If you have ever been exposed to horse grooming you probably said to yourself, “what’s with all of those brushes?” It’s true, there are a lot of different brushes that are used to groom a horse. What you might not know is there are differences in them and they all do have a purpose. Let’s review some of the core brushes used and what the key differences are.
Most groomers will say that a curry comb is the first tool used when grooming their horse. Curry combs are used to help to loosen up the dirt and dander on the horse’s coat. The added benefit is that they also help to distribute the natural oils of the horse’s skin.
To learn more about curry combs read our ranking of curry combs.
Many horse groomers use a dandy brush after they are done currying their horse. This brush has long stiff bristles and its main purpose is to sweep off loose dirt and hair that has been surfaced by the curry comb.
A body brush is a tool with shorter bristles. This brush typically has soft or firm bristles and they help to remove some dirt and loose hair. Similar to the curry comb, the body brush helps to distribute the oils which will produce a deep shine on the horse’s coat.
A finishing brush is what a groomer will use to finish off their horse grooming session. It typically has soft bristles much like a face brush. It helps to remove any remaining dust as well as smoothen out the hair and natural oils along the horse’s coat.
A face brush is a soft bristled brush that is small and is mainly used for just the horse’s face. The face tends to be a sensitive area on a horse so you want to be sure you use the right type of brush.
A mane and tail comb or brushes are horse grooming tools used on the mane and tail to help with tangling or matting. Groomers will say that shorter maned horses typically require a mane comb (wide toothed). Longer manes or tail lengths will need a mane/tail brush.
Conclusion
As you can see horse groomers have a lot to think about when it comes to the various brushes used to get the job done right. Horse grooming really is a step by step process that requires a level of knowledge and understanding what brush is best to use when.
