Ridecamp: [RC] Sheath Cleaning

I have 3 geldings and do sheath cleaning as a side business.  I have done 
some very difficult horses, one who had been gelded at 10 with no 
anesthesia.  He was very touchy and wouldn't let me near him.  On a really 
difficult horse, one that is trying to kick you, pick up the front leg of 
the side you are working on.  Some horses can't kick with the front leg off 
the ground, but some can.  But I haven't found one yet that can kick you 
with the rear leg on the same side that you have picked up the front leg on.

The tools of the trade are: a small bucket with tepid water, sheath cleaner 
and an old towel, cut into 6" squares.  I always use a cleaner, usually 
Excalibur.  But the trick with the cleaner is that they need to be dissolved 
in very warm water, then mixed into the bucket of tepid water.  I like it to 
be very soapy to help loosen the dirt and other junk that they get up there. 
 It is the junk in the sheath that is important, not the yellow stuff that 
sticks to the penis and can be peeled off.

You can wash a horse even if they won't drop and even get the beans out of 
the penis without them dropping if you know what you are looking for.  The 
sheath has the front "pocket", but once you put your hand in and keep going, 
there is a second sphincter and another compartment, where they hide their 
penis.  That back compartment usually isn't as dirty as there front one, but 
does need to be cleaned. The beans are in a pouch that surrounds the 
urethra.  If you palpate the head of the penis you can feel the beans under 
the skin.  The biggest bean I ever got out was my newest horse, who I got 
last year.  When I did his sheath for the first time, one of the beans was 
the size of an golf ball.

To make sure that you rinse well, either us a bucket of clean, tepid water 
with a clean towel or, just stick a hose up the sheath and rinse.

Carolyn Burgess



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