Keeping a Backyard Horse

Grooming

Horses live outside, so we can get very dirty! Most of us don't like to be wet, so we love a nice roll in dusty ground after a rain shower or a long ride. Also, we will shed our winter coat every year. Good grooming will help keep our coats nice and shiny, and keep our manes and tails from getting tangled. It also allows you to make sure we don't have any cuts or nicks that should be doctored.

Don't rush right to the feed store and grab one of every grooming product they have on the shelf! A basic grooming kit should suit you just fine. You will need a rubber curry comb --metal ones are for cleaning brushes, never for using on a horse's skin--a stiff brush, a soft brush, a comb, and a hoof pick with brush.

To start grooming, tie your horse somewhere comfortable. First use the rubber curry comb. Rub it gently over the fur in a circular motion. This brush is designed to loosen dried mud, dirt, and debris from the skin so it can be whisked away with a brush. If you see mud on the face, gently loosen it. Most horses like to be brushed with a curry comb, it's a little like being groomed by another horse. And during the biting insect season, it also serves to scratch all those itchy bites that we can't reach ourselves!

Next, use the stiffer brush to whisk away the dirt and hair you've already loosened up. Brush with the direction of the fur instead of against it. Don't forget her legs and belly, though keep in mind your horse may be ticklish around her belly. Stand to one side in case your horse is ticklish and decides to kick. Remember, our skin is so sensitive that we can feel a single fly crawling on our fur!

Then, use the soft brush. This will help the fur lay flat, as well as draw oils from the skin. The result is a pretty, shiny coat! This soft brush can also be used on the face and the sensitive places along the belly.

Next, use the hoof pick to remove dirt and debris from the soles of the feet. Follow the V-shaped crevice beside the frog (see diagram of the foot under foot care for more detailed information). Often, this may be as deep as half an inch or more, and a stone so close to the soft tissues can be painful. Brush out the sole. If done regularly, proper foot care can help prevent thrush.

Finally, comb through the mane and tail. Never stand behind your horse to comb her tail. Always stand to one side, by the hip, and bring the tail to you. The tail will have 6-8 inches, sometimes more, of actual appendage (including bone) near its attachment at the rump, called the dock. This is the living part of the tail. Roughly pulling hairs from the dock will cause pain. Carefully loosen tangles. My mom has learned that a product called ShowSheen® can help with detangling, but any kind of commercial detangling product, like for children's hair, would also work.

Other grooming products you might like to have on hand would be shampoo, clean soft rags, and a sweat scraper. Commercially-available horse shampoo such as Mane and Tail® are available at any feed store, but mom usually uses a mild human shampoo such as Suave®. Our mane and tails are actually hair, as opposed to fur, and any mild shampoo will work well. There are specific horse shampoos to enhance coat color as well.

For fun, you can get small rubber bands to braid manes and tails. A sweat scraper is a curved metal or plastic strip that, when held in the hand, can be used to whisk away water after a bath, or sweat after a hard workout. Remember, most horses don't particularly LIKE water, so introduce your horse to it gently, starting at the legs and working your way up. Damp rags can be used to wash the face, because for the most part, you'll never be successful in spraying your horse in the face with the hose! And a hose-down on a hot, dry day can also feel very good to your horse!