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T O P I C R E V I E W
Kes
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 08:27:37 AM Amazingly in 32 years of riding and ownership I've always have mares, not deliberately, it just worked out that way. Now I have a lovely gelding...with crustiness (apologies for those eating breakfast whilst reading this). How do folks 'clean' their boys please. I've seen sheath cleanser but whenever I gone in for the clean, it has um, gone..back up So, can someone give me some safe methods for cleaning boy bits, Kes has never kicked but I'd rather not irritate him into to doing so.
13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Honeyb060674
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 11:48:06 PM Reading this with apprehensive interest!! Having a mare for 20 years kind of eliminates the involvement in 'boys bits' (other than to laugh hysterically at numerous friends attempts of coercion on their geldings stinky widgies ) Tillyben, I'm sure the chugging noise you've heard is caused by trapped air, not certain but it's what I've heard (secretly praying it's not an indication of unclean ) I would imagine as Mrs V said that baby oil could smart somewhat too on any sensitive skin, I've got it in cuts before & it stings like a good un
tillyben1
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 11:21:53 PM I have a gelding who doesnt mind his " bits " being cleaned but i dont know how to locate the bean lol and the smell is disgusting.
also when my gelding is troting he makes a noise down there and i was always told its because his " bits " need cleaning is this true.
complete novice
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 6:55:11 PM I found this page though I expect a lot to be american, the water will be warmer
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 6:08:25 PM Thanks everyone, good humour too
Mrs Vlacq
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 5:04:27 PM Be careful with baby oil, I've known severla horses react really badly to it and slough massive areas of skin from the slightest contact.... Aqueous cream is my tip - you can slap it on whether he drops or not and wipe with a damp cloth afterwards. Simples
Roseanne
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 4:53:24 PM Ha ha that made me laugh Offira! The bit about labelling the yoghurt that is...
I recall a story Linda Hannaford's husband told us about the next door neighbours having a barbeque with friends one nice summer evening, and Linda was getting Shalkar (stallion) cleaned for a show. They were dumbfounded as Linda was getting well to work on Shalk who was making it very easy for her shall-we-say!!
Offira
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 3:13:50 PM I use natural yoghurt, the live stuff (not flavoured obviously ). leave it out of the fridge for an hour or so to bring it up to temperature and 'live' again. Smear liberally over parts including up into sheath. My gelding always drops when I brush his back legs so I take the opportunity to do a spot check! This is also a good time to check for the 'bean'.
Two things you absolutely must do is: 1. label yoghurt 'Horse yoghurt' or it will get eaten by fridge raiders (serves them right I say) 2. When about to start clean boy bits, check the area for blokes (who seem to find the whole thing fascinating), your mum, your granny, a school trip . They all seem to appear like magic and go off traumatised for life
complete novice
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 2:37:01 PM Disposable gloves and some baby oil, my gelding is never shy till the glove comes out but is quite happy to stand while I have a rummage, depending how recent I've done it the muck should be soft and waxy and easy to remove, he can't stand water so a hose pipe etc would never work.
Pauline
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 12:14:28 PM connormum
I use the Baby Oil trick and then when they have their teeth done and are sedated I will give it a really good clean and then cover the penis with vasaline.
Although my boy is happy to drop his for me.
I do the same with my mares too by using warm water and then Baby oil
connormum
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 11:53:27 AM Hi Carole,
Everyone at my last yard swore by squirting Baby Oil at it. I've not tried it myself yet, but will give it a go, but I haven't seen it since this cold snap
Kes
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 10:37:46 AM Thanks Zareeba, when this very cold weather has passed I will try the above :)
Zareeba
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 09:15:52 AM I wouldn't worry too much about it going back up - you can still clean the 'bits' although of course it does make life easier if he 'drops'. Just use warm (not too warm - just enough to be comfortable for the horse) water - otherwise the bacteria which normally live on the skin of the p**is may be killed off, reducing or even eliminating protection against infections. I've found that Arabs tend to dislike having their legs and belly splashed, so try to avoid this if you can. If you think the horse might cow-kick, one tip is to hold his hind leg just above the hock - that way you can feel when a cow-kick is imminent and get out of the way (a gentle but firm grasp just there might even be enough to forestall any kicking, although I wouldn't count on it). Persistence is the key - not to force him to have it done, but just to persuade him that it's not so terrible after all.
For fairly obvious reasons, it's generally easier to persuade a stallion to 'drop' than a gelding, though this isn't always the case - some stallions can be quite shy in this respect. If your boy won't 'drop' then you need to get water into the sheath - some people find a hosepipe useful, but I wouldn't recommend it if all you have is cold water, especially in winter! I've sometimes been reduced to cupping water in my hand and just putting my whole hand in there, using the water to soften the 'crusty bits'.
This is the procedure used at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's clinic - they use it on their stallions, but of course it applies to geldings as well:
1. The handler of the stallion positions the stallion to stand under control, for example, parallel to a padded wall. The stallion handler stands on the near side almost in front of the stallion, but out of the way of a strike.
2. The washing technician approaches at the shoulder of the stallion, running the back of the left hand along the neck, shoulder and abdomen of the horse until standing with the left shoulder of the technician touching the side of the stallion. The erect p**is is firmly grasped with the left hand midway along the shaft, It is gently directed toward the handler. 3. If the stallion moves away, the technician should attempt to move with the horse, without flinching or otherwise reacting. The stallion needs to learn two things: (a) The procedure is not going to hurt him (it actually quickly appears pleasant to most stallions), and (b) nothing the stallion does will avoid the procedure. In other words, his movement does not stop the washing of the p**is. 4. If the stallion kicks, explosive punishment should be avoided. Gentle discouragement and continuation of the job so that the stallion gets to know that it can be pleasant and that it leads to the opportunity to breed is usually the best strategy for all but the most dangerously resistant stallions. 5. If the stallion should thrust forward or the glans penis should flower from the stimulation, no discipline is necessary. Gently deflecting the p**is downward toward the back legs naturally reduces the tumescence. Cooler wash water is less likely to stimulate thrusting or flowering. It is useful for most handlers to appreciate that the horse is not misbehaving, just responding positively to this unnatural procedure. 6. All that is necessary to adequately cleanse the p**is is gentle massage along the shaft to loosen flakey debris, with warm water splashed from a cup or towel onto the p**is. Up and down stroking motion abrades the surface and is unnecessary. 7. Some horses resent having hot water splashed on their hind legs or abdomen and scrotum. With experience technicians can effectively deliver a vigorous splash of water to the p**is without hitting the belly or legs. 8. The glans p**is is deflected with the thumb to rinse out the fossa and any smegma ‘bean.’ 9. The base of the p**is is an area with heavy smegma accumulation that cannot be effectively cleansed. It is often best left undisturbed. 10. Care should be exercised to allow water run-off to flow toward the base rather than the glans p**is, which was just cleaned. 11. The p**is is dried by wrapping and blotting with a clean cloth or paper towel from glans to base direction. This keeps the glans cleanest. Rubbing abrades the delicate tissues and is unnecessary. 12. Nondisposable fabrics are generally too abrasive. Air-drying for a minute or two is also adequate.
Common mistakes
Ditzing with the head of the horse during washing of the penis Startling the stallion by simply grasping the p**is without warning Too light or too rough handling of the p**is Abrading the p**is by vigorous rubbing of the shaft Splashing water on the belly, scrotum, or hind legs Reacting each time the horse flinches or lifts a leg, teaching him that he can control human behaviour
Sue McDonnell, Chapter 4 of Equine Breeding Management and Artificial Insemination. (Saunders (Elsevier) 1999).)
Hope this helps!
Suelin
Posted - 04 Feb 2012 : 09:03:12 AM Judith has the perfect rhyme for this little task. Where is she?
)
) I would imagine as Mrs V said that baby oil could smart somewhat too on any sensitive skin, I've got it in cuts before & it stings like a good un 
and the smell is disgusting.
). leave it out of the fridge for an hour or so to bring it up to temperature and 'live' again. Smear liberally over parts including up into sheath. My gelding always drops when I brush his back legs so I take the opportunity to do a spot check! This is also a good time to check for the 'bean'.
