Comments on: How to Groom a Horse

on 8/8/2006 Clean your horse's back, neck, face, mane, tail, and legs are important, but don't forget your horse's belly!

on 7/21/2006 When brushing your horse's tail, stand to the side and gather up the tail, then take a little section from it and brush. When you brush it, start from the bottom working your way upward.

on 6/30/2006 Before you use the medium-bristled brush on the body, you may want to use a rubber curry comb in circular motions over the body (but not the legs or face). The rubber curry comb stirs up the packed-in dirt and hair amazingly well, so brushing is easier. It also helps with the blood circulation of your horse.

on 6/30/2006 When grooming your horse, talk to it. That way, you don't startle your horse.

on 3/13/2006 Make sure your horse knows where you are! Especially if you are behind them. If they don't know where you are they might kick, rear or buck. You can do this by rubbing your hand along their back until you are ready to work on their tail or their backside. Also, this area is very sensitive, be gentle. If your horse is new and doesn't know you very well, try to bond with him before grooming or riding. Your horse must trust you or they might feel uncomfortable with you. Without trust, the relationship between you and your horse doesn't work.

on 3/11/2006 Use a body brush over the already groomed coat. The bristles are finer, and it makes the coat shinier!

on 3/29/2006 Instead of using that expensive hoof oil, use corn oil. It lasts for a while and makes them look even more beautiful for a show. Corn oil not only makes their hooves shiny, it keeps their hooves from cracking! The best part is it is extremely cheap!

on 3/28/2006 Don't stand directly behind the horse when grooming it's tail, you stand a very good chance of getting kicked if your horse gets spooked and doesn't know where you are or who you are. Remember, they don't know that you're not a monster waiting to eat them. They also have a very short attention span considering their actions, so if they misbehave, remember to punish them within 3 seconds, or else they'll forget what they are getting in trouble for!

on 3/2/2006 I use baby oil on my horse's mane and tail to give it a beautiful shine, and it also helps to detangle.

on 1/23/2006 It is very unhealthy to shave horses during winter, it is better to keep their natural coat. After shaving during winter the coat may not grow back the same for next winter.
Just because it is a little chilly outside does not allow you to blanket your horses in heavy stable blankets. When the weather really gets cold, your horses will expect even heavier blanket. This is true for us as well. If we wear a coat in a warm house all day, and then go outside into 40 degree weather, we would be so used to the coat on us it wouldn't make a difference if the coat was there or not.

on 1/19/2006 Get a hand towel wet and spray the horse down with Show Sheen. Let air dry for a day. Then, the next day instead of brushing your horse for hours to get that great shine, use the towel to wipe you horse down. If you do this every time you ride or groom your horse's coat they'll gleam and be silky soft.

on 1/18/2006 If you are going to braid your horses hair for shows, or just 4 looks, never use show sheen on the mane and tail; it makes the horses hair too slippery.

on 12/20/2005 If you have just bought a new horse, or are just looking to spend some quality time with an old friend when you're not in the saddle, I would suggest grooming. This will give you a feel for their emotions and temperament and will also keep you aware of any new habits they have picked up. You will have spent your time connecting with them and they will usually appreciated the time that you have spent with them. I would suggest never to groom them around their feeding time because they might be anticipating their meal and usually they won't like being tied up while their food is in their stall. Have fun with this and try to make it a positive experience for them and they will bond with you much faster. They might also like a treat for their time when you're done!

on 12/28/2005 After brushing your horse, use a grooming cloth or a white cotton towel and rub all over your horses body. This will add some extra shine! This is especially useful when at a show. The rag will remove all the dirt particles that may have gotten on the coat since you last groomed your horse.

on 12/28/2005 When you are grooming your horse, don't push too hard on the horse's hair. Horses have thin hair and it could scrape the skin.