Gelding: Stand Them Up or Lay Them Down?

[VirginiaBred]

How do you like the vet to geld your colts, while standing up or when they're down?

I definitely prefer the lying down version.

[Ghazzu]

It depends.
Personally, I prefer doing them down, but I have colleagues who prefer standing castrations.

I think it depends on the surgeon you choose, and their preferred technique.

[lizajane09]

The advantages of cutting a colt standing are that (a) you don't have to worry about him hurting himself coming out of the anesthesia and (b) the incision won't be next to the ground/getting dirt kicked into it as he scrambles to his feet, so the risk of infection is less. It's easier to do when they're lying down, but personally I feel more comfortable with it done standing.

[Shadow14]

We always do ours on the lawn and laying down. No stitches and bed in straw

[Dudeseternalmister]

Both of my colts have been gelded laying down, maybe one night in a stall and then turned right back out to pasture. I always checked their scrotum twice daily to make sure there was no infection and it was healing nicely. My vet told me the more they move around the less swelling and the faster they'll heal.

[county]

I geld my own and lay them down.

[amdfarm]

Out from pasture onto the lawn, laid down, back up and back out to pasture once they have their wits about them and won't choke when they go back to eating.

[chancellor2]

After seeing one done standing, I will never have that done again.

[shakeytails]

I've had 'em done both ways. My vet prefers standing but the last one had to be laid down because he was still kicking after all the drugs. It's not much of a difference to me, though I slightly prefer standing just so the colt isn't struggling waking up and standing up.

[Tom Bloomer]

Since all 4 of our own colts were gelded while knocked out and layed down and we had no complications whatsoever, I would stick with tried and true.

OTOH, the last one was a cryptorchid. We had him done in a hospital under general anaesthesia. So knocking this one out and laying him down cost 5 times as much as the others.

The surgeon had to "invade" the abdominal cavity in order to remove one of the testicles that was hiding way up in there with the intestines. It figures we would have to go this route with this particular horse. He's been the most stubborn of the lot and won't give up anything without an arguement. :lol: Typical youngest child, "mom's favorite" . . . older brother "beats him up" every day . . . keeps comming back for more.

[grayarabpony]

I've only had one colt gelded, but I like the lying down method if you have a nice open space (we used our 12 by 24 stall) for the horse to get up and down. Seems like it'd be easier and safer for the vet.

[Shadow14]

I've only had one colt gelded, but I like the lying down method if you have a nice open space (we used our 12 by 24 stall) for the horse to get up and down. Seems like it'd be easier and safer for the vet.

Our vet thinks the grass is more sterile enviorment then a stall. He does them first thing in the morning, drops them on a nice clean patch of grass, has one of us shade his eyes and ocasionally work the eye lid to keep the eye moist and after cutting they get turned out in a small paddock, isolated.
At night they are brought in and the stall is spread with Straw, not shavings to keep the incission cleaner. NO washing, no nothing except keeping a eye on it.

[merrygoround]

Sorry, old school here. Most I've seen done standing. It certainly makes it easier when one is there, but playing hide and seek. Sedation has gotten so good, that it is quick and easy.

The only exceptions are those that are too low to the ground for the practitioner to get under. :lol: or :sigh: those with only one, which really should be done in a hospital situation.

[katarine]

old school here, too: Do them standing, outside, on good clean grass.

When the now-fired-vet laid my donkey down to cut him inside an old cow shed...I had a bad feeling but deferred to her. She then failed to get a vein on him about 300 times... he developed jugular thrombosis. Nice. Thanks Dr. E.

No more.

[BornToRide]

I think laying down would provide better access and visibility for the veterinarian doing the procedure.

[goeslikestink]

I think laying down would provide better access and visibility for the veterinarian doing the procedure.

that went out yonks ago new drugs horses are better being done standing up as everything drops down

i have helped with gelding horses since when they used to do with hobbles and ropes and local jab around the area

new drugs new ways as technology moves on

[mhtokay]

I, personally, don't care. It depends on which associate comes to do it. They each seem to have their own preference. I had one older boy who would not go to sleep with the drug the vet brought. When the associate who did them standing didn't get back with me to come do him, I called someone else. (many years ago). he did lay him down, but used a different drug. Stallion was 13 at the time. He recovered fine.