By Nancy Griffiths
Grooming your horse can be a very relaxing and pleasurable experience for both of you and is an essential part of your horse care. How much you groom is a matter of time and choice, from a quick clean up before or after riding to preparing for the show ring.
It is a good way to check your horse over regularly for any knocks and scrapes and to make sure that it is free of parasites and skin infections like sweet-itch and ringworm, which can become serious if not treated.
I am lucky enough to have a horse who loves being groomed and will happily stand for as long as I want and enjoy her session at the "beauty parlour".
There are many different brushes and tools available for grooming, made from a variety of materials, both natural and synthetic.
We all have our favourite items, but the basics are the same
Dandy Brush - a stiff medium length bristled brush to remove dirt and dust. Work with a flicking action to prevent pushing dirt further into the coat. Work from the head down the neck, along the back and down the legs to avoid pushing dirt onto already brushed areas. I also use the dandy brush to remove dirt from the tail, though would not recommend this if your horses tail is very fine.
Body Brush - a shorter bristled dense brush to smooth the hair and distribute the natural oils in the horses coat. Brush in long sweeping strokes in the direction of the coat.
Finishing Brush - long softer bristled brush to give the final touch and a nice shine to the coat - used instead of a cloth.
Mane Comb or brush - plastic combs are kinder than metal ones but I have found a wooden bristled mane and tail brush to be better than this. I apply some conditioner onto the mane and tail first then use the brush to tease out tangles and dried in mud etc. I also use the brush in place of a rubber curry comb on my horses coat, especially when she is shedding. If the tail is really dirty I rinse it out in a bucket of water first before trying to brush it through.
Hoofpick - to remove debris from the hooves. I use a sturdy steel one but also have a very handy folding one that I keep in my saddlebag for removing stones whilst we are out hacking.
Mud Brush - These are usually made with very course fibres and are used for removing stubborn patches of dried on mud. I have one that looks like a scrubbing brush and is ideal for my horses feathered legs.
Nancy Griffiths @ www.horseandrider-directory.com
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