Think my pony is a rig - anyone with experience?

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laura_1983

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As said - he's an absolute nightmare, got him when he was 3 and he was perfect until end of last year, had a year of him being a perfect kids pony then he turned into a monster, he's awful to ride with other horses to stage of he has to be ridden alone now, acts like a stallion in field, flattened a little arab gelding yesterday because there was a mare out with them, reared on top of him and had him on the ground.

Iv never had anything to do with rig ponies before so does it sound like he is one? Ask any questions you like and il answer as best i can, im not riding him at the moment as he's too unpredictable and im pregnant, he's started throwing off the kids that ride him now and i doubt he'l ever be the first pony he was bought to be so iv basically decided to sell though i really dont want to.

I always thought a rig would behave stallion like from as soon as they were gelded or does it not always work that way?
 
My colt was fine around my mare until one day he just changed. Like someone had turned a switch on! That day he was booked in for his snip and they were gone 48hrs later
 
rig behaviour is simillar to stallion behaviour so trying it on with mares etc if you think he may be a rig there are tests that you can get done by vet
 
How old is he now?
And sorry to ask the obvious, but have you looked for testicles at all
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a horse at my old yard started showing riggy behaviour - it transpired that its testicles had never dropped and were way up inside effectively rotting -had an op and returned to his normal self.
 
Think you need a blood test, I had a horse who was a rig. Didn't have any sypmtons until about 3 but had been kept seperate from mares initially and then when on new yard turned out in mixed group started showing stallion like behaviour. Blood test showed he was a rig, retained testicle. He had op and was fine after that.
 
he's rising 5 now, my YO/boss brought him in yesterday after he flattened the poor wee pony in field and had a look at him so i presume she couldnt see anything there that shouldnt be there or out of the ordinary as she never mentioned it when i spoke to her. i think she's thinking he's a rig as in just likes to think he's a stallion rather than in medical terms. he used to mount mares and geldings when i first got him but at the time he'd seen another gelding on yard doing it so i thought he was just being babyish and copying!
 
If you can't see any testicles
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, it doesn't mean that he couldn't have some, as yet undescended. The best idea is to get your vet out to check if he is or isn't a rig (testosterone). Then at least you will know whether you need to lop any more bits off him...or just need to send him to the naughty corner for a while.
He may be better out with just boys at the moment...as he'll fight over girls.
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When my boy Malaga turned into Mad Malaga the trainer insisted he had the vet out to see if he was a rig.Being a Mule je had to have two blood tests with a few hours between them.....he wasn't a rig by the way.
 
i dont know if its illegal to sell a rig? anyone know?

sounds like vet is best idea then and get to the bottom of it! though if he isnt one the naughty corner hasnt worked so far so new home might be the best option in the long run! think im having the worst timed pregnancy in the world!!
 
Yep, sounds like he could be a rig. Your vet can take a blood sample and have an oestrone sulphate test carried out. This will tell you one way or another.

It's not illegal to sell a rig provided you let the purchaser know. Personally I would be reluctant to sell this pony on without finding out whether he is a rig or not.

Another thing worth bearing in mind is that stalliony behaviour is learnt in part, so you might find that even if you have him fully gelded he may continue to behave like a stallion at times (mounting mares etc.).

Hope you get him sorted. I know what a bad combination naughty horses and pregnancy is. I hated having to ask other people to help we with my demon pony. Don't know what's more stressful, taking the risk of doing it yourself or worrying about other people dealing with it!
 
This is quite interesting for me as I have just taken on a gelding, and this is the first gelding that I have had with my gang for a while. He seems to be a little riggy in his behaviour, but I can't decide whether he really is a bit riggy, or if my mares are so excited at the prospect of having a boy in their midst that they are just being little tartlets with him, and so egging him on.

A couple of people have mentioned an op if they are rigs - what does this involve? Is this a do at home op under general?

I've never come across any rigs before (!!) and so this is quite helpful for me!
 
The op varies depending on where the testicles are. If they are external (and sometimes they descend a little late in life) then it's a straightforward gelding.
If they are retained inside the horse's body, the op will need to be more invasive to locate, and then remove, them.
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My horse had to go into Leahurst and have an op under general. They found a retained testicle and also a tumour the size of a grapefruit which was removed at the same time. It was a bit wierd as the tumour contained teeth and hair.
 
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My horse had to go into Leahurst and have an op under general. They found a retained testicle and also a tumour the size of a grapefruit which was removed at the same time. It was a bit wierd as the tumour contained teeth and hair.

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Teeth and Hair?
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Thought my pony was a rig as he's always showed stallion like tendancies as in his bullying and pure evilness whenever a new horse has been introduce. He went on loan at one stage and was kept in a field separate from a mare but decided he wanted to be with her so jumped out (this pony has a jumping problem - ie he's not keen - but jumped out of this field that had ultra high fences twice!) They decided after he injured himself at the second jump to just put him in with the mare to keep him happy!

I would never mix him with mares and geldings - god knwos what would happen. A strange mare was kept in a feild near us ibn his view not so long ago and he was much more temperamental and we thought we could feel swelling where his testicles would have been. This swelling disappeared when teh mare did. We got the vet to take a blood test on his next visit and they said he was not a rig! Hmm, guess some horses just THINK they are stallions!
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He's happy in his little 'herd', still the boss but is 21 now and a little bit more chilled although i still dread the day we ever have to introduce any new horse!
 
I've just had one rig tested, who we were convinced was a rig but bloods came back negative. He was mounting anything that moved, herding everything and genrally being a bugger to do. Because he was givng a lot of unwanted attention to the mares he kept on getting kicked so had to be brought out of the field. He is'nt but now I just know I have to deal with it and have got him some of the global herbs rig calm to see if this helps and he is allowed saingle sex turnout only. There are two blood tests they can do, and it will cost you about £100 to get the cheaper one done, but its worth it for peace of mind.
 
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