Essentials For A Clean Horse: A Guide to Grooming and Horse Health Care

All equestrians want one thing: a free George Morris lesson. Well, maybe two things: and a healthy, clean horse. Realistically, only one of these things is likely and it isn’t the free George Morris lesson.  But, with a little bit of elbow grease, we can all have a clean horse! As horse people, we should have a solid foundation and understanding of the importance of grooming and how it benefits equine health. There are a few steps we recommend to achieve a show-ready sheen. Quality grooming first starts with having quality grooming products. There are many brands to choose from and it can sometimes be overwhelming to keep them all straight.

Grooming is a vital aspect in horse care; maintaining your horse regularly has more benefits than you may think! Brushing your equine friend allows for oils to distribute evenly throughout their coat. This oil is pertinent for healthy hair and protects it from drying out. Grooming also aids in circulation which can relax and promote oxygen supply to the superficial muscles; this makes it extra important to take your time grooming before tacking up. Consider it step one of your warm-up before even getting on! This is also the perfect time to look for any new injuries, scrapes or cuts and to evaluate your horse’s body condition. A few of the basics of a quality grooming kit from TuffRider include:

• Curry comb(usually made of rubber and/or plastic)- Releases caked on grime and brings dirt, dead skin, and loose hair to the surface of the coat for removal. This brush is used on fleshy parts of the horse like the neck, shoulder, barrel and haunches in a circular motion.
• Soft face brush- Soft and gentle to use on bony and non-fleshy areas such as the sensitive facial bones, legs and ears.

• Hoof pick- Used to remove dirt, debris and rocks from the hoof grooves (it’s all in the wrist). Be careful of the sensitive frog and heel bulbs!

All of these essentials can be found in the TuffRiderHorse Grooming Kit, which comes in small and large sizes. Everything fits in one bag, perfect for the organization even for the messiest tack trunks!

Proper grooming is a skill that all equestrians should consistently practice. Besides having excellent physical benefits to the horse, it can be a great upper body workout for you (especially in shedding season)! So, you can skip the gym, just go shed out your horse! Not to mention, it gives you and your horse quality bonding time.

The very last step to get that Pony Club approved turnout, isCarr & Day & Martin Dreamcoat. 

Unlike competitors, theCarr & Day & Martin Dreamcoatnon-slip formula does not make the coat slick or make your horse feel like a grease monkey.Now you don’t have to worry about your saddle sliding off in the middle of a class! This coat spray pulls (and repels!) dust and dirt to the top of the coat for easy brushing. You’ll be amazed at how shiny your horse is after one use!

Grooming is not just about making your horse look good; pesky fungi and bacteria can wreak havoc on your horse’s skin and hooves to cause nasty infections (and not to mention the dreaded vet bills!) if not cared for properly. Fungal and bacterial infections  are serious enemies to equines, especially in wet and confined spaces or environments where horses are exposed to extreme wet and dry areas very quickly. Thankfully there are some easy-to-use products available for prevention. Hoof thrush is one of the biggest issues that comes about in horse management. It’s black, it smells and if let go extensively, can even make your horse lame and very uncomfortable. We recommend using Carr & Day & Martin Cornucrescine Daily Hoof Barrier. This hoof dressing is anti-bacterial and creates a barrier that will not absorb water and/or urine while allowing the hoof to breathe naturally.

Now that you have your horse all clean and shiny, go watch it roll in the mud!

P.S. If you have a grey, disregard all stated above and just try wishing, hoping or praying.