Rigs - your experiences please

[Kenzo]

Happy New Year Everyone, hope you all had a nice Christmas.

Right then, this is something I know nothing about and would like to know about your experiences about the subject.

I know rigs will display certain elements of stallion behaviour but I'd like to know how you firstly suspected it, diagnosed it and how you manage it or what you did etc.

Do other horses sense (know) if a horse is a rig? for example would breeding mares know?

What signs do you look for in the behaviour.... say in the field with other horses or near other horses, any different with geldings to mares (mares which are not in season)
do they have different feeding habits, are they quite Are they quite possessive in there behaviour towards their owner? and there stable, around there own things or smells? Are they any different towards people? are they characters rather playful?

How much does it cost to find out from a vet if your horse is a rig, can they do it from a simple blood test or do they need to open them up?

Any info will be much appreciated.

Thank You

 

[The Original Kao]

If in doubt get the vet to do a blood test

We had a late cut gelding that we weren't sure if he'd been cut properly due to him being very stallion like.
Vet blood tested him and he wasn't a rig, just being late cut hadn't helped calm him down any

 

[The Original Kao]

As for behaviour, we had 2 riggy geldings, neither actually being rigs, but their behaviour was quite similar.
aggressive with other horses, 1 is only badly aggressive if he's next to mares, in season or not. The other would get into full on fights with any geldings that dared went near him. 2nd riggy horse was petrified of him.
he also turns into crazy horse if you take the mares away and leave him where he is

normal placid chappy turns into monster horse to lead or handle.
neither were particularly playful with people, and only possessive over the mares rather than any of us.

 

[laura_nash]

We have a rig on our yard. It was suspected because he kept mounting mares (or at least trying to). He's not particularly well-behaved on the lead rein and has broken away and had a go with most of the mares on the yard. It was diagnosed first with a blood test and then a scan to assess the feasibility of operating. It was decided not to take any action.

He's fine providing there's not an in-season mare in the near vicinity. The only other possible symptom is that he's extremely clean in the stable, he does all his droppings in one particular spot.

 

[friesianfan69]

I use to own a Hackney rig,he,d try to nip you when picking out feet,leading,when i first got him he really took the piss out of me,then one day i thought no im taking charge here,he use to liteally drag me to the field,but in the end i was riding him bareback,he was a challenge.and would question you everything you done with him, he was aggressive to males in the field,would round mares up, was a very unpredictable ride,and mine was quite unsteady in the head also.He was only 13.3hh but def not a kids pony,i know rigs vary alot between eachother,but i wouldnt buy another(mind you i didnt know he was a rig either when i bought him,think he was doped on trying and arrival,cause was tottally different the day after arriving.

 

[Nudibranch]

There is a late cut gelding on our yard who is very dominant and possessive, he will tolerate one gelding and fights all the others. He is very lively, herds the mares, etc, etc.

What I would like to know is how does a rig get to be a rig in the first place? I mean, surely the operating vet can see they've removed two, not one? Or do they somehow slip through the net and it's assumed they've been gelded when they haven't?

 

[tammyisback]

My first pony was a Rig, about 17/18 years ago now. We only found out as he did his droppings on top of other mares in field and was caught mounting a mare in the field on one occasion, after several years of us having him. He came from a dealer who'd got him from sales unbroken. He was an absolute sweetheart to handle, never tried anything in hand, and me and my younger sister always handled him with no problems.

We had him operated on as our yard owner insisted if we wanted to stay we had to, due to the small risk of him impregnating a mare. He went to Rossdales to have the Op aged 5 and unfortunately suffered a secondary infection and didn't make it. If it was my decision again, providing I had my own land I would never have the operation unless the animal was dangerous. Just my opinion so no assasinations please.

 

[Kenzo]

Thanks Kau and everyone else for you info.

Reason I ask is a few people have mentioned the 'R word to me and others have said narrrh he wont be and someone else said perhaps you should have a vet to look at him to make sure so of course what do I do....panic and start putting 2 and 2 together.

When I think about a few of his characteristics and behaviour it has now go me wondering, our YO has questioned it with others on the yard but not said anything directly to me, perhaps he didn't want to panic me but he's laid back kinda guy but they have asked me in the past to used my boy to see if there mare was ready to be covered etc.


Also we have a field of breeding mares on the same livery yard (YO rents the field out) and they all go crazy when Mackenzie goes into the school, running around, squealing and basically going mad in the field which aint great when I'm riding him in the school! but they don't bother with any others horses (mares or geldings) when they go in the school (the school is next to this field by the way) Also they are always calling out to him across the fields when he's in his field, one particular one which is now in season (lost a foal as she was due in April).

A while back he went into a field with a mare and the 'alfa male of the livery yard' and this mare has always been his mare, anyway within a week he claimed her, got the better of the other horse (no other gelding has ever got the better of the gelding before ....in the 7 years I' ve been at the yard!. I had to move him out because he going nuts when she was being brought in on evenings and suffered real separation anxiety.

He's very possessive of his stable... his food and will lunge/scowl at the other horses when I'm leading him past there stable doors, he's ok with just geldings but if he's near a mare he gets very aggressive, not only that but he's like that when I'm in the field with him, he will charge at any other horse (mare or gelding) that comes near me and will separate himself from them and graze at my side or go where ever I do but he's fine with them if I'm not with him, he also does this when I'm on his back if riding out with another one if one is at the side of him.

I have noticed as well he looses his appite when a mare is in season, like at the moment

He gets very excited if he even smells another horse from a distance sniffing the air like some kinda wild dog! and he just switches off and gets all hyped up, lifting his tail and praces about with this wild look in his eye and basically comes awake!! from what can be a very docile and great do able temperament.

His behaviour, ridden work is a wonderful and he's a pleasure, very quiet and easy to do in all ways when he's on his own but if he's near a) any mares, b) new horses or c) is in jealous mood he switches off.


He didn't seem to be as bad (not that he's particularly bad or unruley now) but he seems to have got more like this over the last 6 months, (he's 4 and half now) and got him as a 2 yr gelding. He's paws also and seems to have got a bit colty, he doesn't bite but just seems to show this frustrated behaviour and likes to mouth things which you expect with youngster but not at this age when he's been correctly handled and indeed tought not to do this from being 2. Everyone has said what a great job I've done with him since i got him (as he's not been handled) and to be honest apart from a few trivial issues which you expect with youngsters he's been pretty dam good and I've been lucky with his training etc.

This is an embarrassing question but I really don't know hence why I need to ask.......can a gelding get an erect penis? I know geldings let it out at times when feeling relaxed but should it come up and waive about?....if you know what I mean?

The other livery (the mare) that he's in the same field with is in season and he tried to mount her (I was not there at the time) she said that her mare gave him a good boot and has not tried it since but they asked me in a jokey kinda of way if his sheath was clean lately?

So now I'm worried, do I have the vet test his blood?

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Yes a gelding can get a hard on, and they can mount and penetrate a mare. As he shows a few traits it maybe worth getting him blood tested (by your vet). If nothing else if negative will put your mind at rest.