Will riggish gelding improve over time?

[RedRock268]

We have recently taken ownership of a welsh section C for my daughter and is her first owned pony. He is rising 9 and was gelded quite late at 6. He is your typical welsh cheeky boy on the ground, great ridden, however we are also getting some riggish behaviour when turning out and bringing in. He doesn't seem bothered about mares but is keen to flex his muscles to the geldings and quite often whoever is turning him out can lose him en route to his paddock.

I have him on Perfect Gentleman supplement, we have seen some improvement but not great, also have been recommended calming powder which I will try ASAP.

I have an appt with the vet to check for false rig (which I don't think he is, but just to rule out).

I also have the control headcollars etc and have resulted in using his bridle for turning out / bringing in in desperate times!

My question is will this behaviour get better in time? I would have thought all his manly hormones would have been out of his system now we are 2 years down the line - or is that just me being naïve?

 

[gallopingby]

He could just be testing out his new home. It’s very spring like here today and even the quietest well mannered ponies may enjoy a bit of spring grass and some better weather. I’m always surprised more people with headstrong horses don’t use a bridle or control type head collar to turn them out while they work on improving turnout manners. Some naughty habits are ‘learned’ behaviour and it can take a while to ‘unlearn’ / re-educate.

 

[FitzyFitz]

If he's new to you he'll be testing the boundaries, and coming into spring is often a tricky time for behaviour!
He may always be little difficult, but with time to settle and realise you won't let him take the piss he should be okay with time. If you need a bridle for now, use one, most likely once he's settled in and gotten into a routine you won't need it most of the time, but do be prepared to pop it back on if he goes through a phase of being a prat. Lots of groundwork and working on sensitivity to your aids will help, he might be more difficult sometimes but thats horses for you.

I have a very riggy welsh D, now 11. He was quite nice as a 3-4 yr old, absolute twat as a 5-6 yr old and then mellowed out pretty well BUT he will still occasionally bugger off in hand, particularly in spring time, if something unusual is happening in his environment, or if theres a new horse about. I usually lead him a normal headcollar, but do have a rope halter for things like vet trot ups (although if he wants to bog off he still will) and because back at my old home we had to load on the side of the road and I absolutely could not risk losing hold of him, I used a chifney.
He has done tons and tons of groundwork and is by far our best trained pony on that front, but if he decides he's going, well, he's 450kg of muscles.
Makes him sound dreadful, doesn't it? Same pony spent most of last winter giving riding lessons to 3 children, ages 5-12. He's alright really. 99% of the time a total doddle these days, just got to be ready to nip it in the bud once in a while.

 

[RedRock268]

Thank you - He is new to me and I guess still settling in and testing boundaries. We will continue with work on the ground manners and get the bridle into full use for turnout! Hopefully with this and once the excitement of spring has passed we will see some improvement.
Thanks again.

 

[Clodagh]

If you can use just a headpiece and bit with a rope clipped to the far bit ring and back through the near one ( or reins over the head) it’s easier than a full kit. When you get to the field turn him to face the gate and don’t take the bridle off until he stands politely.

 

[Supertrooper]

We have recently taken ownership of a welsh section C for my daughter and is her first owned pony. He is rising 9 and was gelded quite late at 6. He is your typical welsh cheeky boy on the ground, great ridden, however we are also getting some riggish behaviour when turning out and bringing in. He doesn't seem bothered about mares but is keen to flex his muscles to the geldings and quite often whoever is turning him out can lose him en route to his paddock.

I have him on Perfect Gentleman supplement, we have seen some improvement but not great, also have been recommended calming powder which I will try ASAP.

I have an appt with the vet to check for false rig (which I don't think he is, but just to rule out).

I also have the control headcollars etc and have resulted in using his bridle for turning out / bringing in in desperate times!

My question is will this behaviour get better in time? I would have thought all his manly hormones would have been out of his system now we are 2 years down the line - or is that just me being naïve?

I had a late gelded boy, he was gelded at six, he was definitely riggy in behaviour and did actually mount a mare when livery yard allowed him to get in with her!

Anyway I had him tested but he’d been gelded correctly and I then started him on Rig calm, this made a big difference overall to his behaviour so was definitely a huge help

 

[Red-1]

My horse Rigsby had a different name when I bought him. his passport, however, had him down as a rig.

I bought him anyway and he was rather bullish and headstrong. he had been in his previous home too. I had him blood tested, however, and he was NOT a rig. I had a vets letter with the result, and changed the passport to gelding, at the same time changing his name to mark the occasion

He was bought a Monty Roberts halter, and this is the one he uses all the time, even now. In the early days, leading in and out, he would be on the controller ring but, for tying up, he would be on the normal back ring.

2 years on, and I can't remember the last time I used the controller ring as he is now mannerly. The halter is of a good quality though, and has never left his peg, so he still wears it daily. If ever he is bullish, i would not hesitate to clip to the controller ring, it just hasn't occurred lately.

 

[Ratface]

I have an exuberant old Arabian who can be a bit of a pain to take out and/or bring in. He's 16hh and much given to airs above the ground . . . He's always brought in and out in his Monty Roberts headcollar, using the control ring and a long lead rope. Most of the time, he's fine. When he's not, it could be dangerous for whoever is handling him. The staff and I have many years' experience of handling Arabian and Thoroughbred horses. Safety first, for horses and humans is our priority.