When a person begins to ride a horse, one of the first tasks they learn is how to take care of their new friend. And this includes basic grooming tasks, as it’s important to make sure their horse is healthy. And, as many horse lovers will tell you, grooming their horse is a satisfying and calming experience. It serves both the horse and the person well in that it’s a wonderful bonding experience that also has health benefits to both you as the groomer as well as the horse.
Why is horse grooming important?
If you ride or own a horse, you already know that a frequent grooming routine is paramount in caring for the animal. It’s an opportunity to check the horse for any injuries, sore areas, skin irritations and is also essential in spotting early signs of serious health issues. It’s also a great opportunity for you to form a bond with your horse. This bond makes riding your horse all that much more enjoyable, as it improves the horse’s mood and overall well-being.
The benefits of horse grooming are vast. Probably the most important benefit is that routine grooming helps to improve the horse’s skin and coat health. And the more you groom your horse, the more you’ll see that grooming is almost all about brushing. Brushing your horse stimulates blood flow in their skin because you are essentially massaging the horse’s muscles which relaxes your horse and keeps him or her calm.
Keeping your horse well groomed also reduces the risk of skin irritation related to riding tack (saddle, bridle, reins, etc). Grooming your horse just before riding will help to reduce the chances of skin chafing once you put your tack on. And a quick brush after riding removes sweat and dirt.
What horse grooming tools do you need?
There are a lot of horse grooming tools that you can use. Most horse groomers would suggest the following as must-haves. These basic tools will do an incredible job, making you and your equine companion proud of the work you have done.
- Hoof Pick: Essential for maintaining hoof health, removing debris, and preventing bacterial infections.
- Grooming Gloves: These versatile gloves facilitate gentle massaging and effective hair removal during grooming sessions.
- Coarse Curry Comb: Ideal for loosening dirt, debris, and shedding hair while providing a stimulating massage for your horse’s muscles.
- Dandy Brush (stiff, long bristles): Designed to remove stubborn dirt and debris from your horse’s coat, leaving it clean and vibrant.
- Body Brush (medium bristle): A versatile brush for daily grooming, effectively removing dirt and promoting a healthy coat.
- Finishing Brush (with soft bristles): Adds a final touch of shine to your horse’s coat while removing remaining dust and enhancing the grooming experience.
- Face Brush (with soft bristles): Gentle on sensitive facial skin, this brush ensures thorough cleaning without causing irritation.
- Mane & Tail Comb and Brush: Essential tools for detangling and grooming your horse’s mane and tail, enhancing their appearance and preventing knots.
- Curved Sweat Scraper (with rubber edge): Perfect for removing excess sweat and water after rides, promoting faster drying and preventing skin issues.
- Damp Cloth or Sponge: Handy for wiping down your horse’s face and sensitive areas, ensuring cleanliness and comfort.
Hoof cleaning and general horse review
Typically, a cursory review of your horse is a good place to start. Many horse owners start their grooming session with a general checking of the horse along with hoof cleaning. Horse owners should take any grooming opportunity to run their hands over the horse just to make sure there are no lumps, cuts or scrapes.
Once your horse is checked, hoof cleaning is typically next. Remove all manure, dirt, or anything else from your horse’s hooves. Many horse owners will tell you that you should clean your horses hooves more frequently than grooming. Picking your horses hooves as often as daily does help to reduce the risk of bacterial infections.
It’s almost all about brushing
As mentioned earlier, your horse benefits from frequent grooming because it helps to improve your horse’s skin and coat health. Brushing induces blood flow in the horse’s skin and helps to release oils that make your horse’s coat look shiny.
Horse groomers typically start by using a curry comb. “Currying” your horse works to loosen dirt while massaging the horse’s muscles and stimulating the skin. Once you’re done currying, horse groomers will use a dandy brush with stiff bristles to remove dirt and hair that the curry comb loosened. Some groomers choose to also use a body brush, with medium bristles, to remove anything that the dandy brush may have missed.
Groomers use the finishing brush with soft bristles to remove any remaining dust. This also brings out the shine in your horse’s coat. Some groomers may use a finishing brush on the horse’s face. You wouldn’t want to irritate your horse’s facial skin, so as long as the brush has soft bristles, then this is something you can do.
Many horse groomers like to leave the mane and tail for last. Mane and tail combs and brushes are used with the goal of being able to comb from the top to the bottom without your grooming tool getting stuck in a knot.
Conclusion
As you can see, horse grooming can be a rewarding experience for both you and your horse. Regular grooming and hoof cleaning is not only good for keeping your horse in good health, it’s also therapeutic for you as the groomer. You will get the opportunity to bond with your horse while also getting some physical exercise while doing it.
