Pet grooming guide

A horse’s mane is one of its most important features, one that everyone will notice. If it looks straggly, unkempt and dirty then it will detract from any good characteristics that the horse may have. Conversely, if you follow a strict pet grooming regime on the mane, then your horse can always look at its most beautiful.

Aiming to brush the mane at least once a day is good horse care and this way you won’t need to put in much effort as it will always be at a reasonably high level of condition. Start by hand picking out any grass, burrs or twigs and then run your fingers through the mane to find any tangles which hopefully you will manage to tease out.

Specialist mane combs have large, widely spaced teeth which will minimise any damage to the hair. Start your horse gooming at the tips of the mane, gently combing out any tangles, and gradually move higher and higher to the base of the mane. When all snags have been removed carefully brush down from the skin at the base of the mane all the way to the tips. This brushing will help to remove any build up of dirt or oil and will help to produce a lovely shine.

The frequency of washing during pet grooming will depend a lot on the season and your horse itself. If you leave too long between washes then the horse may become itchy and start to rub. This will make the mane tangled, break the hairs and may even cause bald patches. During warm weather try to do a good clean every 1 to 3 weeks with a pet shampoo and rinse after any workouts. Washing helps to reduce any oil build-up and removes harmful bacteria from the skin. If bacteria aren’t removed then they can cause skin infections that require veterinary attention. After shampooing and rinsing through add a conditioner which will help to make tangles easier to get out and will make the mane shiny and thicker looking. Some horse conditioners need rinsing out after application while others can be left in.

When the weather becomes colder you will not want to make your horse wet but luckily there are a variety of dry shampoos on the market which can still kill the bacteria and remove oil. These don’t need to be rinsed out and so there is no risk of your horse getting a chill.

The final important thing to remember is that though pet grooming is essential to maintain a healthy mane and tail, a good nutritious diet is also vital in producing the luxurious mane that you desire.

When pet grooming, first secure your horse up and then pick out its hooves. After this you can begin your horse grooming at the poll region on the left side and slowly work back over the whole body. Repeat on the other side. Initially, use a rubber or plastic curry comb (depending on your horse’s coat type) to remove mud and scurf . Then use the body brush and curry comb. Always use a body brush on your horses mane and tail if it is fine or pulled.

A curry comb or grooming mitt.
The purpose of a curry comb is to break up clumps of mud and remove loose hair. It is made from rubber or plastic with short teeth on one side. It is the first of several brushes used when pet grooming a horse’s coat. Use a rubber curry comb on finer, clipped or summer coats, for removing mud, sweat or scurf. They are also good for massaging and removing hairs when losing winter coats. Use the massager sets in a similar way, the one with the spikes for very coarse long winter coats and the finer one for finer, clipped or summer coats. Use plastic curry combs on coarser and winter coats. Plastic curry combs are excellent for brushing off mud and can also be used on thick manes. Don’t use curry combs or massagers on legs or sensitive areas. Metal curry combs are for cleaning the body brush.

A body brush with fairly stiff bristles.
A body brush is wide and flat with a strap across the back and short vegetable fibres. Use this after the curry comb to shine and polish your horse’s coat. The body brush is the main pet grooming brush. It is generally used for cleaning the coat, removing scurf and dust, and for brushing out the mane and tail. The close-set hairs of the brush are designed to reach right through the coat to the skin beneath, lifting and removing dirt and creating a shine. Use brief, circular strokes over the body, finishing each stroke in the direction of the lay of the hair. Use this in conjunction with a metal curry comb – after several strokes of the body brush draw the brush across the teeth of the curry comb to remove the dirt. You could also use a rubber or plastic curry comb to keep your body brush clean.

A mane and tail comb.
Use a wide-toothed plastic or metal comb on horses with short, pulled manes. You can also use the mane comb to pull the mane. Use a dandy brush for long manes and tails. Particularly long manes and tails on show horses are often picked out by hand to avoid breakage of the hairs. Plastic combs cause less breakage than metal ones.

Grooming rag or towel, also called a Stable Rubber.
To give a final polish to a horse’s coat use linen, towelling or comparable type of cloth. You could also use it after a ride to help get rid of sweat.

A hoof pick.
Hoof picks are used by moving downwards from heel to the toe, dislodging anything that has caught on the point of the pick. Next clear the cleft of the frog. Check shoes for any wear or risen clenches. It saves time if you teach your horse to pick up his feet.

A clean sponge or soft cloth.
When brushing your horses head, put his headcollar around his neck but make sure that he is in a place that he can’t move around in very much. Use one hand to keep his head steady and gently brush the face with the other, avoiding eyes and going gently on sensitive areas. Pay plenty of attention to the ears, gullet and lower jaw. Finally gently sponge clean the eyes, and then the muzzle and nostrils. Keep a second sponge for the final phase of pet grooming, to clean round and under the horses dock.

Horses can often become hot and bothered during the winter months, their coats grow long and they find it hard to keep cool. Clipping your horse is considered good horse care and you will help them to regulate their temperature. The most common style of clipping in the winter is blanket clipping but another widespread and highly successful clip is the body clip. Horse body clipping is generally used to help your horse lose its final coat as the summer months approach and keep it neat and tidy.

Before you think about pet grooming by clipping your horse you need to establish why and ultimately what sort of clip you need to give your horse. Clipping ensures your horse remains healthy and comfortable. Make sure you know when you should start clipping your horse and continue to maintain his clip for the correct period of time.

Should I consider pet grooming by clipping or trimming?

If your horse gets too hot during exercise, is overheating or is in danger of becoming chilled while waiting to dry in cold weather you should definitely consider clipping. Some horses and ponies will grow very heavy coats all year round and after the smallest amount of work will break out into a sweat – having a heavy coat then makes it incredibly difficult for them to dry out quickly, clipping these sort of horses or ponies is a must and can be carried out when horse grooming.

Types of body clips include:

Body clip or Full body clip: The horse’s entire body is clipped, including the head and legs. It provides the most “natural” clip, resembling a horse’s normal summer coat, plus it is a relatively straightforward clip for a groom to complete. However, it provides the least amount of natural protection for the horse.

Hunter clip: The entire horse is clipped, except for the legs and a patch of hair under the saddle. This clip traces back to the hunt field, and is still used there today, as it provides extra protection to the back of the horse (essential during several hours of hunting) as well as to the lower legs (which may be cut by brambles), but still allows for the horse to stay cool while galloping.

Blanket clip: This type of clip would suit a horse that has regular exercise, is turned-out in the field and does various events at the weekends. The coat is removed completely from the head, neck and flanks, leaving only an area of hair that looks like an exercise sheet over the back and hindquarters and on the legs. The hair on the legs is left mainly for warmth and protection.

Trace clip: Varies, but generally the horse is clipped from under his throat, down along the jugular groove, and then clipped half-way up the shoulder and belly. Variations include clipping higher along the neck, shoulder, and belly, and clipping a strip off the side of the hindquarter, to the buttock. Additionally, many clip a strip half-way up the cheek to the muzzle. The back and legs are left unclipped. The clip is named after the traces of the carriage, as it follows a similar pattern. The amount of hair removed is based on the work the horse is in, the amount he sweats during work, and the areas where he sweats the most. It is most commonly seen used by eventers.

Chaser Clip: The hair is removed from under the belly upwards between and around the front legs and up a line on the neck, (dependent on how high you require the line to be). This clip and variations are often seen in thoroughbred yards where the horse is unknown or is likely to kick. It is useful on a youngster, which is being clipped for the first time as it does not take as long as the others and is practical.

Strip clip’ or Belly clip: A good pet grooming clip for horses and ponies, which are living out through the winter but which may be used for the odd hack at weekends or during an occasional light evening. Useful for the stabled horse that feels the cold or is involved in light work. It is still necessary to rugged up field kept or stabled horses.

As you can see clippers are essential horse accessories!