Boy, she is definitely in favor of early castration. That makes it harder on you to know when or if it needs to be done. Manzer is a very sweet calm little guy and may very well turn out to be that “one” in a hundred. I am behind you 100% whatever you decide. Having the procedure done is irreversible which is a sobering thought when he may be the perfect stud in the future. I don’t see a rush here. I like your attitude with horses very much by letting them declare themselves on who they are supposed to be. All my support is behind you, (and that’s worth about what you’re paying me for it LOL) 🐎👍🏻💕
Shar Roon You May be right. I just think she said many things to support that she preferred earlier castration. Anyway that’s what I took away from it. She said 1) it would not stunt their growth 2 recovery time was way less and much easier 3 very rare to see a good stallion 4 hard for horse cause friends are limited.
@@kkdoc7864 she was explaining the facts and was being very honest about the lives of geldings and stallions based on her education and years of practice. She seemed like a very good vet and doubt she was motivated by wanting to make money from the gelding fee. I liked how calmly and softly she handled Manzer. He was such a good boy too .
I am so sorry if you guys thought I was criticizing the vet in any way. She was awesome providing really great information that i really learned a lot from. I just felt she thought the timing of castration was better earlier than later. (reading between the lines, I guess). That is not to say I think that’s a negative thing or that she is wrong or anything like that. Apparently my comment came across differently. I was making my own observation and have no opinion one way or another except to say Brandi has to make her own decision, and that I will support that decision no matter what. Does this help at all explaining what I meant?
Manzer was such a good boy 💙. I find vets are super big on castration in almost all species. I appreciate their feedback, but ultimately you do what is best for yourself, the animal and future plans.
Wouldn't worry about growing! My friend's horse was gelded early and he is huge! 17.2 at 3 years old and still growing! He's an Irish Draft crossed with a Connemara so you would expect him to be smaller
I learn so much from your channel even though I don’t own a horse! Like you said never say never and like you said learn first before thinking about getting a horse 🐎
Such a good boy! He handled that like a champ! I don't know Brandi..... As soon as she said.... Gelding makes for a better life.....i was on the fence for gelding him but she might have pushed me over to the gelding side. Clearly you will make the best decision for him! But she had some really good points! Good to know Nika is good to go if you're too follow that path as well. I didn't have any concerns that she wouldn't be. Your vet is great! Very informative , knowledgeable and straight to the point. She's my kind of girl! Good vets are hard to find! She's a keeper! Have a great night 😊
Manzer was so great 💕 he is such a social pet... So the major decisions are all yours for him "to geld or not to geld, that is the question" ! Because if he remains a sweet stallion to handle (he is such a good natured horse) he 'll be unhappy to live separated from the herd for all the reasons specific to studs🤔 Nika for another pregnancy, (personally I wouldn't even if physiologically she still can).🤔 It' s only my own feeling Thank you for sharing this vet visit 👍🌷
My boy was 3 before I decided..he was so calm and easy going but because he was a stallion the breeding stallion hated him and would try and get him at every turn..so I decided to go ahead and geld..he's my trail horse so it was best..he's 24 now!! Still rides just fine..and still just a sweetheart!
I have would never geld a horse before 1 years of age. He really needs to bulk up more naturally....as in a little bit of testosterone is not a bad thing. He is very nicely built and has very good manners, so I would wait to geld at 1yrs old or until he starts to get study. Kevin
I had a cryptorchid horse, even at 15/16 years old he was too controlling to be with other horses, tho sweet and gentle on his own, but difficult to ride in the spring, and your kids would have to be monitored with a stallion around. I think Jay Zimmers comments were right, too many horses are left entire, but Manzer is a very good- looking horse already, and his colour is a big plus, I would think...................you certainly have a difficult choice, but I am sure you will make the right one , for Manzer, and your own situation AND what a great Vet!. Love your videos.
Wow! I absolutely loved this! This so educational! I would love to have a stallion in the future as my horse (way in the future once I a more educated)
I like Dr. Hoholik a great deal and think she brought up some good points. I do agree with her that life is easier on geldings, even the most well handled studs do tend to have some neuroses, it's the nature of the beast (and the hormones). I don't think people are automatically scared of studs, maybe uneducated people are but I've been around some that were nice and some that weren't so nice, same as mares and geldings. I do think there would be some challenges involved with having a stud at your place since you would need to really control who came in contact with him (I know you do that anyway with your personal horses, but there would be more urgency to it if he were kept uncut). Having a stud is also counter-intuitive to your preference of having your whole herd together and not having to separate horses. Just some things to consider.
I love your vet! She is awesome!! I agree that unless colts tick all of the boxes for what is necessary to keep their family jewels (conformation, breeding, performance, attitude, etc.) I think a gelding does have a better life. Even the nicest stud horses will mouth, lip, or even nip a little. They can't really help it. That's how they flirt and test the world. People skin is a lot more fragile than horse skin and even a little nip hurts. If left a stud, you would not be able to just put him in any pasture, since if there is a mare in it he will breed her. Manzer has already shown in his birthday video that his hormones are coming in with him dropping his penis and even getting an erection, then a little later mounting Bear. That's all age appropriate normal yearling colt behavior. That being said, Manzer is a lovely colt who is a carbon copy of his mother. Manzer has a really nice calm personality, seems really smart, and also is a nice mover. I think you should keep Manzer a colt and reevaluate the gelding question when you start riding him. That is unless before going under saddle Manzer's personality takes a drastic change. Also maybe his other testicle will drop by then. Fingers crossed! Although being a cryptorchid as a stallion isn't a big deal. At this point Manzer looks like he would be a good candidate to be kept a stud. Should his hormones be too much for him and he starts getting obnoxious or unable to think like a gentleman then being gelded is back on the table. I've literally seen incorrigible, bitey, rearing, kicking, bucking colts turn into the sweetest pocket pals within days of being cut. It's like magic for most of them. Of course there are always the John Henry's of the world that gelding didn't fix, but Manzer has never been nasty like John Henry. You know what's best.
Well said. I saw John Henry when he was a retiree at the Kentucky Horse Park. He was quite the devil and would attack a goat if it wandered into his stall by mistake. He was a really bad cribber too. Oh but what a racehorse. . . If Manzer were to be kept a stud he might have to be moved to another facility because of all the mares there. I wouldn't keep him a stud unless I was going to pursue an AQHA show career with him, and then only if he was successful at it. But that's me.
@@suzanneyoung8011 I think Manzer could stay on their property, because he has been a gentleman and will probably continue to do so. Unless Brandi plans to pasture breed him, usually stallions don't live with other horses. There are plenty of really well mannered stallions out there, but there are some that aren't quite so trustworthy. I recently was watching Darry Lou being schooled by Beezie Madden and when nobody was around he got himself aroused, and it took Beezie a minute to get his mind back on work. Darry Lou is a 5 star show jumper who was supposed to go to the Olympics this year, so he has clearly been well traveled in very public places and always with professional handlers, and still, even while schooling alone, his mind wandered. I saw John Henry too, but it was at Santa Anita while he was still running. He was a beast. It always took two handlers with shanks on him to handle him. Even when he had his 30th birthday at KHP the cantankerous old man required two handlers with shanks. By 30 most horses will walk next to you with nothing but their halter. Not John Henry. He never gave up biting and kicking people. He was the really rare type of nasty horse that never gave it up. John Henry was one of a kind.
@@BadHairdayKimmie I've watched the Madden's channel too but I missed that one. He is a very good horse. I liked that they were providing videos during the shutdown. So cool you got to see John Henry race at Santa Anita. I didn't know about that when leading him into the paddock. He was such a character. If you hadn't read it before, try to find an article on The BloodHorse magazine's archives around the time he died. The Hall of Champions manager tells the story of how they would take John Henry on walks throughout the park in his old age. Really he was taking them for the walk as they would go wherever he wanted to go. Sometimes he would take them to the outdoor arena of the Hall of Breeds Show, and they would just stop the show and let John Henry strut on in. Then he'd be ready to move on after a few minutes. It was always on his terms. It's a great story that will bring tears to your eyes.
@@suzanneyoung8011 The Darry Lou video is on leg yielding from March 2020. I could totally see a handler just letting John Henry do as he wanted to prevent any confrontations. From the Bloodhorse article on JH's 30th birthday: "Tammy Siters, John Henry's groom since 1996, said she's taken a few bites and bumps from the gelding throughout the years, but that's just a part of the job. "You always know what you're going to get with John -- either teeth or feet," Siters laughed. "But the thing about John is you have to love him for who he is, not who you want him to be--that's the one thing that sticks with me about his life. He's always done things his way. He's never taken a backwards step for anybody and he's still here at 30 years old and everybody loves him and certainly, everyone respects him."
Manzer is really a good boy. Hard decision Brandi on the gelding. But you know what's best for Manzer. I think you have to use both your heart and brain. Which ever wins is the right choice. Great horse Mom. Manzer is soo handsome. Thanks for sharing. ❤👍🐎🙏
Personally Brandi, I think manzer would create some adorable foals, he's got a good temperament and beautiful colour which he could pass on, it's ultimately up to you but I'd let him breed at least once so you carry on the gorgeous nika's bloodline nevertheless I'm with you 100% whatever you choose, a vet told me the exact same thing your vet told you, I decided to let my colt grow into a stallion and breed a couple of my mares then I had him castrated.
Manzer is so good but when the vet was touching a certain area, it was like he was saying "hey I'm a big boy now and you shouldn't be touching me there". x
Gosh, I think I had my guy gelded when his was about 8 months. He recovered well. He never got studdish. He still thinks he's a big baby. Every Colt is different, though.
A hard decision to make. In the end I would vote for gelding. Manzer is so smart and would probably turn out to be a very versatile gelding with a great personality. FYI My landlord had a grown paint stallion named Kelsa. He was the mildest, calmest uncut stallion I've ever seen. Finally Joe decided to have him gelded (no reason, really; Joe was just like that). After a few weeks, Kelsa became more brave, aggressive and lively then he had been as a stud. He was still very rideable but it was like he gained a new lease on life! 😆 So you never know...
Manzer is such a good boy with manners to die for. I have enjoyed every one of his stories. Thank you Brandi for all the effort you put in. Just a little random question! This movie with poco in is it just called Catfish and is it related to the catfish tv programme? As I can only find the TV show or there movie.
Colts are able to breed and impregnate by the time they hit a year. If you keep him a stud, you'll need a separate place for him so he doesn't injure another horse or himself once the hormones kick in. I worked on two breeding farms, don't be a backyard breeder, there are very few that should remain stallions and 99.9% of the rest should be cut.
I agree. Few colts are sufficient quality and if you want to breed your mare there are many quality stallions available. Few people have the skill necessary to evaluate a colt properly. Most people look at a colt and think they are beautiful because they are a pretty colour. In the warmblood world there are inspections, and after attending several one becomes better able to evaluate young horses and very, very, few are approved. Even beautiful colts are turned down. The life of a stallion can be lonely and frustrating since many get few breedings and have to live in isolation. Manzer will grown up to be a lovely gelding but is not stallion quality. This is not an insult, it's only a very rare colt that meets the grade. Add to this that a lesson barn is not a suitable place to stand a stallion. I understand your love for this horse, I've bred a few and we all fall in love and think they are the most beautiful, but not having glaring conformation flaws does not a stallion make. In a few months he will come into his hormones and become difficult to handle and hopefully this will make the decision easier.
I've seen you with this lady before looking at either Nika or maybe Manzer I can't quite remember. Is this a new addition to Manzers playlist or one already there? Still enjoyed watching it Brandi. 🎈
@@VersatileHorsemanship Did you have this lady in another video that you've previously posted where she was manipulating a horse. It would be funny if you haven't because it's definitely a case of been here before scenario. 😄
Janie Woodard when in doubt, just check out the video description for info. My videos are also organized into playlists on my channel, they are in chronological order so the viewer can follow the whole story on a particular horse.
Oh I hope you don’t geld him he is an outstanding colour, has the temperament and conformation to be a stud muffin. You can see he’s special. If you did some in hand showing with him I’m sure it would confirm this. You don’t have to decide now. Of curse a vet is going to want you to castrate it their business!!$. You have your own horse property. U would be able to accomodate him easily. You can just see how he goes. It would be an experience for all your budding horsemen. And you have some nice mares. I had a stallion from a foal we didn’t treat him any different just the external fencing was electrified. He was a good egg! Most stallions go haywire because they ARE treated differently and don’t get the attention they need. If you treat respect from a foal thru to adulthood it just another job he will have to do if you work him with mares as a normal horse. If he only sees humans and mares on root day it’s isolating and no wonder they are cranky and rambunctious.
For his best health, I vote to Geld him at the right time. It won't stunt his growth, or his personality. He is my favorite. Horse except my 3 yr old Gelding Scooter. I need to get to socialize with him, so he'll know me better.
So, what age are you supposed to geld a stud colt? Everyone I have know that had horses, always waited until their horse was between 2 and 5 years old to geld. (Honest question, not criticizing....actual curiosity. )
It all depends on the intended usage of the horse and its pedigree. If the horse has a lousy pedigree that hasn't produced any winning show horses or produced stakes winners in racing, and it hasn't been successful at those things itself, then it should be gelded in my opinion, because as a stallion it won't be contributing to the breed. There are way too many studs out there already who probably should have been gelded, and it leads to overpopulation of horses who may not all have happy lives. Regarding age, the vet said they can be gelded once both testicles drop. Around one year old, sometimes less would be OK, particularly if you're keeping the horse for yourself. Most commercial breeders will not geld their yearlings or two year olds because they want to leave that decision for the new owner, especially if they are race horses. I gelded one Thoroughbred colt that I bred before he turned a year old because he was acting very studdish at an early age and broke through a wooden fence to try to get to the mares. I sold him in a yearling sale later that year, and the new owners thanked me for gelding him already. He later became a minor stakes winner which he probably would not have done given his prior studdish personality.
Bambi T. Lovegoddess every colt I’ve been around was gelded as young as possible so he could continue living in a herd environment mixed with mares and gelding.
Oh okay...it makes perfect sense on both replies and viewpoints. Thank you both for taking the time to answer my curiosity. Dr. Pol always says "If ya take the balls, the brains come back...." lol
I personally prefer geldings and stallions over mares but honestly a good well behaved stallion has good training from the time their young and let out in a good size herd for social skills. The more social skills your stallion has and he knows that not every mare Will let him mount them he won't try. It is all on the handling and socializingbut then again you also have some stallions that are just assholes.
We have 5 colts, 2 yr olds. Only 1 is safe from being gelded, owners decision. The others haven't come close to earning the right to keep the jewels lol. I keep a close watch waiting on them to drop. They are so dramatic and holler at every mare, even the bred mares 🙄.
She said people will be afraid of him if he's a stud... How many geldings are people afraid of🤨I think the vet really is against studs. I'm getting those type if vibes🧐
No, the vet is being very realistic and and knows her stuff. One needs to have the facilities and the paddocks to be able to keep a stallion and mares separated, often times many many acres apart if not at separate farms. Also, for a breeding stallion, people would be shipping in their mares to be bred (if by live cover) and they would have to accommodate the mares and their foals for weeks or months at a time until the mare was safely pronounced in foal. Most mares would ship in advance of their foaling date with the current foal they are carrying, and the boarding farm would be responsible for their care and foaling out the mare plus the vet care of both before the mare could be rebred to the intended stallion. The owner pays for those services of course, but it's a lot of time, work and cost involved in managing a stallion.
I wouldn't geld him till he's full grown absolutely not !!!! Let him grow up before making a decision you may regret at a later date you my want babies out of him or put him out to stud he's pretty quiet I could see gelding him if you are having problems with him meaning behavior wise
If a horse is not stallion quality I don’t see the point of keeping the jewelry. He will spend his life frustrated for not being allowed to reproduce, the management is going to be a pain half the year when mares are in heat, he’s going to be lonely ... It really is a disservice...
I agree with this DVM totally. As a Vet Tech myself (small animal medicine, but have my own horses) I always try to advocate for the best possible quality of life for the animal, and help clients make informed decisions without alienating them. That being said, I also don't believe in not being honest with somebody about what they may be in for by keeping their animal intact. My feeling is that this DVM is a straight shooter who isn't about coddling a topic just because it might be considered controversial. Surgically altering any pet animal is a personal decision, but one that should be very carefully considered. Brandi's experience I believe, has been with mostly mares. She has said so herself in her vlog about sheath cleaning-only has one gelding I believe. GELDING. Stallions can be a whole lotta no fun, and their lives are often filled with stress, vice, preoccupation, etc. I think unless you've got tons of experience with stallions, and have a solid plan for how their future is going to look, go ahead and just geld. PLUS, helps control the unwanted pet population in general. Long rant, but this one is heart-felt. I hope to not be offending Brandi, as I respect her horsemanship, her inquisitiveness & the huge efforts she makes by creating great content. She's definitely asking this Vet all the right questions.✌️🐴🌷
No offense taken by any means. As far as my experience, I worked at a farm that bred Gypsy horses. I cared for two stallions for 2 years. Most horses were pasture bred but I assisted in several hand breedings. Babies were all born during the night and most out in the pasture. I have started about 40 horses under saddle and although I own 12 mares and only two geldings, I have worked with hundreds of geldings. I’m certainly capable of raising, handling, and housing a stallion, I simply will cross that bridge when we get there.
@@VersatileHorsemanship No doubt Manzer is in the best hands with you, no matter what you decide. I just watched your live vlog of his first birthday (Happy Yearling Day Manzer!🐴🎉🎈), and listened to you answering a couple questions from folks regarding this "hot button" topic, lol. When you said that you'd be watching VERY carefully how his temperament & personality develop as he continues on into puberty & beyond, and that being the biggest part of how you'd make the call to castrate him, I became on board. Him having ideal conformational correctness to pass along his QH genetics being important as well. You're a terrific trainer, and I'm 100% sure you wouldn't stand for him or ANY horse putting a foot out of place on purpose more than once. I worked with a DVM from the Ireland for a year or so, she always called Gypsy Vanners "Tinkers." She said that's their UK nickname. I thought that'd be a cute name for a draft pony! Thanks for the reply Brandi, means a lot!🌼🐎
The only reason not to geld a Colt is that you believe he is objectively in the top 5% of all colts AND you want to stand him at stud or sell him to a breeder who will do so. If you want to stand him, you have to invest in a sturdy 6 foot stallion fencing for his paddock and pasture. You have to show him extensively to get the word out and get mares. (If he isn't in demand as a beeder you're just condemning him to a life of frustration. ) Then you have to have facilities to board mares during breeding, or to collect him for artificial insemination. It's a huge investment and until he is proven to produce top-quality foals, his stud fees won't come anywhere near to covering the cost. Also, I don't know if you take your horses off-site much, but a lot of places won't allow a stallion. If fact, you should check your county's ordinances of what is required to keep a stallion. I'd just commit to gelding. I like to do it in early spring (February or March) when they are a yearling. You have gotten all the vaccinations done, and early spring is good for reducing the environmental pathogens as many nasties are still dormant. I had one colt who was kept a stallion until age 2 because he was the farm's junior stallion prospect. He didn't grow big enough and they gelded him and sold him. They lost what would have been a mediocre stallion and I got an outstanding gelding. I had another colt I that I had gelded as a yearling. He grew up bigger than either of his parents.
I disagree with Kevin, the sooner you can geld the better it is for the horse. If he is retaining one testicle than he is not a good candidate for stallion-hood as he will pass that on to some of his colts. And will be more expensive for other owners to geld his offspring if you sell them. Temperament is always a deciding factor as well but he has a good temperament but you just don't know when he will become study and with children around him, you need to keep good insurance against someone getting hurt plus (a big plus) a stallion can be very lonely and if your not planning on breeding him all the time, its really not fair to Manzer being off by himself all the time
If he only has one testicle drop. I would geld him and let him have a good life that way. Cryptorchid can be genetic. It also can be associated with hernias is what a vet told me.
@@VersatileHorsemanship I had a beautiful black stud colt once I had to geld. Only one of his dropped, come to find out his sire had thrown this before and his grandsire was this way. I wasn't told until after I got him. I was so upset. I think tho they can drop up until they are a year old.
Here’s a link to Manzer’s full story th-cam.com/play/PLIR-JJucLqwK03czDuIMjodOXT0IsOxmm.html
Manzer is such a good guy. What a wonderful horse!
He certainly is
I love this vet, she is so straightforward and knowledgeable. So fun to watch the chiropractic adjustments and the releases they get.
Yeah I’d like her to work on me 😂
All great question's Brandi ! & your vet was straight forward with her answer's - Manzer you were such a Good Boy🍎
He did so well, such a wonderful horse! You did it right. 🌻
Boy, she is definitely in favor of early castration. That makes it harder on you to know when or if it needs to be done. Manzer is a very sweet calm little guy and may very well turn out to be that “one” in a hundred. I am behind you 100% whatever you decide. Having the procedure done is irreversible which is a sobering thought when he may be the perfect stud in the future. I don’t see a rush here. I like your attitude with horses very much by letting them declare themselves on who they are supposed to be. All my support is behind you, (and that’s worth about what you’re paying me for it LOL) 🐎👍🏻💕
I don't know, she wasn't trying to sway the decision, she was just explaining the facts.
Shar Roon You May be right. I just think she said many things to support that she preferred earlier castration. Anyway that’s what I took away from it. She said 1) it would not stunt their growth 2 recovery time was way less and much easier 3 very rare to see a good stallion 4 hard for horse cause friends are limited.
@@kkdoc7864 she was explaining the facts and was being very honest about the lives of geldings and stallions based on her education and years of practice. She seemed like a very good vet and doubt she was motivated by wanting to make money from the gelding fee. I liked how calmly and softly she handled Manzer. He was such a good boy too .
I am so sorry if you guys thought I was criticizing the vet in any way. She was awesome providing really great information that i really learned a lot from. I just felt she thought the timing of castration was better earlier than later. (reading between the lines, I guess). That is not to say I think that’s a negative thing or that she is wrong or anything like that. Apparently my comment came across differently. I was making my own observation and have no opinion one way or another except to say Brandi has to make her own decision, and that I will support that decision no matter what. Does this help at all explaining what I meant?
kk doc I totally got what you meant and I do agree. This vet is so kind and really does want what’s best for the horse.
Manzer was such a good boy 💙. I find vets are super big on castration in almost all species. I appreciate their feedback, but ultimately you do what is best for yourself, the animal and future plans.
Yes, vets see so many issues from people not getting their animals fixed and breeding irresponsibility
Manzer looks like a piece of butterscotch candy! ❤️
Wouldn't worry about growing! My friend's horse was gelded early and he is huge! 17.2 at 3 years old and still growing! He's an Irish Draft crossed with a Connemara so you would expect him to be smaller
I learn so much from your channel even though I don’t own a horse! Like you said never say never and like you said learn first before thinking about getting a horse 🐎
Manzer is looking great such a good boy ..🐎❤
Such a good boy! He handled that like a champ! I don't know Brandi..... As soon as she said.... Gelding makes for a better life.....i was on the fence for gelding him but she might have pushed me over to the gelding side. Clearly you will make the best decision for him! But she had some really good points! Good to know Nika is good to go if you're too follow that path as well. I didn't have any concerns that she wouldn't be. Your vet is great! Very informative , knowledgeable and straight to the point. She's my kind of girl! Good vets are hard to find! She's a keeper! Have a great night 😊
Loved this video, very educational!
Manzer is so sweet and calm! We gelded my horse when he was a yr old!
when the massage so good you gotta stretch then fart
I kinda felt it in my soul when he did that, lmao!!🤣🤣
Awesome video!!! Good job Manzer🥰
Manzer is so good for his exams!
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
I like her!!straight talking
ABSOLUTELY! Me too.💯💯
Manzer was so great 💕 he is such a social pet... So the major decisions are all yours for him "to geld or not to geld, that is the question" ! Because if he remains a sweet stallion to handle (he is such a good natured horse) he 'll be unhappy to live separated from the herd for all the reasons specific to studs🤔
Nika for another pregnancy, (personally I wouldn't even if
physiologically she still can).🤔
It' s only my own feeling
Thank you for sharing this vet visit 👍🌷
Nice little visit. Good info. 👏
My boy was 3 before I decided..he was so calm and easy going but because he was a stallion the breeding stallion hated him and would try and get him at every turn..so I decided to go ahead and geld..he's my trail horse so it was best..he's 24 now!! Still rides just fine..and still just a sweetheart!
I have would never geld a horse before 1 years of age. He really needs to bulk up more naturally....as in a little bit of testosterone is not a bad thing. He is very nicely built and has very good manners, so I would wait to geld at 1yrs old or until he starts to get study. Kevin
I had a cryptorchid horse, even at 15/16 years old he was too controlling to be with other horses, tho sweet and gentle on his own, but difficult to ride in the spring, and your kids would have to be monitored with a stallion around. I think Jay Zimmers comments were right, too many horses are left entire, but Manzer is a very good- looking horse already, and his colour is a big plus, I would think...................you certainly have a difficult choice, but I am sure you will make the right one , for Manzer, and your own situation AND what a great Vet!. Love your videos.
Wow! I absolutely loved this! This so educational! I would love to have a stallion in the future as my horse (way in the future once I a more educated)
I like Dr. Hoholik a great deal and think she brought up some good points. I do agree with her that life is easier on geldings, even the most well handled studs do tend to have some neuroses, it's the nature of the beast (and the hormones). I don't think people are automatically scared of studs, maybe uneducated people are but I've been around some that were nice and some that weren't so nice, same as mares and geldings. I do think there would be some challenges involved with having a stud at your place since you would need to really control who came in contact with him (I know you do that anyway with your personal horses, but there would be more urgency to it if he were kept uncut). Having a stud is also counter-intuitive to your preference of having your whole herd together and not having to separate horses. Just some things to consider.
Loved every second of that ❤️
I love your vet! She is awesome!!
I agree that unless colts tick all of the boxes for what is necessary to keep their family jewels (conformation, breeding, performance, attitude, etc.) I think a gelding does have a better life. Even the nicest stud horses will mouth, lip, or even nip a little. They can't really help it. That's how they flirt and test the world. People skin is a lot more fragile than horse skin and even a little nip hurts. If left a stud, you would not be able to just put him in any pasture, since if there is a mare in it he will breed her. Manzer has already shown in his birthday video that his hormones are coming in with him dropping his penis and even getting an erection, then a little later mounting Bear. That's all age appropriate normal yearling colt behavior.
That being said, Manzer is a lovely colt who is a carbon copy of his mother. Manzer has a really nice calm personality, seems really smart, and also is a nice mover. I think you should keep Manzer a colt and reevaluate the gelding question when you start riding him. That is unless before going under saddle Manzer's personality takes a drastic change. Also maybe his other testicle will drop by then. Fingers crossed! Although being a cryptorchid as a stallion isn't a big deal. At this point Manzer looks like he would be a good candidate to be kept a stud. Should his hormones be too much for him and he starts getting obnoxious or unable to think like a gentleman then being gelded is back on the table. I've literally seen incorrigible, bitey, rearing, kicking, bucking colts turn into the sweetest pocket pals within days of being cut. It's like magic for most of them. Of course there are always the John Henry's of the world that gelding didn't fix, but Manzer has never been nasty like John Henry.
You know what's best.
Well said. I saw John Henry when he was a retiree at the Kentucky Horse Park. He was quite the devil and would attack a goat if it wandered into his stall by mistake. He was a really bad cribber too. Oh but what a racehorse. . .
If Manzer were to be kept a stud he might have to be moved to another facility because of all the mares there. I wouldn't keep him a stud unless I was going to pursue an AQHA show career with him, and then only if he was successful at it. But that's me.
@@suzanneyoung8011 I think Manzer could stay on their property, because he has been a gentleman and will probably continue to do so. Unless Brandi plans to pasture breed him, usually stallions don't live with other horses. There are plenty of really well mannered stallions out there, but there are some that aren't quite so trustworthy. I recently was watching Darry Lou being schooled by Beezie Madden and when nobody was around he got himself aroused, and it took Beezie a minute to get his mind back on work. Darry Lou is a 5 star show jumper who was supposed to go to the Olympics this year, so he has clearly been well traveled in very public places and always with professional handlers, and still, even while schooling alone, his mind wandered.
I saw John Henry too, but it was at Santa Anita while he was still running. He was a beast. It always took two handlers with shanks on him to handle him. Even when he had his 30th birthday at KHP the cantankerous old man required two handlers with shanks. By 30 most horses will walk next to you with nothing but their halter. Not John Henry. He never gave up biting and kicking people. He was the really rare type of nasty horse that never gave it up. John Henry was one of a kind.
@@BadHairdayKimmie I've watched the Madden's channel too but I missed that one. He is a very good horse. I liked that they were providing videos during the shutdown.
So cool you got to see John Henry race at Santa Anita. I didn't know about that when leading him into the paddock. He was such a character. If you hadn't read it before, try to find an article on The BloodHorse magazine's archives around the time he died. The Hall of Champions manager tells the story of how they would take John Henry on walks throughout the park in his old age. Really he was taking them for the walk as they would go wherever he wanted to go. Sometimes he would take them to the outdoor arena of the Hall of Breeds Show, and they would just stop the show and let John Henry strut on in. Then he'd be ready to move on after a few minutes. It was always on his terms. It's a great story that will bring tears to your eyes.
@@suzanneyoung8011 The Darry Lou video is on leg yielding from March 2020.
I could totally see a handler just letting John Henry do as he wanted to prevent any confrontations.
From the Bloodhorse article on JH's 30th birthday:
"Tammy Siters, John Henry's groom since 1996, said she's taken a few bites and bumps from the gelding throughout the years, but that's just a part of the job.
"You always know what you're going to get with John -- either teeth or feet," Siters laughed. "But the thing about John is you have to love him for who he is, not who you want him to be--that's the one thing that sticks with me about his life. He's always done things his way. He's never taken a backwards step for anybody and he's still here at 30 years old and everybody loves him and certainly, everyone respects him."
@@BadHairdayKimmie I'll check out the Madden video. Thanks for the John Henry memories.
He is perfect in every way !🥰🥰Nikka did well💖🥰
Manzer is really a good boy. Hard decision Brandi on the gelding. But you know what's best for Manzer. I think you have to use both your heart and brain. Which ever wins is the right choice. Great horse Mom. Manzer is soo handsome. Thanks for sharing. ❤👍🐎🙏
Ty for all the neat info..
Thanks for watching!
@@VersatileHorsemanship I really try to watch all ur vlogs. I have been here well over a year..
Personally Brandi, I think manzer would create some adorable foals, he's got a good temperament and beautiful colour which he could pass on, it's ultimately up to you but I'd let him breed at least once so you carry on the gorgeous nika's bloodline nevertheless I'm with you 100% whatever you choose, a vet told me the exact same thing your vet told you, I decided to let my colt grow into a stallion and breed a couple of my mares then I had him castrated.
Manzer is so good but when the vet was touching a certain area, it was like he was saying "hey I'm a big boy now and you shouldn't be touching me there". x
Gosh, I think I had my guy gelded when his was about 8 months. He recovered well. He never got studdish. He still thinks he's a big baby. Every Colt is different, though.
A hard decision to make. In the end I would vote for gelding. Manzer is so smart and would probably turn out to be a very versatile gelding with a great personality. FYI My landlord had a grown paint stallion named Kelsa. He was the mildest, calmest uncut stallion I've ever seen. Finally Joe decided to have him gelded (no reason, really; Joe was just like that). After a few weeks, Kelsa became more brave, aggressive and lively then he had been as a stud. He was still very rideable but it was like he gained a new lease on life! 😆 So you never know...
Manzer is such a good boy with manners to die for. I have enjoyed every one of his stories. Thank you Brandi for all the effort you put in. Just a little random question! This movie with poco in is it just called Catfish and is it related to the catfish tv programme? As I can only find the TV show or there movie.
If you google “catfish the movie” it should come up
Colts are able to breed and impregnate by the time they hit a year. If you keep him a stud, you'll need a separate place for him so he doesn't injure another horse or himself once the hormones kick in. I worked on two breeding farms, don't be a backyard breeder, there are very few that should remain stallions and 99.9% of the rest should be cut.
@@jayzimmer1224 that's also an inherited condition. A lot that carry that also carry a higher chance of hernias.
I agree. Few colts are sufficient quality and if you want to breed your mare there are many quality stallions available. Few people have the skill necessary to evaluate a colt properly. Most people look at a colt and think they are beautiful because they are a pretty colour. In the warmblood world there are inspections, and after attending several one becomes better able to evaluate young horses and very, very, few are approved. Even beautiful colts are turned down. The life of a stallion can be lonely and frustrating since many get few breedings and have to live in isolation. Manzer will grown up to be a lovely gelding but is not stallion quality. This is not an insult, it's only a very rare colt that meets the grade. Add to this that a lesson barn is not a suitable place to stand a stallion. I understand your love for this horse, I've bred a few and we all fall in love and think they are the most beautiful, but not having glaring conformation flaws does not a stallion make. In a few months he will come into his hormones and become difficult to handle and hopefully this will make the decision easier.
I've seen you with this lady before looking at either Nika or maybe Manzer I can't quite remember. Is this a new addition to Manzers playlist or one already there? Still enjoyed watching it Brandi. 🎈
Pippa Kay this one was just posted but is from the end of October. I have a few videos of Manzer to publish before I’m caught up 😊
@@VersatileHorsemanship
Did you have this lady in another video that you've previously posted where she was manipulating a horse. It would be funny if you haven't because it's definitely a case of been here before scenario. 😄
I have trouble knowing what is current and what is old. Like this one it says 30 minutes ago but Manzier is 1 year old now, correct?
Have a look in the description, Brandi always puts there when it was filmed, this was back in October 2019
Janie...you are correct. Manzer's birthday was yesterday! This was filmed back in October. She's catching up on his story from the Winter.
Janie Woodard when in doubt, just check out the video description for info. My videos are also organized into playlists on my channel, they are in chronological order so the viewer can follow the whole story on a particular horse.
Since Manzer is still a baby his conformation is going to change while he grows, and his parents have pretty good confirmation so he should too.
Oh I hope you don’t geld him he is an outstanding colour, has the temperament and conformation to be a stud muffin. You can see he’s special. If you did some in hand showing with him I’m sure it would confirm this. You don’t have to decide now. Of curse a vet is going to want you to castrate it their business!!$. You have your own horse property. U would be able to accomodate him easily. You can just see how he goes. It would be an experience for all your budding horsemen. And you have some nice mares. I had a stallion from a foal we didn’t treat him any different just the external fencing was electrified. He was a good egg! Most stallions go haywire because they ARE treated differently and don’t get the attention they need. If you treat respect from a foal thru to adulthood it just another job he will have to do if you work him with mares as a normal horse. If he only sees humans and mares on root day it’s isolating and no wonder they are cranky and rambunctious.
Some mates will knock them off them selves.3 weeks healing for my colt to heal but he did drop 6/7 months.
So,beautiful and very handsome and so gorgeous I love him🐆🐅😘🤣🙄😎😋😍🦓
To geld or not to geld...that is the question....only you can decide the answer!
For his best health, I vote to Geld him at the right time. It won't stunt his growth, or his personality. He is my favorite. Horse except my 3 yr old Gelding Scooter. I need to get to socialize with him, so he'll know me better.
Is manzer halter trained yet❤️❤️
th-cam.com/video/_OLRqIOA9KI/w-d-xo.html
Versatile Horsemanship ok thank you 😊
Hahahaha is that nika next door?😂
Wow!!!amazing.xxx
Omg can she come adjust me? Please!!! This looks so relaxing!
Hi Brandi.
Great upload dahlink.
Manzer is calm. Level headed. Cutter type. Would be a punchy athlete 🤔 👍
Geld. Just me thinking🤣❤
So, what age are you supposed to geld a stud colt? Everyone I have know that had horses, always waited until their horse was between 2 and 5 years old to geld. (Honest question, not criticizing....actual curiosity. )
It all depends on the intended usage of the horse and its pedigree. If the horse has a lousy pedigree that hasn't produced any winning show horses or produced stakes winners in racing, and it hasn't been successful at those things itself, then it should be gelded in my opinion, because as a stallion it won't be contributing to the breed. There are way too many studs out there already who probably should have been gelded, and it leads to overpopulation of horses who may not all have happy lives.
Regarding age, the vet said they can be gelded once both testicles drop. Around one year old, sometimes less would be OK, particularly if you're keeping the horse for yourself. Most commercial breeders will not geld their yearlings or two year olds because they want to leave that decision for the new owner, especially if they are race horses.
I gelded one Thoroughbred colt that I bred before he turned a year old because he was acting very studdish at an early age and broke through a wooden fence to try to get to the mares. I sold him in a yearling sale later that year, and the new owners thanked me for gelding him already. He later became a minor stakes winner which he probably would not have done given his prior studdish personality.
Bambi T. Lovegoddess every colt I’ve been around was gelded as young as possible so he could continue living in a herd environment mixed with mares and gelding.
Oh okay...it makes perfect sense on both replies and viewpoints. Thank you both for taking the time to answer my curiosity. Dr. Pol always says "If ya take the balls, the brains come back...." lol
Quarterhorses have big butts! Lol
I personally prefer geldings and stallions over mares but honestly a good well behaved stallion has good training from the time their young and let out in a good size herd for social skills. The more social skills your stallion has and he knows that not every mare Will let him mount them he won't try. It is all on the handling and socializingbut then again you also have some stallions that are just assholes.
Once you castrate him no going back. The it's of babies by him are gone. Manzer is a sweet boy and good characters to breed from I would wait n see
We have 5 colts, 2 yr olds. Only 1 is safe from being gelded, owners decision. The others haven't come close to earning the right to keep the jewels lol. I keep a close watch waiting on them to drop. They are so dramatic and holler at every mare, even the bred mares 🙄.
She said people will be afraid of him if he's a stud... How many geldings are people afraid of🤨I think the vet really is against studs. I'm getting those type if vibes🧐
No, the vet is being very realistic and and knows her stuff. One needs to have the facilities and the paddocks to be able to keep a stallion and mares separated, often times many many acres apart if not at separate farms. Also, for a breeding stallion, people would be shipping in their mares to be bred (if by live cover) and they would have to accommodate the mares and their foals for weeks or months at a time until the mare was safely pronounced in foal. Most mares would ship in advance of their foaling date with the current foal they are carrying, and the boarding farm would be responsible for their care and foaling out the mare plus the vet care of both before the mare could be rebred to the intended stallion. The owner pays for those services of course, but it's a lot of time, work and cost involved in managing a stallion.
I wouldn't geld him till he's full grown absolutely not !!!! Let him grow up before making a decision you may regret at a later date you my want babies out of him or put him out to stud he's pretty quiet I could see gelding him if you are having problems with him meaning behavior wise
I think you should not geld him. At least don't make any decision until he's three.
If a horse is not stallion quality I don’t see the point of keeping the jewelry. He will spend his life frustrated for not being allowed to reproduce, the management is going to be a pain half the year when mares are in heat, he’s going to be lonely ... It really is a disservice...
The vet seems like she's not giving u a choice on gelding or not... I feel like she's telling u to gelding him
I agree with this DVM totally. As a Vet Tech myself (small animal medicine, but have my own horses) I always try to advocate for the best possible quality of life for the animal, and help clients make informed decisions without alienating them. That being said, I also don't believe in not being honest with somebody about what they may be in for by keeping their animal intact. My feeling is that this DVM is a straight shooter who isn't about coddling a topic just because it might be considered controversial. Surgically altering any pet animal is a personal decision, but one that should be very carefully considered. Brandi's experience I believe, has been with mostly mares. She has said so herself in her vlog about sheath cleaning-only has one gelding I believe. GELDING. Stallions can be a whole lotta no fun, and their lives are often filled with stress, vice, preoccupation, etc. I think unless you've got tons of experience with stallions, and have a solid plan for how their future is going to look, go ahead and just geld. PLUS, helps control the unwanted pet population in general. Long rant, but this one is heart-felt. I hope to not be offending Brandi, as I respect her horsemanship, her inquisitiveness & the huge efforts she makes by creating great content. She's definitely asking this Vet all the right questions.✌️🐴🌷
No offense taken by any means. As far as my experience, I worked at a farm that bred Gypsy horses. I cared for two stallions for 2 years. Most horses were pasture bred but I assisted in several hand breedings. Babies were all born during the night and most out in the pasture. I have started about 40 horses under saddle and although I own 12 mares and only two geldings, I have worked with hundreds of geldings. I’m certainly capable of raising, handling, and housing a stallion, I simply will cross that bridge when we get there.
Given her line of work, Of course she would rather I geld him. Just like I do everything in my power to convince people not to buy horses.
@@VersatileHorsemanship No doubt Manzer is in the best hands with you, no matter what you decide. I just watched your live vlog of his first birthday (Happy Yearling Day Manzer!🐴🎉🎈), and listened to you answering a couple questions from folks regarding this "hot button" topic, lol. When you said that you'd be watching VERY carefully how his temperament & personality develop as he continues on into puberty & beyond, and that being the biggest part of how you'd make the call to castrate him, I became on board. Him having ideal conformational correctness to pass along his QH genetics being important as well. You're a terrific trainer, and I'm 100% sure you wouldn't stand for him or ANY horse putting a foot out of place on purpose more than once.
I worked with a DVM from the Ireland for a year or so, she always called Gypsy Vanners "Tinkers." She said that's their UK nickname. I thought that'd be a cute name for a draft pony! Thanks for the reply Brandi, means a lot!🌼🐎
The only reason not to geld a Colt is that you believe he is objectively in the top 5% of all colts AND you want to stand him at stud or sell him to a breeder who will do so. If you want to stand him, you have to invest in a sturdy 6 foot stallion fencing for his paddock and pasture. You have to show him extensively to get the word out and get mares. (If he isn't in demand as a beeder you're just condemning him to a life of frustration. ) Then you have to have facilities to board mares during breeding, or to collect him for artificial insemination. It's a huge investment and until he is proven to produce top-quality foals, his stud fees won't come anywhere near to covering the cost.
Also, I don't know if you take your horses off-site much, but a lot of places won't allow a stallion. If fact, you should check your county's ordinances of what is required to keep a stallion.
I'd just commit to gelding. I like to do it in early spring (February or March) when they are a yearling. You have gotten all the vaccinations done, and early spring is good for reducing the environmental pathogens as many nasties are still dormant.
I had one colt who was kept a stallion until age 2 because he was the farm's junior stallion prospect. He didn't grow big enough and they gelded him and sold him. They lost what would have been a mediocre stallion and I got an outstanding gelding. I had another colt I that I had gelded as a yearling. He grew up bigger than either of his parents.
I disagree with Kevin, the sooner you can geld the better it is for the horse. If he is retaining one testicle than he is not a good candidate for stallion-hood as he will pass that on to some of his colts. And will be more expensive for other owners to geld his offspring if you sell them. Temperament is always a deciding factor as well but he has a good temperament but you just don't know when he will become study and with children around him, you need to keep good insurance against someone getting hurt plus (a big plus) a stallion can be very lonely and if your not planning on breeding him all the time, its really not fair to Manzer being off by himself all the time
No held him no no
I’d wait... if you can, as long as you can...there is a difference in structure. Just sayin....
If he only has one testicle drop. I would geld him and let him have a good life that way. Cryptorchid can be genetic. It also can be associated with hernias is what a vet told me.
If both testicles don’t drop in an appropriate amount of time, he will absolutely be gelded.
@@VersatileHorsemanship I had a beautiful black stud colt once I had to geld. Only one of his dropped, come to find out his sire had thrown this before and his grandsire was this way. I wasn't told until after I got him. I was so upset. I think tho they can drop up until they are a year old.
Never Geld unless an animal is dangerous. Never.
Nachiket Mahajan I personally don’t agree with that.
So,beautiful and very handsome and so gorgeous I love him🐆🐅😘🤣🙄😎😋😍🦓