A Dirty Question - re Sheath

[Cloud9]

Right - my coloured gelding has such a dirty sheath at the moment - he stinks. Before I start, I really am not a believer is cleaning his bits at all unless absolutely necessary. In all the years I have had him he has never had a problem and I have never had to clean him. However just recently he is terrible. I gave in and gave him a good clean with sheath cleanser and the gunk that I removed was awful, plus he had 'a huge bean'. That was two weeks ago. However he has black tar like stuff down his legs again. I have kept an eye on him and when the vet came to give him annual jabs she had a quick look did not really say anything apart from to only clean if absolutely necessary and then only with warm water. Tonight he stinks again, horrible black lumps of tar like stuff in his sheath plus a horrible grey smelly discharge. When he ate his tea his willy was out and that is really clean. Any advice on what to do or is it just the time of year. He always seems worse in winter when he is stabled overnight. I might justgive a clean again with warm water tomorrow but vet did not seem too bothered by his problem.

 

[Rueysmum]

I used to have this problem with my gelding. It started when he was about 6 - we were hacking down the road and I could smell him and my friend behind could also smell him. Truly awful. I have to say I had never investigated his sheath area, but the necessity had now presented itself.

On the advice of another livery owner I managed to put some Sudocrem up his sheath which seemed to annihilate the smell and made the resulting gunk easier to remove.

This seemed to solve the problem for some while and certainly eradicated the horrendous smell, but, ten years on, he still gets some smegma (but thankfully not down his legs) and he alerts me to the fact he needs attention by getting his * out and kicking at it.

This normally results in a swift debris and bean removal, which, if left too late if they are in that way afflicted, can seriously inhibit their ability to pee.

I am sure he is eternally grateful for my ministrations!

If I were you I would steer clear of any proprietary "sheath cleanser" and just stick to warm water.

 

[Cloud9]

Thanks for reply -I will definitely clean with warm water tomorrow. Like your horse, I can smell my boy when I ride him sometimes. The problem seemed to arise after he had a week in late last year due to severe ice on our fields and it was do dangerous to turn out. He seemed to swell up in his sheath area and got really dirty. Also I have not ridden much since November due to weather, plus the shoots that surround our yard. I also wondered if his problem might get better when I start to exercise him again more often. (I normally ride 5 times a week but in the winter I can only ride on a weekend). Back to Fri/Sat/Sun from this weekend but once the clocks 'go back' I can ride on other weeks nights too.

 

[Piglet]

I have exactly the same problem with my gelding, yucky black tar smears down his hind legs and it stinks!! Once a week I wash his "undercarriage" with warm water and a clean sponge other than that I leave it alone except when he drops his willy and I clean all the yellow stuff off

 

[EchoDream]

I find baby oil first squirted up there with a syringe and rubbed round, then more on the sides gets all the smegma to drop off in its own time. I know this isn't helpful if there's a bean, but if there's just a lot of smegma produced, it's a fairly quick and easy way of doing it Hope you get it sorted! does his sheath swell up too, especially when he's in?

 

[ameeyal]

This is the second sheath question ive answered i have to regualy clean my lads sheath as he produces a lot of grey liquid, he loves it, i get my hand right in their as the grey stuff is right at the back as well as the front, i did once ask a vet about this and he said every horse is different and not to worry about it, i have 4 more geldings that i never have to clean. I just use warm water and lots of rags.

 

[Cloud9]

Thanks for all your replies- I will not worry as much now as it does appear normal- I was only concerned as he has never had this sort of thing till this winter. And when I saw the grey gunk I was worried it may be a bad sign. I will just keep my eye on it and clean with warm water only if I think it is getting worse.

 

[brucea]

We have a couple of cobs - on one of them this is a warning sign that all is not well and he needs to come off the grass for a while

 

[Cloud9]

We have a couple of cobs - on one of them this is a warning sign that all is not well and he needs to come off the grass for a while

Interesting -in what way -laminitis?

 

[brucea]

Yes - when they have had too much grass - they get filled sheaths, puffy above the eyes, itchy, irritable and pre-occupied, and their sheaths get stinky and mucky. If we don't catch that on time - then they will probably get footy. That's why I refer to them as "early warning signs"

It's not just the feet that get affected!

 

[squiz22]

Horses sheaths can get dirty if they are stood in which may be the case at the moment? Mine had to stay in during the snow etc and his sheath got dirty for the first time ever. Once he is walking around again its ok. He did have all the sticky black stuff down his legs and it looked a bit puffy.

A tip from my farrier whos hh cavalry.. warm saddle soapy water does wonders!!