January 21, 2016

A Step by Step Guide to Grooming your Horse

Black horse on a stable wash with a strong stream of water

Grooming your horse should be somewhat of a habit, but if you’re pretty new to the whole thing, knowing which brush to use when and exactly how to go about using them can become quite confusing. When I first started out, I used to watch other riders groom their horses – trying to figure out why they switch between brushes, why they look so confident doing it, and how they manage to give a horse a thorough bath without having a runaway.

So here’s a Step by Step Guide to Grooming your Horse:

Step 1: Use a Curry Comb, in circular motions to loosen some of the dirt have become stuck to your horse’s hair. Be very gentle when using this particular brush though as you can easily hurt your horse if used over bony areas. Avoid brushing the legs and face with this particular brush.

Step 2: Move onto the Dandy Brush, using a flicking motion to brush away the loose hair and dirt from using the Curry Comb.

Step 3: Next, use the Body Brush to smooth down the hair and get rid of some left-over dirt and dust. Using steps 1,2 and 3 in this order will give your horse a beautifully shiny coat.

Step 4: Brush the mane with a Mane Comb, very gently.

Step 5: Use the Dandy Brush once again to brush your horse’s tail. Avoid using the Mane Comb for this purpose if you want your horse to grow a long, flowy tail. The Mane Comb can damage the tail.

Step 6: Move down to the hooves. Using a Hoof Pick, thoroughly clean out the sides of the frog and around the sole, scraping away from you. Remember not to pick up the horse’s leg too high as he might lose his balance.

Step 7: Using a towel, gently rub over the coat to make it shine.

For a thorough clean, bring out the bubbles!  

Step 1: Hose down your horse with lukewarm water

Step 2: With a little bit of Trident Conditioning Shampoo or an effective Fly Shampoo in a bucket of warm water, sponge down your horse.

Step 3: Using the Curry Comb, in circular motions, rub in the shampoo into your horse’s coat.

Step 4: Rinse & repeat steps 1 – 3

Step 5: Use a Sweat Comb to brush away as much water as possible

Step 6: Dry your horse off with a big fluffy towel

Tip:

Wear old clothing when grooming your equine friend. Bath time can become quite messy!