Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Sheath Cleaning

Wow. It's really hard for me to admit that I have just come to realize that
I don't know as much about horses as I thought I did. My 35-year-old gelding
just died in February and not once has this conversation ever come up in my
lifetime or has anyone including my vet, ever mentioned to me that there was
such a thing as sheath cleaning. I've lived a sheltered life away from other
horse owners for the past 30 years just being a by-myself-backyard rider and
was a teenager before that. I never noticed anything dirty or out of the
ordinary with my gelding but I sure am wishing that my vet could have
brought the subject up. My horses have always gotten regular check ups and
vaccinations and teeth floated, etc. and you'd think that would be something
on the list of things he'd suggest, right?? I always relied on him just like
we do when we go to the doctor. I guess I don't have to worry about since I
don't have a gelding anymore but you guys sure got me wondering. Boy, have I
learned a lot, getting back into endurance riding and being on this list!

----- Original Message -----
From: "Carolyn Burgess" <carolyn_burgess@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 7:47 AM
Subject: [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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