Sheath cleaning difficulties

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Peaches

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Jun 29, 2008
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Apolagies if this should be in the health care section. I have put it here as I thought it would get more notice and hopefully more helpful replies but if mods want to move, thats fine and sorry for the extra work!

Basically, I'm fully aware of HOW to clean my boys sheath and have done it many a time. However this particular horse is ridiculously dirty - even a few weeks after being cleaned he has chunks of grease on the inside of his thighs following lying down, and he stinks to high heaven in that area!

I also struggle to clean him well (although other horses I'm okay with). There's *ahem* not ANY space in there to get properly in there to clean...! He seems particularly 'fleshy' for want of a better description. He doesn't let all hang(!) but is totally fine about me cleaning in and around his sheath, and doesn't pull it right up inside him either. It's the sheath itself inside I'm having trouble with, not the external (or potentially external!) areas where the problem lies....

I think it's because of the inability to clean properly because of this problem that it reoccurs so often maybe. Has anybody any additional advice how to tackle a 'fleshy' sheath?!!

Thanks, and sorry for the not so nice imagery there!! x
 
I find using baby oil (unfragranced with aloe vera) all over a day before you want to clean it loosens everything up and sooths it all, then it is easy to wash it all out the following day.....
 
I use sheath cleaner on the one that needs it. He is not very keen so I get a big dollop and put it all around the entrance and it sort of self cleans when it decides to put in an appearance.
 
this is partly why for a second horse I got a filly :)and praise be shes a mare now who just adores having her lady flaps attended to :eek::D
 
my boy was really messy when he came to me, tried cleaning but after lots of advice.... stop cleaning... nature knows best... far less messy now. you clean ...nature replaces with more... for a reason. i only give a quick wipe ,and only before a show. try it see what you think
 
If there are funny smells involved would it not be worth having a word with the vet, esp if he's not letting it all hang loose? But having only had 1 x gelding I'm not THAT experienced in this area....I just know that jez will get his out at any given opportunity and when its looking in need of some attention a quick spray of baby boil spray and a day later squeeky clean.
 
NoviceNic said:
KY jelly applied and left overnight to lift some of the higher gunk maybe? :confused:
Click to expand...

dare i ask how you discovered the ky?? im sorry i know im bad! :D

the only thing i ever use is baby oil, if u need to get it further up use a spray bottle.
 
I use excalibur sheath cleaner when Jackson needs it. He's a twisted little turd, he stretches out and gets a dreamy look in his eye,lol. I always feel like a perv when I have to clean him.

Not something i do but maybe once a year though. Mostly just to make sure he doesn't get a bean.
 
I have had a lots of problems with my horse's sheath, I would maybe get advice from a vet if its really smelly and dirty tbh, i would not leave it to chance.
it could be an infection.
 
I never cleaned it to be honest until he started getting the build up caked on his inner thighs (!) hence why I cleaned it originally! So I don't THINK it's too much cleaning...

Might get the vet to check it out next time he's at the farm. Might be making a trip to vets regarding leg swelling anyway so could probs tie it in. Thanks for the other suggestions =] x
 
My friend's gelding got really dirty and smelly despite having been cleaned not that long ago. His sheath was a bit swollen too. Got a bean out (with vet's help) but that didn't make any diffference to the swelling. Vet says he needs to move around more , he's retired so no exercise and it looks like he just munches all day and doesn't get enough exercise to keep himself clean. His swelling is caused by lack of movement, just like some horses' legs swell if they're too stationary. Normally that's when they're on boxrest but maybe some are just lazy and walk around the field as little as possible?
 
He's most definately NOT lazy or retired and lacking exercise ;]

He was like this last yr too, despite being fit and active enough to hunt once a week, do an intermediate hunter trial, a dressage comp, and have an hours lesson each week, and hack the other days!! If he lacks work midweek he goes and trots and canters figures of 8s, 20m circles, and pops any fallen tree branches when turned out in the field for fun... ;] x
 
I completely sympathise with you Peaches, My boy is horrendous, the vet says it is just the way he is, about 4 times a year it goes in overdrive and we get the leg cakeing problem to.

I use the the horse wise sheath cleaner and baby wipes, seems to work okay.
 
I know someone who sticks a hose up theirs on a low pressure! Sounds a bit drastic to me!

I just use warm water and sheath cleaner on a sponge. I wait for an ideal time for him to drop his old man and then go for it before he can whizz it back away. Seems to soften it up but I do it a few times within the same week and generally lasts for ages, sure the warm water helps. Former horse had a real skanky one, looked like cornflakes.:eek: Vet did say unless causing a problem to let nature sort it.

My new gelding drops his everytime I groom him and he's chilled, normally when I'm doing the inside of his legs so I can't miss it. Thankfully his seems to be the 'self-clean' type.

If it's swollen or has a black discharge I would ask the vet
 
The thing is, nature can't do it's stuff with a gelding. In the wild, a stallion uses his for the proper reason and it get's cleaned that way. A gelding's tickle tackle is nigh on redundant.
 
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