Sheath cleaning... Who does it?

Patterdale is spot on about the dangers of disrupting the natural balance.

Still, excess/loose lumps and flakes can be removed without washing on an ad hoc basis (when opportunity presents and men aren't bringing parcels to the stable!) and this can spare your horse some discomfort.

And whether one does this, or cleans conventionally, or leaves well alone, it is a VERY good idea to check every few months for the presence of 'the bean' (lump of smegma in the urethral fossa) because this can cause serious discomfort if it starts to interfere with peeing.

So does everyone with a gelding check for 'the bean'?
 
Depends on the horse. Old gelding, owned from foal, ran sticky black fly-attracting tar down his back legs, stank like the devil and quite enjoyed the whole cleaning process as far as I could see. New gelding, owned for 15 months, doesn't seem to have any issues and have therefore left well alone apart from handling his sheath occasionally while grooming to ensure that if any problems do arise, I can deal with them safely.
I do understand Patterdale's comments but do think they can differ massively (and I'm not just talking about my own boys) so would judge each case by its merits (or stink!)
 
Have never done, horses sheath area is clean, no gunk or smell of any sort, and very few crusty bits when its out, so I leave well alone :)]
Have checked for a bean once a few months ago after reading something about it online, found nothing, will probably do it again every few months just to be sure.
 
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I only found out about the bean last year, when I checked my 18 year old gelding for the first time in his life, he had nothing there! He gets a bit flaky occasionally which I pull off if he has it hanging out, but otherwise he's a very clean boy
 
Yeah I do with my boy, dont see an issue to be honest but I'm a guy with a strong stomach and if something needs to be done then it needs to be done :cool:

He likes it, he goes into this mellow trance and its all very relaxing for him :D
 
ref patterdale's comment and others I do think it totally depends on the individual. Have known plenty of geldings that do just fine without I just happen to have one that will start to have black gunk descending and I don't think the pH balance is still disrupted from the brief clean he had 6-12 months ago :p. It's not exactly a fun job but by experience the black gunk on the legs only increases rather than resolve itself despite him getting it out plenty (I tell him that's why he got cancer on it :p, too much UV :p).
 
Cleaning doesn't necessarily mean that nasty bacteria will take over from the natural flora, but if it is done too often and/or too intensely using a cleaner that kills bacteria the chances of it happening are increased. So I am not saying don't clean at all. Rather, the decision should be based on whether not cleaning would leave the horse in discomfort or, in extreme cases, subject to infection.
 
Patterdale said:
People who do it regularly will be adamant that it MUST be done regularly as otherwise it gets v gunky, whereas people who never do it will tell you it is best left alone and that they never have problems.

This is because cleaning it disrupts the natural balance and stimulates more smegma to be produced meaning that 'gunk' and beans occur more often. So obviously, people who mess about with it regularly will find that they do it more and more often because the smegma builds up more and more each time they interfere, so they'll then be insistent that it 'needs' to be done. It's a vicious circle.

I have always had geldings and have never ever cleaned a sheath. They've all been fine.
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And then there are the horses like my son's gelding, who had, at the age of 6 never had his sheath cleaned, but was struggling to urinate, arching his back in discomfort and despite never had a person interfere with his 'natural balance' had large chunks of matter encrusted in his sheath and was struggling to drop his willy or tuck it away.

he needs cleaning every few months regardless and to not do so would be as cruel as not worming him.

It is quite evident that some horses simply need cleaning and some don't. I suspect it has more to do with anatomy and the way they are built. It is obvious that over cleaning and using harsh chemicals will cause an overproduction of oils to compensate, but it is simply not the case with the 2 horses on my yard who do need cleaning.
 
I know fburton, I just don't think most people who do have to clean their geldings do it frequently enough to really affect the normal microflora (said as a microbiologist ;) )
 
I think you're right, ester. Once or maybe twice a year is plenty in most cases (of those horses that need cleaning at all). What makes me cringe, though, is when use of antibacterial cleaners such as hibiscrub are suggested. That's just asking for trouble. One shouldn't need to use anything stronger than warm water and plain soap. Specialized cleaners may be okay, though the inclusion of tea tree oil in Excalibur may be a cause for concern.
 
amandap said:
Isn't there a link (sometimes) between very gunky sheaths and Cushings/ metabolic disorder or mineral imbalances?
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First I've heard of that, amandap. It is plausible that any condition that causes excessive sweating/secretion would also tend to increase smegma production.
 
The wife said:
Yes It probably is an odd thing to think but I liken it in my head to a the Line that shouldn't be crossed by a friend. Don't ask me why, some psychology bod will probably tell me I have issues.
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This made me giggle. I think I would be a lot more annoyed if I found my friend cleaning my OH's sheath, than my horses' ! ;)
 
Like nearly everyone, previous geldings never needed it, this one does. I do sometimes and before a show just in case it is dropped in front of the judge, or anyone else, and is in an unclean state. I use olive oil to soften the gunk. Horse is fine about it.
 
fburton said:
I think you're right, ester. Once or maybe twice a year is plenty in most cases (of those horses that need cleaning at all). What makes me cringe, though, is when use of antibacterial cleaners such as hibiscrub are suggested. That's just asking for trouble. One shouldn't need to use anything stronger than warm water and plain soap. Specialized cleaners may be okay, though the inclusion of tea tree oil in Excalibur may be a cause for concern.
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My vet used hibiscrub scrub on fatty infected willy I was suprised but she said that we were in a place beyond worrying about the flora etc.
He had to have oral antibiotics as well which can't have helped on the flora side of thing either .
I usually just use a gentle hose running warm water .
Sometimes sheath cleaner but not often .
 
amandap I think cushings geldings are more prone to swollen sheaths etc so possible. I wonder if it is size related. . . proportionally F's is a bit big :p
 
Patterdale said:
People who do it regularly will be adamant that it MUST be done regularly as otherwise it gets v gunky, whereas people who never do it will tell you it is best left alone and that they never have problems.

This is because cleaning it disrupts the natural balance and stimulates more smegma to be produced meaning that 'gunk' and beans occur more often. So obviously, people who mess about with it regularly will find that they do it more and more often because the smegma builds up more and more each time they interfere, so they'll then be insistent that it 'needs' to be done. It's a vicious circle.

I have always had geldings and have never ever cleaned a sheath. They've all been fine.
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I don't agree with some of this .

Stallions are cleaned often for obvious reasons

We had a pony at Park Farm where I did my BHS exam, I always remember the little guy, sweet little black pony called ni44er can't put the G in. his was not touched and he got infection in it and because he had never had it cleaned before he resented it touched, we first got the idea something wrong when he tried to urinate and could not. Vet was called but infection too bad so he was PTS.


Another pony at one riding school was never done unless sedated so normally was left alone, got so manky up there the flies had a field day in the summer making the pony unridable as he bucked and jumped about so kids to scared to ride him, so in the end they cleaned his sheath via vet ever march before the flies came out. Problem solved, he ended up a very popular pony with the kids.

I prefer mares and always buy mares as I prefer them, but my boy has his cleaned once a year as it does get grim. One of my liveries never did her one and he started to stand to urinate and could not also paw/stamp feet. After 2 days of this the vet was called and maggots were found up his sheath, the water was gross when vet finished floating maggots.

Cleaning checking sheath (or as often as vet advised) once a year is a good way to keep sheath :


used to being handled in case of sarcoid a or other injury
maggot free
infection free
check for any cancerous lumps and bumps
To remove bean balls.

We all are told of test we should do for lumps and bumps and intimate areas

I think checks of this area insures nothing goes amiss.
 
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Some horses definatly need more cleaning than others .
Hunters definatly need more care I think that's simply galloping through all sorts twice a week .
The smaller the hunter the dirtier they get J's very tall he's much the cleanest after hunting ( good job as he's the least friendly about sheath washing )
Fat horses seem get gunkier than slim .
Fatty has a normal sheath now by that I mean it needs a normal level of care when he was obese we were forever having to sort it .
We wash them out after every days hunting that way nothing too much ever builds up and we can just use water .
 
I give it a hose off if it is muddy. He tends to get savaged by flies in the summer in that area so I do clean the outside and just inside with warm water, then have to cover every inch outside and along his belly with fly cream. He doesn't mind me fiddling around. I don't stick my hand too far up there though. If he drops his w1lly then I will give it a good squirt of baby oil occasionally but that's as far as it goes. He isn't gunky or unhygienic, just gets a bit manky in the summer if he is hot.
 
pmsl siennamum, my friends ponies of equivalent size look very small in that department in comparison. - amazing how high it can disappear when you are trying to take a photo of it for the vet!
 
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