So you have the leading AQHA sire and one of the most popular TB sires as both crypts. Anyone want to tell me how to test for cryptorchidism? Especially seeing as it may “hide” in the female line and pop up generations later?

The point is that there is no test for it, there is no way to know if it is caused strictly by heredity or if there are other factors at work. All we have are assumptions that it might be caused by heredity. I’m sure that there are some cases where it is inherited, but I sincerely doubt that is what causes all cases.

You don’t know if your horses’ sire, grandsire, dam, grand dam, etc. has it in their lines or how it is passed on. It’s present in all breeds.

That mare you bred might have it hiding in her bloodlines, that stallion that sired your horse might have it in his/her lines. When you purchase a colt that is ungelded, you run the risk that you might have to pay more for the gelding if a teste is retained. If you purchase a gelding, you run the risk of it being a crypt that only had the visible nut removed. If you buy a mare, you still run a risk because if you ever intend to breed that mare, you run the risk that it might crop up or not drop down.

If you can’t afford the extra money to geld a cryptorchid, you might want to rethink being in horses. They’re expensive animals.

ACVS.org “The condition is considered heritable, so affected animals should be castrated to help prevent continuation of this congenital defect as well as for safety reasons.”

It goes on to say…
“A single cause of equine cryptorchidism has not been established, and contributing causes remain obscure. Based on available information, the condition is likely the result of a complex combination of genetic, hormonal, and mechanical factors. As indicated above, the condition is overrepresented in some breeds, supporting heritability of the condition, and many breed associations do not allow registration of cryptorchids.”

- This article at least acknowledges the fact that it is possible to inherit this trait and does not completely deny that claim when no one truly knows.

I’ve also have first hand experience with how unpredictable a cryptorchid horse can be (though this could be attributed to a young stud’s behavior). My colt nearly ran me down to go after a mare several months ago, and then the next time a mare was in heat, he was completely uninterested in her and behaved beautifully. I’ve read on various vet websites and other sites that these horses can be more dangerous than stallions if not gelded. His sire is not my horse, so I cannot attest to his behavior.

I have found numerous other sites with statements about the unpredictability of these horses. I would not completely discount this, especially after my own experiences with my colt, and would prefer to have a site at least mention the possibility rather than completely discount it when it IS still a possibility, especially when such a site is presenting this a a FACT.

If an owner breeds a cryptorchid, I think it would be good practice to at least warn the mare’s owner about the POSSIBILITY of the trait being inheritable so that the mare’s owner can know the possibility of a colt being cryptorchid and the vet bills that will be associated with that condition.

As someone researching a topic, I also try to take sites that are not .org or .edu with a grain of salt. I’ve seen advice about birds on .com sites that would kill birds. You also state that you have endorsements and worked in collaboration with a D.V.M. but there is no indication of that anywhere other than in your reply to other comments. I found information from the American College of Veterinary Surgeons that contradicts your site. Which one is more correct? (Not discounting your article, but the fact that you completely discount information that the ACVS at least gives the possibility of credence to lessens my faith in your “facts.”)

That being said, I’m having my boy gelded Tuesday at LSU Veterinary school. He was going to be gelded anyway, but thank heavens his condition was discovered prior to gelding so that it could be addressed properly by a surgeon with proper facilities. My vet doesn’t have the facilities and referred me to the vet school.