East Anglian Equine Sheath Cleaning

16/01/2024

I had a message recently from a regular customer who has her horses' sheaths cleaned twice a year. She had just added a new boy to the family and had concerns about a lump she had seen on the tip of his p***s. I went out yesterday and found he had a rather large bean in the tip. The lump she could see was the black nobble of the bean protruding from the end, just above the urethra.
Bean removed, sheath fully cleaned and thankfully no abnormalities found; just one lucky boy who is now with a lady who is really on the ball and spotted his issue! 😃

28/12/2023

Have you ever considered having your horse's sheath cleaned? There are various reasons for cleaning occasionally as listed on the image.

Sheath cleaning is becoming more mainstream as part of the routine maintenance of horses, along with things like dentistry, physio, saddle fitting and farriery, which is a real positive for horse welfare.

I am a BEHA approved professional sheath cleaner, which means by booking my service you will be booking a professional who works to a very high standard of cleanliness, with the walfare of all horses as my top priority.

Please visit the BEHA website to find out more about the code of practice all the sheath cleaning members adhere to. www.beha.org.uk

If you'd like to find out more about my service and check availability please message me via my page (East Anglian Equine Sheath Cleaning), or WhatsApp/SMS/call 07885 535887.

I cover all of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, and most of Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Christine 🙂

23/12/2023

I'd just like to say a huge thank you to all my lovely customers for making 2023 another successful year.
I'm not intending to work between Christmas and New Year, but am more than happy to answer messages and book you in for January onwards, so please feel free to message me.
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Looking forward to seeing you all in 2024! Christine 🙂

12/11/2023

This picture demonstrates perfectly how having an annual clean keeps on top of bean formation. 9 of the 10 boys here were cleaned a year ago. 1 was new to the yard so most likely hadn't been cleaned for some time, if ever! All of them will be feeling much more comfortable now.

Thank you to Caroline Colwill and all the gorgeous boys at Bylam Livery Stables for another great day. It's always a pleasure to come and see you all!

30/10/2023

***Thank you for all the enquiries- I am now fully booked for 1st Nov. Please contact me if you'd be interested in a future date***

Due to a cancellation I have availability this Wednesday, 1st November in the Stevenage/Hertford/Ware/Bishops Stortford area. I'm travelling to Stevenage from Colchester, so if you are located anywhere in between and would be interested in booking a sheath clean, I can visit for a reduction on the normal travel charge.

Please message me with your yard postcode and approximate number of horses. Thank you, Christine 🙂

22/10/2023

Just to let you know I'm away on holiday this week (23rd to 27th Oct 2023) riding in the forest!

Replies to messages might be a bit delayed, so please accept my apologies. I will reply to everyone by the end of Sunday 29th, if not before.

Christine 🙂

20/10/2023

If you're thinking of booking a sheath cleaner, BEHA (which I am a member of) has some useful advice to consider.

Christine 🙂

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=769734081622465&id=100057576395988&sfnsn=scwspmo

04/09/2023

My profile is now live on the BEHA website!

The British Equine Hygienists Association is setting standards in sheath cleaning and mare hygiene; becoming a member demonstrates that a professional sheath cleaner meets industry standards of best practice to ensure cleans are carried out effectively, safely and hygienically, while safeguarding your horse's welfare.

If you'd like to visit the BEHA website you can view my profile at the link below. Christine 🙂

British Equine Hygienists Association (BEHA) Approved. Sheath Cleaning, Mare Hygiene, Bean Removal & Intimate Health Checks

01/09/2023

A whopper of a bean from a lovely lad today who was having his first clean in 14 years. I'm in no doubt that he will now be feeling an awful lot better ❤️

21/08/2023

I'm excited to announce that I have just become a member of the British Equine Hygienists Association (BEHA)!

BEHA is a consortium of professional, independent sheath cleaners and hygienists across the UK, who strive to provide the highest standards of care and service. After going through an application and interview process, where my working practices, knowledge and experience were assessed, I have been accepted as a member of the group, representing East Anglia.

This membership not only demonstrates my level of professionalism as a sheath cleaner, but also opens a channel for me to tap into a wealth of experience, expertise and further training opportunities.

I'm very excited to now be part of BEHA 😀

After quite a rigorous selection process, we are finally in a position to welcome our newest BEHA member, Christine Wonnacott of East Anglian Equine Sheath Cleaning.

Christine shares our passion and commitment to improve standards in our industry and is keen to help us fulfil our mission.

Welcome to the team, Christine! 🙂

18/08/2023

***Edit - after posting this morning I've finished working for the day and see I've received a huge response! Thank you to everyone. I will reply to every direct message I've received and will try to pick up as many post comments as possible (although these can sometimes be hard to find). If I don't reply to everyone this evening, I will respond by the end of tomorrow (Saturday) ***

There are many reasons why an occasional sheath clean is beneficial. These include:

• Removing thick sm**ma from the pouch which can be irritating and attractive to flies

• Gently cleaning away the flaky, dead skin from the p***s, which if left to become thick and woody can make the delicate skin beneath sore, and in severe cases stop him being able to drop his w***y out at all

• Enabling a bean to be removed which can be very painful for the horse if it has grown large in size. As it is located inside the end of the p***s, above the urethra, it can put pressure on the urethra making it harder for the horse to pass urine, and ultimately may stop him being able to wee at all

• It is a chance to check inside for any lumps and bumps or other abnormalities you would otherwise be unaware of.

I'm coming to the Luton area from my base in Colchester on Tuesday 22nd August 2023, and have availability from about 11.30am onwards for bookings anywhere from Luton to the east.

If you are interested in possibly making a booking, please send me a message with your postcode and how many horses would like to be seen, and I can let you know prices and arrival time.

Thank you, Christine 😊

04/08/2023

Found a nice article about sheath cleaning on the British Horse Society's website. I've pinched a couple of extracts for this post, but the whole article can be found here -

https://www.bhs.org.uk/horse-care-and-welfare/health-care-management/horse-health/sheath-care-for-geldings/ #:~:text=There%20are%20no%20formal%20qualifications,potential%20issues%20aren't%20missed.

26/07/2023

Just a note to say Facebook direct messages are playing up again by not always giving you a notification of my reply. If you message me and haven't received a reply within 48 hours please open the conversation your end and there will be a response from me. I always reply to everyone who messages me, normally the same day, but certainly by the end of the following day.
If in doubt please feel free to WhatsApp, text or call 07885 535887.
Christine 🙂

31/05/2023

Warning: maggots are about!

It's that time of year again when we need to be vigilant for maggots in the sheath.

It's not something that affects the majority of boys, but for the minority they are a very unpleasant problem.

I have this morning taken about 20 maggots out of the sheath of a lovely lad who had a medium amount of grease build up, not even excessive.

This is the second one in two weeks that I have seen that has had them.

Signs to look out for (earlier stage):
Tail swishing
Stamping or kicking at the belly

Then a few days in they will appear more distressed:
Sweating
Lying down and getting up
Belly sensitive

If you notice any of these signs, please either contact me or ask your vet for advice. The signs can appear a lot like colic, so if the vet is attending, and especially if colic treatment isn't working, please also ask them to check inside the sheath!

06/05/2023

So many beautiful horses involved in the Coronation today ❤️
Hope everyone has a lovely Bank Holiday weekend.
Christine x

08/02/2023

***Tuesday 14th February now fully booked, thank you 🙂***

I am taking bookings for March and beyond, so please feel free to contact me for alternative dates.

Due to a cancellation I have availability in the Wisbech, Downham Market, Thetford area this Tuesday, 14th February between about 11.30am and 2.30pm.

I'm based in Colchester, going up to Wisbech first thing for one horse, so ideally it would help me out to be able to see some more in the area 🙂

Please pop me a message with your yard postcode if interested and I can let you know prices and a more accurate arrival time.

Thank you, Christine.

26/01/2023

A lovely review from a recent yard visit 😍

28/12/2022

If you've got big (or small!) plans for the new year to get your gelding/stallion back into work or progress further in whichever discipline you do, you might like to consider having a sheath clean.

There are various problems people have experienced in horses with beans or other sheath-related issues, such as reluctance to go forward or jump, stiffness behind or problems with lateral work, bucking or general grumpiness. So along with routine checks such as saddle fitting, physio, etc, sheath cleaning is always a good idea to include.

Under normal circumstances it's recommended that the sheath should be cleaned once or twice a year. It's a gentle procedure and I only use the mildest of products (waterbased lubricant and water), and most horses actually quite like having it done, so if you have a boy who is due or maybe has never had a clean before, please pop me a message using the Send Message button on my page with your yard location (if the Send Message button doesn't work, which I have been told happens in the past, please feel free to text/WhatsApp/call 07885 535887).

Happy new year! Christine 🙂

23/12/2022

🎄🎄🎄 I'd like to wish all my customers and their horses a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Looking forward to seeing you in 2023! Christine x 🎄🎄🎄

05/12/2022

POSSIBLE TECHNICAL PROBLEM

A couple of people have told me recently they haven't been able to send me a message using the Message button on this page.

I will do my best to investigate and raise it with Facebook!

In the meantime, if you experience any problems, please contact me by text, WhatsApp or call 07885 535887. I always aim to respond the same day, but if I'm particularly busy it will certainly be by the following day.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

Christine.

11/11/2022

People often ask why sheath cleaning is done when in the past the advice was normally to leave it alone if there wasn't a problem.

Sheath health is not a new issue!

Horses have always suffered with beans, sm**ma and sheath problems. I remember as a child in the early 1990s a gelding on the yard I was at had sheath cancer, which made him look quite uncomfortable. My first gelding in 1993 had a big bean that stopped him being able to put his w***y away properly; I removed it and the problem was solved! Horse anatomy has not changed, so it has always been an issue.

These days we are far more aware of horse health generally, and thankfully awareness of the need to gently clean and check the sheath occasionally is spreading, and sheath cleaning is becoming a routine part of horse care for many people. However, there is still an undercurrent of reluctance in some places.

30 years ago people would have laughed if you said you were getting your horse a massage, or if you consulted a nutritionist they'd ask what was wrong with just feeding chop and bran like everyone else? Sheath health awareness seems to have been slower to progress than other areas, but awareness is increasing and attitudes are improving as more people begin to understand the issues and see the benefits.

In brief, the benefits are:
To remove sm**ma from the pouch which can be irritating and attract flies
To clean off dead skin which can be hard and crusty and can make the skin sore
To remove any bean that may have formed in the tip which can be painful and can interfere with the ability to pass urine
To enable any abnormalities such as lumps and bumps or skin conditions to be discovered

If you'd like any further information or would like to find out prices and availability, please send me a message via my page, East Anglian Equine Sheath Cleaning, with your yard postcode and approximate number of horses.

Christine 🙂

12/09/2022

When people think about sheath cleaning, quite often they only consider bean removal as being important. I am often referred to as 'the bean lady', which is fine, but there is more to proper sheath cleaning than just bean removal.

There are 4 main benefits to professional cleaning:

• Removing irritating sm**ma from the pouch, which can be quite smelly and attractive to flies

• Softening and washing away flaky skin from the p***s, which, if thick and crusty, can make the delicate skin underneath sore

• Checking for and removing beans from inside the tip of the p***s, which can be uncomfortable and can interfere with the horse's ability to pass urine if large

• A general health check of the sheath. If I find anything out of the ordinary I will always let you know.

If you'd be interested in booking a clean, please send me your yard postcode and roughly how many horses it would be for (I'm happy coming for individuals or groups).

I'm currently taking bookings for mid October onwards. If you feel it's more urgent let me know and I'll do my best to squeeze you in sooner.

Christine 🙂

16/08/2022

BEWARE OF MAGGOTS IN THE SHEATH!

With all the hot, dry weather we've had lately, when we finally get some rain the flies are going to come out with a vengeance!

If you have a male horse who suddenly shows colic-like symptoms (kicking at the belly, lying down and getting up, sweating, raised heart rate, appearing tucked up) it is definitely worth checking in the sheath.

Having a dirty, smelly sheath pouch attracts flies and provides a perfect medium for flies to lay their eggs in. Even those who are not particularly dirty though can suffer with fly strike in there. Some horses unfortunately just seem prone to attacks, but when the weather is hot and damp, instances of maggots in the sheath increase.

If this occurs, so that the horse is showing signs of distress, it is best to contact the vet as the maggots may have damaged the skin and the horse might need treatment, such as antibiotics or painkillers.

I'm posting this for information, to increase awareness of the issue, as it's far better to identify fly strike in the sheath early on, before colic treatment commences, which of course will not have any effect!

(Please take care checking the sheath, especially if the horse is distressed. If the vet is attending for the colic, you can ask them to check the sheath for you).

12/07/2022

A lovely review from a new customer last week ❤️

08/07/2022

Can you be sure your horse hasn't got a bean?

There are several signs such as kicking and stamping, tail rubbing, swollen or puffy sheath, reluctance to canter, jump or stiffness behind..... however, some horses show no signs at all.

And just because the sheath looks clean, it doesn't mean he is bean free. I have found some of my biggest beans in horses with relatively clean looking sheaths.

The bean in the picture I took out of a TB this week whose owner had no idea it was there.

Beans are a hard build up of dry urine, minerals and skin cells in a cavity inside the tip of the p***s. They become more annoying and painful as they get bigger, and eventually can affect the horse's ability to pass urine.

Please contact me to book a clean, where I will clean the sheath pouch and p***s itself, check for anything unusual or abnormal inside the sheath and remove any bean he may have.

Even if he hasn't been cleaned or checked for years, please don't worry. A one off 'MOT' is still really beneficial for a horse living with the discomfort of a big bean.

Christine 🙂

08/07/2022

Sharing this again as it's that time of year!

With the hot, wet, humid weather we are experiencing this summer there have been an increase in the number of flies around and consequently we are seeing more cases of maggots in horse’s sheaths.

28/06/2022

I have availability on Monday 4th July in the Thetford-Diss area. Due to a postponement, I’m now coming from Colchester for one horse, so if anyone else would like to book in nearby I’d be happy to come for half the normal callout charge. If interested, please message me with your yard postcode and number of horses, and I can give you prices and advise what the arrival time would be. Thank you, Christine 😊

19/05/2022

Had a bit of extra assistance with a customer today. This was a new one for me! 🐱

15/04/2022

***Only one appointment at 3pm remaining***

Would anyone in the Wisbech, Kings Lynn, Downham Market area like a sheath cleaning visit on Thursday 21st April?

I'm currently booked for one customer near Wisbech, and am looking to see if anyone else nearby would like to book in. Being based in Colchester, when I travel longer distances it really helps me if I can visit more than one customer that day (especially with the fuel situation as it is).

There are several benefits to having an occasional sheath clean, from easing irritation from dead skin and grease build up, to checking for any abnormalities such as lumps and bumps and skin conditions to removing beans which can have serious implications for the horse's ability to pass urine if allowed to grow very large.

If you are based in Wisbech, anywhere nearby, or on the way back to Colchester and are available on Thursday late morning/afternoon please visit my page, East Anglian Equine Sheath Cleaning and send me a message.

Christine 🙂

15/04/2022

Being based in Colchester, when I travel longer distances it really helps me if I can visit more than one customer that day (especially with the fuel situation as it is). I've had a cancellation on Tuesday 19th April, so am currently coming to Great Yarmouth for one booked appointment.

There are several benefits to having an occasional sheath clean, from easing irritation from dead skin and grease build up, to checking for any abnormalities such as lumps and bumps and skin conditions to removing beans which can have serious implications for the horse's ability to pass urine if allowed to grow very large.

If you are based in Great Yarmouth, anywhere nearby or on the way back to Colchester, and are available on Tuesday afternoon please visit my page, East Anglian Equine Sheath Cleaning and send me a message.

Christine 🙂