Rig supplements

[squirrelc17]

Please can I have some advice on the best supplements for a riggish horse.
We have had him blood tested and he is definitely a gelding.
He belongs to 2 young girls so I want to see if a supplement can help reduce his instinct. He can't be in a field near mares and he will try to mount or go for other geldings when on the yard.
We are managing it but any suggestions much appreciated.

TIA

 

[pennyturner]

I don't use supplements, but I have a field full of stallions and geldings who behave very well because of their lifestyle. There are other factors which influence behaviour as well as hormones.
Review his feed and management. Has he been well-socialised? If he has been kept mainly stabled or single turnout he may not know how he should behave in company. Is he doing enough work for the type and amount of feed he has? Does he behave the same if he is on just hay?

If he's young, he may need some time with an established herd where the older horses will tell him what's acceptable.

Best of luck.

 

[Micropony]

I had a similar experience with my big boy, who would actually mount mares when given the opportunity and could be very dominant with other horses and people, once causing a serious accident. He was my first horse and I thought it was just his personality.
Moved him to a different yard that had a more structured routine and separate turnout for mares and geldings and he had an instant personality transplant. After he had been there a while, a mare moved in to the next door stable and I mentally prepared myself for the worst but it was fine.
My conclusion was that he had just been unhappy and stressed on the old yard.
So I would support the suggestion of thinking about other lifestyle and management factors first before reaching for the supplements.

 

[BraidedTail]

Rigcalm by Global herbs has worked for mine previously. He is quite domineering and stallion like with new horses, and was very possessive of my loan mare when she first arrived, even though they weren't in the same field; he's pace up and down all day and get quite stressed and strike out when near her etc, not actually trying to mount her but still difficult to handle and domineering including with me. So I put him on Rigcalm for a while. Definitely helped calm him down, and after a while I stopped feeding it to him; he never reverted back to that behaviour, even when she went away for a few months and then came back. She's quite strong with her seasons which didn't help initially, but now he doesn't need it and when she's in season he just ignores he and walks away if she gets too pushy. Agree with the management ideas, but sometimes a supplement can help initially.

 

[squirrelc17]

Thank you for the replies.
Management wise he is a highland X and lives out 24/7 and always has. He gets a token handful of happy hoof. He has lived alone and with other geldings before. Last night he got through all the electric fencing so we had issues this morning. He is living with my gelding who doesn't bat an eyelid to his behaviour. My mates are in season which doesn't help but they hate him.
I will try the rig calm as when he gets riggy he is dangerous. I have to put the rope through his mouth to lead him and even then he will get away from me.

My main concern is that the kids won't cope if he behaves like that and he is perfect in every other way. I can manage it at home but if he goes to shows.