Sheath Cleaning Questions

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_Bex_

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Apr 17, 2005
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This is my first post ever on this board, I have been a member for quite some time but generally just like to brows around.

Well it’s that time of year when I should really clean my horses sheath. I did read that post a while ago which I found useful, only I have never done this before and have a few questions/concerns that I need to ask. Any answers will be appreciated.

1. Is baby oil ok to use? I read that you can use this to clean it with.
2. Would a cheep herbal shampoo be ok to use? Or will this irritate him?
3. Will he get an infection if all the soap is not washed off properly?
4. Do I need to dry him off after?
5. Im a little unsure what to do with the “bean” and where and what is?
6. How far up does his sheath go? And how far up do I need to go?

Sorry if these questions sound silly, but I would feel better if I know all these before I attempt it. Thanx a lot _Bex_
 
please do not use soap or baby oil to clean his sheath with. invest in a proper sheath cleanser, there are loads on the market and they are not expensive. with the cleanser i use, it has to be washed off, but individual products vary. i usually clean a good 8-10 inches in.
 
1. Is baby oil ok to use? I read that you can use this to clean it with.
Horses can sometimes be allergic to baby oil. Better to get something designed for the purpose.

2. Would a cheep herbal shampoo be ok to use? Or will this irritate him?
Very likely to irritate him.

3. Will he get an infection if all the soap is not washed off properly?
Its not so much an infection as that you are affecting the natural balance (pH etc) of the skin which is more likely to cause problems in the long run. Think about if you don't wash soap/detergent off properly !

4. Do I need to dry him off after?
Not if you've rinsed well. Of course if the weather is horrid you need to consider how cold, chapped etc they might get. Again, think how you might feel yourself.

5. Im a little unsure what to do with the “bean” and where and what is?

Sounds like you read the description with "Mr Hand" and "the Bean" in it. This is a good description. The bean builds up right where the urine comes out. Its a build up of the particles in the urine, into a little "bean" shaped mass. Have you ever seen one of those old bottles that have a marble as a stopper ? Well this is how the bean can act :( (Or imagine a hose when you put a finger over it). It affects the flow and pressure when the horse wees. Hence you need to get it out. Note that not all horses seem to get "beans" - so you need to check, but there may be nothing there. Not sure why - different water is probably an effect (soft water vs hard water etc etc).

(I wear surgical gloves to do our chaps. This seems to help in that I can still feel what I am doing, but still give the horse and myself some protection.)

6. How far up does his sheath go? And how far up do I need to go?

Well you know how long it is when its out... you need to go as far as it does ! It feels like a mile but is actually not that far - ours have NEVER let it done for us and you can always guarantee that folk will drive past when you have your arm in their nether regions :rolleyes:
 
A friend of mine on the yard has a cob with a very poorly sheath and she has to get the vet out twice a week to clean it (cos he won't let us near at the mo!) and after having been around when the vet is cleaning him and obviously asking questions as you do he basically recommends using cotton wool and warm water because the sheath area produces its own natural oils to protect itself from infection and if you clean with any substances you risk removing all the natural oils therefore could be putting him at minor risk of infection, however cleaning every few days with warm water and cotton wool would be fine. Sheath cleaner can be used but as i said the vet recommends warm water and cotton wool.
Don't mean to ramble on but his sheath is so poorly i can't even begin to imagine what the poor lad must be feeling, you really don't want to go through it, its gross :(
 
Sunshine

frequency of cleaning depends more on the horse - twice a week is an extreme case.

When I got my chap back (he was owned by someone else for 6 years), I don't think he'd been done for some time and he was in a real state. As a result he really did not want me in there at all but I had to perservere. He was so much more comfy after and seems to have made the connection as both ours now stand without objection (tho as I said, they won't drop it down for me :rolleyes: ).

Ours live out, drink "highland spring water" (we don't have mains ;) ) and we just keep an eye (and nose - euuuu) on them and do them when they need it. Probably more in the summer cos the heat seems to mean they need doing more often. Which reminds me - they probably need doing ....

But if you search for previous threads on this subject you will find there are some people who don't clean at all - they just don't seem to need to. My personal opinion is you should still at least check - but if it aint broke, don't fix it !
 
cvb said:
But if you search for previous threads on this subject you will find there are some people who don't clean at all - they just don't seem to need to. My personal opinion is you should still at least check - but if it aint broke, don't fix it !
Click to expand...

HAHHA Thanks!!! That's kinda what I thought too... and I know that my boy's has never been done before... I guess I'll just check it when I see him on Friday.... now I'm going to be paranoid HAHAHA
 
He's only having to be cleaned twice a week until the infection has cleared cos the vet cleans it then put the antibiotic on it in lotion form so if it clears it he shouldn't need doing twice a week but he would need to be checked regularly as do all geldings.
 
I have never done my cob, I am always to scared to in case he kicks me! :rolleyes: he does smell though and he has lots of yellowie stuff that if you touch it it peels off, think I might be able to wash every thing but the 'bean' as I don't know where to start and he proberly wouldn't let me! :eek: do I have to do the 'bean' ?! :eek:
 
Sheath cleaning seems to be a cultural equestrian practice.
Nobody cleans their horses bits here in our country. That's something unheard of. When I first refered it to my friends, they all rolled on floor laughing.

I spoke to a few vets and they stated there is no need, unless the horse really needs it. Better leave it alone otherwise. Once you start cleaning your horse's sheath, then you'll have to carry on doing it.

Well, I had a rig for 2 and 1/2 years. He was never cleaned although I bought the cleanser and I got a very good description of the procedure (Mr Hand and Mr Bean, by the way). He was too grumpy to pursue my intents...
 
CrazyMare, the vet told me that horses build up there own natural oils and bacteria stuff to prevent infection, this could be the case with your boy, if in doubt seek veterinary advice, its not nice for a horse to have an infection in their nether regions. Better to be safe than sorry is my motto.
 
My vet recommended hibbiscrub and a soft sponge for cleaning TB's sheath - plus a pair of rubber gloves. :D
 
the other people at my yard said i should do it becuase its getting a bit flaky, though it doesnt smell and its never been done before on him before should i do it?
 
well most of the questions seemed to have been answered pretty well so i will just add a bit...

for sheath cleaning we use a product called Excallibur, it does the job quite well and isn't to expensive and will last a while.

I was always told not to do your horses sheath more then once or twice a year because they need those natural oils up there. My guys get done twice a year.

my one bit of advice is to breath out your mouth while you do it, the smell makes me gag, i need to plug my nose while i do it, i cant get used to the smell at all. its horrible and the camp horses are done once every month or every other month at least and they smell as bad as mine who dont get it done so often!
 
CrazyMare said:
I have never done my cob, I am always to scared to in case he kicks me! :rolleyes: he does smell though and he has lots of yellowie stuff that if you touch it it peels off, think I might be able to wash every thing but the 'bean' as I don't know where to start and he proberly wouldn't let me! :eek: do I have to do the 'bean' ?! :eek:
Click to expand...

CrazyMare - my personal opinion - doing the "outside" bits are superficial, and just get rid of flaky skin etc that as geldings they don't get rid of "naturally". But the functional part is where the bean is. So if I don't do that, I'm affecting my horse's health.

(In your case there is smell as well - that will atract flies etc so I would say a clean up of the outer bits would help him.)

Ok, so it may be not all horses GET a bean. I'll be honest and say that until my chap came back, I didn't realise it could be there. I have a feeling that when I was a teenager I was probably a bit embarrassed about it all and did the outside and didn't really investigate further.

But as my chap came back and was not comfy, I had a thorough "go" at him and found the bean. Once you find it, you know where to feel. Can't say "look" cos he doesn't drop down for me at all. This is the problem in that showing you an anatomical picture of where the bean forms won't help, as normally you can't SEE the parts you are trying to clean :rolleyes:

The sad thing about this is that I now get the task every time as my mother is not as thorough :rolleyes: Yep, I'm the sheath cleaning queen :eek: not sure this is quite how I'd like to be known ! :eek:

Bex - I think the best approach is calm, slow and don't rush it ! Use advance and retreat principles and don't try to do the whole task in one go. So step one may simply be him allowing you to get your hand under his flank without kicking out or getting stressed. At this stage don't even TRY cleaning. Repeat every time you groom til he is relaxed. Now try with a wet sponge - if he is relaxed just try cleaning the very outer part that you can see. Again, only do what he is comfy with. If he objects, go back a step and get him comfy with that again before you stop.

Remember this is not about a one-off emergency clean, this is about getting your horse able to be checked and cleaned through the rest of his life ! So you have.... the rest of his life to get him ok about it !

You are not a "bad owner" if you don't get it cleaned tomorrow ! or next week etc Its more important to do it right, than try and not do it at all, so take the time it takes !
 
the first time i tried to clean tahoes he kicked at me. i had to start with my hand at his girth and work down his belly to the sheath and he let me in then.

some horses HATE it and wont let you do it, in that case when your vet comes to do spring shots for a small charge you can have the vet do it. our vet does it when he has to put the horse under to do teeth on autumn because he is a bugger about it.
 
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