Here are their tips to choose the right grooming products for the job and make the most of every spritz and sudsing.

Product Prerequisites

The overall health of the horse’s skin and coat is paramount to equine beauty, according to Sally Stith-Burdette, marketing director for Shapley’s Superior Equine Grooming Products.

“Healthy skin is going to produce good, healthy hair,” she says.

There are many products to choose from, and you should first consider that the products you’re grooming with are gentle, pH balanced, and made with quality ingredients, says Devon Katzev, president and product developer at Straight Arrow, makers of the Original Mane ’n Tail product line, as well as the Cowboy Magic and Exhibitor’s brands.

The way you use the products also makes a difference, but ultimately, he notes that you’ll have to judge for yourself based on what works best for your horse.

To get the most bang for your buck, it pays to take a moment to read directions on the bottle. It’s easy to overlook this step with familiar products like shampoo, but the manufacturer’s instructions are intended to maximize performance.

And spoiler alert: There’s no free pass from regular grooming. Even with the best products, good old-fashioned currying and “elbow grease” is still a big part of grooming success.

Choosing a Shampoo

Before you head to the wash rack, our experts explain why it’s important to make sure you have a shampoo that’s made specifically for horses and pH balanced for equine skin.

“A dog’s pH is different from a horse’s, which is different from people’s pH,” explains Stith-Burdette. “Horses actually have the most sensitive skin of all of them. When you use something that’s not made just for the horse, you run the risk of it being drying [to the skin and coat].”

While human shampoo is usually gentle enough to be safe for horses, it’s not really designed to effectively cleanse the dirt that horses get into, or their coarser hair and sensitive skin.

“Horses love to roll and get dirty, and equine shampoos in general are designed to clean and compensate for the extra dirt,” says Katzev. “Plus, conditioning for their extra-thick manes and tails is essential to keep them long and flowing.” For general cleaning, he says you’ll want a gentle pH-balanced formula and ingredients that clean and nourish.

One thing you want to avoid is harsh detergents, such as household cleaning items. Products made for laundry or dishes are going to be extremely drying to the horse’s skin, strip the natural oils from the coat, and leave the hair dull and brittle.

“If you wouldn’t use it on your own head, don’t use it on your horse,” says Stith-Burdette, warning that these household cleaning products can cause itching and create cracks in the skin, inviting bacteria and infection.

The Right Product for the Job

When selecting a shampoo for your horse, you’ll also want to choose the right one for the job. Equine shampoos may be formulated for routine cleaning and frequent use; contain medicated treatment for skin; or be made to enhance color or shine.

With skin problems, Katzev recommends consulting with your vet and doing your research to better understand what you are looking to treat, such as rain rot, girth itch, scratches, et cetera.

Getting the most out of the product depends on the type of shampoo you’re using, says Stith-Burdette. For best results, read the product directions—some shampoos are designed to be diluted, while others work best applied full-strength directly to the coat.

“Color enhancing shampoo [is used] full strength,” she says. “You can use a medicated shampoo, if you’re [treating] a problem like rain rot, at full strength and let it sit; if you’re just trying to prevent [a skin issue], then dilute it in a bucket of water. Same with everyday shampoo; you just add a little bit to the water.”

Bathing Technique

Technique for bathing your horse matters, too. This includes a good sponge for thorough application and currying while the shampoo is on the horse, cleaning down to the skin and bringing all the dirt to the surface where it can be washed away. You’ll also want to rinse the shampoo thoroughly from your horse’s coat, as leftover suds may cause dry, itchy skin, dandruff or dullness.

When it comes to cleaning with any shampoo, having good water pressure always helps to get deep down into the coat to clean, according to Katzev. He also recommends good basic tools in your bath kit, such as a sponge and sweat scraper. Grooming gloves or a currycomb will also help with that deep clean.

After bathing your horse, Katzev suggests taking the time to inspect the results, noting that your horse may not be fully clean. Often, he says, dander and fine dirt under the coat are the culprits for a less than stellar shine. In addition to causing a dull appearance, that dirt and dander underneath the coat can irritate the skin if rubbed by a saddle, girth, or other tack, making cleanliness of more than superficial importance.

To check that your horse is truly clean, Katzev advises running your hand backwards against the coat randomly in different areas on the horse to see if dander still exists underneath the hair.

“If you still see dirt or dander, you didn’t wash [the horse] thoroughly,” he says. “In that case, you may need more of the shampoo applied directly to get better concentration of the product to clean instead of diluting it in a bucket. Plus, some good water pressure also helps for rinsing.”

If you groom and wash your horse regularly, Katzev notes that you will not need to use as much shampoo. However, he says the important thing is to try to keep your horse comfortable, because dirty skin can get itchy and dry.

Again, he says it may take some trial and error to see what works best for you and your horse, but the results should speak for themselves.

“If your true desire is shine for the coat, then [it] will obviously show on the final finish,” says Katzev.

Color-Enhancing Shampoos Color-enhancing shampoos are made for bringing out the best of your horse’s coat color. They whiten or brighten and are designed to complement your horse’s hue. “You will see the difference using the right formula; a good color-enhancing formula will optically brighten and enhance coat appearance, altering the way the light interacts with each hair shaft,” says Devon Katzev, president of Straight Arrow, makers of the Original Mane ’n Tail product line, as well as Cowboy Magic and Exhibitor’s brand, which is known for its line of color-intensifying shampoos: Quic Silver, Quic Black and Quic Color. Whitening shampoos lift stains from the hair gently, without bleach or chemicals, and have a purple cast to counteract green stains or yellowing in the hair coat. Black and dark coat enhancing shampoos reduce unwanted red tones, while chestnut shampoo adds coppery highlights, and palomino brightens golden tones. Color-enhancing shampoos can be used regularly if you want to keep bumping the color up, or just used whenever the color needs a boost, according to Stith-Burdette. Be sure to follow the directions on the label. In general, color-enhancing shampoos are intended to be used full-strength and not diluted. They typically need to sit on the coat for several minutes to work their magic. Take care not to leave whitening shampoo on longer than recommended, or it may leave a purple tint behind.

Conditioning

Conditioners add essential moisture to soothe and nourish skin, strengthen hair, and add smoothness and shine. You can use a rinse-out product while bathing your horse, and there are also leave-in products to provide additional conditioning, including sprays and grooming oil.

If you’re not familiar with grooming oil, choose a product made for horses. After bathing, add a dollop to a bucket of rinse water, sponge it all over, then body scrape the horse. Or just pour some on a rag and run it over the horse after your everyday grooming routine, says Stith-Burdette.

It might feel like an extra step to add a conditioner, but when you consider the damaging environment that a horse’s hair and coat endure, from the sun and harsh weather to dirt, sand and sweat—plus frequent bathing that can strip the oils from the skin and coat—the extra moisture is beneficial.

“Conditioners are very important for hair care because they help strengthen and nourish hair with proteins and essential oils, allowing for healthier hair growth,” says Katzev. “If your goal is fuller, thicker, longer manes and tails, then conditioning is a must.”

Detangling Manes and Tails

Detanglers work by creating a friction-free slip that helps reduce tangles and knots. They also add conditioners to strengthen hair, prevent damage and make manes and tails more manageable. In the quest for a long, flowing mane and tail, a good detangling product is a go-to.

When it comes to spray detanglers versus serum detanglers, which should you use?

“Both types of products approach the same problem in a different way,” says Katzev. “Spray detanglers are usually water-based emulsions designed to spread out quickly over hair without necessarily having to use your hands. For quick touch-ups and daily maintenance, this application will speed up [your grooming], plus it lasts for days and will be more economical.”

Stith-Burdette notes that it’s important to give the product time to work before you start brushing or combing the hair.

“If you’re using it to detangle a tail, just spray the tail really well,” she says. “Let it sit for a few minutes, then start brushing from the bottom of the tail up. Give it a minute to start unraveling a little bit so you’re not ripping out a lot of hair.”

Serum or gel detanglers are more concentrated and are applied by hand to the mane and tail.

“Serums can be helpful in heavily knotted hair when your concern is to work it out by hand and detangle carefully to prevent any excess tearing of the hair,” says Katzev. “They also have a thickening and smoothing effect, plus [make] a great overall appearance and shine.”

To apply, Katzev recommends pouring the serum into your hands first and working through the hair.

Time to Shine

Silicone-based coat polish and shine sprays will give your horse an extra glow and help repel dust and dirt to cut down your grooming time. The silicone coats the hair shaft, making it more difficult for stains to set and preventing mud from clinging to the coat.

“These products can be used daily, but their effectiveness also relies on clean hair, so washing is important,” says Katzev.

These sprays do double duty to detangle manes and tails, and as an added bonus, are also good at preventing blanket rubs, allowing the blanket to slide over the coat without friction.

Coat polish spray can be applied after bathing while the horse is wet (after removing excess water). To apply to a dry coat, groom your horse thoroughly first to remove dust and dirt. Spray evenly, let it dry for a few minutes, and then buff to a shine with a towel or brush.

These products are slick, so be careful to avoid the saddle and girth area. You’ll also want to skip manes or tails that will be braided soon, since the hair needs to be a little grippy.

Oil-based finishing sprays offer a highly reflective shine for the show ring, but they aren’t designed for everyday use. The oil attracts dust, so these products are best reserved for right before going into the ring.

Key Takeaway

While elbow grease is the tried-and-true path to a shiny coat, busy equestrians often fall short on time to devote to currying and brushing.

“We’re all in a hurry, it seems,” says Stith-Burdette. “We try to give you tools to use, and make sure that they will not hurt the horse over time by drying out their skin or damaging their hair.”

Ultimately, Katzev believes the way we perceive grooming is important—to value the process and not see it as a chore. Instead, he says, think of grooming as quality time to spend with your horse, and enjoy it.

“Take the time if you can with your equine friend and enjoy—that’s why you are both together,” he says.

Further Reading
◆ 10 Horse Grooming Hacks
◆ Grooming Makeover Tips with Emma Ford
◆ Pro Tips for Better Horse Show Grooming

This article about grooming tips from experts appeared in the May 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Grooming Tips from Industry Experts appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

When you list what’s in your grooming box, have you ever mentioned a hair dryer, laundry detergent, or dryer sheets alongside your favorite brushes?

Drawing on our personal experiences as grooms for show jumping Olympic medalists Anne Kursinski and Kent Farrington, Lindsey Trockenbrot and I compiled this list of grooming hacks. While they may seem obscure, they will help you promote your horse’s coat health.

1. Hot Toweling

Hot toweling is a great way to clean your horse without the wash rack—especially in winter when the dust goes deep and the weather is too cold for a bath. All you need is a bucket of hot water, two towels, and a bottle of your favorite coat conditioner or coconut oil.

Soak the first towel completely and wring it out well. Rub the rag over the horse’s body like you would with a curry comb, going gently against their coat to get beneath the hair.

Once you’ve gone over your horse once, soak and wring out your second towel. This time, spray your coat conditioner of choice directly on the towel. Now go over the horse again, spraying additional conditioner on the towel as needed. Be mindful that you are not applying coat conditioner to the saddle and girth areas if you’re planning to ride that day.

To bring out that extra shine after hot toweling, go over your horse with a hard brush, followed by a soft brush.

2. Hair Dryer

When the weather is too cool for a bath, taking a hair dryer to your horse’s woolly winter coat (desensitizing him first, of course) will dry out his sweat marks in no time. Any household hair dryer will do the trick for this hack.

Once the hair is dry, just curry and brush it out. There’s no need to wait hours for your horse to dry when you can hair dry him!

3. Waterproof Ointment

If your horse has soft hooves, you live in an area where the humidity is high, or your horse gets frequent baths and/or his legs washed, this hack is for you.

To help prevent your horse’s hooves from absorbing water while being rinsed or bathed, apply Corona ointment or Vaseline to the walls of his hooves before you bathe him. This seals the hooves so the water will bead right off of them.

4. Dryer Sheets

When the air is particularly dry, does your horse’s staticky hair—and tail in particular—drive you crazy? Try taking a dryer sheet and rubbing it all over his mane, tail, and body. This will help lessen the static in no time—and it also helps keep bugs away!

5. Apple Cider Vinegar

When the sun and bugs are out in the heat of the summer, rinsing your horse in apple cider vinegar will become one of your favorite tricks in the barn. Apple cider vinegar is one of the most beneficial ways to help cool a horse down and keep the bugs away.

Add enough ACV to cover the bottom of a bucket, then fill the bucket with water. Use a sponge or rag to generously douse your horse in the mixture. Don’t worry about rinsing him off—just sweat scrape and you’re done.

While your horse may smell a bit like a salad, he will thank you for helping them keep the bugs away and helping him cool off!

6. Laundry Detergent

If you’ve tried every product under the sun to rid your horse’s white tail of stains or are trying to brighten white legs, try using detergent. Yes, as in the one you use to wash your laundry!

Dilute the laundry detergent just as you would with regular shampoo (just a glug in a full bucket of water), scrub, rinse, and voila, your horse will be blindingly white.

7. Mouthwash

Have you seen your horse rubbing his rear on his stall, feeder, or water buckets? Mouthwash might be the solution you are looking for.

Dilute Listerine mouthwash 1 part mouthwash to 4 parts water in a spray bottle. Spray liberally and work into the roots of your horse’s mane or tail.

You can spray this solution daily or as needed. This hack should not replace washing your horse’s tail, but is a helpful addition to your grooming routine.

8. Socks

Putting socks on your horse while riding him in sand arenas, alongside currying and keeping his legs clipped below the fetlock, may help minimize fungus on the back of his pasterns.

There are socks specifically made for horses, but a pair of human crew socks will also do the trick. Simply cut the foot of the sock off, leaving the tall part intact, and pull the sock over your horse’s hoof so that it covers their pastern and fetlock.

Tip: Try putting a gallon-sized Ziploc bag over your horse’s hoof to make putting the sock on easier.

To help keep the sock in place while riding, use a pair of hind boots. Socks are also a great way to keep your horse’s white legs clean overnight at a horse show.

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9. Vacuuming

Not to be mistaken for a household vacuum, this vacuum is designed for horses. While these units will cost you a pretty penny, you’ll find them to be worth every cent.

Vacuums allow you to get your horse looking his best without the hassle of a bath. From cleaning sand, dust, and even feathers, vacuums have a tremendous impact on your horse’s coat health. They are particularly useful for removing sand and dust, which will help keep fungus from developing on your horse in humid climates.

For optimal results, curry your horse thoroughly beforehand to loosen the dirt on their coat. Be sure to desensitize your horse before vacuuming.

10. Olive, Coconut, and Baby Oil

While nearly everyone has a bottle of olive oil in their pantry, not many equestrians have olive oil stashed in their tack box. One of the biggest benefits of olive oil is that it can help keep your horse’s hooves conditioned. Simply applying it to your horse’s hooves with a brush or rag will help condition the hoof wall and procure a polish-like shine.

Next time you’re looking to add shine to your horse’s coat at a show or at home, try combining coconut oil with water in a small bucket or a spray bottle. While being mindful of areas where your tack will sit, spray or use a damp towel to apply the coconut oil to the horse’s coat. After applying the oil, use a soft brush to go over your horse’s coat and enhance the shine.

Additionally, baby oil or witch hazel can be used to soothe recently clipped areas on horses, especially around more sensitive areas, such as the muzzle, face and legs. Wipe your horse down with a damp rag and oil, focusing on these sensitive areas.

While these hacks will never replace the benefits of traditional grooming, they are excellent additions to your horse’s grooming routine that will help promote a happy and healthy coat.

These 10 grooming hacks and tips appeared in the May 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Grooming Tips for a Shiny Coat

To get your horse shining like a superstar, regular grooming is essential. A few tips and tricks will help you get the most megawatts out of your grooming sessions.

If you’re going for the gleam, make good use of your curry comb or grooming gloves. Currying removes deep-down dirt, promotes circulation and helps distribute the natural oils in your horse’s coat. Plus, it’s like a mini-massage for your horse.

Follow with a medium-stiff brush, using short, brisk strokes with an upward flick to lift the dirt and loose hair you’ve brought up with your curry session. Finish with a soft brush to bring up the shine in your horse’s coat.

To achieve a truly healthy shine, your horse needs quality nutrition. Talk to your vet or an equine nutritionist to make sure your horse is on an optimal feeding plan. Supplements for skin and coat health can further boost glow with a blend of ingredients that usually include fats, vitamins and biotin to support hair growth and shine.

Horse Bathing Tips

Sometimes nothing will replace a proper bath when your horse has deep-down dirt in his coat. He’ll appreciate warm water if it’s available, which also opens the hair shaft to make your cleaning efforts more effective. An adjustable spray nozzle lets you dial the water pressure down for your horse’s sensitivity level as needed, and increase it for more efficient rinsing.

Diluting the shampoo in a bucket makes it easier to rinse from your horse’s coat. Some equine shampoos are concentrated and designed to be diluted before use, so read the directions on the product you are using. Quick grooming tip: work the shampoo down to your horse’s skin with grooming gloves or your fingers for a deep clean.

It’s usually not necessary to use shampoo on the face and head. You don’t want to get soap in your horse’s eyes, and it can be difficult to rinse out completely. A damp towel or sponge should be sufficient to clean your horse’s face.

For light-colored heads or white markings that need deeper cleaning, dip a sponge in diluted shampoo and follow up with a clean, damp rag to rinse.

Never use dish soap or other harsh detergents to bathe your horse. These will strip the oils from the coat and possibly irritate his sensitive skin. Equine shampoos and conditioners are formulated with a gentle pH while also being equipped to handle horses’ coarser hair coats and the tough dirt they get into.

It’s crucial to rinse well. Soap left in the coat dries it out, can cause itching and dandruff, and leaves a dull finish instead of the bright and shiny glow you want. To make sure your horse’s coat is soap-free, rinse and then use a sweat scraper to squeegee excess water from the coat. If you see soap bubbles, rinse and repeat until the water runs clear.

To repel stains from your horse’s clean coat and add extra shine, apply coat polish spray while he’s still damp. Horses don’t require a full bath that often; a rinse with plain water will usually suffice to remove dirt and sweat after a workout.

Unravel a Tangled Mane or Tail

The gentlest way to detangle is to do it by hand, although you can also use a wide-tooth plastic comb. A mane and tail detangler makes the job easier so that the strands of hair slip apart without snagging and breaking. Many coat polish spray products also double as detanglers.

Apply the product evenly through the hair. Then start detangling from the bottom of the hair, working your way up. Work in small, manageable sections. To remove burrs, foxtails and large knots, apply detangler directly to the problem areas.

Once you can easily run your fingers through the hair, you can use a brush or comb if you wish. If you opt to brush, hold the hair in one hand close to the top in order to avoid pulling on the root, and then brush below—again, working from the bottom up.

Tips for a Tidy Trim

Another key part to grooming your horse is trimming, so follow these tips.

Some light cleanup work with the clippers will take your horse’s look from shaggy to sleek. High-level competition often calls for a more stringent standard of trimming, but this isn’t necessary for most horses.

Small clippers with a No. 10 blade are sufficient for this simple trimming job. Make sure your horse will tolerate the sound and feel of the clippers before you start. You’ll be mainly clipping with the direction of the hair growth to remove just the longest hairs for a blended appearance. (Clipping against the growth gives a closer shave.) However, when trimming your horse, you may find that you need to turn the clippers and brush over the top of the hair at an angle in order to blend it.

To trim the billy-goat beard under your horse’s jaw, run the clippers underneath in the direction of the hair growth from between his jowls to the groove in front of his chin. Angle the clippers as needed to get all the hair and blend it at the edge of the jawline.

Clean up shaggy fetlocks and long, wispy hairs on the back of your horse’s legs using the clippers with the direction of the hair. Turn the clippers to scoop out all the shag underneath the fetlock joint and behind the pastern.

The hair in your horse’s ears provides protection from bugs and gnats in summer and offers warmth in winter, so it’s best to not remove too much if your horse lives out on pasture. Hold the ear in your hand, gently press the sides together and remove the long hairs that protrude beyond the edge of the ear with your clippers. This levels off the hair inside the ear with the outer edge.

Trimming a bridle path will also give your horse a neater look by removing a little mane behind the ears where the crownpiece of the bridle sits. Usually just a few inches is needed to accommodate the width of your bridle.

The whiskers on your horse’s muzzle have some sensory function, so many horse owners opt to leave these little feelers. Other horse owners prefer keep them clipped off during the show season, depending on the discipline.

Whiter Whites

Keeping your white or light-colored horse clean is a major grooming challenge, so here are tips for tackling those white hairs.

White socks and markings also require extra effort to stay sparkling. To keep stains from setting into the coat, keep up on regular grooming. Use waterless shampoos and spot removal products when bathing isn’t possible; just spray on and use a towel to lift the stain. Simple spot cleaning with a bucket and sponge works too.

A specially formulated whitening shampoo will be your best friend in the wash rack. These shampoos usually have a blue or purplish tint to counteract the yellow cast a stained white coat often takes. Read the product directions carefully so as to not leave behind a purple cast on your horse’s whites!

This article about horse grooming tips appeared in the May 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Winter is here, and that lovely horse of yours—the one who looked gorgeous at the summer shows—is now hiding in a wooly mammoth coat. But even if the two of you plan to lay low this winter, don’t assume that you’re off the hook for regular grooming.

Besides keeping your horse looking good (or as good as fuzzy can look), regular winter grooming provides health benefits, too. A dirty coat isn’t as effective at keeping your horse warm, so it’s important to stay on top of major mud stains and dirt year-round.

But what if it’s 25°F and bathing your horse is out of the question? Here are a few grooming tips for your horse this winter so that you can keep him looking his best, even during the coldest months of the year.

1. Loosen the dirt

Long coat or not, you can easily (well, sort of easily) remove a great deal of the dust, dirt, and dried mud stuck in your horse’s long coat.

◆ Start with a curry comb or grooming gloves. While a basic curry comb is a good tool any time of year for removing muddy debris and dust, elbow grease is essential in the winter for removing dust and dirt from deep in your horse’s coat. Grooming gloves are similar, but they allow for a closer feel of your horse’s curved surfaces and can also be used on the face and legs.

◆ Try a shedding blade. The same shedding blade that comes in handy during your horse’s spring shed-out also works well to etch off those big dried mud stains.

2. Remove the dirt

But simply loosening the dust and dirt isn’t enough; you need to remove it as well.

◆ Brush with a flicking motion. A stiff-bristled dandy brush can be quite helpful for removing most of the dust you shook loose with the currycomb. Use your wrists to flick away all that dust. Softer body brushes can also be useful, and their gentle touch is required around your horse’s legs.

◆ Try a vacuum. If he’s cooperative with the idea (and it may take some careful training to get him there), using a horse-safe vacuum can be an excellent—and dry!—way to remove more dirt than you could probably achieve with brushing alone.

Some horse vacuums come with brush-like attachments to help you safely whisk away the dirt. This just might be your ideal winter bathing replacement, especially if you plan to attend a winter show, clinic, or other event.

3. Use a spot stain remover

During the summer, we often break out the hose to deal with things like sweat stains and green manure spots. If the temperatures are too cold for that, you may still be able to perform some spot cleaning without getting your horse very wet.

◆ Use a commercial product. Sometimes called a “waterless bath” or “waterless shampoo,” these products are (obviously) still moist, so you may have to avoid applying them on frigid winter days. But for mild winter days, these products can be a great way to clean your horse without soaking his entire coat, and they’re often quite effective at removing unsightly stains.

This technique may be more effective on clipped horses or those with naturally short winter coats, rather than super-fuzzy animals. After application, dry the spot with a soft towel.

◆ Try a home solution. For small stains, you might be able to clean them with a small towel dipped in rubbing alcohol, but you don’t want to overdo this method as it can dry out the horse’s coat.

4. Maintain manes and tails

Regular mane and tail grooming regimens apply to your horse in the winter just the same as the summer, but there are a couple of extra tips for preventive measures you can take:

◆ Try a mud knot for tails. Depending on your climate, mud can be a significant issue in the winter, but you can help protect your horse’s tail by using a simple mud knot. It will protect his tail and save on grooming time.

◆ Keep his mane shorter. If it’s too cold to use mane detangler, try to keep your horse’s mane combed frequently. You can make the job even easier by shortening his mane during the winter to limit the amount of mud and debris that it entangles.

5. Think about hooves

Locations that experience prolonged temperatures below freezing may develop hard, frozen ground. This can be very difficult on your horse.

◆ Talk to your farrier. If the frozen ground is uneven and painful for your horse to walk on, your farrier may recommend making temporary adjustments, such as shoeing a normally barefoot horse or adding borium for traction to steel shoes.

◆ Watch out for snowballs. When bringing your horse into the stable after turnout, be sure to remove any packed snow that has developed on his soles; this can be quite uncomfortable for him to walk on. This happens particularly with shod horses—look into having your farrier add snow pads if this is a frequent problem.

6. Be a weight watcher

Keep in mind that a thick winter coat can make it much more challenging to estimate your horse’s body condition.

◆ Use your hands to “see.” Use your regular grooming sessions to examine your horse’s body weight by using your hands to feel for areas around his hips or ribs that might not have enough body fat coverage.

Not only will an underweight horse suffer more in cold temperatures, but it can also be difficult to increase his weight when he’s using extra calories just to stay warm. It’s better to catch winter weight loss early.

Just because your horse is a little woolier this time of year doesn’t mean you should forego regular grooming sessions and health checks. A little bit of routine work can go a long way toward keeping him looking good. Before you know it, he’ll be shedding out that winter coat—and you’ll be covered in it instead!

Horse Grooming Tips for the Winter Rider If you ride during the winter, you have another set of challenges to deal with. Groom the right spots: Take extra care to remove any dried debris or mud from your horse’s saddle, girth and bridle areas. This will help your horse avoid any uncomfortable chaffing. Cool out properly: Because the insulating hairs of the winter coat prevent the heat from escaping effectively, expect to find sweat marks under your horse’s girth and saddle pad even when the thermometer dips below freezing. Be sure to put a cooler on your horse until he’s dry to prevent him from becoming chilled. Consider a body clip: If you ride heavily in any climate throughout the winter, your horse will sweat a lot and probably take too long to dry without hours of work. In this situation, a partial body clip (like a trace or blanket clip) is the way to go. Partial clips leave some natural coat for the cold weather and remove the areas that sweat most. Keep these tips in mind for body clipping: ◆ Make sure to use clippers that are specifically designed for body clipping, not small face and leg trimmers. ◆ Have one or two freshly sharpened or brand-new sets of blades ready to go. ◆ Start with a squeaky-clean horse: bathe with shampoo in a heated wash rack, or bucket bathe with heated water. To bucket bathe, scrub back and forth against hair grain with well wrung-out towels, switching out frequently for clean ones. Make sure your horse is completely dry before clipping, and have winter blankets ready for stabling and turnout. Check out this article for more detailed steps to a great body clip.

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Have you ever tried to braid your horse’s mane for a show and gotten so frustrated that you begged a friend for help or ended up paying someone to do it for you?

Braiding a horse’s mane is not overly difficult, but one adage holds true: Practice makes perfect. If you want to have beautiful, even braids, don’t wait until the night before a show to start learning. It takes most people a few fully braided manes to develop an efficient technique.

My preference is for “hunter bump” yarn braids because I find them easier to put in and take out than round braids sewn in with thread. This type of braid is a good all-purpose style that can be used for hunter/jumper, eventing and dressage horses. Yarn also securely holds in braids without damaging the hair.

Pulling the Mane Before Braiding

Before you braid, you’ll need to pull your horse’s mane to thin out the hair and even the length. If he has very thin hair, you can probably get by using scissors (held vertically, never cutting straight across) or an old clipper blade to even out the length. For horses with thick hair, however, you need to pull the mane until it is thinned out and about 4 inches in length. Thick hair makes yarn braiding nearly impossible.

If your horse is sensitive about having his mane pulled, do just a small section of pulling every day for a week or so to keep him from getting too worked up. It also helps to pull after you’ve ridden, as body heat tends to open the pores and make the hair less painful to remove.

In extreme cases, it may be necessary to have your vet administer a small amount of tranquilizer to get the job done. Pulling should be done every four to six weeks to keep up the short, thin mane necessary for braiding.

Using Yarn to Braid a Horse’s Mane

Note: In the photos, the horse’s mane lies to the left and is braided to the left. This is acceptable for eventing and dressage horses, but hunters prefer to train and braid the mane to the right.

◆ STEP 1. Assemble all of your braiding equipment. Tie your horse safely and comfortably so he can’t wander off, either on cross-ties or in his stall. Have a hay net nearby to distract him and increase his patience, if necessary. Stand on a sturdy stool or mounting block so you can easily reach your horse’s mane. NOTE: We used white yarn in our equine model’s black mane so that it would be more visible in the photos. For a show, use yarn that matches the color of your horse’s mane.

◆ STEP 2. Starting at the top of the mane, just behind the bridle path, wet down and comb a section of hair approximately two to three fingers wide, or 1 to 2 inches. You can use water, but there are grippy braiding spray products available that really make things easier. Use your comb to make a razor-sharp part, and keep the rest of the mane out of your way with a hair clip.

◆ STEP 3. Begin braiding downward (as opposed to out toward yourself), pulling each section of hair out to the side as you work your way down for maximum tightness. When you get about halfway down the braid, place the middle of a piece of yarn under the bottom of the braided section. Incorporate one half of the yarn into one section of the braid. Do two more crosses of the braid, then incorporate the other half of the yarn into the third of the three sections. Continue braiding as far down the hair as possible.

◆ STEP 4. Tie off the yarn at the bottom of the braid with a single slip knot, pulling tightly.

◆ STEP 5. Slide your pull-through down into the top and center of the braid at the crest; thread the free ends of the yarn through it and pull them out through the top of the mane. The braid will now be folded in half.

◆ STEP 6. Use the free ends of the yarn to make a simple square knot under the braid and pull tightly.

◆ STEP 7. Push up a “bump” so a knob of the braid is visible along the crest of the neck, with the rest of the braid in a small, folded loop below the bump. Tie another tight square knot on the “waist” of the braid (between the bump and the loop).

◆ STEP 8. Make another knot around the waist of the braid, this time behind it. Pull tightly, and use scissors to trim the yarn tails a couple of millimeters from the knot.

I like to braid the entire mane with the braids hanging down first, then go back down the neck to pull the braids up and “bump” them, making my yarn knots. My third and final pass is to trim the yarn tails with scissors. Finally, I braid the forelock using the same method, although it may require French braiding for the first few rows if the forelock is large and unruly. I don’t like to pull or shorten forelocks, but that is certainly an option.

Don’t get discouraged if your braids don’t look perfect the first time. Keep practicing, and beautiful, even braids are sure to follow.

The post Upgrade Your Horse’s Mane Braids appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

One such horse presented a classic case of “chestnut mare, beware” to anyone approaching her with a curry or brush. She was a kid’s lesson horse, but it was anything but child’s play to groom her. It wasn’t a good situation for the kids, and because of her objections to grooming, the mare was in real danger of saddle sores and rub spots on her withers, recalls professional equine groom Cat Hill, co-author of World Class Grooming for Horses.

“Everyone would just sort of barely dust her off,” she says.

But thanks to some time and effort to address the situation, and finding the right tools, the mare has come around to tolerating it. And while grooming may never be on her list of favorite activities, any of the school kids can brush her now as long as they use her special grooming kit, shares Hill.

So if your horse hates being groomed, there’s hope. We’ll look at some reasons horses object to grooming and what you can do to help with the expertise of Hill and veterinarian Jenny Biehunko, DVM, of Veterinary Behavior Consultants of Alabama in Pelham, Ala., who is a resident ACVB specializing in behavioral medicine.

Physical Causes

While horses all have innate levels of sensitivity and individual preference in how they like to be handled and groomed, pain is the first thing to explore.

“If you have a horse that’s reactive to grooming, you certainly want to make sure there’s not a medical reason for that,” says Biehunko. “Especially if you have a horse that previously didn’t have a problem with a certain procedure and suddenly does, that’s a big red flag to me that we may have some medical issues going on.”

Hill agrees that when horses hate being groomed, they are often trying to tell you they have an underlying pain issue somewhere in their body.

“Back pain, ulcer pain, and tooth pain all can cause a horse to be quite reactive and quite sore,” says Hill. “Vitamin E deficiency or Lyme disease can also make a horse very muscle sore, which can make grooming very uncomfortable.”

Try to notice if the pain is specific to one area, which might indicate an injury, or seems to be a whole-body issue.

According to Biehunko, there are a plethora of medical issues to consider.

Selenium/magnesium imbalances can cause horses to be painful. Other culprits may include neurologic issues, such as equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM).

Skin issues are a big one, such as rain rot, fungal and bacterial infections, and parasites (such as lice). With mares, Biehunko notes that reproductive tract issues can often affect the back muscles, resulting in discomfort and pain with saddling, riding and grooming.

Tools & Techniques

Some horses hate being groomed because of the way you’re grooming or the tools you’re using. Try not to take it personally! Instead, listen to the animal, and be willing to adapt and find a way that works.

“I have about 25 different currycombs in my kit, and I have lots of different brushes,” says Hill. “Sometimes it’s just finding the tools that a specific horse likes.”
Hands-On Grooming Gloves are among her favorites, as well as cactus cloth, a coarse cloth woven from cactus fibers.

“I happen to love using a cactus cloth as a currycomb on a really sensitive horse—you can get a nice, deep curry,” she says. In the case of the school horse that Hill knew that couldn’t be brushed, the cactus cloth proved to be the key to making her happy.

Another tool Hill likes to try with sensitive horses is the long-bristled “sweep” or “flick” brushes, as she finds that the long bristles help spread out the impact.

Finding out how your horse prefers to be touched can also be extremely helpful.

“Sometimes we’re too rough, but I also think that with horses, sometimes we’re not firm enough with our brushing, and it tickles,” says Biehunko. “Sometimes harder is the answer, and sometimes it’s not. Ask the animal. The animal will tell you whether something is comfortable or uncomfortable.”

Here are a few techniques that Hill recommends for these sensitive-skinned equine souls.

Reverse Curry: While we are often taught to start grooming at the front of the horse and move rearward, Hill says that many horses find that to be an invasion of personal space. Instead, she suggests reversing the process.

“A lot of times, sensitive horses don’t mind their hindquarters being brushed—in fact, they often like it,” she reveals. Starting your curry session on the hindquarters where there’s a large muscle mass that may be a less reactive area for the horse and can make them feel a little more comfortable as you start the grooming process.

Different Strokes: A common mistake Hill sees that makes a horse hate grooming is pushing the brush too hard into the horse in an attempt to be vigorous.

“Some horses really don’t like that ‘thump’ when you put your hand down quickly,” she says. “It can be startling and cause the muscles to tense and be painful.”

Instead, she says, the “sweep” motion of the brush is what needs to be vigorous.

A Location Situation

In addition to how you’re grooming, where the grooming sessions take place can be part of why your horse hates grooming. With a horse that tap dances in the cross-ties during grooming, you need to figure out whether it’s the cross-ties, the environment, or the grooming process itself that’s causing difficulty. Grooming your horse in a different location is a simple step to try to make things better.

“Horses are incredibly good associative learners, and maybe something happened in that particular area in the past that they associate with something bad, so try a different environment,” says Biehunko.

Equine bullies nearby can be another source of angst when a horse is in a confined position for grooming. Sometimes the cross-ties themselves can put a horse in a physical position where he has trouble standing or balancing—especially for a young horse, a neurologic horse, or a horse that is simply not familiar with cross-ties.

Finding the Sweet Spot

What you’re ideally looking for when you groom your horse is a relationship-building process, as well as a get-your-horse-clean process, says Hill, noting that grooming between two horses is a fairly intimate relationship—it’s not something that’s done between two strange horses.

With that in mind, almost every horse has a spot where they enjoy being groomed or scratched. Hill suggests using your currycomb to find it and build positive associations.

“Once you find the magic spot, try to spend a little time there, and let them know that grooming can feel good,” she says. “I’ll often try to finish with the spot they really like. I’ll wait until the end of my grooming session, and I’ll spend a little extra time grooming there.”

Biehunko is a big fan of hanging out in the pasture with her horses and getting to know what they like.

“I do a lot of that, and I’ve done that with all the foals I’ve raised. It’s just touching in different places and sort of asking, watching their body language: ‘Do you like being scratched here, do you like being scratched harder, do you like being scratched softer; oh, you don’t like being touched there, OK that’s the area we need to work on.’ So just play! Play with your horse.”

Listening to the Horse

Learning to recognize and respond to a horse’s more subtle body language around grooming can help prevent increasing issues with a horse that hates grooming. Once he realizes that you are listening to him and honoring that body language, he doesn’t have to shout because you’re listening to his whispers, says Biehunko.

“The horses that are biting, if we can teach them ‘I’m listening to you at a lower level,’ maybe they don’t feel like they need to get so snappy,” she says. A harsh response to negative behavior is counterproductive.

“Punishing a horse for saying, ‘Ouch, that hurts,’ often escalates the behavior because they are, in their language, trying to say to you they don’t like that, and if you punish that behavior, then the next time they’ll say it a little louder and a little ruder,” says Hill.

Both experts agree that if a horse is exhibiting dangerous behavior, you should definitely not push the issue, and find a professional to help.

“Think of grooming as important as the ride when it comes to a training issue,” urges Hill.

Not every horse will love being groomed, and that’s OK. You can still find a way to get the job done safely while lowering the stress level for both of you.

“If you’ve got a horse that really doesn’t enjoy the process, you can do a minimal, but effective, groom as often as possible so that you’re not constantly pushing him, doing the job that’s necessary for hygiene and maintenance, but not going overboard,” says Hill. “The relationship works two ways. Maybe you’re someone who really loves to groom and pet and snuggle with a horse, but if you have a horse [that’s not into it], respect that and let them be who they are.”

This article with tips for when a horse hates grooming appeared in the May 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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The horse is a living, breathing piece of art. Keeping these exquisite creatures in peak condition involves many important tasks, but one key component is grooming. Two industry professionals share their thoughts with Horse Illustrated on how they take the familiar jobs of currying and brushing to the next level.

Why Grooming Matters

There are a number of other reasons for brushing and currying beyond the obvious of cleaning the horse to look his best, and the opportunity to inspect for injuries.

“Brushing and currying provide a massage to the skin, which helps increase blood flow to the skin and muscles,” says professional groom Cat Hill, co-author of World-Class Grooming for Horses. “It loosens dead hair and dirt that is deep in the coat. It’s also a great way to bond with your horse in a way that he understands on his level, since mutual grooming is a sign of trust and affection between horses.”

Assistant to world champion reiner Shawn Flarida, Alex Plowman believes grooming is an important part of management for top-level equine athletes.

“Keeping the horse clean and comfortable is a very crucial part of helping him give his best performance in the pen.

“The night before [a show class] we give the horse a bath, also washing and conditioning the mane and tail, so we’re starting out with a clean horse.

“When we go to get him ready to enter the pen, we use grooming spray on the body and all through the mane and tail. Next, we use a soft-bristled brush before putting the saddle on to make sure the hair is lying the right way under the tack. Finally, right before Shawn walks into the ring, we’ll look over the horse and take a rag to make sure the coat is nice and slick.”

In the Brush Box

There are all kinds of grooming tools available today featuring different colors, ergonomic designs, and more. But the basic categories still include curry combs, stiff brushes (dandy brushes), soft brushes (body brushes), grooming mitts, and rub rags and towels.

Hill stocks her grooming kit with each of the above, but also likes using a jelly scrubber because it has two sides: one with shorter, softer grooming teeth and the other with longer, firmer tips. This allows her to use the jelly on different types of horses, some of which enjoy a vigorous grooming and others with more sensitive skin. Hill also keeps a pair of grooming gloves at the ready.

“I love the gloves because I can use the fingertips to get into all the nooks and crannies,” says Hill. She especially likes the gloves for cleaning a horse’s legs, face and ears.

Plowman lists his top picks as an oval rubber curry comb, a variety of soft brushes, plus a towel and coat conditioner. They avoid using a comb on manes and tails at Shawn Flarida Reiners, preferring human hairbrushes or mane and tail brushes because the bristles are a bit softer and won’t break the hair.

Since most of the horses in the barn are in short coat year-round, he says they seldom use a stiff brush, and only use the curry comb when horses come in muddy or for young horses in full coat when they arrive for their first lessons prior to being started under saddle.

Another choice in selecting brushes is natural versus synthetic bristles. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

“I really like natural bristle brushes because I groom a small number of horses and I love the way they make them shine,” says Hill. “But my business partner Emma Ford, who grooms event horses, prefers synthetic because she needs to disinfect them regularly. Bottom line, the best tools are the ones that your horse likes and that do the job properly.”

A softer touch is important when brushing the face, ears, legs, and other sensitive areas of the horse, such as the flanks. Muddy legs or faces may first require the careful use of a curry comb before following up with a brush.

Both professionals say that they use a soft brush and a towel on most horses when cleaning these touchy spots, but Hill says the soft side of a grooming mitt or grooming gloves are also useful in these instances.

Develop a Routine

One of the most important professional horse grooming tips is to develop a grooming routine with your horse. Is it necessary to groom your horse every day? Hill says your horse should be groomed as often as you can manage, but that horses should be absolutely be groomed every time they are exercised.

“The more work that is expected of a horse, the more time should be spent grooming,” she says. “Our upper-level horses get a pre-ride groom, a post-workout rubdown and a full groom in the afternoon every day.”

Both Hill and Plowman say that, in most cases, you should work from the front to the back of the horse when currying and brushing, although Hill says she varies the process for some horses.

“My general routine is to curry first,” she says. “It often depends on the horse. With sensitive horses, I start currying on their shoulder or rear, where they have large muscles, until they start to soften up and enjoy it. With more solid types, I start at the head/neck and work toward the tail.

“I curry every inch of a horse: their faces, legs, everything. Then I use a long-bristled ‘sweep’ brush in short, brisk strokes starting at the face, then work toward the rear, making sure to sweep down and up as I go back. Then I follow with a short-bristled body brush. Finally, I spray the horse with my favorite coat conditioner and use a wool mitt to sweep over them.”

The show horses and horses in training at Shawn Flarida Reiners are groomed before each ride and then are often rinsed or bathed afterward.

According to Hill, safety for human and horse should also be considered when brushing and currying. She advises observing your horse’s expression and body language as you begin to work. Your horse will indicate if a particular tool is bothering him or the amount of pressure is too much.

“Listen and change your methods if [he doesn’t] like what you’re doing,” says Hill. “Most importantly, try to keep a hand on your horse. He can’t really see you when you’re working on him, and taking your tool away and then putting it back on him can startle him.”

Top Grooming Tips

One of many professional horse grooming tips is to always pay attention to where you are grooming. Plowman says the main thing most people forget is grooming the horse’s belly where the girth goes.

“Always run the brush down there and make sure that the hair is going back toward their butt,” he says. “That way when you run the girth up, it’s not uncomfortable for the horse. It’s like putting a hat on with your hair upside down; your head is going to be tender. It is the same thing with horses.”

Another professional horse grooming tip is to always be moving when you are grooming. To be efficient in a grooming routine and give your horse maximum benefit of the therapy that grooming provides, Hill advises grooms to keep it moving.

“Sweat! You must move fast and you should be warm and moving when you curry. I put a brush in each hand­—my sweep brush and my finish brush—so I only have to do each side once.”

Grooming is one of the most basic horsemanship lessons, but it’s worth doing well. Even if you’ve been grooming for years, follow these expert tips to polish your skills (and your horse) to a professional grade shine.

Care of Brushes

A big professional horse grooming tip is to take excellent care of all of your brushes. Grooming tools should be cleaned on a regular basis. Also check brushes and curry combs for broken bristles and missing teeth. Broken bristles can poke your horse’s skin and damage his coat, and too many missing bristles or teeth signal that it’s time to say goodbye to a brush or curry. Hill uses a variety of cleaning methods depending on the tools.

“I wash my hard tools with soap and water,” she says. “I sprinkle my natural- bristle brushes with cornstarch every few days (to absorb extra oil) and then spray them with a vinegar/water solution every few weeks. Synthetic brushes go in the dishwasher every month or so.”

At Shawn Flarida Reiners, the staff also washes their brushes on a regular basis. Plowman says that they use an agricultural wash that is biodegradable, non-toxic and non-corrosive.

“We also use it on our saddle pads, our girths and spray our bits down with it,” he says.

Meet the Experts

Cat Hill, 37, of Corning, N.Y., has 15 years of experience as a professional groom and has worked managing Arabian show horses, hunters, jumpers, eventers and dressage horses. She is co-author with Emma Ford of the book World Class Grooming for Horses.

Together Hill and Ford also operate World Class Grooming LLC, conducting clinics on grooming and horse management with the goal of elevating the relationship between horses and their caretakers.

Alex Plowman, 26, of Springfield, Ohio, works for Shawn Flarida, multiple World Equestrian Games reining gold medalist and the only $6 million reiner. A graduate of Murray State University in equestrian facilities management, Plowman’s duties at Shawn Flarida Reiners include grooming, riding and training, horse and barn management, and traveling with Flarida to shows.

This article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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There’s nothing else quite like it: We’ve all done a double-take when a horse goes by with a blindingly shiny coat. Whether or not you show your horse, you’d probably rather he have a shiny coat than a dull one. So what makes a horse coat shiny? Read on to find out.

Is There a Doctor in the House?

The first step is to keep up with your horse’s regular veterinary maintenance. A sick horse, one with a heavy parasite load, or one who can’t chew his food optimally will suffer ill health, and his coat will show it.

If your horse is well-maintained and you still have concerns, talk to your vet about screening him for ulcers or metabolic problems that can result in the symptom of a dull coat.

Complete Nutrition

We all want to feed our horses beautiful hay and/or pasture, but it can be easy to miss out on certain vitamin and mineral requirements if you’re not careful. Even one deficiency could result in a less-than-glowing coat.

Good pasture grass is full of vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids during the growing season. Mineral content, however, depends on the soil in your location. Hay starts to lose health-enhancing omega 3s and certain vitamins after it’s cut and dried, and maturity at time of harvest can affect protein and other nutrients.

To make sure your horse is getting everything he needs, always provide a salt block and either concentrate (grain) formulated for your horse’s needs or a ration balancer.

If you feed a concentrate, you must feed the amount recommended on the label for your horse’s body weight to meet his vitamin and mineral needs. If he’s an easy keeper who can do without the calories, use a ration balancer instead. These contain complete vitamins and minerals in a much smaller serving size.

Adding Fat to the Diet

Horses have a very low fat content in their natural diet, but over the years, horsekeepers have noticed that adding oils or high-fat products in small amounts adds an undeniable luster to the coat.

Flax seed, stabilized rice bran or vegetable oil can be used to boost shine. Many people swear by black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) as well. Adding a quarter cup of high-fat product twice a day is enough to improve coat quality.

Grooming the Horse’s Coat

Daily grooming will maximize your horse’s natural shine. Always start with a deep curry. For best results, use the classic black rubber curry comb. Make sure to replace it when teeth start to dull—getting down to the skin is crucial. Use some arm strength and go in a circular motion over the large, muscled areas of your horse’s body. This will bring dead skin and hair to the surface while distributing natural oils throughout the coat.

Use a hard brush for dried mud or extreme dust, a medium brush for normal post-curry brushing, and a soft brush as the final step to remove small dust particles. Brushes made of natural instead of synthetic bristles are great for bringing out shine.

To save time, curry with one hand while brushing with the other. Flick the brush to remove dirt and hair, and run the brush across the curry frequently to clean dust off of it as you go.

It’s important to clean your brushes regularly. Soak them in hot water with diluted dish soap or use a splash of Lysol to disinfect them; rinse well and dry them in the sun.

Aim to groom your horse for at least 30 minutes a day. It’s great exercise for you and will keep your horse looking his best.
If you really love to groom and want to maximize your results, grab a rub rag as a final step to dust and polish the hair.

Grooming Sprays

There are plenty of great products on the market that you can use to enhance your horse’s glow.

Most coat polish sprays contain conditioners to moisturize and protect the hair, much like our own hair conditioner. Sprays containing silicone add shine and repel dirt, but take care not to apply to the saddle area. They are slippery! For maximum shine, apply immediately after bathing. Re-apply once a week to keep up the effects.

Don’t Fade Away

There are no two ways around it: Keeping your horse turned out in the daytime during the summer dries and fades the coat hair. Going to a nighttime turnout schedule or using a fly sheet with UV protection during the day will prevent this.

Better Bathing

Excessive shampooing or harsh detergents can strip natural oils and dry the coat. Use shampoo formulated for horses, and be sure to rinse well. Leftover soap in the coat dries the skin and dulls the coat.

If you bathe frequently, use an equine body wash. These are gentle and designed for frequent use. Finish with a conditioner to strengthen and smooth the hair. The smoother the hair’s cuticle, the more shiny the horse will look.

A simple rinse with the hose will do the trick if your horse works up a sweat while exercising. Thoroughly removing all the salt from the coat is a very important step to keep it from drying out, fading and looking dull.

Are you ready to go for the glow? Armed with these tips, you can go forth and conquer the quest for a shiny coat.

This article about creating shiny horse coat appeared in the May 2016 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Secrets to a Horse’s Shiny Coat appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Before You Begin

Fortunately, there are lots of shortcuts for quick grooming you can take and still have a very presentable horse. Some of these tips involve advance planning and prep. Look at the time spent as an investment; it will pay off when you’re in a hurry but still want your horse looking as good as possible.

For starters, although you’ve probably heard it before, a truly shiny horse is a reflection of overall health and good nutrition. No amount of last-minute bathing, brushing and product application produces the same luster.

Next comes the most effective coat conditioning product: elbow grease. This means currying and brushing your horse as much and as often as you can. Not only does this remove dirt and dander, it brings out the coat’s natural oils and distributes them evenly.

Tools for Success in Quick Horse Grooming

Organizing your brush box or grooming tote is one of the keys to successful quick horse grooming. Having everything you need in one place makes a big difference. In addition to your usual assortment of grooming tools, include items to help when you need to speed-groom. Here’s a suggested list of items and their uses.

Basic Brush Box Contents

◆ Hoof pick
◆ Curry comb
◆ Medium to stiff body brush
◆ Soft body brush
◆ Mane and tail comb or brush
◆ Towel
◆ Scissors

Suggested Extras to Have for Grooming:

◆ Hoof pick with brush to help remove dirt. Use the brush to help remove clumps of dirt or dried mud, and to thoroughly clean the sole before applying hoof conditioner.

◆ Soft curry. Use this to help loosen dirt and dried sweat from areas where a regular curry is too hard, such as lower legs and head.

◆ Small stiff brush for removing wet mud from hooves. Having a stiff brush dedicated to cleaning muddy hooves saves your other brushes.

◆ Shedding blade. Even in non-shedding season, a shedding blade can help remove mud or dirt, but be careful to use it gently.

◆ Sheepskin grooming mitt, chamois cloth or microfiber towel. Use one of these instead of a regular towel to give your horse a final dusting; any of them will pick up more dust and dirt than terrycloth.

◆ Baby wipes are great for several things, such as wiping off the face, cleaning a dirty muzzle or nostrils and swiping out ears. They’re also handy for flyaway hairs on manes and tails; simply wipe on to help lay the hair down.

◆ Waterless shampoo or spot cleaner. Use on cold days or when you need to clean a small area.

◆ Coat conditioner or polish: Spray directly on the horse, or use it on a brush or towel to help bring out your horse’s shine. It’s also good for reducing static.

◆ Detangler is always handy for manes and tails.

The Routine for Quick Grooming

Now that you’re well supplied, try this quick grooming routine the next time you’re in a hurry to get a clean horse.

1. Pick the hooves. By doing this first, you won’t forget later.
2. Apply detangler to the mane and tail.
3. Use the shedding blade on the horse’s body to lift up dirt.
4. Use your medium or stiff brush, always brushing in the direction of the hair.
5. Spray coat conditioner on your grooming mitt or towel and wipe your horse, reapplying the spray regularly, and going all the way down the legs. By spraying the mitt or towel instead of applying directly to the horse you’ll avoid wet, blotchy areas. Remember to skip the saddle area if you’re using a “slippery” coat polish.
6. Brush out the mane and tail. (By now the detangler will have penetrated any snarls.)
7. Use a baby wipe to lay down any flyaway mane hairs and the top of the tail.
8. Wipe the face, muzzle and ears if needed with baby wipes.

That’s it! Your horse should be very presentable, if not sparkling, and you’re ready to tack up and enjoy some time in the saddle.

This article about quick horse grooming appeared in the April 2016 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Horse Grooming Secret #1: Get a Shiny Coat

To get your horse shining like a superstar, regular grooming is essential. A few tips and tricks will help you get the most megawatts out of your grooming sessions.

If you’re going for the gleam, make good use of your curry comb. Currying removes deep-down dirt, promotes circulation and helps distribute the natural oils in your horse’s coat. Plus, it’s like a mini-massage for your horse.

Rubber curry combs come in a variety of firm or flexible textures. Select one that your horse finds comfortable, and curry in small circles over your horse’s body. Follow with a medium-stiff brush, using short, brisk strokes with an upward flick to lift the dirt and loose hair you’ve brought up with your curry session. Finish with a soft brush to bring up the shine in your horse’s coat.

Although it’s not a replacement for currying and brushing, coat polish spray can also play a role in Project Shine. Beyond adding the final touch on show days, regular use can cut your grooming time and keep your horse looking fabulous. Used once or twice a week, it will make your grooming job last longer by repelling dust and can also help prevent stains on light-colored coats. Avoid spraying the saddle area though—these products make the coat slick and can cause your saddle to slip.

To achieve a truly healthy shine, your horse needs quality nutrition. Talk to your vet or an equine nutritionist to make sure your horse is on an optimal feeding plan. Supplements for skin and coat health can also help a challenging case with a blend of ingredients including fats, vitamins and biotin to support hair growth and shine. Or, simply adding a little vegetable oil to your horse’s feed—gradually working up to 1 cup—can help boost the bloom in your horse’s coat.

Horse Grooming Secret #2: Unravel a Tangled Mane or Tail

The gentlest way to detangle is to do it by hand, although you can also use a wide-tooth plastic comb. A mane and tail detangler makes the job easier so that the strands of hair slip apart without snagging and breaking. Many coat polish spray products also double as detanglers.

Apply the product evenly through the hair. Then start detangling from the bottom of the hair, working your way up. Work in small, manageable sections. To remove burrs, foxtails and large knots, apply detangler directly to the problem areas.

Once you can easily run your fingers through the hair, you can use a brush or comb if you wish. Many people believe that brushing is the worst thing for a tail, while others feel that brushing helps promote circulation at the roots, therefore promoting growth. If you opt to brush, choose a flat-backed brush with widely spaced, soft-tipped pin bristles. Hold the hair in one hand close to the top in order to avoid pulling on the root, and then brush below—again, working from the bottom up.

Horse Grooming Secret #3: Long, Luxe Locks

If you want your horse to have a long, glorious mane or tail, your goal is to minimize breakage. Avoid excessive brushing or combing. This is one case where less can be more: the less you handle the hair, the more precious strands you’ll preserve.

Remove debris, such as shavings and hay, from the hair daily. You can do this by hand, or a quick shake may be all that’s needed. Regular detangling (Tip #2) will keep major dreadlocks from forming and make the hair easier to maintain.

Keeping the mane and tail clean encourages growth as well. Shampoo weekly, scrubbing down to the roots. Be sure to rinse thoroughly. Follow with conditioner, focusing on the ends of the hair. Let the hair dry completely before combing or working with it.

To protect a long, full mane from snags and tangles, braid it in thick sections. Keep the braids loose at the crest so they don’t itch and encourage your horse to rub his mane. Redo the braids as needed, or once a week after shampooing and conditioning. A long mane requires regular care to look good and encourage growth, but the results can be spectacular.

Horse Grooming Secret #4: A Terrific Tail

The length and thickness of your horse’s tail is largely genetic, but a little pampering can help it reach its full potential.

A popular tail-maintenance technique is to braid the hair or put it in a protective tail bag to keep it clean and tangle free. Braid in a single loose plait below the tailbone. A tail bag attaches through the braid. Never fasten a tail bag over or around the tailbone, where it could cut off circulation. At the height of fly season, keep in mind that braiding and bagging will diminish your horse’s defense against bugs. This may prove problematic for pastured horses but be less of an issue for horses that live in a stall.

Tail rubbing is a major equine beauty buster that drives horse owners crazy. Possible causes include dry, itchy skin; parasites (pinworms); and the allergic reaction known as “sweet itch,” caused by hypersensitivity to insects. Soothing shampoo, targeted deworming and ramping up fly control measures are simple solutions to start with in these cases. Other types of skin and contact allergies can cause horses to turn to tail rubbing as well. Severe cases will likely require diagnosis and medication prescribed by your vet.

A dirty sheath or udder can also result in tail rubbing. Since horses can’t scratch these places, they’ll rub their hind end for relief instead. Click here for sheath cleaning instructions.

Horse Grooming Secret #5: A Tidy Trim

Some light cleanup work with the clippers will take your horse’s look from shaggy to sleek. Trimming the long hairs under his jawline, the shaggy feathers at his ankles and the tufts of hair sticking out of his ears creates a well-groomed appearance. High-level competition often calls for a more stringent standard of trimming, but this isn’t necessary for most horses.

Small clippers with a No. 10 blade are sufficient for this simple trimming job. Make sure your horse will tolerate the sound and feel of the clippers before you start. You’ll be mainly clipping with the direction of the hair growth to remove just the longest hairs for a blended appearance. (Clipping against the growth gives a closer shave.) However, when trimming your horse, you may find that you need to turn the clippers and brush over the top of the hair at an angle in order to blend it.

To trim the billy-goat beard under your horse’s jaw, run the clippers underneath in the direction of the hair growth from between his jowls to the groove in front of his chin. Angle the clippers as needed to get all the hair and blend it at the edge of the jawline.

Clean up shaggy fetlocks and long, wispy hairs on the back of your horse’s legs using the clippers with the direction of the hair. Turn the clippers to scoop out all the shag underneath the fetlock joint and behind the pastern.

The hair in your horse’s ears provides protection from bugs and gnats in summer and offers warmth in winter, so it’s best to not remove too much if your horse lives out on pasture. Hold the ear in your hand, gently press the sides together and remove the long hairs that protrude beyond the edge of the ear with your clippers. This levels off the hair inside the ear with the outer edge.

Trimming a bridle path will also give your horse a neater look by removing a little mane behind the ears, where the crownpiece of the bridle sits. You can use either clippers or small scissors for the job. Be careful not to get carried away and cut into the forelock or go too far down the neck, unless that’s the preferred style for your breed or sport. Otherwise, the bridle path is usually just a few inches long to easily accommodate the width of your bridle.

The whiskers on your horse’s muzzle have some sensory function, so many horse owners opt to leave these little feelers. Other horse owners find them untidy and clip them off. For the show-ring, a clean-cut look is expected in most arenas. A happy medium is to leave the whiskers but trim them for shows or special occasions.

Horse Grooming Secret #6: Bathing Beauty

Keep your horse’s comfort in mind and make bath time as easy as possible on him. Warm water will be appreciated by your horse if it’s available, and also opens the hair shaft to make your cleaning efforts more effective. An adjustable spray nozzle lets you dial the water pressure down for your horse’s sensitivity level as needed, and increase it for more efficient rinsing.

Diluting the shampoo in a bucket makes it easier to rinse from your horse’s coat. Some equine shampoos are concentrated and designed to be diluted before use, so read the directions on the product you are using. Also realize that more shampoo doesn’t necessarily result in a cleaner horse. Start with a small amount, and create more suds as needed. Work the shampoo down to the skin with a curry mitt or your fingers for a deep clean—that’s the secret. You can apply shampoo full-strength directly to the mane and tail.

It’s usually not necessary to use shampoo on the face and head. You don’t want to get soap in your horse’s eyes, and it can be difficult to rinse out completely. A damp towel or sponge should be sufficient to clean your horse’s face. For light-colored heads or white markings that need deeper cleaning, dip a sponge in diluted shampoo and follow up with a clean, damp rag to rinse.

Never use dish soap or other harsh detergents to bathe your horse. These will strip the oils from the coat and possibly irritate his sensitive skin. Equine shampoos and conditioners are formulated with a gentle pH while also being equipped to handle horses’ coarser haircoats and the tough dirt they get into.

It’s crucial to rinse well. Soap left in the coat dries it out, can cause itching and dandruff, and leaves a dull finish instead of the bright and shiny glow you want. To make sure your horse’s coat is soap-free, rinse and then use a sweat scraper to squeegee excess water from the coat. If you see soap bubbles, rinse and repeat until the water runs clear.

Hand graze your horse in the sun or leave him tied until he dries. If you put a wet horse back in his stall or field, the first thing he will naturally want to do is have a good roll, undoing all of your hard work. To repel stains from your horse’s clean coat and add extra shine, apply coat polish spray while he’s still damp.

Horses don’t require a full bath that often. A rinse with plain water will usually suffice to remove dirt and sweat after a workout. If you bathe your horse frequently, use a gentle shampoo designed specifically for horses, and follow with a conditioner as well. Conditioners strengthen the hair, restore moisture and smooth the coat to increase shine.

Horse Grooming Secret #7: Whiter Whites

Keeping your white or light-colored horse clean is a major grooming challenge. White socks and markings also require extra effort to stay sparkling. To keep stains from setting into the coat, keep up on regular grooming. Use waterless shampoos and spot removal products when bathing isn’t possible. Just spray on and use a towel to lift the stain. Simple spot cleaning with a bucket and sponge works too.

A specially formulated whitening shampoo will be your best friend in the wash rack. These shampoos usually have a blue or purplish tint to counteract the yellow cast a stained white coat often takes. Read the product directions carefully. Some whitening shampoos need to be left on, while others could leave a purple tint behind if too much is used or if they are left in the coat too long. Apply the shampoo as directed and scrub well for best results. Stubborn tail stains may require several sessions with a whitening shampoo to come clean. If your pony does turn purple, don’t panic. The excess color should scrub out with regular equine shampoo.

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