Gelding scars - who knew?

[KBC]

I certainly didnt

I had a body worker come to visit Mellow this week, first time using this person, but she is highly thought of around the barn. Things started off normally, and then she asked about his sheath, had to admit that I have yet to get up close and personal with him, so she dived in and came out with a handful of gunk. So she gave him a good clean, and removed a decent size bean.

Then she went back in, and said that he had ‘gelding scars’ and we was very tight in there. Now he is 8 now, was gelded as a 6 year old, so it sounded plausible, but at the same time kind of weird as you make Loire conversation to someone giving your horse an intimate massage, on a first date, trying to get him to relax, and get a little more mobile.

So, I’m an old lady, coming from the UK I hadn’t even heard of beans until I came here, not sure if that because of geography, age, or just because though. I came home a googled, and who knew, it’s a real thing, and explains a lot.

Hoping that everything we are doing helps me get my placid and willing boy back.

[OverandOnward]

I was told & showed by a body worker that my gelding must have had the simple brutal procedure that kills nerves. Leaving him with cold spots on either side of the area most affected by those particular nerves. And some weakness in those spots.

I learned about sheath cleaning as an adult, it was a topic that was skipped in my extensive horsemanship teaching as a minor lesson student. I must not be the only one that was skipped with this lesson, because I cleared an impressive pile of gunk out of my gelding’s sheath after I brought him home from the track. It took some time, doing a number of partial efforts, because he was unfamiliar with the procedure and not at all copacetic about it. He’s a bit more patient now - and a lot cleaner.

Thank goodness for the sheath cleaner products. They really have helped reduce how much the horse notices the cleaning process.

[CindyCRNA]

Yeah my body guy said the same thing about my guy but I am skeptical. I am kinda thinking it may be wu hu.

[vali]

My daughter’s horse just had surgery yesterday because the spermatic cord had formed adhesions to the cremaster muscles after he was gelded. Apparently not as uncommon as you would think.

[KBC]

@vali

My daughter’s horse just had surgery yesterday because the spermatic cord had formed adhesions to the cremaster muscles after he was gelded. Apparently not as uncommon as you would think.

How did you realize he had an issue?

[vali]

He wasn’t overtly off and has been competing successfully at Prelim level eventing but he had a few things that made us think he was uncomfortable. He often would buck when he first started jumping, and seemed uncomfortable going down hills. We checked out hocks and stifles, and our vet ultrasounded his back and palpated his sheath, and thought she felt the adhesions and saw something on ultrasound. She blocked the relevant area, and had my daughter ride him before and after, and there was a dramatic difference when he was blocked. She referred us to Dr. McDonald at Pioneer Equine for the surgery, and he found adhesions on both sides.

[OverandOnward]

@vali

He wasn’t overtly off and has been competing successfully at Prelim level eventing but he had a few things that made us think he was uncomfortable. He often would buck when he first started jumping, and seemed uncomfortable going down hills. We checked out hocks and stifles, and our vet ultrasounded his back and palpated his sheath, and thought she felt the adhesions and saw something on ultrasound. She blocked the relevant area, and had my daughter ride him before and after, and there was a dramatic difference when he was blocked. She referred us to Dr. McDonald at Pioneer Equine for the surgery, and he found adhesions on both sides.

I am so glad you posted this. I know a horse that this would explain a lot of things. Worth a look. Thank you!

[KBC]

My boy had for a while started pinning his ears when being tacked up, being spooky in the arena, felt a bit ‘humpy’ under saddle. Only had him since June, so figured it might be the ‘testing time’ In a lesson program, and have a saddle maker, fitter on staff as an instructor “WHOOP” I now know that the whispers I was getting, I should of listened to my gut and got him checked out. He had to shout like this, https://youtu.be/txjM2hPsmIw before I heard him. This little dude is usually so laid back, energy conserving, this was completely out of character. I could of put it down to, “a little fresh” but I knew it was more.

[cardinale]

Wow. I didn’t even know there were multiple ways to geld, barring complications or an older stallion. Is the “simple brutal procedure” performed by vets? Or something non-vets do? I’d like to know so that the next time I have one gelded, I can find out what the vet has planned.

[vali]

My vet Diane Isbell has written an article on the subject on Equitopia. My understanding is that the standing procedure under local sedation is more likely to result in adhesions because it’s harder to get a clear view when performing the procedure. OTOH it’s more risky to geld under general, and sometimes the vet does nothing wrong but they just heal poorly. One thing we did notice with our horse is that he never seemed comfortable having his sheath cleaned, unlike our other geldings, although I’m not sure that’s always a correlation with gelding scars.