Rig testing... costs?

Did yours test positive or negative Bertolie? I had mine tested years ago (sorry, don't recall the cost) and it was negative but I am not still not convinced!! :)
 
He tested negative. When we got him he brought every single mare on the yard into season! He had no interest in mounting them but was very aggressive to other males. He beat the crap out of my gelding when we tried to introduce them. Vet had a grope but couldn't feel any testicles so advised testing due to the aggression towards my other boy. It 4 months before we could put them together and he was on Rigcalm for 6 months. Now they cant bear to be parted!
 
Hmm, yeah I would be interested to see a horse test positive! I have had mine 19 years and he's always been very stallion like in his behaviour. We don't have mares but several years ago someone put a mare in a paddock near our fields and my pony's behaviour got even more stallion-like. Also, his bits/non-bits (ie where they would be) actually swelled up as well. It was most bizarre. When the mare went he went back to 'normal'.
 
Big money spinners for vets, as apparently more than 90% of horses test negative. But vets get minimal training on behaviour, and considerably more training on taking and analysing blood samples...
 
Interesting brightbay. I think OP you could do with someone posting on here whose horse has tested positive as I've not heard of anyone yet and I really would be interested to know of some positives. Otherwise OP, unless you're really struggling with his behaviour it may be a test isn't worth the money?
 
We test a handful per year (we are a large practice in the south of England), mostly at the request of owners who are convinced that their pony is a rig and we can almost invariably reassure them that it is not. As most of the tests are negative I would not describe it as a 'money spinner'; we only make a few pounds profit per horse tested and it doesn't exactly pay the mortgage!

OP for your information the cost will be dependent on the age of the animal as the tests are different for colts/geldings of different ages. Your VS should be able to give you a pretty accurate estimate.
 
Interesting figures... thanks guys. The logic was that pone is due his jabs this month, and I'm torn as to whether to ask for a test done. I didn't realise so many came back negative!

He's not nasty in the slightest, but he is very vocal (particularly around mares), can't walk past a mare without showing off (i.e. bouncing, calling and neck arching), shows an awful lot of interest in them, and becomes worked up if separated from a mare (we haven't tried turning him out with one, I'm referring to hacking out and on return). He's also very "in your face" with other horses, be they mares or geldings, and various other people on the yard have expressed concern that he may be a rig.

Nothing that can't be dealt with, but it does feel like handling a stallion at times. I was just curious as to, for the sake of £30 or whatever, it was worth tacking the test onto the next visit. For reference, pony in question is 6.
 
It might be worth asking the breeder (details should be in his passport) as it could be as simple as he was gelded at rising three, rather than as a foal.

Having said that my boy shows off at any opportunity (even to cows *sigh*) and he was definitely gelded properly and when he was a foal.
 
's not nasty in the slightest, but he is very vocal (particularly around mares), can't walk past a mare without showing off (i.e. bouncing, calling and neck arching), shows an awful lot of interest in them, and becomes worked up if separated from a mare (we haven't tried turning him out with one, I'm referring to hacking out and on return). He's also very "in your face" with other horses, be they mares or geldings, and various other people on the yard have expressed concern that he may be a rig.
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Sounds like a normal young male horse, who is playful with geldings, curious about the mares because he's kept separately from them and hasn't met them properly, and who's possibly not quite settled in his current herd, so is a bit insecure.

Lead my (calm, settled) 11 year old gelding past a field of new horses - mares and/or geldings - and you'll get lots of prancing, desire to go over and meet them, and if you let him, neck arching, squealing, whinnying... that's how horses meet new horses.

Your horse may settle more in mixed turnout, or he may not because he's a bit clingy and misses his mum. Doesn't mean he's a rig though :)
 
I probably wouldn't bother based on what you've said. My pony went on loan as was kept in a nice paddock with other animals about. He was fine and previously had been kept alone so no issues. However, the loanees got a mare on loan as well and kept them in separate paddocks divided by an extra high and very solid timber fence. However, my pony actually jumped the fence which I would have said was not much off 5ft to get to the mare! He never ever had done anything like that before, it was something he'd never normally ever do but the drive to get to her was that strong. He did it a second time but gashed himself badly so the loanees decided it was better for his safety to leave them together!
 
I had my pony (now owned by TheresaW on here) tested as he spent his life bonking any mare he was turned out with, he wasn't shod and they were all quite happy about it, he was in with a gelding as well and was OK with him, although he was the boss. My vet said it was most unlikely but I didn't want to sell a problem on so had him done to clear myself really. He came back negative. I think he is still a ladies man though!
 
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