27 August 2008 13:29
My vet did a blood test to find out if my new eight-year-old cob is a rig, but it was inconclusive. I love my horse but he is very vocal, corrals mares and has bitten another gelding. What can I do to help him?
Answer
By Your Horse
Vet Gayle Hallowell advises:
It’s very unusual for that blood test to be inconclusive, but it can happen. There are some factors that might have caused this, including:
● Growths or adrenal problems, as these can cause male sex hormones to be secreted.
● Cushings disease can cause changes in behaviour, though he’s a little young for this.
● As you’ve just bought him, a change of scene may be making him try to re-establish his place in the herd.
● Late castration can cause stallion-like behaviour.
Give him four to six weeks to settle into his new home and then repeat the rig test. There’s no evidence that rig supplements improve this behaviour but, on the other hand, there’s no evidence they do any harm.