Horses are ingenious when it comes to getting dirty. They always seem to know where to find the sloppiest mud puddle and just how to properly cover themselves in it. Even a stalled horse will stamp a nice manure stain on himself, usually after you’ve given him a bath with the intention of leaving for a show early the next morning.
This month HI Spy wants to know, what are your grooming secrets? What do you do when your pinto comes in from a muddy pasture looking like a solid chestnut? Is there a way to rescue your horse’s tail when it’s been glued together with burrs? How do you deal with those early spring days when you’ve curried until your arm is sore, but that winter coat just keeps on shedding? Leave a comment below and spill your secrets for the good of horses and the sanity of horse owners everywhere. See more HI Spy questions >>
I loved this article. I have a paint so i know how hard it can be to keep them clean. Mane and Tail detangler works great for getting those pesky burrs out.
There is no substitute for elbow grease and patience.
A shedding block works magnificently for helping the horse shed their winter coat. Main and Tail detangler and White and Brite shampoo have been a lifesaver for me and my palimino.
Hmmm……I’d say Mane and Tail detangler works best for the burs.I don’t have much experience, though,because our pasture isn’t really muddy at all.
You are so lucky that your pasture’s are not extremely muddy. To get the clumps of mud out of my horses fetlocks, I try to crumble the pieces together first, then I use a tail brush. I use the tail brush on his mane when it’s too tangled to use the comb.
Well the whole tail thing, in the nasty winter months i put my horse’s tail in a tail bag. I leave it in for a week or so and then take it out, rebraid it, and put it back in the tail bag. It works great to keep it clean. I let the mud dry completly before i try to get it off. Then with a curry comb or a stiff brush i just flick it off. He will still have a tint of brown, but i have dark bays so that doesn’t bother me:)
An easy way to deal with a mass of burrs is to simply put baby oil into a spray bottle and apply to mane or tail. The use of childrens detangler also takes the burrs out very well. When the coat wants to shed,daily grooming takes a lot of work out of trying to rid the excess hair much quicker!
My favorite is Cowboy Magic…I use it on my horse’s tail and it goes from tangled and messy to shiny, sleek, and full.
To remove mud I first let my horses dry,than I take a plastic curry comb and pull the mud of.Than I use a rubber curry(dull teeth kind)and spend 5-20 minuets in a vigerous curry.Than a soft body brush followed by a towel.For fet locks same for the body.My horses are Hunters so some get coat summpemts.I always vacume my horses after a grooming.For mane and tall I use a conditioner and keep manes pulled.
For the worst of grooming days?
I have three words for yah:
Wipes (baby wipes specifically)
Rinse (rinse now, groom later)
Work (There’s no fancy spray bottle that could substitue for that, eh?)
I hope that was self explanatory.
There are some nice ideas here that I will try.
The best thing I find that works, is 45 minute grooming sessions.
If you don’t want your horse to get dirty you could have one of your friends horse-sit it, and make sure it doesn’t roll, and if he keeps rolling, you could put him at the Cross ties for a little while, until the want to roll vanishes.
But as for grooming products, I have a friend who gets Baby wipes, and rubs her horse clean.
Another friend in winter, keeps her horse in his blanket all of the time.
You could always use products such as Show Sheen, and products by Clinton Anderson – if you must have a quick, and shiny grooming session.
I just groom as much as I can!
Hope this helps!
I try to groom my 38 yr old quarter horse once every day. he doesn’t roll very much..because he’s so old. So i really don’t have a problem grooming him. But i also have a(white) welsh pony who seems to think the dirtier the better! So if its hot outside you can just put a fly sheet on…which will help w/ the flies and dirt when your horse rolls. And in the winter months you can just put a reguler blanket on them. So my suggestion is BLANKETS!!
Three out of my four horses are white, so keeping my herd looking their best isn’t easy and takes a little creativity to accomplish.So I have come up with a way to get my horses completely grime free in two simple steps.(However the second step requires purchasing an unusual piece of equiptment.) First off I start out by using a rubber curry comb to loosen up all the nasty on their coats, then I use a force dryer(a high powered hand held blow dryer used by dog groomers to dry dogs quickly)to blow all the dirt and grime off the coat all the way down to their skin. This gets my boys looking spick and span in about 20 minutes, without the hassle of spot cleaning with a damp rag or hours of brushing.But it does take the horses a time or two, to get used to the loud noise the dryer makes, and the feeling of the air blowing on them.But it’s well worth it in the end when you see the amazing results.
The key to good grooming, like anything else with horses, is consistency. You can’t expect to just give your horse a quick once-over with a body brush before you ride and have you horse stay clean, shiny, and resist stains. Grooming has to be a daily routine for you and your horse.
So many riders take shortcuts to reduce grooming time so that they can get to riding – usually because of how difficult it can be to fit riding into the the recreational rider’s busy schedule of family, work, and school.
Dedicating just fifteen minutes to grooming every day can produce a show-ring shine that lasts, without expensive coat sprays or tools. A good grooming kit needs just a few basic items: a soft rubber curry comb or jelly scrubber, a stiff body brush, a soft “finishing” brush, a hand towel or terrycloth grooming mit, and a hoof pick. Start by spending ten minutes currying your horse from nose to tail. This stimulates the skin, opening pores and loosening dirt, dander, and hair. After currying, use the body brush with short, firm strokes to lift out the dirt and hair. Follow that with the finishing brush which separates the hairs and coats the hair shaft in the skin’s natural oils. Finally, backstroke the coat with the towel or mit, followed by stroking with the direction of the hair. This finishes covering the hair with the skin’s oils and brings a warm glow to the coat. It also helps the coat to resist dirt and stains in a way that sprays can’t.
Long before any of the grooming gimmicks available today, there was good old fashioned elbow grease. It’s the only way to keep your horse looking his very best.
No mud, no mess. Simple and easy.
I used to groom my horse daily but he doesn’t like it and amazingly enough, however much he lies in the dirt, he seems to stay clean. We don’t have mud so I suppose the dry climate helps.
Hello, I was wondering if anybody knows how to brush out a sweaty horse? I have a very thin-skinned thoroughbred and he sweats like crazy. I let it dry then I brush him but when sweat dries it becomes so hard, then I have to pull at the hair and it really hurts him? What should I do? If you have anything to say or do please respond, I need all the comments I can get.
Thanks
When my thoroughbred sweats i like to use cowboy magic or some other grooming detangler spray and spray it on the spots that are sweaty. as he walks out i try to brush him a little at a time with a damp brush as well. Then i towel him off. It helps a lot.
I also like to keep my horses coat maintained with a grooming spray (i prefer cowboy magic) which makes it easier to get dust and crud off his coat.
In the winter i usually sock my horses tail. I take a old or new tube sock and cut the elastic part in two vertical lines down to the sock itself, then i braid my horses tali into a mud knot and put the sock portion over the bun of the braid, Then i take the two pieces of sock the i cut earlier and tie it through the tail right above the braid but below the tail bone. Make sure the sock threads are tied to part of the tail hair, not around to tail hair or it will slip off.
Its cheaper than a tail bag and looks cute if you use colored socks.
I use a shedding blade in the spring when my horse sheds a lot. It is really helpful and works like magic. You will love it when you see your horse’s winter coat on the ground!
A friend of mine at the barn uses these two detangler sprays one is called Canter, and the other one is Vetrolin. Clifford, my friend’s horse always has an awesome tail and I would recommend those two detanglers to any horse owner or lover.
I use Show Sheen, and it works great! The only thing is it doesn’t keep the horses tails detangled for a week, so you may be using this product more often than others.
For hoof dressing, I like to use Fiebing’s Hoof Lotion (hoof dressing) and it works great for shows. When you go once in the ring and then come back out, all you have to do is brush of the sand on the horse’s hooves so you don’t have to reapply the hoof dressing!
And for all those horseback riders who have to deal with flys, no problem! If you use Bronco’s fly spray the flys will never irritate your horse. I use it on my horse and it works perfectly!
Hope my advice will help you in the future!
When your horse is in the field and gets sap on his body, the best item to use to clean off sap is nail polish remover. All you do is put nail polish remover on a towel and rub the sap. Soon enough the sap will come off!
For paints and palominos that get dirty in winter, that’s a bummer. Often times, things that work with darker horses don’t work as well with paints. However, for bays, blacks, sorrels, etc., a good rubber curry or gel scrubber will work pretty well to loosen surface dirt and stimulate the skin to release natural oils. A stiff brush should easily flick off the dirt and grime that the curry brought to the surface, and a soft finishing brush will usually do a pretty good job of separating the hairs and coating them with the natural oils for a lasting sheen. If there is still some dust or dander on top that the brushes missed, baby wipes are good for getting that off.
As far as manes and tails, a human brush actually does a good job detangling, and baby oil gets burrs out quickly and smoothly. If you have time, burrs can be worked out with little chemical help with fingers, separating secions and working the burrs out, then taking to the brush when they’re almost gone to get the rest out. If you take this approach, you won’t have to work too hard to detangle for brushing after getting the burrs out. Since burrs often make manes and tails untastefully bushy, a little water brushed in will fix that, then a leave-in conditioner like Champion’s Pepi will make it shiny.
When my horses come in mud-covered, I brush them with a plastic curry comb, also known in the bathing world as a plastic massage brush. If the mud is dry, it works wonders to remove the majority of the mud. If the mud is bad enough, I go over with a dandy brush to remove all traces of it, then with a body brush to get all the now-loosened mud off the horse’s coat.
As for burr-covered tails? I remove all the burs and put the horse’s tail up so it won’t happen again. But I really don’t have a lot of trouble with burs.
Winter coat shedding is definitely hard. I normally use a shedding blade and my rubber curry, and because my pasture isn’t great yet (the grass isn’t quite exactly green) I take the horse out to graze and take a rubber curry along to brush, brush away! It’s a very good time to get close to the horse. Sometimes I bathe the horse to get rid of some of that hair, but not always.
~Cassidy, owner of Cowboy, Missy, Romeos Klassic DJ, and DLB Trissy Pine Bar
Living in the wonderous back woods of Vermont where the longest season of the year is mud season, I’ve had lots of practice with mud, burs, and shedding coats. Unfortunately I don’t have any speacial tips for shedding other than pray that your arm doesn’t fall off before your horse finishes shedding. Regarding mud, those handy shedding blades that have three rows of rounded teeth work wonderfully. Then there are those pesky burrs that you thought you cut down. You know, the ones that your horse must have to dig out of thin air and mat into their tail with great care and consideration. I found this great trick for easily brushing out burrs. WD-40. Just spray a little into the tail. The burrs come out like a hot knife through butter. No greasy residue and no excessive use needed. But careful, keep away from eyes and open cuts. It works so well you might want to hide your can of WD-40, once your friends know it will go fast.
Living in Indiana where it seems like Winter never ends, we have to keep horses looking their best and healthy.
I think that a good way to keep your horse’s mane looking well, is to put it in braids. Then when it gets dirty you undo one braid, and comb it, then braid it back, et cetera, et cetera.
For the tail, you can always bag it, or braid the tail some, too.
As far as the coat, we leave on their blankets – indoor and outdoor.
And remember to groom the coat thoroughly. And if you really need to get the coat clean without getting him too wet, you can use products like Show Sheen, and such.
To keep the outer wall of the hooves clean, you can put rubber bell boots on your horse.
I Hope this helps!
Nothing works better than a curry comb and a water hose, especially in the dead of summer.
I have one word: Oil. Adding vegetable oil (or corn oil if your horse isn’t already too plump or feisty) to your horse’s feed will keep his coat shiny all year long, make his winter coat as sleek as possible, and help him shed the winter woolies if you don’t body shave. Start with 1/4 cup and drizzle it over pellets, sweet feed or grain. Get up to a full cup over the winter months. You can get approximately the same benefit feeding rice bran or other commercial coat conditioners, but when you can get a jug of veggie oil at your local discount big house market, it’s cheaper that way!
If you know you’re going to compete the next day, and you have a light-colored horse, it pays to invest in a nylon daysheet. Don’t get cotton or cotton duck because it’ll absorb moisture and grime if your horse rolls. Also, wrap his legs in soft, fleecy polo wraps over night or standing bandages. Don’t make them too tight, though. Add a tail bag and a stretchy hood and your horse will have to stay clean because he’s now covered from head to tail… literally! I have a medicine hat paint, who is mostly white, and this is the only way I’ve found to help guarantee that he’s clean on the morning of the show. It’s either this tactic or shampoo him before I throw him in the trailer, and sometimes it’s just too cold for that!
Living in Vermont, it gets muddy up here. my advice is to:
– Let mud dry and then go over your horse with a curry.
-For the burrs, I keep Showsheen in my horses tail so that when he does get burrs caught in it, they just slip out very easily.
-Grooming stones are also good at getting dried mud off and can also shed a horse (although not very effectively)
– After hard workouts before I turn my horse out I either make sure the sweat is completely dry, groom him, and throw on a blanket and put him out or if he is really drenched, make sure he is cooled out and then put a cooler on him and put him in a stall until he is dry.
Hope these helped!
nothing beats a good grooming daily. Even if you are just running a brush over your horse. Good way to check for any bumps ect. I have a paint and she is always getting dirty. I dont show so mine are allowed to get dirty but I dont let them stay muddy or have dried mud on them.
Living in Michigan can mean one day is is 70 degrees out and the next day it will go down to 30. My horses has been covered in mud for the last couple of days. Then he get all sorts of junk in his tail and mane. So to keep him looking new this is what I do:
*Brush his tail, using mane and tail detangler.
*Braid his tail, to keep they hay and burs from getting intangled in the tail.
*Use a curry comb to get of the dried mud and dirt.
*Use a shedding blade to get of all of the loose hair.
*Pick the hooves.
*Braid the mane.
* Go over the horse with a body brush(to brush away all of the dirt that came off from the curry comb)
*Use a soft brush for the face
Some people will also give their horse a bath to remove the dirt.
I am from Pa and the weather is is ever changing….My guys name is Dusty and it fits to a tee, for he loves to be….Dusty… I use baby wipes to clean off those tough manure stains and wipe it lightly over him to remove dust….But an everyday grooming is the best way to keep up on dirt and checking for any injurys….Enjoy your ride!
My instructor is very careful about how clean our horses are. She also is very particualar about the enviornment they’re in. If we’re somewhere very messy she puts sheets on the horses to keep them looking there best & feeling great!
The weather here in Colorado is pretty dry and we don’t get much rain. I don’t have a lot of mud but my horse do get very static. I just run a dryer sheet over their wholr body so that I don’t shock them.
I always use the Epona Shed Flower, Electro Groom, and elbow grease. And when you are going to a show, put a blanket on your horse after you bathe him for a show.
Use a tiny bit of vegetable oil in the mane and tail to loosen up the tangles. A little goes a looong way, and it works really well. Also if you brush it every time you see your horse, it keeps it pretty untangled. With mud, I just loosen it up a bit then run my horse around the pen to warm him up. I just take breaks to brush him. It works really well.
Miracle Groom. Its a life saver. Whether your horse has one of those nasty knots in its tail or you are touching up before a show, you cant go wrong with miracle groom. And it not onlu works, but smells good too! Its deff. something I always have in my tack room.
I do not think my barn could run with out Show Sheen. We use it like non stop with 23 horses to be groomed and worked Show sheen saves time when it comes to untangling their manes and tails. And it is great when you are trying to get burrs out of there mane and tail.
my hardbrush is my best friend on thoes muddy days,for shows I love baby oil(just not right before a bareback class, lol!!!!!)
I give my show horses Black Oil Sunflower Seeds twice per day. The rich oils in the seeds give my mares amazingly shiny, healthy coats. I also make sure to brush down really well while the horse is sweaty untill the coat dries. Only then do I hose and shampoo the horse. I try to stay away from Showsheen (I have dark horses) becase it burns in the sun causing the coat color to burn out.
Hi, Just an Equine mom triing to do the right thing.. Mud is thick and nasty but flies when it dries…i think the hardest part to keep clean is the hoof.. My horse Misty has a paddock that gets bad in the fall.. then really bad in spring,, till mid summer.. I live in up state New York.. old man winter is always lending a hand at keeping me busy with the curry comb.and have no Method to keeping her clean and fresh… just my old arm’s and elbow grease…
If you have a light colored horse that rolled in the mud and is now, well, not light. I found that if you curry all of the muddy spots. Then use the hard brush on them. Then curry again. Then give them a bath. It seems to come off easier.
When your horse is shedding, do not use a curry comb. Instead use a tool called a shedding blade, this works much better. It is a U shaped brush with curry comb like teeth.
Good luck and happy grooming!
We use WD40 on our horses tails when they get burs in them. it makes there tails very slick and the burs just slide right out. Oh furniture polish works well too! hope this helps
this is for white tailed horses:
when i first got my horse, she had no tail. she was wild, why would she need one? after many many washes, bluing, and cowboy magic, the tail will be ready to brush. always start at the bottom, brushing VERY carefully, as not to rip or damage any hairs. then once it is brushed well, pull it down to the fetlock, and snip just a little bit of hair off the bottom, maybe a half inch or so. braid the tail in a tight, secure braid, then put two tail bags on it, one that is rgular, and one that is waterproof. (especially if they go outside) then you should be set! take it out ever 4-5 days, brush it, and rebraid/bag it. as well, you might consider trimming it once a month. so it can grow longer!! (i found this meathod VERY useful! my horse’s tail now, is very THICK and LONG!!)
The best way to get off mud and loose hair is a grooming stone. They are inexpensive and very, very useful. Another plus is that once you’re done, just throw it under running water for a few minutes, let it dry, then its just like new! Yet another great thing about them is that my hands are always smoother after using them, so it benefits both horse AND rider!
My pony, Piper, used to be wild. (She’s a Chincoteague Pony, and swam the channel when she was 3 months old.) So, even now, 8 3/4 yrs l8r, she still has wild pony characteristics. One includes growing the thickest winter coat, and not shedding out until July. That becomes a problem here where we live. I have to start conditioning in March, to get her back in shape for the Spring eventing shows. But, she sweats. A lot because of her coat. I clip her, yes, but the last two years, the winters here have lasted through April, and until winter’s done for good, it’s too cold for a clip. So, what do I do? I spend each day grooming her for a while, with a shedding blade (well that’s what I call it). It has a red rubber feeling handle, with a big, metal loop that has teeth on one side. It’s perfect for shedding her out, until I can clip her. It has 2 benefits-
1) she doesn’t have as much of a coat until I can clip her
2) we get to spend more time together, and we get to bond more w/ each other.
The best thing I tried for winter hair is a dulled rasp or an old shoe bufing brush
My pony’s coat is REALLY thick in the winter and come spring I can collect balls of hair as big as my head. My grooming secret is: take your time. It takes practice to groom well, especially if you don’t have fancy stuff to shine him up. It’s well worth the effort. And when you’re combing the tail, BE CAREFUL not to break the hairs, or the tail will end up thin and scruffy.
my mare loves to roll! so first i start off with a metal curry and brush that off then spray her down with “Cowboy Magic” green spot remover, let it soak in for a couple of minutes and brush with a flick brush. you would never be able to tell she ever rolled.
Responding to Cassie’s advice about being careful when you comb the tail:
I’ve heard that it’s best to not actually brush the tail, but pick it out with your fingers. My eyes were the size of dinner plates when I read that tip because horse hair tangles pretty easily in my experience and it’s a pain in the arse to detangle. My tip: regular HUMAN hair brush. They are designed not to break hair and the rubber base helps prevent static. And when braiding with rubber bands: opt for the ethnic hair section. These bands are like the brushes in that that are designed for coarser hair.
Oh! I forgot something! Dawn Dish detergent. I have a palomino, and when I first put the dawn on him, he has green stripes. 😛 But with that white mane, it’s a miracle! It’s amazing at getting him to that super shiny new minted gold color and making his mane super super white!
The easiest way that i think to groom your horse is to keep them clipped whenever possible. It saves alot of time when grooming because you only need to go over with a brush and the you are done.
if your horse is really sweaty after a work out, brush the wet hairs the opposite way the hair grows. this stimulates what the horse dose when it rolls, so no more rolling after you just groomed them. I did this after an trail ride and my mom didn’t and her horse rolled but mine did not, and her’s was a light colored paint
I always keep a couple commercial products in my grooming tote to help me with those nasty grooming days. Two of my favorites are Miracle Groom and Green Spot Remover. Miracle Groom is my all-in-one product of choice. I use it to detangle, condition, remove dirt, dust, and caked on mud. My spot removal weapon of choice is Green Spot Remover. I rub a little into manure and grass stains, and watch them dissapear! Although prevention is always the best measure with grooming, these always help me out in a tight spot!
You know how when your horse is caked in mud, even though you brush it all off and he’s shiny and pretty again, if someone pats him, a cloud of dust will raise over thier hand? Well, just mix a bit of regular ol’ conditioner and water in a spray bottle, spritz him lightly with it, and run over his coat with a finishing brush, and that will be the end of the dust!
I always wash the horse I’m riding the day before the show and put on a light or heavy blanket, so that they won’t roll! For the mane I either recommned braiding it the day before, but if you’re horse rubs the manne, do it with hours to spare! For some extra shine, use some Cowboy Magic glistening spray and brush gently over the spray, it works like Magic!
My secret for getting a really sweaty horse clean so they don’t have those horrible saddle-sweat marks is to first spray just a little bit of water on their back. Next get rid of excess liquid with a sweat scraper. Finally curry (in a curry comb, not a jelly scrubber) in short pressurized circles and every other circle take away with stiff brush. After finishing the back repeat the back with the curry with less pressure in bigger circles and brush away with a soft brush.
Here are some tips:
White markings,makes you frusterated, I use a gel curry and if that dosen’t work I pull out Baby powder.
Mane and Tail messes:I use cowboy Magic Shine and brush through.
I also recommend putting Vegatable oil in your horses grain. It makes the coat shine! I also love the 3 in 1 joint supplements. It helps your horse’s joints and hooves be stronger and helps make coat shiny sand smooth.
ALWAYS BRUSH YOUR HORSE BEFORE AND AFTER YOU RIDE AND GROOM REGULARY!!!!!
Hooves: I use Rain maker and the 3 in 1 supplements. Monthly farrier visits are good too. Pick out the hooves twice a day. These are Heaven (my horse)and mine grooming secrets.
Good article.
After years of trying to get burrs out of manes and tails, the light finally went on. You don’t take the burrs out of the hair, you take the hair out of the burrs. Now I firmly grab the place where the burr is lodged and pull one or two hairs out of the burr at a time. You NEVER break hairs this way, you don’t get pieces of burrs embedded in your fingers, and it takes way less time. Simple solution.
Don’t have time to give your dirty, dusty, horse a bath? After grooming try usuing a small damp towel to reduce any of the left over dust. Works for me!
1- Apply hoofoil as prescribed, let soak in for 5 minute and wipe off excess with a rag.
2 In spring and fall, when putting your horse out to pasture, twist up their tail in a mud knot to keep out tangles. Using simple training braids for the same affect on the mane.
5- Thoroughly brush your horse at least 5 days a week
6- In good weather, wash him with shampoo and conditioner at least once every 2 weeks. No more than twice a week because more would diminish the essential oils he produces that maintain the coat’s health.
7- In summer, horses need their tail to ward off flies, so tangles are virtually inevitable. Use a spray bottle of veggie oil, spritz some on the tangle and slowly pull a few strands of hair from the mat. Be patient! On the bright side, the oil strengthens the hair follicles and adds shine. Rinse out with water.
8- In dusty or “buggy” weather use a scrim sheet and fly mask to keep dust off.
9- Buff the coat with a sheepkskin mitt to add condition and shine.
10- Clip heavily worked horses in the winter to keep a sleek, well kept appearance.
11- Always, at least, run a soft bristle brush over the horse’s entire body after riding to get rid of dust.
12- Always thoroughly clean a horse after turnout.
13- Have fun because grooming strenghtens a bond between horse and rider. Remember to take time where necessary, don’t be afraid to ask your vet or tack store salesperson for advice, and come show day, leave the stresses to us show grooms.
My secret is grooming twice a day.
Morning:
1. Brush through mane and tail to make sure that when its caked with mud on the way in that night, its not going to be a complete nightmare.
2. Curry when necessary, usually 2 times a week.
3. Pick feet after the stall is mucked or else its completely useless. If your horse is like mine, he will find the poop just to step in it again.
4. Use a soft brush to clean off all the little bits of dust and dirt clods that will otherwise refuse to come out. I use this on his legs twice a day too.
5. Use a face brush just to get all that lovely face hair off and make sure to get all the hidden mud off from the backs of their ears.
Night:
1. Repeat 1-5
Weekly: I will apply MTG to mane and tail to help stimulate hair growth and help keep tangles down to a minimum even when dirt clods are going to happen. Doing this has kept me from spending hours cleaning him up and makes cleaning up after a good role a breeze.
It also lets us have some quality time and helps get us both relaxed and ready to have a good day or night.
WD40 is great for getting burrs out of manes and tails. It doesn’t hurt them and it’s cheap!
Not much, just an old rag, cheap and handy, and Laser Sheen coat conditioning – makes her look beautiful and smell good. As you can see, I don’t groom for shows and showing off, it’s just fun for me.
I love my grooming mitt for the days when I am in a hurry and need to get the dried mud off of my pony’s legs. It’s great because it’s soft enough for sensitive areas, but never fails to get the job done quickly and efficiently.
I am having a terrible issue with horseflies does anyone have any recomendations. I am currently using apple cider vinger in the feed and spraying with Permethrin-10 or Atroban and nothing is working. I’ve also tried the pinesol, vinger, and dishwashing soap.
Baby Powder works wonders on white horses.
Luckily, my horse usually doesn’t get too dirty, but when he does I give him a good grooming. I always brush through his mane and tail and keep those silky, and I will sometimes use a detagler and conditioner. He is a light palomino so it is sometimes hard to see his sock, so I use a little baby powder to brighten that up. I also keep his bridle path trimmed and his hooves nice and neat.
Mustangs = dirty horses. I often find that sense my nails grow long, strong, and quick that sometimes they are more equipped to do the job of getting the mud the brush does not.
The key to a clean horse, in my opinion, is patients. Plain ahead so you’ve got the time to clean your four-legged-friend! 🙂
Miracle Groom. I currently live in Minnesota, so in the winter giving a bath to get out poop stains isn’t always an option. This stuff works great as a spot treatment and seems to get the whites whiter when I use it on the brown and white Paint schoolie. Just a couple of squirts on the dirty spots and then you work it out with a damp cloth/rag. Poof! Poop-stain free!
Usually riding a flea-bitten grey who loves to roll in mud the night before we ride, every grooming session is a workout. The mud has dried long before, so I pull out my handy-dandy hand curry! Simple, yet wildly effective. If the mud is real bad, and it’s nice out, try getting the mud area wet before scrubbing.
My father puts Appel Sider Vinger in their grain, it makes their hoofs strong& shiny, and makes the coat shinny.
I put this human hair sofener stuff and her coat is soft and really shiny
Phantom loves to roll in mud every chance he gets. after he gets a bath and dries off as soon as he is let go he rolls just to get dirt him. He usually gets groomed about 2 hours a day it keeps his mane and tail tangle free. Also i use bleach on his hooves it kill all bacteria and hardens his hooves and gives it a shine. and of course using show sheen is awesome!
what i do is bathe my horse with rosewater its like soap and it makes your horse shiny and soft so you can look good and he can smell and look good
I take a wet rag and dampen my brushes so that dirt and dander stick to them instead of just getting spread around.
My horse has super long and mane which makes me think that he might be part Haflinger. But on show days when he competes in English flat classes he needs a running braid but it falls out no matter what so through my own testing I found a simple solution. You just buy regular spray gel from the hair section of your supermarket or wherever and you spray it onto your horse’s dampened mane and then do a long running braid. Your horse’s mane will look ahh-mazing and it won’t be crunchy and fake that’s the magic of good ole spray gel!