[bay_blnd jmpr07]

So...Mars is to be gelded. He has an appointment in two weeks.

The coach still liked him several months ago. Was a little concerned about his knees. He thought he moved wonderfully and so straight and with amazing cadence. Really loved his attitude and thought I was doing a great job with him with not letting him get away with bad behavior.

So the coach wanted Mars to have his knees x-rayed and wanted one of the vets (Dr. O'L) to give him a good look and see what he thought.

Dr. O'L is really impressed with him. Isn't concerned about his knees at all and says he moves wonderfully. Liked everything about him.

But his right hock is bigger then the other...he said it looked like he had OCD in the hock.

So we x-rayed it and there it was...well...there goes my dream of owning a stallion. Dr. O'L explained OCD is/can be genetic. And I don't want to breed genetic defects so as soon as I heard and saw he had OCD I knew I was having him gelded.

So on the 24th he'll be be gelded. We've been in contact with a surgeon in New Jersey who used to work at our clinic (interned anyways) and she comes highly recommended. We got an estimate. Now it's just figuring out when we can afford it best...

Either later this fall/winter or in spring. The surgeon says it won't make anything worse by waiting. Says it's in a good area and will be easy. We'll be having his other hock and knees x-rayed just to make sure there's no more OCD. We've been told it comes in pairs...hopefully it's only the one.

I will be in contact with the sire's owner to let her know about the OCD.

But in the end, I have an AMAZING horse who I love dearly

[JBandRio]

Just throwing this out there - WBs often have "ocd" diagnosed that later disappears. Is gelding something you can wait on until next Spring and take a look at his hocks then? Just food for thought

[bay_blnd jmpr07]

^I wasn't told that and haven't heard that before...

If I gave you the code to the x-rays (posted online) would you know what you're looking for and find it?

It's a pretty good size area.

We could wait...and probably be better financially. The gelding can be done whenever for us, money isn't an issue for that.

I'll talk to my mom about it. I dont have any issues with Mars acting badly.

What is it if it disappears? Does it look the same or is there a difference that isn't always seen?

Dr. O'L is the joint and lameness expert in the area just about.

[Carly]

Im so sorry to hear it, but very rresponcible of you to not want to pass it on.
Frankie has OCS.. He was always more in the right hock, it was diagnosed at almost 2 years of age, and by the time we sold him on at 5 it was starting to bother him in the left hock a touch.. just a little bubble of swelling.
I knwo there is surgery they say can help.. I looked into it and with all the different things I read and heard it wast worth it for us, hes happy.

Hopefulyl Mars OCD doesnt bother him too much as he gets into more work! I found it o0bviously, became worse on harder surfaces, or deep footing...
Ill stop rambling now. lol

[Dawn]

I was under the impression that it is something that might be genetic, big might there.

And it also can seem to come on and then completely disappear as well.

[PiaffePony0412]

Well what did you really get Mars for? Did you get him because you wanted to own a great stallion? Or did you get him because you wanted a great riding horse?

Because gelding him will certainly be no loss as far as him being a riding horse. And as far as keeping him a stallion, why? Do you want to be a breeder? Were you interested in getting him approved? Or you just wanted a stallion? I'm just curious, I don't mean to sound rude.

I don't know if you just wanted Mars as a stallion or you had your eye on stallion approvals; I thought about keeping Bredero a stallion, but I really didn't have a reason too. He is a super mover, and I was encouraged to try to get him approved here in N.A., since there has only been on KWPN approved stallion here and he has recently passed. But, I want a super riding horse, I'm not interested in breeding, and I really don't have the time right now that should be invested in a growing stallion.
Most of the WB registries try to discourage keeping a horse a stallion if they aren't approved/approvable- simply for further developing the breed. Approved stallions are approved based on their health, temperment, movement and ability to pass on these traits to their offspring.

I'm sure you know this, I'm just saying, Mars sounds like he will make a super riding horse, and if you still have your heart on getting a stallion, it will only make it that much better when you find one that has all those qualities and gets approved.

Best luck to you and Mars, and I'm excited to see him grow up! What are his lines? Was he domestic or imported?

-Piaffepony0412

[harli36]

I agree with the others. When we learned about OCD (granted that was a couple years ago so something may have changed, but if it did I'm not aware of it) we were taught there are some known causes and genetic's MIGHT be one of them. Since they don't really know what causes it and even if it was genetic you don't know if it's genetic for Mars I personally wouldn't geld him just yet.

I would wait it out and see if it clears up on it's own, which it often does.

[bay_blnd jmpr07]

Originally Posted by PiaffePony0412

Well what did you really get Mars for? Did you get him because you wanted to own a great stallion? Or did you get him because you wanted a great riding horse?

Because gelding him will certainly be no loss as far as him being a riding horse. And as far as keeping him a stallion, why? Do you want to be a breeder? Were you interested in getting him approved? Or you just wanted a stallion? I'm just curious, I don't mean to sound rude.

I don't know if you just wanted Mars as a stallion or you had your eye on stallion approvals; I thought about keeping Bredero a stallion, but I really didn't have a reason too. He is a super mover, and I was encouraged to try to get him approved here in N.A., since there has only been on KWPN approved stallion here and he has recently passed. But, I want a super riding horse, I'm not interested in breeding, and I really don't have the time right now that should be invested in a growing stallion.
Most of the WB registries try to discourage keeping a horse a stallion if they aren't approved/approvable- simply for further developing the breed. Approved stallions are approved based on their health, temperment, movement and ability to pass on these traits to their offspring.

I'm sure you know this, I'm just saying, Mars sounds like he will make a super riding horse, and if you still have your heart on getting a stallion, it will only make it that much better when you find one that has all those qualities and gets approved.

Best luck to you and Mars, and I'm excited to see him grow up! What are his lines? Was he domestic or imported?

-Piaffepony0412

I think you missed my last line in the original post...

I have other threads on his future as a stallion. A coach was interested in him for the school's breeding program. He would have been free leased by the school and trained with my help. He would have gone through the 100 Day Test for his breeding lisence. If he didn't pass he would have been gelded right away. No babies from him until he got his lisence. No exceptions.

His sire was imported from Germany. W line- Weltmyer (Mars's sire is Werbellin in NY) and his dam is the D line- Donnerhall.

I told my mom about it disappearing in WBs and she's curious. She says we could wait, but she wants more research on it...but my researching skills stink LOL Any one care to help? Since we were told waiting on surgery wouldn't worsen the OCD at all we don't mind waiting.

[bay_blnd jmpr07]

We've been in touch with Werbellin's owner. She has more info on OCD she'll be sending us to look over. All of Werb's line is OCD free, all horses have clean x-rays.

We're going to wait on gelding. We're going to see what happens with his hock to see if it's real OCD or psuedo.

There's something about trauma and Mars has had some spills on his right hind leg from running around when it's slippery...and a few on of them he was ouchy right afterward...

But don't worry, no babies until/if he's approved.

[Xiphias]

I sure hope it disapears, he is such a nicely bred horse, it would be a shame to have to geld him...but I do understand he has to pass the 100 day test...I will keep my fingers crossed for you, that it goes away....Cathy