Horse grooming is an important task in making sure your horse is healthy. It gives you the chance to inspect the horse for any injury, helps prevent unhealthy sores, stimulates blood flow and it helps to bond with the horse.
By grooming the horse daily or every other day, it will make the horse not only healthier but happier as well.
Grooming can be considered as a preventative measure for the health of the horse. It can help keep medical costs and visits to the vet down.
The grooming area should be separate from the stall in which the horse is kept. It can be another stall or just in a designated area of the barn.
Correctly grooming a horse can be messy and therefore proper clothing should be worn. At times, horses can become startled or nervous during grooming and tend to kick, so beware of the horse’s hind legs at all times.
Using a curry brush on the horse starting near the jaw and working down the neck to the shoulder area and on to the entire body including the inside and outside of the legs helps with the blood flow throughout the body. It also gives you a chance to inspect the horse’s body for any sores or abrasions of any kind.
Following the use of the curry brush a stiff or dandy brush is essential to pick up all the dirt and hair the curry brush loosened.
Using electrical clippers on the horse’s body and manual ones in and around the facial area will give the horse a great appearance. Be careful when using electrical clippers too close to the horse’s ears or face, as they tend to startle them.
The horse needs to be bathed regularly to keep them clean and prevent any medical issues from taking hold and requiring a visit to the vet.
Working on the hoofs is a very important for the horse’s health as another preventative measure.
The most important thing to remember is that frequent grooming of your horse will keep them looking great, happy and healthy, which will keep maintenance costs down.
