Riggy Gelding

[hanspolo]

Hi, has anyone had any experience of the Global Herbs supplement for riggy geldings/stallions? I've got a 3 year old gelding who has had a change of home in the last month and is now in a field next to a mare for part of the day (he's out 24/7) she has been in season this week and he thinks he's in LOVE! He does settle down once she's gone but today when they took her out, he was rearing and god knows what at the fence ( I wasn't there to see it). As far as I know, he was gelded at about 6 months old but I haven't had a vet look at him. He was fine with other geldings and as a 2 year old was about the bottom of the pecking order in a batchelor herd. Any help much appreciated. I've put this thread in the metabolic section also, with no response.

[angelfben]

Not had any experience of the supplement but I do have a similar horse, when kept with geldings he is an absolute doll, but when anywhere near mares he is a nightmare - rearing, biting, kicking etc. :rolleyes:

Since he's only young why don't you get a vet to check him out so you can be sure what you're dealing with first? They can do a 'manual' check to see if he actually has been gelded (you never know) and they can also run blood tests to see if he is a true rig (i.e. retained testicle) or else just a riggy gelding. He may well settle with age, we've had horses that weren't gelded until they were 3 or 4 and still behave very riggy up to a few years later so it might just be something you have to learn to manage if the vet does confirm him as gelded.

If this is the case I would just treat him like a stallion until he grows out of it, we've had stallions and they are expected to behave around mares - otherwise competing them would be a nightmare. Some behaviour you have to make allowances for as it is hormone fuelled and not necessarily something they can control, it is confusing and frustrating for them to be told off for doing something their body is telling them to do by instinct. But they do have to learn it is unnaceptable to behave rudely or dangerously when you are handling him.

[capalldubh]

Am I getting this right or jumping to conclusions, but it sounds as though he's on his own when she's brought in?

If so, that's far more likely to be the problem - he's afraid of being alone, his response would be perfectly normal for a horse who's main companion was being removed. Also, even if he has one companion other than the mare, they get much more clingy when they've been used to being in a bigger group, and tend to attach themselves much more strongly to one horse in particular.

Could just be jumping to conclusions, though :)

[hanspolo]

He is on his own, as he's only just moved there. He was settling into the routine of the geldings next door being taken in at night, the mare had been out on trial. They can all touch over the fence and I've seen him nibbling/being nibbled with the others. She's been back a week or so and has now come into season which is what has really kicked off his behaviour. I hope they find someone to buy her soon.. When the vet is next out, I'll get him to have a look to see if he has been gelded properly.

[Jessey]

It is worth checking he was gelded properly, and getting him in with another horse will help alot, esp an older one to put him in his place as youngsters can get a bit wild without the herd to sort them out :rolleyes:
I have a riggy gelding, he gets very excited around mares whent hey are new, but all the ones on the yard he has now settled with and doesn't react unless they are being real tarts :p
A friend of mine put her stallion on rigcalm when he had to go on box rest right in the middle of the breeding season, she had good results with it.

[donnamm]

I would get the vet to check he has been gelded properly and make sure he cant get to the mare in the mean time. You dont want any unwanted pregnancies and I doubt the mares owner does:o