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Sheath
Cleaning
Have
you done your gelding/stallions lately?
First, we need to discuss a few things
that are necessary prior to cleaning your horse's sheath. We
all know that it isn't the most pleasant experience, but it
is essential to your horse's health! Therefore, it must be
done regularly.
Part
1: About Sheath Cleaning...
WRITTEN
BY: Cheryl Sutor [1998]
What
is "smegma"? Smegma is a collection of
dirt and excretions, builds up inside the sheath and must be
removed for the sake of the horse's health. It is not the
most pleasant thing to do, but it is essential. If you don't
or can't do this, you should have your veterinarian clean
your horse's sheath at least every 6 months.
What is a
"bean"? A firm lump of smegma that has
collected and hardened inside the horse's penis. This lump
or "bean" must be removed as often as possible. It
can cause serious pain to your horse. There have been
thousands cases in the last year where the bean is
overlooked by the owner and becomes so large that the horse
can no longer urinate...which may also cause other problems
due to blockage.
What cleaning products
should you use?
1.) Soap: K-Y jelly, Excalibur soap, betadine soap,
or other mild soap such as Ivory. The choice of soap is
entirely yours. However, if you horse is afraid of the
hose/baths, you can leave off the rinsing step only if you
use K-Y jelly and no other type of soap. The K-Y jelly will
allow you to slide off most of the debris and smegma from
inside your horse's sheath without the use of water. If you
use betadine soap or other mild soap, be sure to rinse the
entire area completely. If a soapy residue is left behind,
it can irritate and dry out the area.
2.) Latex Gloves: You will also need a pair of Latex
gloves (lubricated extremely well) if you want your hands to
stay fairly clean. If not, you will have to lubricate your
hands and wash them well when you are done. You may have to
stop while cleaning to add more lubrication to your hands or
gloves.
How do you get your
horse's penis to extract?
1.) You can reach into the sheath, grasp the penis
lightly and gently ease it out, or rub along the sheath in
the area between the sheath and penis to get it to drop.
(This area is shown as "B"
in the diagram below).
2.) You can tranquilize the horse. Once tranquilized,
the penis usually becomes relaxed enough to extract on its
own. However, this method is not recommended unless
supervised by a veterinarian.
One of the most important things to remember when cleaning
your horse's sheath, is to be patient and gentle. Don't be
in a rush. Never be rough with your horse's genitals, or you
may end up injured. If he hasn't been taught to accept
humans handling his genital area, it is very important that
you teach him. He will have to periodically have his
genitals cleaned throughout his entire life.
A: Where you will find the
'bean'.
B: Inside the sheath area.
Part
2: THE CLEANING PROCESS...
WRITTEN
BY: Patricia Harris [1998]
1.) Check to make sure there are no prospective
boyfriends, elderly neighbors, or Brownie troops with a line
of sight to the proceedings. Though of course they're
probably going to show up unexpectedly ANYWAY once you're in
the middle of things. Prepare a good explanation.
2.) Trim your fingernails short. Assemble horse,
hose, and your sense of humor (plus, ideally, Excalibur
cleanser and perhaps thin rubber gloves).
3.) Use hose (or damp sponge) to get the sheath and
its inhabitant wet. Uh, that is, do this in a *civilized*
fashion with due warning to the horse; he is apt to take
offense if an icy-cold hose blasts unexpectedly into his
personal regions ;-)
4.) Now introduce your horse to Mr Hand . What I find
safest is to stand facing the horse's head, with my shoulder
and hip snugly against the horse's thigh and hip so that if
he makes any suspicious move such as raising his leg, I can
feel it right away and am in any case pressed so close that
all he can do is shove, not really kick. The horse should be
held by an assistant or by your free hand, NOT tied fast to
a post or to crossties. He may shift around a good bit if
he's not happy with Mr Hand's antics, but don't be put off
by that; as long as you are patient and gradual, and stick
close to his side, he'll get over it. Remember that it would
be most unladylike of you to simply make a direct grab for
your horse's Part. Give the horse a clue about what's on the
program. Rest your hand against his belly, and then slide it
back til you are entering The Home of the Actual Private
Part. When you reach this first region of your destination,
lube him up good with Excalibur or whatever you're using. If
the outer part of his sheath is really grungy you will feel
little clods and nubblies of smegma peeling off as you grope
around in there. Patiently and gently expedite their
removal.
5.) Thus far, you have probably only been in the
outer part of the sheath. The Part Itself, you'll have
noticed, is strangely absent. That's because it has retired
shyly to its inner chambers. Roll up them thar sleeves and
follow in after it ;-)
6.) As you and Mr Hand wend your way deeper into the
sheath, you will encounter what feels like a small portal
that opens up into a chamber beyond. Being attentive to your
horse's reaction, invite yourself in . You are now in the
inner sanctum of The Actual Private Part. It's hiding in
there towards the back, trying to pretend it isn't there.
Say hi and wave to it . No, really, work your finger back
and forth around the sides of it. If the horse won't drop,
this is your only shot at removing whatever dried smegma is
clinging to the surface of the Part itself. So, gently
explore around it, pulling out whatever crusty topsoil you
find there. Use more water and more Excalibur if necessary
to loosen attached gunk.
7.) When Mr Hand and the Actual Private Part have
gotten to know each other pretty well, and the Part feels
squeaky clean all around, there remains only one task:
checking for, and removing, the bean. The bean is a pale,
kidney-shaped accumulation of smegma in a small pouch just
inside the urethra. Not all horses accumulate a bean, but
IME the majority do, even if they have no visible external
smegma. So: the equine urethra is fairly large diameter, and
indeed will permit you to very gently insinuate one of your
slimmer fingers inside the urethral opening. Do so, and
explore upwards for what will feel like a lump or
"pea" buried no more than, I dunno, perhaps
3/4" in from the opening. If you do encounter a bean,
gently and sympathetically persuade it out with your finger.
This may require a little patience from BOTH Mr Hand AND the
horse, but the horse will be happier and healthier once it's
accomplished. In the rare event that the bean is too
enormous for your finger to coax out, you might try what I
did (in desperation) last month on the orange horse: Wrap
thumb and index finger around the end of the Part and
squeeze firmly to extrude the bean. Much to my surprise it
worked and orange horse did NOT kill me for doing it and he
does not seem to have suffered any permanant damage as a
result ;-> I have never in my life seen another bean that
enormous, though.
8.) Now all that's left to do is make a graceful exit
and rinse the area very thoroughly in apology for the
liberties you've taken . A hose will be MUCH easier to use
here than just a sponge and bucket, IME. Make sure to direct
the water into the Part's inner retreat too, not merely the
outer part of the sheath. This may require you to enfold the
end of the hose in your hand and guide it up there
personally.
9.) Ta-da, you are done! Say, "Good horsie"
and feed him lots of carrots. Watch him make funny faces at
the way your hands smell. Hmm. Well, perhaps there is ONE
more step...
10.) The only thing I know of that is at all
effective in removing the lovely fragrance of smegma from
your hands (fingernails arms elbows and wherever else it's
gotten) is Excalibur. Even then, if you didn't use gloves
you may find you've got an unusual personal perfume for a
while. So, word to the wise, do NOT clean your horse's
sheath just before an important job interview or first date
;-) and of course, there is that one FINAL step...
11.) Figure out how to explain all this to your
mother (or the kid from next door, or the meter reader, or
whoever else you've just realized has been standing in the
barn doorway speechlessly watching the entire process.)
Now, go thou forth and clean that Part :-)
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©Copyright
2003 Moniteau Saddle Club
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