The Magical Fruit

Here is a picture of a bean (not the kind that goes in chilli) that I harvested from a gelding today. This is not the biggest one I have ever seen, but it is close. The bean forms in a little 'pocket' at the end of the penis, called the urethral fossa. Stallions and geldings secrete oils that attract dirt and debris, the resulting mixture is referred to as smegma. If you have a gelding, you know what I am talking about. Usually they develop a deposit of this smegma that develops in the urethral fossa. The smegma that forms in this area is called a 'bean.' These beans can become quite large and impinge on the end of the urethra- much like holding your thumb over the end of a garden hose. Because of the adverse affects this buildup of smegma can have, it is advisable to clean the sheath periodically. How often it needs to be cleaned depends on the horse. Here is a link to a more indepth article on the topic.
www.equusite.com/articles/health/healthSheathCleaning.shtml