Sheath cleaning

carthorse

carthorse

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Not a job I enjoy but I noticed a couple of weeks ago it was grubby in there and did it. Today I bought some sheath cleaner, which I found good and then put a slow hosepipe in there to rinse out.It was quite dirty again .
How often do you do your horse's?
 
i used to have a gelding and cleaned his sheath about once a month in the summer, less in the winter. if it seemed dirty i did it.not a nice job, but one that had to be done. i used baby bath.....just supermarket own brand.....much cheaper and affective.
he's a good boy to let you use a hose....my boy was a bucket and sponge job.
 
I hate this job so much!

Unfortunately, my horse is a gungey boy and in the summer it needs doing every 2 weeks, in the winter once a month. If this is not done, he gets muck all down his back legs which attracts flies.

I use Barrier sheath cleaner as horse has sensitive skin.

My vet also advised me to do this on a regular basis as a build up of gunge can cause cancer amd infections.
 
I'd go with never too. And if you read the small print on the sheath cleaner bottles it's enough to scare you off! All sorts of things can harm such a sensitive area, and applying cleaning products is one of them. I would ask myself, if I had a sensitive part of my body, that was drawn UP INTO my body for most of the day, would I risk washing it in any proprietory cleaners? Even baby bath is only for the OUTSIDE. If you absolutely have to do something, plain boiled cooled water.
 
I just use a clean sponge and warm water, when he's warm after being worked. He seems to stay clean on the whole.
 
Thump's is very clean. I just tend to have a little pick of it every time he dangles it out (which is quite often!). I did pop some baby oil on it the other day, and it was immaculate the day after.
 
I'm the same as AmyMay. Whenever Mac gets it out, which is more often than not, I give it a little pick. Everyone at the yard comments on how clean it is!
 
Nothing worse than the crusty cornflake look. Unfortunately I have to do this on a regular basis with my boy. He grows big beans that need to be kept under control - maximum 2 month intervals otherwise it becomes a major job.

Learnt by bitter experience when he turned into King Dong overnight and when a quick clean out didn't do the job, we got the vet out who extracted (in pieces) something roughly the size of a golf ball from up there. Hey presto, in 24 hours he was back to normal size. Ever since, I've had to keep a close eye on it.
 
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Thump's is very clean. I just tend to have a little pick of it every time he dangles it out (which is quite often!). I did pop some baby oil on it the other day, and it was immaculate the day after.

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Do you find the baby oil sort of makes it 'self cleaning' ie the gunge gets loosened and just falls off? I'm reluctant to do Will's as he had a bad reaction to sheath cleaner once and as for Cat he's always letting it hang out but don't like the idea of picking at stuff that's firmly stuck!

Vet says it is indeed carcinogenic including to humans so she strongly advises using gloves.
 
I wait until he erm, gets it out when I am grooming. Then I spray on a mix of water and baby oil (1 part oil to 3 parts water-you have to shake it obviously) and that keeps it clean. some horses are just gunkier than others but its a job that needs doing very carefully.
 
Lux is dangly bit is very clean but he gets residue on the inside of his hind which i clean off weekly and apply baby oil to to stop it. Someone told me the stuff on inside hinds was sign of manky dangly bit but his is immaculate. (he has a professional full clean when castrated just over a year ago)
 
Manky chestnut always needs a clean - I do it once or twice a week, no product as he's quite 'shy' and puts it away quickly by the time I'm all set. Grey is Mr. Clean - which is just as well, seeing how much time is already spent keeping him grey...
 
OK, I have always wanted to ask this and don't think I am being silly, but HOW DO YOU CLEAN IT??? I have three geldings, two of them will happen to drop it when I am around and I will pick off bits (sorry to be so disgusting) but they quickly pull it back up again. I have tried to hold onto it and I get a back leg in my face. The third chap is so 'shy' I only see it when he wees. Luckily all thee seem rather clean to me and have never had problems but how do you ever manage to get water, sponges, hoses, etc to work without the horse pulling his penis back up???
 
http://www.angelfire.com/az/clickryder/hand.html
Someone put this link up a while ago and its very funny but describes how you do the deed, so to speak!!
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That said, I can only even attempt my boy's when he is sedated for something, so not very often!! It really is grim and quite smelly, but I'm not going to get myself kicked to bits so that's the way it has to stay. I've had him and his gunky, smelly, willy for 12 years without any problems so hopefully its not doing him any harm.
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Just did the deed tonight. J's hind legs were black from gunge and it would be a welfare problem by not doing it. So out came the kettle and the gloves.

I have a paper towel but not kitchen roll as it leaves bits behind and rinse the inside of the sheath. Apply warmed up cleaner and massage in, going up into the body cavity as far as I can. J is used to having this done and doesnt even need a headcollar - he falls a sleep, so be careful doing this for the first time or on a sensitive horse!!!!!!!!!

I then get the soaking wet paper towel and rinse thoroughly. I was the outside too. I wash his bottom and then I clean his hind legs and I dry in the same order by gently patting the areas. I then apply savlon to just inside the sheath and around the outside, to help keep the flies away and I put a little on his bottom.

All squeaky clean!

I know some people will disapprove of my methods, but it works for us.

Again, reiterating gradually work up to how far up you go as your horse gets used to it.

There are some horses where I am that can only have bits washing when sedated.
 
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Do you find the baby oil sort of makes it 'self cleaning'

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Yes, I couldn't get over how 'pristine' it was the next day
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The baby oil just softens everything, and the natural friction of skin agains skin I assume causes the 'bits' to fall off.

What a charming subject LOL.
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Am I wrong to quite enjoy doing this ??!! I'm not a squeamish person. Charlie Farlton gets really black gungy stuff all over his inner thighs from his sheath every few months and is obviously in quite a lot of discomfort, flicking his tail and trying to kick his tummy and scratch it. He practially goes to sleep when I clean it. I use a small piece of sponge some clean water, sometimes with sheath cleaner and sometimes not. Always rinse with clean water afterwards. He looks so happy afterwards !
 
Mmmm perhaps not the thing to read while I am having lunch.

I tried the baby oil approch but my lad is quite 'crusty' so I went with a sheath cleaner instead. I used the one from Farnam - Excalibur Sheath Clener (classic name whoever came up with that!). It seemed to work well. I think they still sell it at www.lesliesutcliffe.biz if not just google it.

Right back to my sandwitch! Yum!
 
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Do you find the baby oil sort of makes it 'self cleaning'

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Yes, I couldn't get over how 'pristine' it was the next day
grin.gif
The baby oil just softens everything, and the natural friction of skin agains skin I assume causes the 'bits' to fall off.

[/ QUOTE ]
I wonder then if you put it in a little spray bottle you could just sort of 'squirt and run' ha, ha! Like the idea of doing it with no hands
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Disappears to Boots....
 
Before having my 3 year old gelding I had mares for about 15 years and only one gelding that I remeber cleaning out. Ive had him from 14 months old and only about 6 months ago did I realise I had never cleaned his sheath. I was giving him a good brush and put some fly cream on the outside of the sheath. Felt what I thought was a lump panicked thought the ponio had cancer or something -put on the gloves and there was massive lumps of the most foul smelling rotten egg/garlic distgustingness up there. As you can imagine poor ponio had probably never had it done then- I was lucky to come away alive though as he was less than obliging but im convinced if it had been left much longer im sure it would have caused him probs -was happy then and now do it once a month ish.
 
Last time i tried to do my boys sheath. . .he had to be twitched. . he was a complete idiot. . .but i dont blame him. . . a bit of an odd situation to find himself in
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i hated twitching him but it must have made him more comfortable after having it cleaned
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I think its a job that i need to do soon. . .o bum


that link made me laugh
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lol.. It doesnt bother me either - just part of the job I suppose. Just done my new boy yesterday as had gunk all over legs and was bathing him anyway. Must say he did have a wee smile and nose wiggle so I assume he appreciated it - however since his bath he has turned into a different horse! walking around 200 miles per hour, was a complete idiot tonight with my daughter hacking out when nor,mally he is so laid nback - attitude!!!! ggrrr
 
I have never tried or cleaned my geldings sheath! and unless I see gunk I don't intend to!
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He must just be a clean boy. He loves having a bath though the only time he will let me plait him is after a bath!
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