How to Care for a Horse Using a Grooming Kit

Regular grooming with a basic horse grooming kit is essential to the health and well-being of your horse. Try to groom daily, and always groom both before and after working your horse.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Hoof pick
• Curry comb
• Stiff brush
• Soft brush
• Soft cloth
• Spray conditioner
• Wide-tooth comb
• Fly spray

1. Make sure your horse is tied securely. Take your hoof pick and, beginning with his front left hoof, pick your horse's feet. Lift up his hoof and rest it on your leg. Push the pick into the grooves of the hoof, and flick out any rocks, manure or anything else that may have become lodged in his hoof. Repeat for each hoof, working in a counterclockwise fashion around your horse.

2. Use the curry comb. Beginning at the top of her neck, work the comb in a circular fashion down the horse's neck and body, including her legs, belly and back. Repeat for the other side. For this to be effective, you should use a bit of pressure, but be aware of how sensitive your horse is. Some horses tolerate this better than others; to some it will even feel like a massage.

3. Brush the dirt out of your horse's coat with the stiff brush. Beginning at the top of the neck, use strong flicking motions to flick the dirt out of the coat. Cover every part of the body that you curried.

4. Get the soft brush and repeat the motions you made with the stiff brush. While the stiff brush removes dirt, the soft brush will lay the coat down evenly and bring out the shine.

5. Remove the halter and clip it around your horse's neck if he will allow you to do so. Otherwise, leave it on and work around it. Using the soft brush, brush his face, being careful not to poke him in the eyes. Don't forget behind the ears. Reattach his halter.

6. Dip the soft cloth in a bit of water and ring it out until damp. Wipe the horse's eyes and ears, and clean out any crust from her nostrils.

7. Give your horse's coat a light misting with the spray conditioner, avoiding any area that will be covered by tack. Also, spray the mane and tail, and use your hands to really rub the conditioner into the hair. Don't spray the face! You can spray some conditioner on the cloth and wipe it on his face. Use the soft brush to brush the conditioner into the coat.

8. Brush out the mane and tail using the wide-tooth comb. Begin at the base and work your way up. If you find tough tangles, spray some conditioner directly into them to work them out with the comb.

9. Spray the horse's coat lightly with the fly spray. Do not use fly spray on the mane and tail. Once you have sprayed the coat, squirt a small amount into the cloth and use it to wipe around your horse's eyes.

Tips & Warnings

• If your horse is afraid of the spray, you can spray into a cloth and wipe across his coat. If your horse doesn't want to pick up his feet, lean into his shoulder while lifting his foot. This throws him off balance and his response is to pick up the foot. Pay special attention to any area that will be covered by tack. Make sure these areas are clean, otherwise your horse could be rubbed raw.

• Always use caution when walking behind a horse, and never groom a horse you are unfamiliar with.

References

• Cheryl Sutor; Horse Grooming