To truly "cull" a horse is now almost impossible in the United States of America. Horses, here, aren't considered livestock by the general public AND/OR by the law. They are considered pets... Therefore every "mistake" or genetic anomaly that happens - even when the best is bred to the best - is allowed <or can be> to continue and not just by the big breeders.
My own feelings on this subject are not making people happy around me... BECAUSE I consider our ponies to be performance ponies AND livestock that I will choose to cull if they have undesirable defects. One of the reasons I'm in a personal quandary over this is somewhat simple. IF I consider them livestock and since NO ONE KNOWS if cryptorchid is carried/passed by the stallion to his son or to his daughters who then pass it down, I would normally take it to think that none of the foals sired by a crypt or is a crypt should be retained at all - and if you can't afford to castrate a crypt then how do you cull when euthanasia/slaughter/processing is not considered the way to go? What about the mares? Spaying is rather pricey and I didn't find anyone willing/able to do it in NC.
I would look seriously at getting Jynx spayed (not done around here - I checked on that too. She would need to go out of state to a facility to have that done). There is a possibility of 5 foals by Toro next spring. Any colts with testicles will be gelded. What to do with a colt that is not descended? The fillies -
I don't consider just
selling to be a good option for culling - especially for a mare whom someone else can then use for breeding.
The other colt (double crypt) is another convoluted story. If it came from his sire, then is he able to pass it on when the stallion isn't considered a cryptorchid (wonder how testicular size plays into this - several of ours, even unrelated, have had that right testicle - the one most often retained, smaller than the left)? IF it came from his dam, then is it also carried by her daughter who has produced a colt that was considered to be a possible crypt (the vet students DID get that retained inguinal testicle popped and removed - you were there and I know that you remember). Will any more of this mother/daughter's sons be crypt? Would their daughters also be able to produce it? These two mares represent a large $$ outlay for us. They and one of the stallions are all sired by a well known stallion in the ASPC/AMHR/AMHA world. Am I the only one to experience cryptorchidism? The mares are making a cute set of riding ponies and one has been started in harness, with plans to start the other as well and have them working as a team. They have wonderful, sweet dispositions and are easy to handle for families/amateurs that they have both proven to produce over the years. I purchased them, with Larry's blessing on both, with the intention of using them to continue those lines. The stallion was shown in 2012 and 2013 and is just a few points short of his Foundation Halter HOF. I had major plans for him as a breeding stallion. NOW?
Do I actually need to be concerned about Echo? He is a 1/2 brother to Toro and his right testicle, while descended, is smaller than the left. Does this have significance? No one could answer that ? for me when I started asking. Though each vet did admit that if a testicle is smaller, it is usually the right one. This makes one stop and think - "hmmmm", since most often the right testicle is the one retained. We've always planned on keeping Echo, AJ's last son and the one who is most like his sire. I've always said I'd keep him as a gelding, too, but I have been delighted that he seems to be living up to his sire's memory. If we do geld him and also lose our other stallion as a breeding pony, then our current program is done. I don't have another stallion and right now, a little "gun shy" about purchasing one (as well as more than a little short on both room & $$)...
As to retaining our ponies to 3 yrs of age - well, it seems I've been doing that pretty much all along. I've only sold three that were weanlings - and that was based on the full siblings of the same crosses - and their owners were/are very happy with them. In the case of Koal - his new owner knew his grand sire and wanted a foal by him - that didn't work out. She is in love with Koal's sire and has a mare that is related to Koal's dam. Pretty sure she is quite pleased with Koal's purchase. She is going to be having him castrated - he will be done next march - when he is about 10 months old (as far as I can tell, he's got both testicles descended now, but my confidence has been shaken there a bit, too). I have sold a few of our ponies as yearlings (and taken two of those back - to retain and/or find other homes for), but honestly most of our foals - both the purebred Shetlands and the cross-breds have been older than 3 and have been started in harness and/or under saddle before leaving our property. Some were well proven in the open show ring and in the breed ring before selling - in halter and performance. We can/will be retaining Riddler for a while - to see what happens. I don't know yet if it will go until he is 3 yrs old - will depend on what happens next spring and we see how much testosterone is kicking thru his system.
Too bad that so many Shetland ponies and minis are selling for less than a steer's or cow's hide that is tanned w/ the hair on. Too bad that horse meat is so frowned on here - it is lower in cholesterol, less fatty and slightly more sweet than beef (even grass fed - which is all the rage w/ both health conscious and permaculturists) - but that is a bad subject and I understand a bit too inflammatory here.
I know that Dr. Taylor, DVM out of OH both breeds Minis & Shetlands as well as being an equine vet. I am in the process of talking with him. Are there other vets out there that specialize in Minis & Shetlands - reproductively - that anyone knows of? I'd like to talk to some more, if possible.
Seems Jynx's thread has become quite lively!!