Sheath cleaning is required to help maintain your horses health. Their are many different views on the subject and some people may suggest it should not be cleaned at all. The reason people say this is because overcleaning can interfere with the natural culture of bacteria which resides in the region. Disrupting this culture can leave your horse open to infection and disease.
Similarly not cleaning the sheath can cause an accumulation of smegma and dirt to build up, this may also lead to infection and disease in the sheath. The build up can also become encrusted and sharp and can cause extreme discomfort to your horse.
We would recommend that you have your horses sheath cleaned once or twice per year. You may wish to do this yourself if you feel confident enough. Alternatively you can use our service or call your veterinarian, both of which will be able to advise and provide a service best suited to your needs. We do however ask that you contact your veterinarian in the first instance if you have any immediate worries about your horses health.
If you do decide to clean your horses sheath yourself, we recommend that you use a proprietry sheath cleaner. There are several available and can easily be found at most good tack shops. We have also found that KY Jelly can be effective for smegma removal, although be aware that it can dry out quickly and as a result can cause discomfort when cleaning. It is important also to remember to rinse the sheath thouroghly after cleaning to prevent irritation.
Through feedback we are learning of many problems which are being solved through sheath cleaning.
Some horses with bucking problems have stopped completely after cleaning suggesting this may be a reason for the behaviour. We have also found some horses that fidget or walk off when being mounted have become more settled and willing to co-operate.
We firmly believe there are many similar problems that could be effectivly cured by sheath cleaning and bean removal and would like to hear from you if you've had a similar experience, please email us at equinecleansing@hotmail.co.uk