I think it's a good idea to do it once or twice a year. When my instructor's vet came out to the ranch to clean all the geldings, one of them had a bean that was 1 1/2 inches across, but he didn't have any visible problems urinating. Sometimes you won't be able to tell when there is a problem.
Great article. Very true on it depending on the horse entirely. My friend's bay gelding has never had a problem in his lifetime of 23 years, but just last week, I was asked to take a look at another brown 14 year old gelding. He had formerly been gentle, well-mannered, and bombproof, but in the past two months he'd began bucking which had steadily gotten worse, and he was no longer a suitable horse for his owners! A friend and I quickly noticed his extrememly dirty and flaky male parts. The day I was scheduled for a training session with him to "cure him of bucking," I went to the barn early, got a sponge and went at it. It was the WORST sheath I've ever seen in my entire life. The job took about 45 minutes, but I could instantly see enormous improvement in his liberty of motion afterwards! When I saddled him up, he crowhopped and bucked a little at first, but then he realized there was no more pain! Now he's back to his old gentlemanly self. So that just goes to show you how detrimental a dirty sheath can be! :( Again, a very wise article, but by the way, Ms. O'Brien spelled "peek" wrong. :D lol!!
Does my horse have arthritis ? There's a couple lumps on her feet just above the front hooves. Acts like her feet hurt but there's nothing wrong with the hoof. She is 25 yrs. old.
BECKY: a of all this is not where you leave questions to horse illustrated and B of all it is not fair to wait for interernet replies while your horse suffers. ASK THE VET not the computer, here on Horse channel it is a great place to post things like " when i go into the sitting trot i have problems whith saying supple in the saddle. i bounce every where" not things like "my horse is thrashing around in his padock and rolling while he neighs and cries. i think he has coloic, should i call the vet?" honestly, im not saying this to be harsh, i want your horse to get medical advice as early as possible.