Sheath cleaning POLL

As part of your horses care and maintenance do you clean his sheath?

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Wagtail

Wagtail

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We have had countless threads on this subject, but I was interested to see the numbers. So gelding/stallion owners, do you clean your horse's sheath? Please vote yes or no. This excludes having to clean his sheath if he needs it due to infection/discharge/smell etc

Thanks. :)
 
iv once given it a quick hose as it was out and was a bit dirty... other than that I dont see any need. It doesnt smell, it doesnt look sore, it doesnt look overly dirty. If it ever requires cleaning I shall only use luke warm water!
 
Hello.
Yes l do clean my horse,sheath. It is not a job l like doing but it need to be done .
And with having a big pet big pet there is going to be jobs that we not like doing.
My horse is ok when he gets it done.

From purplelady
 
Wagtail said:
We have had countless threads on this subject, but I was interested to see the numbers. So gelding/stallion owners, do you clean your horse's sheath? Please vote yes or no. This excludes having to clean his sheath if he needs it due to infection/discharge/smell etc

Thanks. :)
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There isn't the option to vote "it depends"!

Cleaning can range from picking off the odd flake or lump from time to time - to weekly scrubs with wirebrush and dettol. And stallions are different from geldings.
 
Yes I regularly flush out with water, weekly in summer and monthly in winter. If I do not, Stinky who likes to lie down and rub his belly, ends up with a sheath filled with black muddy grit and gunk which then ends up down his white legs.

I also have to check and remove any build up in the pockets by the urethra to prevent beans. At 3 he had a bean that was nearly an inch long and really took some removing. I thought I would have to get the vet out, but luckily he is so good that he put up with me getting the thing out. You could see how much better he felt for having that done and he then peed properly.

I used to do Cairo with water once a month as he got older as he got dirty which is common according to my vet.

I only use water so I don't upset the natural order of things. Some geldings are naturally clean and others need a bit of tlc.

What I don't agree with is all the stuff people put there to clean out, unless you have an infection, warm water and a gentle rub with your hand is all you need.
 
fburton said:
There isn't the option to vote "it depends"!

Cleaning can range from picking off the odd flake or lump from time to time - to weekly scrubs with wirebrush and dettol. And stallions are different from geldings.
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Sorry. :o

I was meaning a proper wash out inside the sheath as part of the regular care and maintenance routine. I do not class picking of scabby bits etc and a quick squirt with the hose as proper cleaning.
 
I have found the cobs i've had, have had more issues down stairs than the finer models. Does anyone else find that? Maybe because they tend to have larger sheaths. P.s I'm not a willy watcher.
 
Mine gets any flaky bits picked off as the opportunity presents itself *ahem* and maybe a wee wipe round the whole outside of the sheath if he's sweaty. A lady on our yard cleans her gelding every week, has a special box for his 'hygiene' as she calls it and he gets an infection every other month, needing antibiotics to clear it up. Mine hasn't had an infection in the 20 years I've owned him, so I'm sticking to my regime ;)
 
Smegma is a collection of dirt and excretions, builds up inside the sheath and must be removed for the sake of the horse's health. I
A firm lump of smegma that has collected and hardened inside the horse's penis. This lump or "bean" must be removed as often as possible. It can cause serious pain to your horse.
 
Never done in the 3 and half years i have had my gelding. On a yard where about 25 out of 39 horses are geldings inc the riding school and no one does it if not requried due to illness or infection etc.
 
I don't routinely either, will if there is an issue but if all is well I leave alone.

I have one who does need cleaning occasionally but I have found feeding him a small dose of uva ursi when he gets a bit dirty sorts him out a treat and causes him no stress.
 
Nope. Pick off the crusty bits when he "drops" and occasionally squirt with water but otherwise leave well enough alone. He doesn't make a noise, pees perfectly well and isn't smelly - oh and he's grey so I'd be seeing any telltale signs that he needs doing/there's an infection, etc.

Was advised by vet to leave alone . . . seems he's naturally quite clean in that department (just a shame he's foul in every other sense!).

P
 
I voted NO also.In the 6 years Ive had my cob gelding,Ive NEVER had to clean it.Infact I didnt need to with my other horse I had in the 80s RIP Sirrocco.Never needed too!!!
 
Mine won't let me clean his. I'm taking my life in my hands just to squirt a hose in the general direction from 5 yards away! He doesn't seem to suffer for it.
I think I prefer that to my old boy, who clearly used to enjoy me cleaning his a bit too much and started rocking back and fore :o:eek::o:eek:. That only got done once a year at most.
 
horserider said:
Voted no. If all's well, I leave him alone. Less is more.
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I have to admit I voted no for the same reasons. I don't however really know if not cleaning is actually counter productive. My gelding has never appeared to have any problems over the years or discharge etc. and I feel poking about may well lead to a greater risk of introducing infection to the urethra.
Anyone know of any studies on this showing benefits in a problem free horse?
 
Just out of interest to owners of cattle and sheep -do they clean theirs? Probably not is the answer so why fiddle with a horses? It's a definite no from me and that's on professional advice.
 
I'd be interested to hear more opinions on this, I have a gelding who can get a bit dirty who i will clean where i can, however I try to leave well alone as a general rule, he has no probs peeing and isn't in pain, and doesn't smell or make a noise, should i be cleaning regularly or not? have never ever hit upon the "right" answer to this, it always seems to be differing opinions and views.. studies would be interesting!!
 
Unless Archie has anything stuck to the outer edge of his sheath I don't touch his.

He gets it out on a regular basis, especially when I am grooming or tickling his tummy and it looks in A1 condition to me (lol) and it hasn't dropped off yet so I must be doing the right thing, leaving it alone.

My friend, she can get her hand, way past her wrist, no lie, and pulls lots of smeggy stuff out (bleuurrgh).

No, unless Archie was smelly, in discomfort or it had an infection I will leave well alone.

xxx
 
alison_oliver said:
I'd be interested to hear more opinions on this, I have a gelding who can get a bit dirty who i will clean where i can, however I try to leave well alone as a general rule, he has no probs peeing and isn't in pain, and doesn't smell or make a noise, should i be cleaning regularly or not? have never ever hit upon the "right" answer to this, it always seems to be differing opinions and views.. studies would be interesting!!
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I think we are lacking in studies generally in the horse world. There was a debate not so long ago about feeding animal based protiens and other products to horses that split people's opinions roughly 50:50 on here but no research on it at all.
 
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