A Show Ready Coat for the Backyard Horse
By Claire Pelton

All too often the simple process of grooming before exercising your horse is overlooked. It is in this simple chore that the coat can improve drastically. Making the commitment to take the needed time in grooming will help your owner-horse bond and keep you privy to any impending health concerns.

For most horse owners it seems extremely elementary to rehash important basic grooming items. Unfortunately, horse owners neglect to actually use all of their tools in favor of a quick brush off before saddling up. Absolute musts for a brush box are as follows:

-Curry Comb
-Hoof Pick
-Stiff, Medium and Soft Brushes
-Shedding Blade
-Mane/Tail Brush

CURRY COMB
Taking the extra time to curry your horse's coat is the biggest factor in maintaining a shiny coat. Always curry comb your horse's coat in circular motions all over, focusing on under the belly and avoiding extra sensitive areas. Three spots that are necessary for including in your curry comb regimen are the tips of the ears (be gentle here and use caution!), the forehead and the front of the hind legs between the hock and ankle. Dirt and urine can build up and trap bacteria and fungus in these areas. A super clean coat will immediately be ruined in a judge's eye when they notice scum on the front of a horse's hind legs.

The process of currying releases the natural oils in the coat and keeps it moisturized. The rigorous motion acts as a massage and releases muscle tension. Look to see if your horse reacts adversely to any spots that are curried. A horse that is sore or tense will jerk, swish their tail, bite or pin their ears when something bothers them. The back is a very common area to be sore after hard rides or lack of conditioning.


HOOF PICK
Having the hoof pick is like holding the key to preventing lameness. A horse is only as good as his feet, much like a car is only as good as the condition of its tires. By picking your horses feet regularly, you can prevent and detect thrush and clear out any lameness threats like rocks or packed dirt.

Before you pick up your horse's foot, run your hand down his leg to make sure there is no heat, swelling or unfamiliar lumps or bumps. If the hoof has a foul odor and seems soft and blackish, chances are your horse has thrush. Dousing the area in iodine for at least five days is your best bet to cure the condition. Keep in mind your horse’s living area needs to remain clean and dry for the condition to go away completely. If your horse is shod, check to see if their shoes are still in good condition. If one of the shoes seems loose, be careful not to pull on a loose shoe with your hoof pick. Pulling off a loose shoe can cause much more damage than leaving it until your shoer can fix the problem.

STIFF, MEDIUM AND SOFT BRUSHES
After the thorough currying, brush all of the dirt and hair off with the stiff brush. Use deliberate motions with the direction of the hair. Finish off the job with a medium or soft brush to get any extra dirt and hair. A soft brush is usually the better choice for the face to avoid aggravating your horse.

SHEDDING BLADE
The shedding blade is more of a wintertime grooming staple, but it can act as a great way to remove any stubborn dirt and hair after currying your horse. When your horse is shedding, use the shedding blade before running your stiff brush over the coat. Often a regular brush will fill up with hair over and over, causing frustration and wasting time. When using the shedding blade, use consistent motions with the grain of the hair, using caution on sensitive areas.

MANE/TAIL BRUSH
This is a step that is often overdone. While horses do get tangled manes and tails, too much brushing will damage the hair and make it thinner. Try brushing from the ends and do so gingerly. Save tail and mane brushing for after baths and when the hair is conditioned and tangle free. Avoid leaving manes and tails in braids that are too tight. Often horses end up rubbing out areas in braids. If you need to braid the tail, make sure there are strands left out to swat flies and keep the braid loose close to the tailbone.
Keep up a consistent schedule with your grooming and your horse will be able to shine without gimmicky products and potions!