Grooming Kit

Grooming (own photographs)

Horse grooming is an essential part of horse care and is taught as part of own a pony day at HAPPA and other stables. These own a pony days also include cleaning out the horses stable and other daily duties such as feeding and general care. It is really important to educate children as well as adults about what horses need as they are complex to care for.

Grooming is an activity that is enjoyable for both you and your horse. It is also a good opportunity to check for injuries and irritations. Try to make grooming a daily habit. It is an absolute must before riding. Grit beneath the saddle or girth will be uncomfortable for your horse and could cause saddle or girth sores. Start from the left or right of your horse. These instructions assume you will start on the left side, but as long as you cover the whole horse is does not matter.

http://horses.about.com/od/basiccare/ss/grooming.htm

Diagram of point of the horse:

http://s2.hubimg.com/u/256759_f520.jpg

You will need:

A curry comb or grooming mitt.

A body brush with fairly stiff bristles.

A mane and tail comb. Plastic causes less breakage than metal ones.

A fine soft bristled finishing brush.

A hoof pick.

A clean sponge or soft cloth.

Nice to have:

Grooming spray.

Hoof ointment if recommended by your farrier.

Scissors or clippers.

Rubber Curry Comb

Use this first on the body of the horse.

Starting on the left side use your curry comb or grooming mitt to loosen the dirt in your horse’s coat. This step is where you remove any mud, grit, dust and other debris before trying to put a real shine on your horse’s coat. Curry in circular sweeps all over the horse’s body. Be careful over boney areas of the shoulders, hips and legs. Use a light touch in these areas. Many horses are sensitive about having their bellies and between the back legs brushed (some love it). Be careful in these areas to use a light touch.

Some horses are more sensitive skinned than others so adjust the pressure on the brush according to what they seem to enjoy. If your horse reacts by laying back his ears, or swishing his tail in agitation, he is telling you that the brushing is too vigorous. As well as currying you will also be looking for any skin lesions or wounds. If you find anything, you’ll want to asses the injury and decide if you want to treat it yourself with something out of your first aid kit, or if you need a vet to treat it.

A Plastic Curry Comb will also do the same job but it depends what you prefer:

Plastic Curry Comb

Metal Curry Comb

This should never be used on the horses body and is only used for cleaning the other brushes (dandy/body- see below).

Dandy Brush

Use this after a plastic or rubber curry comb.

After currying the body to get rid of the coarser dirt it's time to go to work with a dandy brush. This longer bristled, but still stiff brush will get rid of what the curry comb missed. With the dandy brush, whisk out the dirt brought to the surface. Start on one side and move around the horse brushing in sweeping strokes following the direction of the hair growth. Some people find the dandy brush is more useful for cleaning the legs than the curry comb. All the curves and angles on the legs make it hard to get the curry comb to do a complete job. So you can use the dandy brush, sometimes quite vigorously, to remove any remaining dirt. This is a good time to check for lesions and skin irritations on the legs, knees, and pasterns like small cuts.

Body Brush (Finishing Brush)

Your finishing brush will help bring out the shine on your horse’s coat. A finishing brush will have shorter softer bristles and may be used on your horse's or pony's face if you don’t have a special brush just for that. Gently whisk away dust from the broader areas on your horse’s face, ears and throat. With sweeping strokes whisk away any dust missed by the body brush. The finer bristles help smooth out the body hair and leave your horse looking more finished and glossy. When you think you are done, you can apply a grooming spray. Grooming sprays, depending on the type, can provide sun protection, and add shine to your horse’s coat, but they aren't necessary.

Face Brush

Soft and dainty brush which is more delicate than the body brush will allow for the horses face to be groomed, avoid the eyes and use it softly as the horses face is sensitive. 

Hoof Pick

Cleaning out your horse’s hooves is very important. Slide your hand down the left foreleg. Squeeze the back of the leg along the tendons just above the pastern and say ‘up’ or ‘hoof’—whatever your horse is trained to respond to. Hold the hoof and with the hoof pick pry out any dirt, manure or anything else lodged in the frog or sole of the foot. Check for any injury and signs of thrush, grease heel, or other problems. Take note of any cracks in the wall of the hoof so you can consult with your farrier as to what should be done. Gently place the foot back down on the ground and continue until all four feet are done. Be careful to avoid touching the frog as it is sensitive and could startle the horse. 

http://triplebarhoofcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/parts-hoof.jpg

Mane & Tail Spray (good to have)

Mane & Tail Comb

A flowing, shiny mane and tail is a joy to behold. Get that full, healthy look by being gentle and patient as you groom your horse's mane or tail. Either with a mane comb or brush, start at the bottom of the strands and brush downwards in sections until you can smoothly comb from the top of the mane or tail, right to the bottom. When brushing the tail, stand to one side and pull the tail gently over to you. This way you are out of the way should the horse kick. A grooming spray that detangles hair is nice to have, and makes brushing out the long stands easier while cleaning, shining and protecting the hair. A grooming spray (see picture above) may also help prevent the hairs from tangling too much between groomings. Some people like to keep their horse's tails wrapped to keep it clean and tangle free, but I prefer to let my horse use its tail the way nature intended, to swat away flies.

Sponges 

A sponge or damp cloth can be used to wipe around the horse’s eyes and muzzle, and clean away any dirt. Check your horse’s eyes. A bit of tearing at the corner of the eye is not uncommon, but take note of excess tearing, redness, or swelling. Eye infections need to be treated promptly. Check ears for lodged seed heads or dirt. Some horses are fussy about having their ears handled, so go slowly and be careful not to pinch or pull hairs. Eventually, your horse may come to love having its ears groomed. When you are done with the face, use the cloth to wipe around the dock and tail head.