sheath swelled up on gelding

[Anonymous]

howdy. question for you:

I have a gelding mule on my farm. Sunday, a friend brought out a Quarterhorse mare to board. The mare is in heat. My mule has been around mares in the past, but this one got him very worked up. We kept them in separate, but adjoining, pastures. I awoke yesterday morning to find him in her pasture (he had jumped the wire fence). He was mounting her (she was standing to be mounted). I also noticed that his sheath swelled up like a water balloon. His penis could still protrude, but this swelling existed around it. I separated him (put him in a stall). Even with the penis drawn up, he still has a 10" long swelling hanging down. My vet advised (over the phone) that he must have cut it going over the fence and that I should give him a 10 minute "water massage" with the hose. I did so yesterday morning, but the swelling hasn't gone down. I have a call in to my vet to get him to come out and take a look.

Two questions:

1. should I expect him to react like this to that mare now in perpetuity? Will he ever get over her and act "normal" again? I have one other john mule and two other gelding quarter horses that are not acting like this to her at all.

2. has anyone had experience with a swelled sheath like this before?

thanks



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[Anonymous]

> howdy. question for you:

> I have a gelding mule on my farm.
> Sunday, a friend brought out a
> Quarterhorse mare to board. The
> mare is in heat. My mule has been
> around mares in the past, but this
> one got him very worked up. We
> kept them in separate, but
> adjoining, pastures. I awoke
> yesterday morning to find him in
> her pasture (he had jumped the
> wire fence). He was mounting her
> (she was standing to be mounted).
> I also noticed that his sheath
> swelled up like a water balloon.
> His penis could still protrude,
> but this swelling existed around
> it. I separated him (put him in a
> stall). Even with the penis drawn
> up, he still has a 10" long
> swelling hanging down. My vet
> advised (over the phone) that he
> must have cut it going over the
> fence and that I should give him a
> 10 minute "water
> massage" with the hose. I did
> so yesterday morning, but the
> swelling hasn't gone down. I have
> a call in to my vet to get him to
> come out and take a look.

> Two questions:

> 1. should I expect him to react
> like this to that mare now in
> perpetuity? Will he ever get over
> her and act "normal"
> again? I have one other john mule
> and two other gelding quarter
> horses that are not acting like
> this to her at all.

> 2. has anyone had experience with
> a swelled sheath like this before?

> thanks

Sounds as if at some time in the mares horse/ heat she became excited and may have kicked the mule. They will kick andnot try to hurt the stud, but it is a part of the play pasture bred stallions get used to. This is why most breeders will hand breed the stallion, to prevent this type of behavior. I have a gelding that the mares fall over all the time and while he wont breed he shows some excitement. When he was newly gelded he tore through 5 different fences to get to a mare. He was a 3 yr. old when he was gelded. He had been sold at stud before I purchased him.Hope that helps!! Cindy

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