Choosing the Right Grooming Tools
Grooming a horse takes considerable effort! Anyone who has done so will tell you. And anyone who has done it for years will tell you that having the right brush makes a world of difference! Here are some things to consider when choosing the right brush for the right job.
Bristle Length: Longer bristles are great for flicking away dirt that you have brought up with your curry comb (see below). Shorter bristles are great for smoothing out the coat after you have curry combed your horse, flicked away the dirt and hair, and you just need to add more polish.
Bristle Thickness: In most cases, the thicker the bristle, the larger the chunk of dirt or debris will be removed. The thinner bristles tend to only get rid of the tiny specs. A thick bristled brush is used for mud and clumps, a thin bristled brush is for the fine dust and hair to be flicked away.
Natural vs. Synthetic: What’s the job of the brush? Natural bristle brushes are perfect for a horse’s coats. They are soft, dense, and effective. Where synthetic brushes are great for cleaning saddle pads, horse boots, and the dirt away from the bottom of your pants.
Curry Comb: It is usually the first tool used in daily grooming. The horse is rubbed or “curried”, usually in a circular motion to help loosen dirt, hair, and other debris, plus stimulate the skin to produce natural oils.
Now there are some other key factors in picking the right brush that you need to keep in mind.
- What does your horse like? Stiff or soft? Some sensitive skinned horses only like soft brushes or if they are on the ticklish side, they may want a hard brush.
- Is it comfortable to hold? If it is not a good fit for your hand, then you will spend more time picking it up than actually using it!
Take a look at our extensive selection. We try our best to carry a wide variety to fit everyone’s needs.
