Equinecleansing

The sheath is the protective covering where the penis is housed. A natural lubricant called smegma is sercreted inside the sheath. In many horses excessive build up of smegma mixes with dust and dirt collected in the area to create a foul smelling dark material which should be removed to relieve discomfort and promote the general health of the area.

An example of smegma.

What should be remembered is that there is a massive difference in the lifestyles of wild equines and the horses we keep today. Geldings rarely use their penis for anything other than urinating and as such do not have as much opportunity for natural cleaning of the sheath. In addition to this, time spent in restricted muddy or dusty field or stable environments and lengthy periods being ridden in arenas, schools, and off road hacking can all cause an unnatural build up of dirt inside the sheath.

There are many symptoms that show a horses sheath needs cleaned. Some horses may show all the signs, some may show only a few and many show no signs at all. Things to watch for include, a build up of smegma on the inside of the back legs (a kind of dark and sticky substance and difficult to remove), a foul smell emanating from the horses groin area, kicking out towards the sheath and tail rubbing in an effort to relieve hard to reach discomfort.

Not necessarily, many people have different opinions and it is often said that this is a sign of a dirty sheath. From experience it has been noted with some horses that this noise can become more prominent after cleaning and in our opinion is caused by moisture creating an echo as the horse moves.

The bean is a small lump of hardened smegma that forms in the urethral sinus (the Urethral Sinus can be found just above the opening of Urethra). In some cases it has been known to grow to the size of a walnut and can cause problems with urinating.

This bean was removed from my own gelding. This picture demonstrates the size that it can become however this was actually about two thirds of his bean as some had already broken off during removal. Donny@equinecleansing.

Yes.

However many horses are extremely sensitive in this area, even more so than within the sheath itself. If either you or ourselves are concerned there is a bean causing problems and it cannot be removed by us for whatever reason, we will advise you to seek assistance from your veterinarian.

Not necessarily. We work quietly and sympathetically with the horse to achieve the best results. We have worked with many horses which have been difficult to handle, successfully and without sedation. However, safety is our top priority and occasions can occur when we will not be able to carry out the procedure. Should this occur, we will advise you to seek the assistance of your veterinarian.

 Normal cleaning should take place 1 or 2 times per year and certainly no less than 4 months apart. If the area is over-cleaned it is possible to disrupt the natural balance of bacteria which survives in the area and can cause infection and disease.

Mares also secrete smegma around the udders which can become encrusted and sharp and should be removed if its causing problems. A classic sign to watch for here is tailrubbing (in an attempt to relieve discomfort elsewhere). Mares may also kick out towards the udder area if they are uncomfortable.

Many mares are reluctant to allow access to this sensitive area but can be won over with sympathetic handling. Equinecleansing can provide a sympathetic service to your mares needs in this area.