Although horseback riding remains a sport or a hobby, there is more to it than just riding your horse. We will therefore teach you the benefits of equine grooming so that you become a professional in this technique. Grooming can be as simple as taking care of your pet with brushing and cleaning actions. These techniques should be done daily as well as before and after riding.
Why should we brush our horse?
Brushing your horse is very important. First of all, grooming serves to keep the horse's coat clean, thereby giving shine to your horse's hair and mane. Before you begin the task, check your horse for any wounds or scratches that could inconvenience or hurt him. During grooming, we observe the general state of health of the horse. Grooming a horse also serves to activate blood circulation and tone the horse's muscles. Finally, the time spent brushing the horse helps create a bond of trust and friendship between the rider and his horse.
What do I need to perform a dressing?
Having quality equipment is an essential element for effective grooming. For a rider, it is important to get a basic set of brushes. This basic set should contain a curry comb, a hard brush, a soft brush, a horsehair brush and a hoof pick. If you want to diversify your grooming kit, you could get a sponge, hoof brush, wipes, head brush, heat knife and more. See all the grooming equipment we offer.
Choosing between natural hairs or synthetic hairs?
To choose the right material for a brush, you must choose according to the desired action, the object treated as well as the context of use (temperature, humidity, mechanical constraints, etc.)
Nowadays, the most commonly used hair is synthetic hair. However, natural hairs are often used for technical and aesthetic reasons.
How to achieve complete and effective grooming?
First of all, before you start grooming, you should check if your horse has any wounds or scratches that could interfere with brushing. The first brush to use is the curry comb. There are several models of curry combs that you can use. Generally, they are made of plastic or rubber. With this tool, you must make circular movements while exerting good pressure. Circular movements help to dislodge dirt in depth. This movement will also have the effect of activating your horse's blood circulation. The curry is applied to the fleshy parts of the horse. Then, the second brush to use is the stiff brush. The hard brush must be used in short, brisk strokes repeatedly to remove sweat marks and dust. The excess hair will therefore be dislodged. The third brush to use is the soft brush. This action eliminates all traces of dust on the horse's body, limbs and head. It is important to follow the direction of the horse's hair. Then, you are at the stage of cleaning the hooves. It is important to clean the plantar surface of the hoof to remove debris or foreign bodies that have accumulated. Cleaning the hooves frequently helps eliminate any bacteria that may lodge there and allows you to check the general condition of the hoof. For the last step, the hairs of the mane and tail can be brushed with the soft brush to avoid breaking the hairs.
There you have it, you have everything you need to be a grooming professional ;)
Do you want to purchase new grooming equipment?
Click here to take a look at our grooming products.
