Gelding owners *sensitive subject*

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bexandspooky

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Spooky has never been a big fan of having his 'man area' washed, and to be quite frank - I have no complaints about that!!

on the odd occasion that he gets his 'little man' out when I am nearby, I give it the odd squirt with baby oil and everything looks clean the next day, which has always seemed to work for us.

Yesterday I noticed some dark reddy brown muck on his back legs and tonight when I got him in there is alot more there - diffifult to look too closely as it was very dark, so I will look closer later, but does anyone know what this is? I could see that the hairs around his bits are also encrusted so it is definately coming from there
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I have always had geldings and never had sludge like that so dont really know what to make of it - any ideas?!
 
Its his 'man sludge' his man bits need a clean.

My gelding gets it a lot and needs frequent 'man bits' washes.

Some geldings get it more than others.
 
ok, just worried as in 5 years of owning him, have never seen that before - maybe be it has been to cold for him to get it out and air it recently!!!
 
Its certainly possible, sometimes I find the odd shaving in his man area, I wonder if this could be a reaction to something similar, as you have not seen it in the past 5 years?
 
Possibly because you are using baby oil on it?...

I can't understand why people insist on cleaning their horses sheaths, with anything at all tbh. Ok if you must clean it then use warm water but each time you touch it/put something on it you are encouraging bad bacteria to multiply and thus increasing chance of infection.

Anyway, I would keep an eye on it - it may be that he has got an infection of some kind & needs some antibiotics to clear it up.
 
When your gelding has a gunky discharge down the inside of his back legs and his man bits stink, there isnt any choice other than to clean.

It would be cruel to leave them in that state and in the summer it would encourage magots.

The first time I noticed it with my horse, my vet assured me that he should be cleaned regularly and that a buildup of his 'man gunk' could cause cancer.
 
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When your gelding has a gunky discharge down the inside of his back legs and his man bits stink, there isnt any choice other than to clean.

It would be cruel to leave them in that state and in the summer it would encourage magots.

The first time I noticed it with my horse, my vet assured me that he should be cleaned regularly and that a buildup of his 'man gunk' could cause cancer.

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Um I think that's a 'bit' of an exaggeration. Perhaps your horse is prone to infection?
And I have yet to have any vet tell me that not cleaning a sheath could cause cancer.

What do you think wild horses do? Run round all day with maggots on their bits?
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Anyway, If you must clean it, please just use warm water and nothing else!
 
You havent seen my gelding's legs and bits if they are not cleaned for more than 2 weeks, so please do not tell me what I am doing is wrong.

Also, how many geldings do you think there are in the wild?
 
PMSL. No need to be so defensive! Good point about geldings in the wild, but I meant male horses in general, tbh.

If your gelding has a problem and your vet has advised to clean his sheath then far be it from me to tell you any different.

I simply maintain that the necessity to clean a horse's sheath is a total and utter myth. Maggots will not breed there and failing to clean it will NOT cause cancer.
But there - I will get off my soapbox. It seems even vet opinions are divided on this one.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horse-care-index/1370/59871.html?cid=1370&aid=59871
 
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Possibly because you are using baby oil on it?...

I can't understand why people insist on cleaning their horses sheaths, with anything at all tbh. Ok if you must clean it then use warm water but each time you touch it/put something on it you are encouraging bad bacteria to multiply and thus increasing chance of infection.

Anyway, I would keep an eye on it - it may be that he has got an infection of some kind & needs some antibiotics to clear it up.

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People clean their horses sheaths because they keep their horses in environments that their horses weren't designed for, and therefore their horses need adequate care to make up for the difference in environment.

I personally dislike cleaning Spookys bits as much as he dislikes me doing it, and would prefer to use a little warm baby oil which lubricates all the 'gubbins' off, rather then risk a kick in the head from an angry horse.

I would also prefer to use this method then leaving his bits looking like he has been dangling them in a box of cornflakes!

Also, if you had read my post properly, you would see that I have had spooky for 5 years and up until tonight, have never seen this before, so i think it is hardly likely that the baby oil is anything to do with it. but thank you for your advice anyway.

I will have a closer look in the morning and keep an eye on him - sounds just like man gubbins though!!
 
Glad to be of entertainment value.
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The gunk drips out of him and 2 very eminent vets have advised me that a heavy build up of smegma can lead to cancer. Maybe it is just with my horse and his particular problem, I am not sure. I am not prepared to take any chances.
 
Ha ha ha dangling his thing in a box of cornflakes.

Thats exactly what it looks like. Good description.

Hope Spooky is ok and man gubbins free.

My horse must be weird because when it is wash time, he cocks his leg up for me!
 
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People clean their horses sheaths because they keep their horses in environments that their horses weren't designed for, and therefore their horses need adequate care to make up for the difference in environment.


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Hmm.. I don't buy that argument one bit but think we will have to agree to disagree on this one.
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fwiw I did read your post properly & I do think that cleaning 'might' cause or contribute to the problem.
Having said that, as you say, you know your horse! I think if you keep an eye on it or rinse with warm warm water then that seems the best idea. If in doubt have a chat with the vet.
 
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I can't understand why people insist on cleaning their horses sheaths, with anything at all tbh.

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I agree, not once in 7 years have I cleaned Hen's sheath (partly because I know what he would do to me if I tried!), but my friend's gelding got a severe infection due to it being cleaned. The Vet told them not to bother again.

In my Repro lectures we where told that should you want to have your horse's sheath cleaned you should get the Vet to do it.
 
Bexandspooky, it's called smegma and is basically harmless - some geldings produce more than others. Some authorities link it to an increased risk of cancer, but my boy has always produced loads (and I've resisted the temptation to clean it) and he's now 28! I do clean it off his legs though.
 
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In my Repro lectures we where told that should you want to have your horse's sheath cleaned you should get the Vet to do it.

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I take it this would be a vet that told you this.....Mmmm, at £30 call out + £18 examination + £? for the clean + £? for whatever he uses to clean the sheath with
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........ Sure, we'll all be calling the vet out
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Not all horses have the problem, I have one that does & one that doesn't. So one gets cleaned & the other doesn't. The vet has nothing to do with the cleaning & I doubt if he could do a beter job either.
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QR Well I clean my geldings bits when they need it doing with warm water and baby oil. Never had any problems at all. Previous owner of big lad who is now 17 was done my his owner and part of the agreement we had when I took him on loan was that his bits need to be cleaned.
I agree about the posts about horses in the wild. You never see geldings in the wild now do you. They clean their sheaths by entering the females and having the odd squirt now don't they.
I also agree that we keep horses unnaturally especially if stabled and if kept on shavings in particular how many would actually lie on a bed of shavings in the wild.
Incidentally if your horse is on shavings please remember to check their bits. A friend's horse on a previous yard had a bloody sheath and the problem was eventually found to be shavings getting into his sheath and cutting him.
If people didn't clean their horses sheaths even with just plain old water then how many people would notice problems with their gelding's parts.
I clean mine when they get smelly or look a bit swollen in any way due to the build of of smegma and also mud and other particles entering the sheath area and causing irritation. As geldings don't very often extend their entire length unlike stallions then how the hell can any obnoxious bits drop off. Most of the time my lads just poke the head out when they take a pee and gawd knows what could be clinging to the rest of the shaft especially if they have been galloping around in the mud.
Vets recommend them doing it for several reasons, to minimise injury to yourself, ie some horses need sedating. To make sure it is done properly and not to use anything which may cause irritation, and so they can inspect the bits for any sign of infection. I think most horse owners with half a brain would know how to go about doing it properly and since most know their horses inside out and have a good relationship with them then the chances of them being kicked should be far less than some stranger coming along and making a grab for their willy!
Horses also need to be checked to see if they have a build up of smegma in their urethra called a 'bean'. Both my lads had them the other day and after any cleaning I always observe them taking a pee afterwards to see if the flow of urine is any better and to make sure they can extend and retract the penis properly. The bean can cause discomfort as it can alter the flow of urine from the opening and I would argue that is perhaps not that dissimilar to someone having stones affecting urine flow in humans.
Each to their own. If you disagree with sheath/penis cleaning then don't do it. But if you agree than carry on. I know what I would much rather do. I know that my horses health in that area is constantly monitored and none have ever had infections through being cleaned. I feel I am more likely to spot anything untoward in that region through inspecting and cleaning than if I was not so for those reasons alone it makes me feel what I am doing is worthwhile.
Caz
 
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Maggots will not breed there
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horse-care-index/1370/59871.html?cid=1370&aid=59871

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Whilst I hate to be difficult, adn on the whole I do actually agree with you Mayflower, I o have to say that sometimes maggots will grow in there...

One at the yard I used to work at, an elderly horse with poor reach up to his belly with back legs, once had colicking symptoms....calle vet, did the usual drugs, didn't help. Began to think that might be the end- at 28, we were not putting him through surgery. As horse was down, saw something wriggling....touched down there, and hey presto. Too cut it short, hundres of maggots cleanedd out within minutes....horse instantly relieved.

Was most vile thing I've done LOL
 
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I simply maintain that the necessity to clean a horse's sheath is a total and utter myth. Maggots will not breed there and failing to clean it will NOT cause cancer.

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Maggots will indeed live in the sheath.... I have seen them.

They had to be removed with the horse under heavy sedation so that he dropped right down...... The maggots were so high up that there was no way you would have seen them otherwise. The horse was displaying all the symptoms of colic.

Just to add that the maggoty willy wasnt merlins!!!! He insisted on me telling you all that!!!
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Generally most geldings shouldn't need much done to their willy. There are always those who over-produce smegma, but it's often due to over-cleaning - I know people who do it with Hibiscrub! :eek: It only make it worse.

BUT all geldings should be checked for a 'bean' in the urethral fossa every now and again. Even the cleanest geldings can get build up that becomes painful.

We had a new shetland X gelding arrive a while ago, who often had his willy dangling out and it was always filthy. He was also 'funny' about peeing (his previous owners words).

Much to his disgust we pounced on him and clean off the smegma and yuck off, and found THE most enormous bean. It was so big it had to be cracked in half before if could be prised out :eek: It was well over the size of a gold ball, poor little man. Once out he was so much happier!

Same with my last gelding, a standardbred. He always had a really clean willy and sheath but I removed a large bean from the tip. He was much less grumpy afterwards and pee'd more easily too.

My new gelding, a yearling, always used to go around with his willy hanging out, just the tip. Since it was bright pink (pink-skinned tobiano) it was rather obvious
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He is fairly clean but I also found a significant bean at the tip. Didn't like me removing it but since then he's never been seen 'hanging low' unless about to pee - it must have been uncomfortable to retact it fully with a hard lump of yuck distending the tip!

Even if you never need to/want to clean their sheath, you do need to check, at least once a year, for a bean.
 
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Yikes!
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I was more meaning that maggots will not simply appear as a result of not washing the sheath. Clearly they can live there quite comfortably! (Yuk)

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LOL! I was going to jump on the "I've seen a maggotty sheath" bandwagon. It was most gross. A gets a rinse every now and then, but he's very shy
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ewwww!! i feel slightly sick folks! personally i have never washed either of my boys' man bits. one would try to kill me, the other would probably try to mount me- but he quite frequently has it out on display and it looks clean enough!

i think this is a bit like the mud fever/ leg hosing dilemma- if there is a problem then you need to wash and clean but if it aint broke leave it alone and let nature sort it out!
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In my Repro lectures we where told that should you want to have your horse's sheath cleaned you should get the Vet to do it.

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I take it this would be a vet that told you this.....

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Actually no it wasn't, the Vet told us it shouldn't need doing at all, unless you've got a breeding Stallion.
 
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