# Getting Gelding to Drop (clean sheath)



## kittersrox

How do you get your gelding to drop so that you can clean his sheath? Do you have to stick your hand in there and pull it down? :shock:


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## BigGreyHorse

Please don't attempt to pull the horse's penis down. That's painful for the horse and a really good way to get kicked. He doesn't have to extend to be cleaned. If you would rather do it that way or he isn't comfortable with the whole thing, wait until the next vet visit.


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## kittersrox

You can clean it without having them drop it? And I'm not going to do a full fledged cleaning, just a little clean up until the vet does it again.


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## JumperGurl

All the geldings I have owned have never dropped when I was cleaning their sheath. I have always just cleaned it out that way.

It is called sheath cleaning for a reason. You don't actually have to clean their penis because the sheath keeps it fairly clean. The dead skin on it will eventually fall off. It's the dirty and grime inside of their sheath that you want to clean out.


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## Saranda

It is something very intimate for the horse and by no means should it be forced! Yes, a gelding can be cleaned without dropping, but you can work with him to make him trust you more and drop it eventually. I am sorry if this sounds inappropriate, but start with rubbing/massaging the outside of his sheath, not trying to push your hand inside it, but just making him comfortable with you being around his sheath. Many geldings enjoy such rubbing and are more likely to drop when stimulated in this manner. But remember to keep slow, kind and undemanding, when you do it. For the horse it is about the process, not the result - if he gets relaxed enough, he will do it automatically.

Not all geldings are the same, JumperGurl - mine, for example, usually keeps his penis quite dirty and I have to clean it, too, not just the sheath, or else it gets just as grimey as the insides. And remember about the beans - it is much harder to extract them if the gelding doesn't drop.


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## kittersrox

JumperGurl said:


> All the geldings I have owned have never dropped when I was cleaning their sheath. I have always just cleaned it out that way.
> 
> It is called sheath cleaning for a reason. You don't actually have to clean their penis because the sheath keeps it fairly clean. The dead skin on it will eventually fall off. It's the dirty and grime inside of their sheath that you want to clean out.


What do you do about the beans?


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## kittersrox

Saranda said:


> It is something very intimate for the horse and by no means should it be forced! Yes, a gelding can be cleaned without dropping, but you can work with him to make him trust you more and drop it eventually. I am sorry if this sounds inappropriate, but start with rubbing/massaging the outside of his sheath, not trying to push your hand inside it, but just making him comfortable with you being around his sheath. Many geldings enjoy such rubbing and are more likely to drop when stimulated in this manner. But remember to keep slow, kind and undemanding, when you do it. For the horse it is about the process, not the result - if he gets relaxed enough, he will do it automatically.


Okay, I'll probably try that! I wish I had paid more attention to how the vet got him to drop it when he did it last time.


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