4 Essential Brushes for Beginners to Groom their Horse
No matter if you are a new horse owner, just starting out your job as a groom, or recently began horseback riding lessons, brushing is an essential part of horse care. Brushing can be a great way to bond with your horse, as horses naturally like to groom each other out in pasture. Brushing often also increases the likelihood of noticing any abnormalities in your horses’ behavior or physical appearance, allowing for potential medical issues to be noticed quicker. The main four brushes commonly used in grooming are the curry comb, the hard brush, the soft brush, and the hoof pick.
The curry comb can be found in multiple different styles; the most popular are a rounded shape with raised semi circles pocking outward, or with rounded and grooved tracks in the brush. This brush is most often made of rubber and is best used for de-shedding as well as removing dried dirt or mud from a horse’s coat. This brush is most effective when used by creating a circular motion with the brush around the area that you are brushing. The curry comb is also known to improve circulation and is known to be a good massaging tool as well.
Hard brushes and soft brushes are very similar to one another, with the main difference being the roughness of the bristles. Hard brushes tend to have rougher, more stiff bristles. Hard brushes are a good brush to use directly after the curry comb, as they can brush away any debris or excess hair brought to the surface with the curry comb. These brushes can also be used to brush dried dirt or mud, however they may not be as effective as a curry when it comes to heavily dirtied areas. A soft brush has softer bristles, and is more of a finishing brush when it comes to grooming. These brushes, although similar to hard brushes, are meant to give the horse’s coat a light refresher by removing light amounts of debris and to make the coat look shinier by removing the smaller particles still left on the horse’s coat. Hard and soft brushes are used in a swiping motion, going either up and down or from one side to the next in the direction that the horse’s hair is laying. It is important to note that some horses may be sensitive towards harder bristled brushes; this may mean that you may have to be mindful of your horse displaying discomfort when brushing, and that you may need to be adaptable in your grooming to avoid discomfort.
One of the most important grooming tools often associated with brushes is the hoof pick. The hoof pick is used to clean a horse’s hooves, with a pointed side to clear away anything that may be stuck in a horse’s hooves, and occasionally a brush side to wipe away debris. It is very important to be able to pick out a horse’s hooves, as debris such as rocks may cause lameness if left in their hooves over time. If you have never picked a horse’s hooves out before, it is best to consult someone knowledgeable first before attempting on your own.