How to Brush a Horse

Brushing your horse is a chore that can easily be brushed off, but it is a necessary daily ritual for horse owners. Brushing them not only keeps their coat smooth and shiny, it keeps irritants and bacteria away from their skin. Round up your brushes and follow these steps to properly brush your horse.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber curry combs of various sizes
• Stiff bristle brushes
• Soft bristle brushes

Instructions

1. Use a rubber curry comb all over your horse's body (except the head) in a circular motion to loosen dead hair, hay, burrs or other extraneous material. Your horse will grow to love this treatment. Use short, firm strokes.

2. Begin right behind the ears on the horse's neck and work your way down his neck and back, then sides, then under his belly and down the legs.

3. Follow the rubber curry with a stiff bristle brush, again, all over the animal's body, only this time, brush in the direction the hair naturally lies. Use short, quick strokes, but be sure to get in the creases with the brush and along the underside of the belly.

4. Finish up with a soft bristle brush. This brush can be used on the horse's head and legs, where there isn't much flesh over the bones, but take care around the eyes. Horses are great at swinging their head around just when you aren't expecting it.

5. Learn to flick soft bristle brushes in an outward motion to remove every last speck of debris away from your freshly groomed horse.

Tips & Warnings

• Be gentle with the rubber curry, especially on the legs and other bony parts.

• Buy brushes that have hand straps and fit in your hand comfortably.

• Use general safety precautions when working around your horse.

• Never use a metal curry comb or mane comb on your horse's body. These are meant for the mane and tail.