Grooming your horse

Mar. 04, 2008

By: Jason Sewell

The first time you groom a horse can be overwhelming. There is a huge pile of equipment such as combs and brushes. You might ask yourself when or why I would ever use these things. Where do I start grooming my horse? Do I start at the mane or the tail? By the end of this article you should have a better understanding of all of these necessary things.

While everyone grooms their horse slightly different there are some crucial steps that should never change. The first step would be to make sure you and your horse are safe and tie your horse securely to his/her cross ties.

Now that your horse is properly secured lets move on to the fun part of grooming your horse. Let’s start off by cleaning out your horse’s feet. Grab the hoof with one hand and use the pick to clean all the dirt, rocks and other debris lodged in there. Remember not to scrape the pick over the frog itself, as this part of the hoof is much more tender and sensitive than the other parts. Repeat this process with the other three hooves.

Now, it is time to remove clods of dirt and loose hair from the horse's body. To do this, you will use your curry comb. Work in a circular pattern, going from the top of the horse's neck, down to his chest, over his shoulder, along his back, on his stomach, over his rump and down on to the upper part of his back left leg.

Switch to the right side of your horse and repeat the process. Be especially careful when you use the curry comb on your horse's sides and stomach. Most horses are very sensitive in these areas. If your horse can not tolerate the curry comb on his sides and stomach, you may need to use a dandy brush on these areas, instead. If your horse has a lot of mud on his legs, you should use the curry comb or brush dandy on his legs, as well. Again, be very careful, as the legs of a horse are extremely sensitive.

Once the dirt has been pulled to the surface of the horse's coat by the curry comb, it is time to use the body brush. Repeat the same pattern you used to move the curry comb over his body, and brush in short, brisk movements, making sure to go with the grain of the horse's coat. Stop brushing every few strokes to clean out the brush with your curry comb.

Once your horse's coat looks sleek and glossy, it is time to move on to the head. Carefully use a damp sponge to wipe his face, including the inside of his nostrils. A lot of horse owners use a body brush for the horses head as well as its body. I wouldn’t worry yourself too much if your horse doesn’t like his face brushed, the sponge should keep the horse adequately clean.

Finally, Lets clean out the horses mane and tail. For your own safety never comb the horses tail while you are behind it. Always lift his tail to the side to comb it.

Grooming your horse can be a great pleasure for you and the horse. This is one of the best times to bond with your horse while keeping him pretty at the same time.

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