Sheath Cleaning?? Words of advice?

Question

HI, well tonight I will be doing the sheath cleaning job on my horse. It will be the first time I have ever done it before cause i just bought my horse a month ago. Anyways I read lots of websites and became informed.

Just wondering if there is any advice for a first timer?

Help me i am a bit nervous. Can someone tell me what to expect, or some tips to do it propertly?

thanks

Answer 1

Here are a few tips:

1. Stand with your rear end end towards your horses head and your head next to your horse's hip for safety.  Reach under slowly and carefully until you know how your horse will react.  Some horses will kick out and others won't.

2.  Use a good quality sheath cleaner gel or liquid and apply it with either your bare hand or with a gloved hand (use dish-washing gloves).  Let it sit up in there for a few minutes to let it loosen some of the smegma.

3.  I use a soft cloth dunked in warm water and insert the cloth up into the sheath and let it sit for maybe 30 second before wiping the inside of the sheath and removing the cloth.  Rinse the cloth out well and repeat until all the sheath cleaner has been removed and the sheath is clean.

If your horse will expose himself for you, the cleaning is much easier and quicker.  Only one of my geldings will do this and even he won't keep it out for long. You may have to repeat the whole procedure if your horse is really dirty.  The sheath is a deep cavity, so be sure to reach up as far as you can.  On the tip of the p***s where the urethra (?) is, there may be a ball of smegma hidden inside it.  Put your finger into that opening and get out the "pea".  I would suggest cleaning his sheath twice  a year or as needed....some horses get dirty really fast in that area.

PS: Don't use baby oil as it does not wash off and will attract more dirt particles.  THAT is some good advice from my horse vet.

Answer 2

My horses are dirty too!  I've never cleaned a sheath either.  I only have one gelding now but I don't plan on cleaning his either.  I find it to be unnecessary.  If there is a problem in the future, I'll take care of it, but for now I'd rather not get my head kicked off if I don't have to.  Sometimes cleaning things can be bad because you get rid of the natural organisms that are part of a functioning system.

Answer 3

It'll be really gross if no one has done it, just warning you.   : )

Use latex gloves to keep your hands clean.

First, shoot some lukewarm water up there (it's best to clean it after a looooooooong rider, when he drops it.)

Let it run up there for a bit (20 sec.)

Take some sheath cleaner (I use Exicaliber), or you can use baby oil, and, GENTLY, rub it on.

Let it sit for ~3 minutes to work it's magic.

Using your hands, very gently rub away all the gunk. Don't use your nails-PLEASE, I suffered several kicks from my unhappy gelding the first time I did this.

Don't forget way up at the top, inside the little crevices.

Rinse it off with warm water, and don't be too mad if you don't get it all- there's always later.

If he won't take it, you can always use a calmer or have your vet do it.

Be sure NOT to look at it- you may throw up- it's really gross.

He will be happier without all that c**p up there itching and stuff. A clean horse is a happy horse (sometimes!)

You can do this 2x per year, or as often as it gets pretty dirty.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I'll probably get all kinds of thumbs down for admitting this, but I've never cleaned one either....and I have been around horses for 25 years.  I grew up on a ranch and we never even heard of doing that, but then we never bathed our horses either.  They were left to do their own grooming, I guess.

I do own one gelding, and I don't intend to clean him, either.  I understand they can develop problems (but doesn't mean they will, either), and I guess I am set in my ways and not one to "pamper" my horses.  I'm not saying you shouldn't clean them--I'm just admitting I never have and haven't had any problem with the geldings I've owned/ridden the last 25 years!

Anyone else?  Or am I the only one with dirty horses?  :)

Edit:  Yes, by all means, clean it....I was basically just admitting I never have and will check back to read what others have to say.  :)

Edit to Juliane:  Yay!  I'm not the only one!  I feel better now.

Answer 5

If its your first time, dear god keep your hands away from his junk. Reading up on the internet will not give you the know-how to do it properly, and your horse will probably hate you for you lack of technique on his bits and pieces. The best way to learn is to call a vet or somebody who has experience cleaning sheaths, and get them to show you how. Your gelding will thank you for it.

Also, some gelding can get pretty annoyed when you attempt to clean there, so it best to have somebody who can deal with that. He might kick, so for your first time together, you should get a more experienced person to see how he reacts. He'll probably be fine, but its better safe than sorry.

Answer 6

too A A.- not all of us are rich/lucky enought to be able to get a stable hand to do everything that we dont feel like doing. We do everything our horses need.

Anyway....I wish I could offer advice...but I can't!

I tried to do my geldings not long ago and I couldn't even touch his skin near there without him kicking out and getting totally stressed out. (he is very sensitive around that area! and doesnt like people touching it)

So i'm going to ask my vet for advice next time he comes round to give the horses their jabs and stuff.

good luck

Answer 7

Have someone hold him for you, get a low sitting bucket or stool to sit as it takes awhile. Try to do it during a warm part of the day in a sheltered area, my gelding will retract wayyy up if a breeze going and cools the area.

I use warm water (about a gallon) with about 2 tablespoons of non hypogenic baby shampoo, you can buy soaps especially for sheath cleaning tho. I use long dish washing gloves but some people do it bare handed but it has a lingering funk if you get the segma on you.

If there is a bean in the urethra it will be within reach of your first knuckle on your finger. To clean the shaft use your fingers to work off the accumulated segma. Sponge off the area once you've removed the bulk of the segma with your fingers. I don't have any advice to get the horse to let down as mine won't for me and I have to reach up inside the sheath to clean it. Be sure to rinse very well as soap residue can be very irritating.

Answer 8

Is there ANYONE, besides the vet, that you know is experienced in performing this cleaning that you can have come over to show you the first time?

My personal opinion is that although it's terrific that you want to learn to do it yourself, that your safety is more important that anything else.

I just recommend that your first attempt should be one that is done with confidence and a proven technique, not just for your safety, but so that your gelding is not uncomfortable. Doing so with an experienced handler with ensure that the next time you do it, the activity is not foreign to you or the horse.

Good memories of an event/situation with your horse helps to ensure that future attempts are pleasant.

Answer 9

I just did my geldings last night. You may want to expect your horse to react. He may kick upward so give a firm knock it off and maybe a smack.

It does smell really bad, so get gloves and maybe a little face mask, because it makes it harder to clean when you can smell it.

Good luck!

Answer 10

Baby oil collects dirt & doesn't wash off easy. Use baby soap or the soap they make for it. DO NOT clean more than 2 times a year & 3 times TOPS!!! IT will make for more problems if cleaned more than that. I use a hose, & the  bucket to hold the soap(if he drops then you can use the rag), put the hose on light & put up there & rinse.

Answer 11

Best to have someone show you how to do it the first time if you can.

It is also best to have another person hold the horse for you they tend to get less worked up if someone is holding them verus being tied.

Warm water a sponge and a good sheath cleaner. I use Excalibur it really loosens up the smegma.

Clean well but rinse better. It can be very irritating if not rinsed very well.

If you can get him to drop for you look for the "bean" in the pouch just above his uthrea tube. You can move the skin around and pull the stuck stuff out with your finger.

Good luck and no matter when you do it expect to find you have people watching when you are done.

No matter when I do my horses someone watches and ask all sorts of questions.

Answer 12

Be very careful - not all horses will let you do this - some get extremely upset and can kick and generally freak out.

If he seems at all unhappy with you touching him "there" stop at once and get the vet to do it for you.

Can you get a knowledgeable friend to give you a demonstration ?

It is really not a pleasant job and you definitely need gloves.

But seriously, and I mean this - if in doubt do not go there - it's not worth getting a kick in the face.

Edit> Daisy - I was told if it's never been cleaned then it doesn't need it - that cleaning it the first time sets it up to need doing regular. No idea if this is true or not, just what I heard. Both mine were cleaned before I got them so it's a necessary evil either way.

Answer 13

ugh prob my least fave thing to do haha i just get one of the stable hands to do it lol

Answer 14

I had the vet come out and do it the first time, so I could see what she did and everything. They had to sedate my horse since he started kicking, so you might want to see how he does with you touching him around there before you just start cleaning!

And prepare to get dirty. :)

Answer 15

I was taught by a friend who had worked at a very good thoroughbred farm.  Fill a very clean bucket with warm water, about 2 TBS of baby oil and then put a few pieces of  sheet cotton into it.  Pick up the cotton and reach up into the sheath. Then just swab it.  You can use softly running warm water to directly from the hose to rinse.

You should probably check to see if he is particularly resistant to your touch there, if so, you might want to use some kind of tranquilizer that your vet will provide. Most horses don't seem to mind having the sheath cleaned.  If you've got one who really tenses, plan to have the vet do it.  But try to desensitize him in-between visits.