So now is the time of year that our horses’ heads disappear into lush green grass that grows up to their knees. Coincidentally now is the time of year that various cruds, gunks, and goos appear on those once-soft muzzles and used-to-be clean legs. I supposed we can’t have it all.
But we can have a well-stocked grooming box to help keep our horses clean and degunkified. I don’t have official names for most of the nasty things horses develop around this time of year, but I will outline below the tools I keep in my toolbox to battle away the grunge.
Absolutely nothing beats elbow grease. Curry combs are some of the more underrated and yet most effective tools in a grooming box. My favorite type is the child-sized oval rubber curries with two concentric sets of teeth. These are soft enough to be gentle on bony areas like the shoulder and fronts of the cannon bones, but will still grab and carry away tons of dirt and dead skin. And they’re about $3…can’t beat that. I find the plastic curry combs, especially those shaped like flowers and in pretty colors, to be way too hard and unforgiving on defined bone edges. The glove-type curries tend to be too soft, and don’t scrub up enough dead skin.
Follow up your curry combs with a variety of dandy brushes. I prefer a long-bristled brush to flick away scrubbed up dirt and dander, then the densest soft-bristled horse hair brush I can find. The denser the bristles the more the brush grabs finer dirt and pulls it out of the coat. I add shine (and to me a pleasant smell) with World Champion Pepi spray. I spray everywhere (except the saddle area) and then wait a few minutes before wiping the coat off with a soft rag. The Pepi pulls dirt from within the coat and brings it to the top, and once wiped away leaves a shiny finish to the hair.
Don’t forget about feet. Your hoofpick is undeniably a can’t-do-without piece of a grooming box. Pick your horse’s feet before and after works. You will help stave off foot fungi, discover an ill-timed sprung shoe, and catch the nauseating smell of thrush early on. I use Fiebling’s Hoof Dressing for two purposes: staining their feet before a horse show, and helping maintain the correct hoof moisture. During dry months I will paint the outside of the foot if I notice it becoming dry and brittle, typically done before I work a horse. During hot months I paint their feet (just the outside) before I spray them down every single time. The oil in the dressing prevents water from seeping into the foot.
I don’t brush tails often, just before lessons and shows. Cowboy Magic is actual magic and will do wonders for thick tails. Be aware knotting a tail with that stuff is impossible. And NEVER put it into manes that will need to be braided anytime in the next year. Keep a pulling comb handy so you can work on your horse’s mane one section at a time daily. This keeps you from having to have a big blowout mane pull right before a show.
Other useful items are baby oil, baby powder, rubber bands, lots of rags, fly spray, shoe polish, Bit Butter, and scissors. Horses can get so dirty that you miss skin conditions and cuts. Keeping your horse consistently clean will help you keep a better eye on their health and condition. Dull coats can often mean underlying conditions, and hoof injuries and degradation can be devastating. Make sure you have all the tools necessary to keep your horse in tip top form.