Horse Grooming Horse Types

There are many types of brushes and ways to clean your horse. In this chapter you will learn how to brush a horse, what types of brushes there are, what they're used for, what order they go in when brushing, and also it will teach you how to give a horse a bath. The first brush to use on a horse is a curry, the curry is used to loosen the dirt in a horse’s fur and get hair that their sheding off. The different types of curries are the Rubber Curry, Rubber Grooming Glove, massage curry, and metal Curry. The rubber curry is Made of rubber with textured nubs. Use in a circular motion to loosen dirt, shedding hair and “scurf” from deep within your horse’s coat and bring it to the surface where it can be given the brushoff. Best for use on large, well-muscled parts of the horse’s body such as the neck, shoulder and hindquarters. The second type of curry is the rubber grooming glove, The pebbled texture on this soft, flexible grooming glove is great for allover currying and is also gentle enough to use on the face and legs. At bathtime,

it scrubs deep down dirt from your horse’s coat. The third brush is the massaging curry this curry Choose from firm rubber nubs or soft flexible “fingers” to help remove loose hair and massage muscles at the same time. The last curry is the metal curry, The old-fashioned metal curry combs are rather sharp and should generally not be used on the horse’s body. Occasionally they are useful for removing caked mud or for shedding winter hair, taking care not to press too hard into the skin. These are best used to clean other brushes and remove horsehair accumulated on saddle pads.

The second brush you use is a stiff or medium brush. You use this brush by doing quick short strokes on the body of the horse. Sometimes referred to as a dandy brush, this basic brush is good for general purpose grooming to remove dirt and dust from the coat. Synthetic bristles are durable and easy to disinfect,while natural fiber bristles are very effective. A medium brush works well for the majority of grooming needs. Select stiffer bristle styles to tackle tough jobs like dried mud and sweat or a thick winter coat. Use care with the firmer brushes and avoid sensitive or bony areas such as the legs and face. The soft brush is used in long strokes on the body of the horse to get any leftover dirt off. The soft bristles are gentler enough to use on the legs and face, as well as the rest of the body. Ideal for sensitive, thin-skinned horses or as a finishing brush. the body brush is a short-bristled brush removes fine dust and dander from your horse’s skin and coat and really brings up a shine.The face brush is a small, soft face brush fits in the palm of your hand and easily navigates the contours of the face while giving a gentle groom. These are all the brushes you use on the body including the curry the next ones are for the hoof, mane and tail, and also how to give a horse a bath.

The hoof pick helps clean your horse’s feet daily, and before and after riding. From simple sturdy metal to various types of engineered grip handles, and the pick/brush combination, take your pick of hoof picks for the job. The wide mane and tail brush has sturdy, wide-spaced teeth tidy your horse’s tresses while minimizing hair loss and breakage. The mane pulling comb is a small metal pulling comb to thin and shorten your horse’s mane to a uniform shorter length. By removing the longest hairs a few at a time, you’ll create a neat, tidy mane that lies naturally against the neck. (Never cut a mane straight across with scissors—this creates an awkward, chopped look.) The mane & tail brush is a hair brush with plastic pin bristles, is gentle on mane and tail hair to help get out knots in the horse’s mane and tail.

The last paragraph of this chapter will be how to give a horse a bath and what stuff you use to give them one.

First we have sponges, You’ll want several types of sponges in your grooming kit for bathing and spot cleaning. Use a large sponge for the body and a smaller sponge for the face. You may also want a separate sponge for cleaning under your horse’s dock and between his hind legs. A large sponge is the most efficient way to lather up your horse at bath time. Use a sweat scraper & squeegee excess water from your horse’s coat after bathing or rinsing. A 20-quart bucket is the perfect size to mix up suds and also totes your bath essentials to the wash rack. use a sweat scraper to remove excess water from the coat. Then rub him down with clean, dry towels. Work a horse conditioner into his mane and tail to minimize hair breakage. Walk your horse until his coat is completely dry, otherwise he may be tempted to take a roll in the

dirt.

This is the end of how to groom and clean your horse. The curry is used to loosen the dirt on a horse's body, the stiff and soft brush get left over dirt off a horse's body, the hoof pick keeps the horses feet clean every day, and the combs and baths keep a horse nice and shiny.