My horse is swollen in an unusual spot?

Possible could be fly , bites then, hard to tell from pics looks even swollen, Atleast try to clean, to see if helps, then use swat, or something to keep flys from, so it does not get more irritated, Just trying to help, I hope that's the case just a simple, bite, Im sure it is....

I agree with the others. Many things can cause that. Fluids from a bite else where could settle there too. Keep an eye on it. Make sure he is not having any trouble urinating.

*refraining from making a comment about the back of a Volkswagon and embarrassing myself with a Mallrats quote*


If he was previously kept alone, and now is turned out with a mare, is there a possibility he could have mounted the mare (some geldings do) and picked up an STD?

I don't think so. Laredo hasn't tried mounting her and he's only been here for 6 days. Could it take affect that quickly?

ETA: I previously said it was 2 weeks but I didn't take in account that I've been here longer than him. I've been here for 2 weeks, he took a few days longer to make that long journey.

We had a horse at our barn that had that happen but I COMPLETELY forget what it ended up being.... so helpful I know :-/ but at least you can rest assured he didn't end up having to have a vet out or anything, so whatever it was wasn't serious. I know the girl cleaned the sheath and there was a lot of gunk in there, but I forget if that's all that was wrong or not.

Clean it, like others have said, if he will let you, and keep fly spray on it. :( ouchy... poor fella!

My gelding had that happen a few months ago and it was because he needed his sheath cleaned. I took him to the vet and let them do it and it also had a big bean in it.

I would definitely start by cleaning him and checking for a bean. If you don't have experience doing that, ask your vet or an experienced horse person to help you.

My guy started swelling just a tad in the sheath area, and he had also been walking stiffly (which I was scared was his hoof trim or arthritis) but anyway, after cleaning him and getting out lots and lots of smegma (dirty, greasy goobers, lol) now he walks much better, pees right away (on rides he used to stop and try to pee 2-3 times before he actually peed) and the swelling disappeared after a few days after cleaning him.

I feel like I have my horse back, because he even rides better!

And it's not like he was never cleaned, I cleaned him earlier this spring. But I guess a few months can make a big difference. He didn't even have a bean this time around, he just had lots and lots of smegma, which can get rough and dry around the opening of the sheath, and that is what was irritating him.

My older gelding looks like that often, and with a sickly sweet smell. My vet described it as the equine equivalent to a chronic yeast infection, that will never fully go away. He overproduces some chemical that keeps his system out of whack. He has to have his sheath cleaned at least once a month or he swells up and is miserable.

Thanks everyone. We're going to give it a few days to see if it goes down. And if it doesn't we're going to have the vet come out. :)