Can a 5 year old gelding have testicles?

Question

I purchased a 4 year old gelding at the time from this stable in Thurmont NC. He is now 5 years old; I went away on Friday 11/9/07 and returned on 11/11/07 only to find this sack hanging below. Of course I was stunned and ready to pass out. After making a few calls to other horse owners I was informed that yes it is possible for him to have testicles because more than likely he was not gelded. This would explain his attitude towards other horses and short temper as well. I guess my only questions now is why would it take 5 years before his testicle dropped?? Please any answers or experiences you may have would be greatly appriciated.

Answer 1

So this is a new thing then?

Did you feel back there, if he has testicles, you will feel them.

My donkey has a sac, but its fat, and you can feel its fat.

If you feel testicles, looks like a vet call for you unfortunately.

But cheapest easiest way is reach back there and feel.

Answer 2

Yes it is more than possible you now have yourself a stallion! It isnt the most common thing to happen, but is more than possible!

My bosses horse Punky-Dos is now 5 and hasnt dropped yet, when I bought my shetland pony (I use for driving) he was ment to be a gelding, until a year later!!

My shetty was no problem, we just called the vet out and had him cut 6 days later.

Gelding simply translates to 'castrated male horse'
Stallion is simply an intact male horse.


If your not squemish, stick your hand over the sack and have a feel, you should be able to feel egg sized balls in there (please excuss the balls!) That should soon answer your question!!

Dont worry or panich, hes still the same horse youve always had, just with a freebie!

But also..
You may just find its nothing, and that he just has an infection in his sheth.

Give the vet a call, he'll soon tell you and put you on the right track, to solving the problem.

Chances are if its..
*Testicles : he'll say - to cut or not to cut??
*Infection : Antibiotics most likly


Either way, I hope Iv been of some help! Best of luck to you!!

Answer 3

If he is a gelding then no, he will not have testicles and they will not "appear" at age 5 and turn him back into a stallion. You got some real misinformation. His sheath area may be swollen due to an accumulation of dirt or as a result of an insect bite. If he is uncomfortable, that could be the cause of the "short temper" and bad attitude. You may need to consult the vet on this. If he is still intact, the barn would get a bill for the gelding, since he was sold to you as a gelding, not a stallion.

Answer 4

One of three things happened.

1.His testicles never dropped. Then when the person who gelded him did his work and couldn't find them he claimed he did the job instead of claiming the horse was not cut.

2. His testicles never dropped and the previous owner didn't think they ever would so he sold him as a gelding.

Either way this is called delayed puberty. It is rare but happens in all animals, even humans!

3. As lanky fish said it could be an infection in his scrotum. This is unlikely if he was cut open any length of time ago. It is very likely if the gelding was done only recently.

Answer 5

First of all, if he is a gelding, then there is no possible way he would have testicles. But I'm somewhat confused. Why would you state the fact you bought a gelding and then say "After making a few calls to other horse owners I was informed that yes it is possible for him to have testicles because more than likely he was not gelded."

Responsible horse owners should know whether or not their horse is a mare, gelding, or stallion.

Answer 6

It's highly unusual, but possible. Some horse do develop slower than others, or perhaps malnutrition when he was young could effect this?

Sometimes horses will only drop one and the other is still inside, a cryptorchid. (I call them crimped orchids. LOL!!) Likely your horse had one or both not dropped when you bought him, and now one or two have decided to show. Either way , this is lucky for you because it's cheaper to geld him when thy are dropped.

As for why he was sold as a gelding... I've seen this happen too many times. The prior owner or two owners ago know there is one or two cryptorchids and is unwilling to pay for the operation. It's hared to sell a horse like this, so they lie and sell it as a gelding. The next owner might not notice at all, or until there is health problems or a mare gets suspiciously pregnant. Even then, this owner might do the same to a new one! :-(((

A friend once bought a beautiful talented registered QH (in dressage and reining) with good blood lines for an insane cheap price because he was a little lame. He was study towards the mares and was kept separate. Otherwise, he was a good gentleman with a stud-like body. It wasn't until he got very sick did they discover the cryptorchid that had developed cancer. It was too late by this time and the horse soon died. People sell horses like this more than we wish to know. ;-( Just remembered another friend who's pinto stud colt didn't drop until he was 3!

Time to geld your new stud colt! ;-) GL!!

Answer 7

That is extremely odd- but possible. Some stallions never drop and need them surgically removed, and some drop after a few years. Who knows what caused your guy's to drop now- change in exercise, contorted position scratching, tearing some muscle, who really knows.
Most likely, he was a cryptochid (probably spelt wrong, but means didn't drop his testicles) or just dropped one. If he only has 1 testicle or one still up in body, (call the vet out and get him gelded!) most likely his previous owners didn't want to pay the extra money to geld a horse whose testicles hasn't dropped yet. They really should have told you when you bought him. I shudder to think that they may have actually thought he was gelded because he didn't have any testicles showing.

Answer 8

He may not have been gelded.
It is very unlikely that the testicles just dropped at his age.
If they are going to drop they would have done it before now.
If his testes have not dropped before about two they would consider him to be cryptorchid and he would require a serious surgery to remove them.
These horses are often sent through auctions when the owners find out how much it costs to geld them.
Many times they have passed thru numerous sales and owners.
Talk your vet and have him check it out. If there is a question they can do a blood test for the testerone hormone to see if it is present.
My geldings previous owner had one done on him as he treid to mount a mare. She freaked out and had him tested. He is a full gelding with no issues other than he thinks he is a stud at times.

Answer 9

ummm I'm thinking that maybe you should have checked that when you bought the horse! But no a gelding is not supposed to have balls!! It is a possibility that he is a cripted orcid (having only one testicle) and only had one and they never took care of it or that he was never gelded in the first place but there is no was that it would take five years to drop...I would have your vet out to check it out

Answer 10

We had a steer once and about 4 months later he dropped one testy because the man who "steered" him did it wrong and only got one, so we figured out why he was such a mean thing (being a bull). Had to get a vet out to finish the job..poor guy.
It's possible that your "gelding" didn't get fully gelded, have a vet check him or go stick your hand up there and feel around, then call a vet if you need the job finished.

Answer 11

He could be cryptorchid, and the people that you got him from just thought he was gelded already because there was nothing notable down below! But, if it was so sudden... maybe he has an injury and there's just a lot of swelling down there! Either way, have your vet look at him- He will be gelded, or the injury taken care of!