I don't know about in horses, but certainly in cattle and sheep, a castrated male will gain less bone density but greater bone length, so yes, would grow taller. There is plenty of eveidence for it. It is also how archaeologists know when our ancestors began castrating animals for easier management.
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Post by larkhaven on Apr 30, 2014 19:54:55 GMT
Actually the growth plates in a youngster close more slowly in the absence of testosterone. Hence stallions tend to stop growing in height sooner than a gelding, and will bulk up more because of the hormone.
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on May 1, 2014 7:34:22 GMT
The basic height will be determined by genes as gw says, but if badly nourished as youngsters they are capable of compensatory growth to make it up later. I'm sure that putting a 2yo in foal to "stunt her growth" if she looks like going over height doesn't work.
Having said that, yes it is scientifically proven that a male will grow taller if gelded than if left entire, although I'm sure the age of gelding does have some effect too, and ties up with larkhaven's post. My daughter's C was gelded late and we were always being asked (often with fear and trepidation by other PC mothers, occasionally at shows by mare owners wanting to use him to cover them) if he was a stallion as he still kept his muscley curves.
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