Every male horse benefit from sheath cleaning, because they get beans and a build-up of smegma due to the inevitable build-up of grime in that area of their anatomy. Having beans will cause your horse discomfort a bit like walking with a stone constantly in your shoe.Mares can also be affected by beans. Many people dont realise this, they think its a problem only for the boys, but mares can get beans in their vulva. Sosheath cleaning is an important part of taking care of any horse.However, it needs to be done correctly and at the right intervals.What is a bean?A bean is a hard mass of skincells, fat cells, dust and urine thatcollects at the tip of the horses penis, ina small pocket just above the urethra. This is the tube that urine passes through.Just above the urethra is a pocket of space called the urethral fossa, and this is where a build-up of dirt and grime can happen, which results in hardened beans. When the beans get so big that they interfere with the horses ability to pass urine properly, it can lead to all sorts of infections and kidney problems. Generally, when a stallion or gelding has severe beans, they will be in obvious discomfort.A bean I removed while sheath cleaningSigns that a horse needs sheath cleaningIf you suspectyour horse has a bean, look out forsymptoms including, but not limited to:A swollen sheathTail rubbingKicking up at the sheathBucking when riddenFeeling stuffy from behindBehavioural changesWhy is sheath cleaning necessary?The pros of sheath cleaning for horses are:To allow for the removal of hardand sharp smegma that can beuncomfortable for some horses.To check for any beans and thesafe extraction of those.It is an opportunity to do a healthcheck of the sheath and penis,making sure there are noabnormalities such as penilecancers. This is particularlyimportant to do in the summer, ashorses are then at higher risk ofgetting fly strike (maggots).Your horses sheath has a population of friendly microorganisms that help maintain a healthy balance within. If you clean it too frequently, youll kill these microorganisms, disrupting this balance and your horses sheath is likely to get even dirtier. Thats why its best to clean a sheath once or twice a year (ie every six to 12 months) and not more often than this.Are there any downsides to sheath cleaning?The only negative effects that canresult from sheath cleaning are if itis done too frequently, which canaffect good bacteria levels and causesoreness. I have known people toclean weekly; Id never recommendthis, unless its under veterinaryguidance for a particular reason. It is generallysafe for owners to tryand clean their own horses sheath,as long asyou feel safe to do so especially ifyou have a tricky horse or one who is unfamiliar with the process and you know how to do it correctly.Some horses can gothrough life without a sheath cleanand not show any signs ofdiscomfort. What they do iscompensate for the discomfort,because horses still have thatsurvival instinct, even though oursare domesticated. In the wild, theweakest would be eaten, so theyhave to show they are strong.What is the cleaning process?I use a mild soap or a water-basedlubricant to soften, loosen and start togently remove the chunks of smegmaand dried skin on the penis. At thispoint, we would have detected a beanand removed it, if the horse had one.We then wash through the sheathwith clean warm water to clean it out.Finally, we flush the sheath through toremove the final bits and any residue.My advice for those with horses thatare unsettled with being touched is tostart by using grooming sessions tohelp desensitise them.Groom the horse as usual and, asyou brush under the belly, gentlybrush across his sheath and betweenhis hind legs. Dont make this a bigissue and dont just make a beeline forthe sheath build up to it.Gradually you can spend more timehere, so your horse is used to someonebeing in that space and becomes more tolerant of it.Can mares be affected by beans?Yes, mares can get beanstoo. These are located at thebottom of her vulva, inbetween the creases. Its goodpractice to routinely clean inbetween and around their teatsas well, removing any hard,waxy build-up. This also givesyou an opportunity to check forany abnormalities. As humans,we check ourselves regularly forany lumps and bumps, so itsworth familiarising yourself withyour female horse and whatsnormal for her.Ultimately, sheath cleaning and checking a mare for beans isnt the most glamorous job and many owners prefer not to have to do it themselves. So rather than leave your horse unchecked and potentially feeling uncomfortable, you can ask someone experienced like myself to do it for you. Thats why I set up my affordable sheath cleaning service.Related contentHow a horses digestive system worksLearn to read and understand your horses behaviourGastric ulcers in horses: why the time of day you ride and feed is so importantMoody mare? Why its essential to help a mare in season by understanding how shes feelingThe post Horse sheath cleaning: how, why and when it needs doing appeared first on Your Horse.