Riggy behaviour towards geldings and mares

[CPW]

I have always had my suspicions that my horse might be riggy. I did have him blood tested a couple of years back but this came back negative. The behaviour seems to come and go but over the last couple of months he has been displaying it more frequently.

When out hacking if we pass or hear horses he became very domineering, he grows about a hand in height and becomes fixated on them or the sound. He then bounds forward trying to approach them - this is when you are on the ground and under saddle! He does it to both mares and geldings! I have also seen him being quite aggressive towards the gelding in the field next door to him (he is on his own in the field) and if any horse approaches his stable!

Whilst riding in the arena a few weeks ago, there were two other geldings in there and whilst I was riding he spun round towards them and was trying to rear and box!!

Is this riggy behaviour?? Has anyone had experience of this type of behaviour and how you can control it?

x

 

[Kenzo]

I agree it does sound riggy but If you have had him rig tested and the result came back showing a normal acceptable reading for gelding and this was carried when your horse was sexually mature then it won't be hormone driven.

However you could have him re-tested to make sure, its not like it's expensive.

Also if he's not always been like that and has this kind of behaviour has developed over time, perhaps he's pushing the boundaries.

I have not tried this myself because it wouldn't make any difference to my lad but I have been recommended on my occasions for riggy type geldings to try Naff Oestress, apparently it helps to calm them down a bit, but if your horse is generally getting excitable (not sexually) just plain old excitable around geldings as well it may be that he just needs reminding that he must channel his concentration back on you rather than what's going on around him.