Sheath Cleaning

Denbob

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 September 2017
Messages
1,093
Visit site
New territory for me!
A girl on my yard has booked someone to come out and clean her youngsters sheath... I don't know whether to get my boys done as well as never really had to think about it. The last time he was sedated (February) the vet had a good look and a general feel around and said all was fine.

To sheath clean or not the sheath clean, that is my question!
 

AandK

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 July 2007
Messages
3,905
Location
West Sussex
Visit site
Unless there is excess discharge, then I leave well alone. My gelding gets his out quite regularly so I check it every so often when he does and remove the bean if there is one.
 

Red-1

I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Joined
7 February 2013
Messages
17,814
Location
Outstanding in my field!
Visit site
IME if they are fine and then you start washing them, then they need washing.

If hey are fine and you leave them, they tend to stay fine.

In the past I have inherited geldings with simply awful, stinky sheathes, but regular washing did not 'cure' them. I would have to break them of the habit, by a regular wipe round with damp then dry cloth inside.

I do keep an eye thay they can pass water easily, keep an eye for any discomfort, keep an eye for smell or discharge down the legs.
 

SEL

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2016
Messages
12,303
Location
Buckinghamshire
Visit site
I get M's done. He was cut very late and seems to collect a lot of gunk. He disapproves of me touching him anywhere in that area but is more than happy for the sheath cleaning lady to get stuck in.
 

Reacher

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 February 2010
Messages
6,339
Visit site
Glad I’ve finished my breakfast!🤣
I have to admit I haven’t cleaned Mr H’s you-know-what and it looks fairly clean and he pees fine but I probably would / should pay someone to have a rummage around. I’ll ask the vet next time (I think it might be another 15 years or so before specialist willy cleaners arrive in cumbria...)
 

Denbob

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 September 2017
Messages
1,093
Visit site

SEL

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2016
Messages
12,303
Location
Buckinghamshire
Visit site

Wizpop

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 April 2015
Messages
492
Visit site
Ha! Could be a gap in the market then Reacher and a business opportunity for someone🙄- erm but it won’t be me!!!! But what would one charge for that service????
 

TPO

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 November 2008
Messages
9,414
Location
Kinross
Visit site
I've had mares for the majority of my life so this was new territory when I switched to geldings. My previous TB gelding was broken a lot and sedated for treatment so the vet would get the bean while everything was hanging out. At mum's place we now have 3 geldings so hired a sheath cleaner.

I'm more than happy how to keep a gelding clean etc but I'm clueless about "beans" and don't want to possibly do harm by trying. In my mind it was better to pay £20 for someone very experienced to do a good job. Our geldings, despite externally being clean, all had beans. I can't help but think it must be a relief to get them out!

I do wonder what happens with wild/feral horses? Do they just die if it gets that bad or is it not an issue for them?
 

Goldenstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 March 2011
Messages
46,020
Visit site
Because I come from a hunting background I do clean sheath and have had the experiance of buying a horse who turned to have a nasty infection because the yard he was on obviously never checked the condition of the sheaths of the horse on the yard .
Sorting him out was a job for the vet and at that time I got the fun low down on what can go wrong down there if you don’t keep things right I am disclined about sheaths .
geldings various enormously some need them cleaning much more than others and hunters need more care than other leisure horses because all sorts works it’s way in there during a long hard muddy day .
Fat horses IME always need more cleaning .
You don’t need to wash sheaths regularity some of my horse will get them washed four times a year some every three weeks but you need to check if they need washing and act if they do .
 
  • Like
Reactions: TPO

Leo Walker

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2013
Messages
12,384
Location
Northampton
Visit site
Ha! Could be a gap in the market then Reacher and a business opportunity for someone🙄- erm but it won’t be me!!!! But what would one charge for that service????

£25 and apparently she can do a 100 horses a week. So a reasonably wage for doing it, even after overheads!
 

Mule

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 October 2016
Messages
7,655
Visit site
If it gets all flaky is it alright to spray the hose up there? It cleans it but could removing the flaky bits like that cause some sort of blockage?
 

hopscotch bandit

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 February 2017
Messages
2,872
Visit site
I know someone whose vet said aqueous cream and low lint swabs available on line or from the chemist are the best things to use for her gelding. Just gather a fair bit of aqueous cream on the swab and dig in, eurgh! Both are cheap from the pound shops.
 

Chianti

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 February 2008
Messages
897
Visit site
I talked about this with my vet very recently and she said not to do it. Those 'professionally' cleaning tend to be over zealous and strip away too much of the good bacteria from the skin thus opening the sheath up to problems.
 

meleeka

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 September 2001
Messages
10,473
Location
Hants, England
Visit site
Another whose vet told me to leave well alone!

My boy gets quite messy. I used to have to clean him at least once a month, until I read this can actually make things worse. I stopped cleaning and he’s still messy, but no more than he was before, so I’ve concluded that it wasn’t really helping.

I do always check for beans monthly still as they are far easier to remove when small.
 

honetpot

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2010
Messages
9,058
Location
Cambridgeshire
Visit site
These secretions in bodies are natures natural lubricants, and move bacteria out of the body. I suppose in humans the most visible one for us is ear wax, but if you have problems with it only someone who is specially trained should wash it out.
There are more problems caused by over cleaning, than leaving well alone unless there is a problem. I would like to put a huge warning on Hibiscrub which can cause contact dermatitis when really all that is needed in most cases is tap water.
 
Top