So, by popular demand, I have uploaded a shot of Mystery's hind end.
Now you can all see the wonder that is the hermaphrodite horse!
I've put the light mature content filter on because it is quite a close-up, however I figure we are all mature enough here to observe this horse's fascinating qualities with the hopes of learning more about them!
So, when we do karyotying, we look at the chromosomes that are the genetic makeup of our, and every living organism's DNA. Mystery has either an extra or one less chromosome (silly me cannot remember which).
Males have the XY chromosomal arrangement, while females have XX.
Mystery, being the special little thing he is, is XXY.
So now you can see that he is aptly named!
So it almost looks like he has vulval lips doesn't it? Upon first glance, it actually looks like a mare who's had a caslick operation (don't know what it is? Google it!) It is fused all the way down to where what looks like an inside-out clitoris pokes out, which is where he pees from.
Upon rectal ultrasound, there is a mass on the left side that looks neither like a testicle nor an ovary - hence why the University will perform an autopsy on him when he does pass on, so that they can learn exactly what happened when he was growing in his dam's uterus to make him this way.
He behaves more like a stallion, the Uni did try once to put him on artificial hormones so that he is more like a gelding, but they had no effect whatsoever. I understand he is an excellent teaser stallion. However I do believe he goes through some seasonal hormonal patterns more like a mare too - you can see, he is just one big paradox.
That is about all the information I can provide, because that is about all I know of him!
edit; 28th June 2009:
Just updating this, because a lot of my newer Watchers keep asking questions about this special little pony.
Also;
- Mystery has 'female' teeth
- Mystery has teats (don't know if there is actually a mammary gland in there, but there are very shrunken little teats up there!)
- The 'thing' poking out the back that looks like an enlarged clitoris can actually be pulled out to be 2-3 inches long.
That's pretty much all I know about him. :)
http://larfsalot.deviantart.com/art/The-Neverending-Debate-105757939