My Personal Views on Grooming.
I know that some people don't set much stock in the benefits of grooming, aside from a shiny coat. There are so many more benefits, besides removing dirt and producing a shine. Grooming can relax a horse before and after a ride, it can teach you what is normal on your horse's body, it also provides quality bonding time for you and your horse, and it can prevent common skin disorders like rain rot. Daily grooming is always best, if you can manage it, but I understand that with school and/or work schedules it is not always possible.
I like to get in a good thorough groom both before and after each ride. I've known people that only simply brush off where the tack sits before a ride, and if time is constrained, I will do that, and also run my hands over the entire horse looking for any thing that is out of sorts. The knowledge of your horse's body that can only be gained by daily touching is invaluable in my book. That knowledge could save you valuable time in getting a diagnosis for a lameness or disease. The sooner you know that something is wrong, the better. I notice even the smallest difference in any thing on my horses. As grooming often leads to horses pooping, it also lets you know if they have any stomach issues that need to be addressed. I love my daily grooming sessions, they have taught me so much over the years.
The Tools that I use, and Why.
I personally use the Oster Equine Care Series collection http://www.osterpro.com/Products.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982. It's expensive, I know, but well worth it from my point of view. I've had the entire collection for over two years, and even with daily use they are still in good condition. I also use them because they fit my hands nicely. I have small hands, even for a woman. I wear a women's Extra Small glove, and could probably wear some children's gloves if I ever tried to. So, most brushes are difficult for me to hold on to for very long, without my hands giving out.
Why not use children's brushes? Well, honestly most of the kid's brushes that I have come by were not the best quality, and I really don't want to replace brushes every time I turn around. That would get expensive after a couple of times. Those brushes are not made to last, they are made to be out grown, and as I am 35, I'm not really likely to grow any more.
To me, quality in my grooming equipment is just as important to me as quality of feed, hay, tack, or anything else where my horses are concerned. Quality is very important because I don't want to keep replacing my stuff. Cheaper is not always a better value, remember that the next time you have to buy something.
My absolute favorite tool, is however free. And it will be free to you as well. It's my hand. I never groom with a tool in each hand. I use the tool in the hand that is closest to the horse's head, so if I'm on the horse's right hand side, I use my right hand with the tool. I use my bare hand to lay on the horse and stroke the horse. I can do this without much thought to it, until I feel something that's not normal for the horse that I'm working on. This is where the knowledge from daily grooming comes from.
My Order for Grooming.
I usually groom the manes and tails first. Picking out any debris with my fingers if possible. If you braid the horse's mane, check daily for any braids that have come undone, redo, and secure them. I personally like to use electric tape to secure braids. It will not degrade and fall off in the sun. It doesn't really stick to the hair, so you have to make sure that it is wrapped around itself. The down fall is you have to unwrap it instead of just sliding it off, but I've noticed less breakage from the tape compared to the bands. When I braid manes, I use narrow braids that are very loose, with a leave-in conditioner at the base of the mane. When braids are tight they pull hair out when the horse lowers it's head to graze. If I have a mane that needs help laying down. I will make braids about half the size of my normal braids, and braid it tight with a leave-in conditioner applied at the base of the mane only. If I braid tails, I braid them loose as well, with a decent wisp at the end for the horse to use for swatting flies. If I'm wanting to grow out my horse's tail I will keep it braided with a leave-in conditioner.
Next, I clean the horse's feet out. I make sure to brush out their feet as well. I also brush off any mud or dirt that may be stuck to the hoof wall and coronary band. If the horse's feet needs any type of moisture product, like Hoof Flex or Rain Maker, I usually apply it now. If the horse requires a black or clear polish, I will lightly sand the hoof wall with a fine grit sand paper to prepare the hoof for the polish, but I do not apply the polish until I am completely finished grooming the horse. Even then I prefer the horse to be standing on concrete, where their first step does not produce dust, that will settle on and stick to the polish. To avoid staining the concrete, whether at home or away, I take a piece of plywood about 1 square foot and place it under the foot being polished. In a pinch the plywood can replace concrete, but you have to wait for the polish to dry before moving on to the next hoof.
Next, I start on the horse's coat, and this is where the majority of my grooming equipment comes in. I start off with the Course Curry Comb. http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6412 The nubs on it are thicker and more dense, but they are not hard by any means. I always use small circular motions with my curry combs, and use my free hand to wipe away dust as it accumulates. I try to always keep one hand in contact at all times, except when changing tools. Some horses can not tolerate heavy pressure when being groomed, and this should be kept in mind. Some horse's also prefer firmer pressure over lighter pressure. I wish I could state a specific pressure range that I use, but I really can't as it varies greatly from horse to horse. I constantly watch the horse's reaction and adjust accordingly. I always start with the same curry comb regardless of how dirty or clean the horse is. I find it gives the horse a massage, and loosens them up and relaxes them. I start just behind the horse's head and gradually work my way down their neck to their shoulder, and down their leg to just above their knee before working my way back up the inside of their leg and up between the legs and onto that side of their chest, then back to their shoulder and onto their barrel. I try to work their barrel evenly from their back down to under their belly, from front to back, then up onto the top of their rump. I work gradually over the rump and down the leg to just above the hock, then to the inside of the leg and back up, coming out below the tail. I really try to groom every inch of the horse that has any kind of muscle tissue on it with the Course Curry Comb. Then repeat the process on the other side of the horse, you can do it i reverse order, if that is easier for you, on the other side.
My next brush is the Fine Curry Comb. http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6413 Which is soft enough to use on the face and lower legs. With this one, I start on the horse's forehead and work my way around the side of their face, and then start in the same manner that I did before, with the exception that I do not stop at the knees and hocks. I go completely down to the coronary band. I actually massage the coronary band with the fine curry comb.
With most of the brushes, I use short, quick flicks. The only brushes that I do not do this with are the face brushes and the finishing brush. My paint mare that loves being groomed will not tolerate the flicks on the face, but she'll sort of lean into the strokes. I work methodically through my brushes in order from the harder ones down to the finishing brush.
1. Stiff Grooming Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6410
2. Medium Grooming Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6420
3. Face Grooming Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6419
4. Face Finishing Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6418
5. Soft Finishing Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6411
When I get done, I have nearly as much hair on me as the horse does, and probably more dirt!
Do All Horses Enjoy being Groomed?
My paint mare, Lady, really enjoys this grooming process; to the point of falling asleep, and laying down, if I don't wake her up by moving her occasionally. My QH mare, Fancy, only tolerates being groomed, she will relax some, but not anything that even resembles enjoying it. As soon as I let her loose, she takes off like, "Finally!" My horses could not be more different from each other, personality wise. Some horses really enjoy it where others only seem to tolerate it because they have no other choice in the matter, especially my horses. Some of the horses that merely tolerate it at first will learn to relax and enjoy it. Fancy would often try to bite when I first got her a little over a year ago. Now, she stands quietly and some what relaxes for grooming. She is slowly coming around.
Now, there are some very sensitive horses that may very well never fully enjoy being groomed. Even with the lightest pressure that you can muster, that will still be too much and uncomfortable for these horses. You may can gradually desensitize these horses, but I can not attest to this because I've never owned or trained a horse that was that sensitive. For these horses, I would imagine that grooming done incorrectly is very stressing, and probably not the best bonding arrangement. Always pay attention to what the horse is telling you and adjust accordingly.
Why I Place So Much Importance on Grooming.
I want to know every inch of my horse from the tip of their nose to the end of their tail, and from the top of their back to the bottom of their feet. I want to know how it normally feels by touch and memory. That way, if something feels different I know it, the instant my hand hits it. Actually putting your hands on your horse daily is the only way to get this knowledge. This is one of the reasons that I thoroughly groom before and after a ride or any type of use. I groom after the horse is completely cooled down, again feeling for any knots or warmness that was not there before the work. It's the best way that I know of to find any problems early, and it begins and ends your day on a positive, relaxing note for most horses.
Do You have to Use the Same Tools that I Do?
Absolutely. Not! You can use what ever tools you currently have. I would suggest not using one of the metal curry combs or shedding blades though. If you don't know why, simply rub it against your arm, even with light pressure either one is uncomfortable. With any kind of pressure they down right hurt. The metal curry combs are great for removing hair from your brushes though, a courser rubber curry comb will also work well for that.
How Long Does this Take?
I can usually groom a horse like this in about 30 minutes or so, depending on the horse's size. I can also stretch it out to much longer if I've had a bad day, and I am very stressed. I tend to pour all of my emotions into grooming, that way I am stress free and relaxed when it's time for training. I can do it quicker than the 30 minutes if I have to, but I prefer not to because I've found that the horse does not enjoy it as much, and if the horse is not enjoying it, what's the point. Grooming should be enjoyable for both of you, and when it's rushed, it's not enjoyable by either of you.
What About a Shiny Coat?
This grooming routine works great for me in terms of getting my horses nice and shiny. With that being said, a grooming routine will only get you so far where a gleaming coat is concerned. Nutrition plays a huge roll in how shiny you can get your horse.
No matter how much elbow grease you put into your horse's appearance, without proper nutrition, it will never shine to it's true potential. I keep my horses in a pasture 24/7, and feed them Purina's Omolene 200 http://horse.purinamills.com/products/omolene/ECMD2-0032696.aspx, though I'm thinking about switching to the Omolene 400 http://horse.purinamills.com/products/omolene/ECMD2-0032698.aspx. Both are complete, balanced feeds, but the 400 has sources of roughage in it as well. I do not feed any where near the recommended amount to my horses during the summer. Actually, according to Purina's website, during the summer I should be feeding one of their Ration Balancers, http://horse.purinamills.com/products/naturesessentials/ECMD2-0032703.aspx or http://horse.purinamills.com/products/naturesessentials/ECMD2-0032704.aspx but I stick with the Omolene 200 because some how it keeps my horses from sunburning and bleaching out. Pink noses are safe and my horses end the summer the same color as they started it. Lady does not sunburn at all, and she is mainly white. Between nutrition and grooming, both of my horses shine, that is until they both go roll in the pond, then they are just muddy again. The biggest reason that I like the Omolene line of feeds is because they are packed with all of the vitamins and minerals that horses need on a daily basis, which means I don't have to buy any additional supplements to provide the vitamins and minerals. Getting into this subject is an entirely different subject, so I'll end with this. Offer your horse the best nutrition that you have available to you, in your area.
I know that some people don't set much stock in the benefits of grooming, aside from a shiny coat. There are so many more benefits, besides removing dirt and producing a shine. Grooming can relax a horse before and after a ride, it can teach you what is normal on your horse's body, it also provides quality bonding time for you and your horse, and it can prevent common skin disorders like rain rot. Daily grooming is always best, if you can manage it, but I understand that with school and/or work schedules it is not always possible.
I like to get in a good thorough groom both before and after each ride. I've known people that only simply brush off where the tack sits before a ride, and if time is constrained, I will do that, and also run my hands over the entire horse looking for any thing that is out of sorts. The knowledge of your horse's body that can only be gained by daily touching is invaluable in my book. That knowledge could save you valuable time in getting a diagnosis for a lameness or disease. The sooner you know that something is wrong, the better. I notice even the smallest difference in any thing on my horses. As grooming often leads to horses pooping, it also lets you know if they have any stomach issues that need to be addressed. I love my daily grooming sessions, they have taught me so much over the years.
The Tools that I use, and Why.
I personally use the Oster Equine Care Series collection http://www.osterpro.com/Products.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982. It's expensive, I know, but well worth it from my point of view. I've had the entire collection for over two years, and even with daily use they are still in good condition. I also use them because they fit my hands nicely. I have small hands, even for a woman. I wear a women's Extra Small glove, and could probably wear some children's gloves if I ever tried to. So, most brushes are difficult for me to hold on to for very long, without my hands giving out.
Why not use children's brushes? Well, honestly most of the kid's brushes that I have come by were not the best quality, and I really don't want to replace brushes every time I turn around. That would get expensive after a couple of times. Those brushes are not made to last, they are made to be out grown, and as I am 35, I'm not really likely to grow any more.
To me, quality in my grooming equipment is just as important to me as quality of feed, hay, tack, or anything else where my horses are concerned. Quality is very important because I don't want to keep replacing my stuff. Cheaper is not always a better value, remember that the next time you have to buy something.
My absolute favorite tool, is however free. And it will be free to you as well. It's my hand. I never groom with a tool in each hand. I use the tool in the hand that is closest to the horse's head, so if I'm on the horse's right hand side, I use my right hand with the tool. I use my bare hand to lay on the horse and stroke the horse. I can do this without much thought to it, until I feel something that's not normal for the horse that I'm working on. This is where the knowledge from daily grooming comes from.
My Order for Grooming.
I usually groom the manes and tails first. Picking out any debris with my fingers if possible. If you braid the horse's mane, check daily for any braids that have come undone, redo, and secure them. I personally like to use electric tape to secure braids. It will not degrade and fall off in the sun. It doesn't really stick to the hair, so you have to make sure that it is wrapped around itself. The down fall is you have to unwrap it instead of just sliding it off, but I've noticed less breakage from the tape compared to the bands. When I braid manes, I use narrow braids that are very loose, with a leave-in conditioner at the base of the mane. When braids are tight they pull hair out when the horse lowers it's head to graze. If I have a mane that needs help laying down. I will make braids about half the size of my normal braids, and braid it tight with a leave-in conditioner applied at the base of the mane only. If I braid tails, I braid them loose as well, with a decent wisp at the end for the horse to use for swatting flies. If I'm wanting to grow out my horse's tail I will keep it braided with a leave-in conditioner.
Next, I clean the horse's feet out. I make sure to brush out their feet as well. I also brush off any mud or dirt that may be stuck to the hoof wall and coronary band. If the horse's feet needs any type of moisture product, like Hoof Flex or Rain Maker, I usually apply it now. If the horse requires a black or clear polish, I will lightly sand the hoof wall with a fine grit sand paper to prepare the hoof for the polish, but I do not apply the polish until I am completely finished grooming the horse. Even then I prefer the horse to be standing on concrete, where their first step does not produce dust, that will settle on and stick to the polish. To avoid staining the concrete, whether at home or away, I take a piece of plywood about 1 square foot and place it under the foot being polished. In a pinch the plywood can replace concrete, but you have to wait for the polish to dry before moving on to the next hoof.
Next, I start on the horse's coat, and this is where the majority of my grooming equipment comes in. I start off with the Course Curry Comb. http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6412 The nubs on it are thicker and more dense, but they are not hard by any means. I always use small circular motions with my curry combs, and use my free hand to wipe away dust as it accumulates. I try to always keep one hand in contact at all times, except when changing tools. Some horses can not tolerate heavy pressure when being groomed, and this should be kept in mind. Some horse's also prefer firmer pressure over lighter pressure. I wish I could state a specific pressure range that I use, but I really can't as it varies greatly from horse to horse. I constantly watch the horse's reaction and adjust accordingly. I always start with the same curry comb regardless of how dirty or clean the horse is. I find it gives the horse a massage, and loosens them up and relaxes them. I start just behind the horse's head and gradually work my way down their neck to their shoulder, and down their leg to just above their knee before working my way back up the inside of their leg and up between the legs and onto that side of their chest, then back to their shoulder and onto their barrel. I try to work their barrel evenly from their back down to under their belly, from front to back, then up onto the top of their rump. I work gradually over the rump and down the leg to just above the hock, then to the inside of the leg and back up, coming out below the tail. I really try to groom every inch of the horse that has any kind of muscle tissue on it with the Course Curry Comb. Then repeat the process on the other side of the horse, you can do it i reverse order, if that is easier for you, on the other side.
My next brush is the Fine Curry Comb. http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6413 Which is soft enough to use on the face and lower legs. With this one, I start on the horse's forehead and work my way around the side of their face, and then start in the same manner that I did before, with the exception that I do not stop at the knees and hocks. I go completely down to the coronary band. I actually massage the coronary band with the fine curry comb.
With most of the brushes, I use short, quick flicks. The only brushes that I do not do this with are the face brushes and the finishing brush. My paint mare that loves being groomed will not tolerate the flicks on the face, but she'll sort of lean into the strokes. I work methodically through my brushes in order from the harder ones down to the finishing brush.
1. Stiff Grooming Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6410
2. Medium Grooming Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6420
3. Face Grooming Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6419
4. Face Finishing Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6418
5. Soft Finishing Brush http://www.osterpro.com/Product.aspx?id=equine&cid=960&scid=982&pid=6411
When I get done, I have nearly as much hair on me as the horse does, and probably more dirt!
Do All Horses Enjoy being Groomed?
My paint mare, Lady, really enjoys this grooming process; to the point of falling asleep, and laying down, if I don't wake her up by moving her occasionally. My QH mare, Fancy, only tolerates being groomed, she will relax some, but not anything that even resembles enjoying it. As soon as I let her loose, she takes off like, "Finally!" My horses could not be more different from each other, personality wise. Some horses really enjoy it where others only seem to tolerate it because they have no other choice in the matter, especially my horses. Some of the horses that merely tolerate it at first will learn to relax and enjoy it. Fancy would often try to bite when I first got her a little over a year ago. Now, she stands quietly and some what relaxes for grooming. She is slowly coming around.
Now, there are some very sensitive horses that may very well never fully enjoy being groomed. Even with the lightest pressure that you can muster, that will still be too much and uncomfortable for these horses. You may can gradually desensitize these horses, but I can not attest to this because I've never owned or trained a horse that was that sensitive. For these horses, I would imagine that grooming done incorrectly is very stressing, and probably not the best bonding arrangement. Always pay attention to what the horse is telling you and adjust accordingly.
Why I Place So Much Importance on Grooming.
I want to know every inch of my horse from the tip of their nose to the end of their tail, and from the top of their back to the bottom of their feet. I want to know how it normally feels by touch and memory. That way, if something feels different I know it, the instant my hand hits it. Actually putting your hands on your horse daily is the only way to get this knowledge. This is one of the reasons that I thoroughly groom before and after a ride or any type of use. I groom after the horse is completely cooled down, again feeling for any knots or warmness that was not there before the work. It's the best way that I know of to find any problems early, and it begins and ends your day on a positive, relaxing note for most horses.
Do You have to Use the Same Tools that I Do?
Absolutely. Not! You can use what ever tools you currently have. I would suggest not using one of the metal curry combs or shedding blades though. If you don't know why, simply rub it against your arm, even with light pressure either one is uncomfortable. With any kind of pressure they down right hurt. The metal curry combs are great for removing hair from your brushes though, a courser rubber curry comb will also work well for that.
How Long Does this Take?
I can usually groom a horse like this in about 30 minutes or so, depending on the horse's size. I can also stretch it out to much longer if I've had a bad day, and I am very stressed. I tend to pour all of my emotions into grooming, that way I am stress free and relaxed when it's time for training. I can do it quicker than the 30 minutes if I have to, but I prefer not to because I've found that the horse does not enjoy it as much, and if the horse is not enjoying it, what's the point. Grooming should be enjoyable for both of you, and when it's rushed, it's not enjoyable by either of you.
What About a Shiny Coat?
This grooming routine works great for me in terms of getting my horses nice and shiny. With that being said, a grooming routine will only get you so far where a gleaming coat is concerned. Nutrition plays a huge roll in how shiny you can get your horse.
No matter how much elbow grease you put into your horse's appearance, without proper nutrition, it will never shine to it's true potential. I keep my horses in a pasture 24/7, and feed them Purina's Omolene 200 http://horse.purinamills.com/products/omolene/ECMD2-0032696.aspx, though I'm thinking about switching to the Omolene 400 http://horse.purinamills.com/products/omolene/ECMD2-0032698.aspx. Both are complete, balanced feeds, but the 400 has sources of roughage in it as well. I do not feed any where near the recommended amount to my horses during the summer. Actually, according to Purina's website, during the summer I should be feeding one of their Ration Balancers, http://horse.purinamills.com/products/naturesessentials/ECMD2-0032703.aspx or http://horse.purinamills.com/products/naturesessentials/ECMD2-0032704.aspx but I stick with the Omolene 200 because some how it keeps my horses from sunburning and bleaching out. Pink noses are safe and my horses end the summer the same color as they started it. Lady does not sunburn at all, and she is mainly white. Between nutrition and grooming, both of my horses shine, that is until they both go roll in the pond, then they are just muddy again. The biggest reason that I like the Omolene line of feeds is because they are packed with all of the vitamins and minerals that horses need on a daily basis, which means I don't have to buy any additional supplements to provide the vitamins and minerals. Getting into this subject is an entirely different subject, so I'll end with this. Offer your horse the best nutrition that you have available to you, in your area.
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