Cleaning your horse’s genitalia starts well before you put on the glove. Desensitization training for your horse starts well before the actual cleaning. Work with your horse consistently and regularly to desensitize them to being handled in this sensitive area before you begin cleaning. Never introduce your hand without warning. Go slow and work your way along the belly, wait for him to relax and breathe a deep sigh. Practice this often and when you feel your horse is accepting of the touch, it is time to begin. It’s safer to stand off to the side and a foot closer to their ears rather than directly behind the horse and have a handler that can watch the horse’s reactions.
Author
Tools of the Trade
Cleaners like surgical scrub, antibacterial soaps, petroleum-based products like baby oil, and even mild soaps can irritate and dry out your horse's skin, disturb the pH balance, and destroy the beneficial organisms and his natural protective skin oils in this delicate area, causing irritation, skin that cracks as it folds and unfolds and inflammation from chemical burn. I like to use natural liquid glycerin as it is very gentle, moisturizing, maintains the pH balance, and doesn’t contain chemical irritants. It also breaks up the smegma very easily and quickly. Follow with a flush of warm water.
Horse's Sheath Blured
Dirty horse sheath blurred
The Cleaning Process
If the penis is not dropped, you can carefully reach into the sheath and gently try to pull it out. If the penis is still not dropped, you can clean the penis while it is inside the sheath.
Most often it will have to be cleaned while inside, as only a smaller percentage of horses will drop. Lubricate your hand and touch his canal area and watch his reaction. Gently and slowly coat the canal area and take note of the debris. Is it gooey, flaky, dry, chapped, or wet? Resist the urge to pick anything off as you may irritate his skin. Wait for the smegma, (the gooey, caked-on matter you want to remove) to loosen, and wiggle it off with your fingers. Feel all areas for buildup and remove as you go. Keep your other hand on his stifle area to feel any reaction to your cleaning, usually, you can feel him and back away before he was to kick or lift his leg.
When cleaning the penis while it is inside the sheath, be sure to get it all the way to the base of the penis. There is a second chamber hidden behind the canal, and you need to reach back in there to distribute the lubricant and work the smegma loose. Carefully remove any beans, the pea- or bean-shaped waxy buildup of dirt and dead skin cells, from the tip of the penis. Some horses get beans regularly, some just build up one after infrequent cleanings, and some tend to not get them at all. Be gentle. This is often the most sensitive part of the cleaning. Rinse well several times with plenty of warm water, removing all traces of debris from the folds to avoid skin irritation.
Yes, Mares Can and Do Get Beans
Although less common than in males, some mares because of their anatomy may have a similar waxy buildup causing noticeable irritation.
Common causes for beans depend on conformation, or if the mare has previously foaled. After foaling, her conformation changed, stretching her vulva and allowing a buildup in her folds. In some older mares, conformationally, their anus is sunken inward. This causes the vulva to tilt, allowing the mare to defecate on top of her vulva and contaminate her genitalia. In addition, the lips of the vulva may not seal as tightly. Also, mares could develop beans after their estrus cycle. Every time the mare goes into season, a little bit of contamination could remain in her tissue folds, and hygiene plays an important role in bean prevention.
The easiest way to check her for beans is to do a gentle swoop with your fingers in the “U” of the lower folds of her labia. There are commonly tiny pockets where the beans are located. If there is a bean, it is small, and taking it out is a lot like removing a pea from a pod, a gentle massaging wiggle forward to bring it to the surface.
But after you check for beans, her udder area needs to be cleaned also. Mares have sebaceous glands within the skin of their udders. The buildup in the udder folds is very similar to the smegma males get, but it tends to get more dry and flaky, causing her an abrasive irritation as she moves. The debris accumulates from bedding, dirt, dust, sweat, and arena surfaces. If left untreated it can cause irritation and infection. This can be a very sensitive area for her so be careful. Clean her teats and check for any irregularity or sign of swelling which could be mastitis, and inflammation in the mammary glands that is quite painful. After you have softened and loosened the buildup, rinse the area well. Follow by cleaning the dock of her tail and around the delicate folds of her anus and vulva, and rinse or wipe well.
How Often to Clean?
Some horses regularly accumulate more build-up and require more cleaning. It’s best to start with seasonally cleaning four times a year. You can then determine whether your horse needs it done more or less often. In various regions of the country, the severity of bug exposure can vary. Summer sores can cause flies and irritating gnats to be attracted to the dirt and buildup in the sheath area. Regular cleanings and checking can keep you ahead of the game, problem-free, and keep your horse comfortable.
Stefanie Guillaume, CESMT, is the owner of Flying Changes Equine Massage & Wellness and Stud Crud Busters, a professional sheath cleaning service in Florida.
As an accompaniment to this article, Stefanie will be doing a series of instructional videos on her website. Visit www.makeaflyingchange.com for help or to ask any questions. As always in the equine field, stay safely within your skill levels and if you have any doubts consult a professional.