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I'm embarrassed to admit I have the opposite
problem with my gelding. He produces smegma like monsters
make slime. And, he likes to be "cleaned".
As some may already know, I'm relatively new to
horses (met wife 4 years ago and she had horses) got my first horse in 2000, a
mare (now my pasture ornament).
I got Jon in November last year. He is my
first gelding. When I got him his sheath was filthy and not particularly
clean and had a wax/goo buildup around the stomach in the sheath
area. I slowly had to get him used to the idea of my cleaning it with
warm water. At first I used warm water, and I treated it with furazone
(available at fine PetSmarts everywhere). I tried Nolvosan twice, but
the second time he told me it was too much. After few
weeks the wax/goo stuff went away.
For the last few months, I found "it" hanging
out whenever I was grooming, so I gave "it" a quick wipe to get the
loose "crusty" off. (I think that was my mistake). I
don't like to touch it any more than I have to, but mostly because I have
hang-ups about this sort of thing.
2 Months ago, I learned about "beans" and how what
I thought was the penis, actually has a smaller retractable area inside it
that also needs cleaning. My wife taught me by showing me a bean the
size of 2 large kidney beans, I mean it was huge. We thought he was
dropping because of the irritation, and that the behavior would end. I'm
not so sure now.
Now, I just go in. I've learned the best
thing to use is a rubber glove. The last thing you want is any of that
stuff on your hands, the stench will kill ya. I'm figuring that it
doesn't look sore or have raw spots or wounds of any kind, and he's not
complaining, that it's OK. I don't see any reason to ad anything
else. I haven't seen evidence of outside stuff (dirt, grass, hair, etc)
getting into any of his most delicate areas. I figure if it's OK, then I'm
ok without having to do more work than a biweekly or so bean check and
removal.
My guy doesn't seem to mind getting "it" cleaned,
and I suspect he's enjoying it, since "it" drops when he sees
me.
Charles
(I think I'm my horses alpha mare, and it's making
me nervous.)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 12:56
AM
Subject: [RC] sheath cleaning
Ok, ridecampers, here's a subject that is touchy, at least to some of the
horses I've asked!! I have a gelding who is finally getting over the
fact that I had his " eh, em's" cut off (by a
vet, under anesthesia), but some how he knew I'd ordered it and I am just now
getting him to let me touch "down there" without him trying
to kick my head off. He acquires quite a lot of smegma, and when I took
him in for his spring shots and checkup, I had the vet mildly tranquilize him
and check him out; he had a couple of sizable "beans" and she popped them out.
I asked her what I should use to clean him, and she told me just plain warm
water and a soft rag is best; forget the mineral oil, or baby oil or Excalibur
sheath cleaner because the oils cause dirt to stick, and the Excalibur has to
be rinsed extremely well, which most people
don't do.
So, now that I've gotten him to let me touch "it",
although he tries to hide it by sucking it so far up it's invisible, what do
you use to clean your horse and how do they handle
it? By the way, my vet said that she has a horse that has to come in for
a twice yearly cleaning as he actually gets
maggots in his sheath because it gets so
dirty!! Renie
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