If you regularly ride geldings or stallions, you may have notice a rather loud noise emanating from the horse's sheath area at times, most often when you're in a trot with him. If you choose to join
horse riding online discussions, you will find out other riders have asked about this as well.
What Exactly Is The Sheath?
The sheath is the tube of skin protecting a gelding or stallion's penis and depending on how far the latter has been retracted dictates how much air is trapped inside.
What Causes the Noise That You Hear?
The simplest answer would be "tension," and that comes in a variety of forms.
Sheath noises are usually the result of a stiff hind end. In the days when horses were kept tied in stalls, this was the most common reason for stiff hindquarters, as the animals were kept immobile for hours on end.
In today's modern world it now is caused by the horse's feelings of restriction - be they psychological or physical. As the stallion (or gelding) becomes more anxious, the more air that becomes trapped inside the sheath and results in the loud noises emitting when he moves.
What's the Best Way to Reduce or End the Sounds?
Since this noise is brought on by anxiety, the first step is to find a way to relax your gelding.
Horses are very sensitive to their riders, so if you're feeling tense, perhaps because you're preparing to show, then he'll pick up on that; new surroundings or unfamiliar horses can also create tension.
He could even be tensing up due to the way you're riding him. This situation is likely to occur when it's a horseback riding for beginners situation. Have you paid attention to how you're applying your aids, or perhaps you're asking him for more difficult moves than he's ready to do?
One of the best ways to get him to relax is send him forward freely, on light contact, and asking for energy from the hind end. Then ride some serpentines, circles, and large loops, including frequent transitioning between the walk, trot, or canter. Another exercise would be to post to the trot and then sit out of the saddle during the canter to allow him to relax his back and be able to carry you without his spine being stiff.
If you're know you have advanced enough in your riding to be able to ask for shortening and then lengthening within the gaits, do so while you create engagement of his hind quarters with your leg aids pushing (but not hurrying) him into that steady rein contact.
You'll know that your horse has become both relaxed and supple when the noises cease. With this experience you'll be able to enter a horse riding online discussion and share with other riders how you and your horse were able to work through this situation!
