Grooming Techniques - What They Are and When to Use Them

Ideally your horse should be groomed everyday and you will need a good quality grooming kit to get the best results. There are several essential items for your kit and here I will list them with their purpose.

Body Brush - A soft brush to lift surface dirt and dust from the coat Dandy Brush - A hard bristled brush to remove dried mud, sweat and grass stains from the coat Water Brush - A medium stiffness, white bristled brush used to remove more stubborn sweat stains Curry Comb (plastic/rubber) - To remove dried mud from the body only, not to be used on the legs of face Curry Comb (metal) - Used only to clean the body brush, this brush should NEVER be used on the horse Hoof Pick - A plastic or metal hook used to remove mud from the hoof, this should NEVER be used on the frog Sponges - Used to clean the eyes, nose, muzzle and dock. There should be a different sponge for each area Sweat Scrapper - A stiff plastic arch similar to a window squeegy, used to remove excess water after bathing your horse. All items of the grooming kit should be washed weekly in warm water and mild detergent. Dip the bristles and rinse well but try not to submerge the wooden handle as the water will damage it. Dry the brushes bristle up and oil leather backed brushes. Store your grooming kit in a clean, dry box.

There are a few techniques for grooming your horse depending on the results you require.

Quartering / Brushing Off

This is done in the morning before exercise. The feet are picked out, stable stains are removed and the mane and tail should be brushed through. The eyes, nose and dock are sponged clean.. This is a quick clean and should only take 15-20 minutes.

Full Groom

It is preferable to do a full groom when a horse has already been exercised as his skin will be warm and loose. First pick the hooves into a skip bucket, brush of any dried mud and sweat from the body with a dandy brush or rubber curry comb or wash with water if necessary and dry with a towel. Then clean the remaining dust from the coat with the body brush. Brush the legs using the body brush but if this is not strong enough the dandy brush can be used. Use the body brush and the fingers to brush through the mane and tail a few locks at a time. Gently use the body brush on the face. Sponge the eyes, nose, muzzle and dock using separate sponges for each area. Lay the mane neatly with a damp water brush and wash the hooves. When the hooves are dry apply oil.

Washing

Washing can be done to remove dirt and sweat or simply for appearance when showing. Luke warm water and a sponge or water brush should be used. Soak the body, legs, neck and mane with water. Dissolve horse shampoo in the water and scrub it into the coat not forgetting the belly, legs and dock. Put the tail hair into the bucket and rub well to remove dirt, use extra shampoo if necessary. Wash the head and forelock with a sponge but not with soap, you do not want shampoo in your horses eyes. Rinse the horse very thoroughly. Use the sweat scraper to remove excess water from the body. Dry the face, ears, legs and heels with a towel and spin the tail dry.

The stable kept horse will require grooming daily to maintain good health. It will excrete a large amount of waste product through the skin which must be removed.

The field kept horse needs only modified grooming, full grooming or washing removes essential oils from the coat which are needed to help keep the animal protected from the elements. He only needs surface mud removing, feet picked out, sponging of the eyes, nose, muzzle and dock and a quick tidy up.

Precautions To Be Taken When Grooming Your Horse

When grooming or washing your horse always have him tied up, wearing a head collar tied to string which is threaded through a stable ring. Take care around the frog and the cleft of the foot when picking the feet out as catching it could cause the horse to kick out or stamp, potentially hurting you. Never get yourself positioned between the horse and the wall, horses do on occasion decide to squash people against walls and it hurts! Crouch when brushing legs, never kneel or sit on the ground. If you are crouching you can move more quickly out of the way if need be. Rest your spare hand on the horses hock when brushing his legs so he can not flex his hock and kick out Stand close to the horse so it is difficult for him to kick you. Untie the horse when brushing his face and be careful not to bump the bony areas of his face with the brush as this could cause him to shy away from you. When cleaning the tail/dock stand to the side so you cannot be kicked. These precautions may seem a little over the top, especially if you know your horse very well but horses are unpredictable animals. They are easy, practical tips to ensure your safety. Adhering to these precautions will help to prevent accidents and incidents and ensure safe and happy grooming of your horse.