Not only is grooming good for your horse’s health, but it can be an enjoyable chore in which you get to know your horse better! Which is why it’s so important to know how to effectively groom your horse.
Benefits of a good brushing
A well groomed horse is a pretty sight, however; they’re many other benefits to grooming your equine. Grooming maintains skin and coat, stimulating blood flow and spreading natural oils. Because of this, it also helps to reduce risk of skin issues and scratches. As you brush your horse from top to bottom, you are forced to thoroughly look over your horse’s entire body. This is a great way to spot injuries you might have missed and it forms a clear picture of what your horse looks like so that you can tell when something is amiss.
Grooming tools
It’s important to have the right brushes and equally important to know how to use them properly. First things first, ya need a tote, bag, or box to keep it all in. One that is sturdy and transportable. *I use a hard plastic black box with a lid & handle and a few dividers to keep things organized. But get creative and use what works for you; they’re so many cool options and ideas out there!* Now here’s the brushes you will need.
- Curry comb: from metal ones to plastic and rubber, this tool excels at removing dust, grime, and loose hair from your horse’s coat.
- Hard brush: AKA dandy brush or body brush, this basic body brush is stiff and used to clean off dirt.
- Soft brush: this brush is used on sensitive areas such as legs and face, to remove dust.
- Mane & tail brushes/combs: Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, this handy cool is used to detangle the horse’s mane and tail.
- Hoof pick: This is used to remove gravel and dirt from your equine’s hooves.
- Face brush: An often tiny brush, can you guess what it’s job is? It is especially created to brush the very sensitive part of your horse.
Grooming Routine
For best results, groom your horse daily and follow this routine.
- Start with the hooves. Working from heel to toe, pick the mud and manure out of your horse’s hooves.
- Curry Comb the fleshy parts of the body starting with the neck and working toward the hind quarters. Moving the curry comb in a circular motion to effectively remove the dirt and grim stuck in your horse’s coat. * If you are diligently grooming your horse daily or keep them stabled or blanketed there might not be much dirt to remove.*
- Next run a hard brush (body brush) over where you just curry combed, continuing to start with the neck and work across the body for both sides.
- Now use a soft brush on your horse’s face, legs, and under belly. *Note some websites and/or horsemen will recommend a step between hard brush and soft brush in which you use a medium brush over the entire body. I was not taught this step and though I can see how it could be beneficial, if you are thorough enough with the hard brush, going over spots that need extra brushing, I certainly think this middle step wouldn’t be necessary. But it is for each of us to decide. Let me know in the comments if you do this step?!*
- Comb out the mane and tail. You might consider using some detangler spray if necessary to help.
- Apply show sheen or other coat conditioners to make your equine’s coat shine! This step is optional and not one that I do, however; it is useful for show ponies or horses in need of a coat boost!
It is important to routinely brush your horse, ideally every day, to ensure his coat and skin health. Grooming can really be a chore. It can leave you with dirty fingernails and arms. * Are your arms and fingernails dirt caked after you finish grooming your horse like mine are?!* But it really is a great time to bond with your horse and get to know his mannerisms. I enjoy grooming my horses and often hum a song as I do so. Hopefully this post showed you how to be effective in your grooming, or maybe it reminded you of a step or brush your forgetting.
Tails & trails,
Reese
Sources I used to help write this post! https://blog.smartpakequine.com/2018/03/secrets-to-an-effective-horse-grooming-routine/
https://www.farnam.com/stable-talk/grooming-tools
I love how passionate you are and how much knowledge you have about your horses. This was a great read!