Horse grooming

  Horse grooming is hygenic care given to a horse, or a process by which the horse's physical appearance is enhanced for horse shows or other types of competition.

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Reasons for grooming

Horsemen agree that grooming is an important part of horse care, and proper grooming is essential for horses that are used in competition. Most recommend grooming a horse daily, although this is not always possible. However, regular grooming helps to ensure the horse is healthy and comfortable.

The main reasons for daily grooming include:

• improved health of the skin and coat
• decreases the chance of various health problems such as thrush, scratches, and other skin problems
• cleans the horse, so chafing does not occur under areas of tack
• gives the groom a chance to check the horse's health, such as looking for cuts, heat, swelling, lameness, a change in temperament (such as depression) which could indicate the horse is sick, and look to see if the horse has loose or missing horseshoes
• helps to form a relationship between horse and handler, which can carry over to other handling duties and riding

Horse showmanship is a horse show class that considers quality of grooming for as much as 40% of the total score.

Tools used for grooming

There are several tools that are commonly used when grooming a horse. Proper use and technique helps to ensure the horse remains comfortable during the grooming process, and allows for greater ease in cleaning the animal.

• Curry or Currycomb: A tool made of rubber or plastic with short "teeth" on one side, that slides onto the hand of the groom. It is usually the first tool used in daily grooming. The horse is rubbed or "curried" in a circular motion, which helps to loosen dirt, hair, and other detritus, plus stimulate the skin to produce natural oils. The curry comb is usually used in a circular motion to work loose embedded material. Curries are generally too harsh to be used on the legs or head, though varieties made of softer rubber are available.
• Metal currycomb: a currycomb made of metal, with a handle. They are designed for use on show cattle. There is no reason for a horse owner to buy one. However, some barns have them sitting around and use them for cleaning out softer-bristled brushes. For removing mud and winter hair, as well as for cleaning brushes, a shedding blade (see below) is preferable to a metal curry, and a shedding blade can also do double duty for cleaning out other brushes.

• Dandy brush or Hard brush: A stiff-bristled brush is used to remove the dirt, hair and other material stirred up by the curry. Brushes are used in the direction of the horse's hair coat growth, usually in short strokes from front to back, except at the flanks, where the hair grows in a different pattern. The best quality dandy brushes are made of stiff natural bristles such as rice stems, though they wear out quickly. Plastic-bristled dandy brushes are more common. Dandy brushes can usually be used on the legs, but many horses object to a stiff brush being used on the head. Some dandy brushes do double duty as a *Water Brush, dampened in water and used to wet down the mane and tail.
• Body brush or Soft brush: A soft-bristled brush removes finer particles and dust, adds a shine to the coat and is soothing to the horse. A body brush can be used on the head, being careful to avoid the horse's eyes. Some natural body brushes are made of boar bristles, like human hairbrushes, others are made of soft synthetic fibers. The body brush is always the last brush used on the horse.
• Grooming rag or towel, also called a Stable Rubber: A terrycloth towel or other type of cloth can be used to give a final polish to a horse's coat and is also used after riding to help remove sweat.
• Mane brush or comb: Horses with short, pulled manes have their manes combed with a wide-toothed plastic or metal comb. Horse tails and long manes are brushed with either a dandy brush or a suitable human hairbrush. Most agree that it is best to pick out the tail, and long manes, by hand. The mane comb is also used when pulling the mane.
• Hoof pick: A hooked tool, usually of metal, used to clean the hooves of a horse. Some designs include a small, very stiff brush for removing additional mud or dirt. All four feet of the horse need to be cleaned out before riding. {See Picking the feet below.)

• Shedding blade: In special weather conditions, a metal shedding blade with short, dull teeth is used to remove loose winter hair. A shedding blade is also useful for removing caked-on mud. However, grooming tools with metal teeth can split and dull the horse's hair coat and may irritate the skin, so must be used with appropriate care. Likewise, metal grooming tools used on sheep and show cattle may also be too harsh to use on a horse.
• Fly spray: In the summer, fly spray is often applied to the horse after grooming. Care must be taken to avoid the eyes and mucus membranes.
• Bot knife: used to remove bottfly eggs from the horse, which are usually laid on the legs or shoulder. Bot eggs are yellow and roughly the size of a grain of sand, they are clearly visible on dark hair, harder to spot on white hair. A small pumice stone is also commonly used for the same purpose.
• Scissors or Clippers: Sometimes, though not always, horses are clipped with scissors or, preferably, electric clippers, to remove or shorten unwanted hair. (See "Clipping" below.)
• Sponges: Small sponges can be used to clean the nose, lips and dock, larger sponges can be used to wet down and clean the body and legs.

The hoof

  Hoof care is especially important when caring for the horse. Although many horses are quite healthy without daily brushing, lack of hoofcare can result in various problems, which if unattended, can result in short- or long-term soundness issues for the horse.

Cleaning the feet

The most basic form of hoofcare is cleaning, or picking out the feet. The groom uses a hoof pick to remove mud, manure, and rocks from the sole of the hoof. Removal of mud and manure helps to prevent thrush, a common hoof ailment which in very severe cases may cause lameness, while the removal of rocks helps to prevent stone bruises. In the winter, hoof picking also provides the chance to remove packs of snow from the horse's hooves, which can cause uncomfortable "snowballs." Additionally, the groom will then have a clear view of the hoof, and can check for problems such as puncture wounds due to a nail (which has the potential to be very serious if left untreated).

  A groom should be especially careful to clean out all crevasses of the hoof, particularly between the frog and the bars, as those areas are most likely to trap rocks or other debris, and also are the most common area to develop thrush. It is best to work the hoof pick from heel to toe, so to avoid accidentally jabbing the horse's leg, the frog of the hoof, or the person using the pick. When picking the feet, the groom stands facing the tail of the horse, then slides his or her hand down the horse's legs. If the horse was not trained to pick up its foot when the groom runs the hand the the fetlock and lifts lightly, most horses will pick up their feet if the tendons behind their cannon bone are squeezed. Some horses, particularly draft breeds, may be trained to pick up their feet when someone pulls on their fetlock hair.

Most horse management guidelines recommend picking the feet daily, and many people pick the feet twice a day, both before and after a ride.

Hoof dressing

Hoof dressing is a liquid substance used on the hooves to improve their moisture content, which in turn helps prevent hoof cracks, lost shoes, tender feet, and other common hoof problems.

Showing purposes

  For many disciplines, the hooves are painted with either clear or black hoof polish. Clear polish is generally used in dressage, show hunters, jumpers, and eventing, as well as most breed shows, other than some stock horse breeds. Black polish is seen in the western disciplines, especially western pleasure, but some breeds, notably the Appaloosa, ban any polish that alters the natural hoof color. Gaited breeds have varying rules, some allowing black polish, others limiting its use. In both cases, the polish is applied purely for aesthetic reasons, as a finishing touch.

Bathing

Horses can be bathed by being wet down with a garden hose or by being sponged off with water from a bucket. Horses do not require bathing and many horses live their entire lives without a bath. However, horses are often hosed off with water after a heavy workout as part of the cooling down process, and are often given baths prior to a horse show to remove every possible speck of dirt. They must be trained to accept bathing, as a hose and running water are unfamiliar objects and initially may frighten a horse. A hose is usually used for bathing. Start near the legs, being careful to point the hose at a downward angle. When spraying the body, be sure to angle the hose so that water doesn't hit the horse in the face. Either horse or human shampoo may be safely used on a horse, if thoroughly rinsed out, and cream rinses or hair conditioners, similar to those used by humans, are often used on show horses. Too-frequent shampooing can strip the hair coat of natural oils and cause it to dry out. Though horses in heavy work, such as racehorses, may be rinsed off after their daily workout, it is generally not advisable to shampoo a horse more than once a week, even in the show season. A well-groomed, clean horse can be kept clean by wearing a horse blanket or horse sheet.

Clipping

See also: Bridle path (horse)

  Many horses have hair trimmed or removed, especially for show. It should be noted that different disciplines have very different standards. The standards for breed competitions are also highly variable, and deviation from the acceptable grooming method may not be permitted at breed shows. It is often best to check the rules, and to ask a horseman experienced in your discipline or breed of choice, before performing any type of trimming or clipping to a show horse. Severely "incorrect" clipping is often considered a great faux pas in the horse world.

Trimming

  Clipping style is quite variable by breed, region and discipline. While some clipping has its origins in practical purposes, much clipping today is very much based on the showing style for which a particular horse is used. The most common areas clipped include:

• Bridle path: a section of mane, just behind the ears, is frequently clipped or shaved off. For practical purposes, this allows the bridle to lie comfortably on the across the poll, makes it slightly easier to bridle the horse, as the mane and forelock are separated and easier to keep out of the way. The length of the bridle path varies by breed and region of the world: for example, the American Saddlebred and the Arabian are commonly shown in the United States with bridle paths that are several inches long, while other breeds (such as the Friesian horse) are not permitted to have any bridle path. In the UK and continental Europe, bridle paths are generally rather short if clipped at all, though there is variation depending on breed.
• Face: There is little real need to clip the face, it is done primarily for aesthetic reasons. The most practical location to clip is under the jaw, to create a more refined appearance and remove excess hair that may interfere with the cavesson and throatlatch of the bridle. The whiskers of the muzzle are commonly shaved in the United States, though not as often in Europe. Some also clip the feelers above and below the eyes. It should be noted that clipping the whiskers of the muzzle or eyes is a topic of minor controversy, as they are thought to help prevent injury because the horse can "feel" when it is approaching an object.
• Ears: The hair on the pinna (ears) of the horse may be clipped, sometimes both inside and out. The practice of clipping the inside of the ears is also controversial, as the hairs inside the ear protect the inner ear from dirt and insects. When the ears are trimmed on the inside, a fly mask with ear protection is often put on the horse to replace its natural protection.
• Legs: The fetlocks can collect undesired amounts of mud, dirt, and burrs and may be trimmed for practical reasons. The back of the lower cannon is also commonly clipped, also to remove long hairs. For a truly polished look, the coronary band is clipped to shorten the small straggling hairs that grow along the edges of the hoof. Leg clipping is done for most light riding horses. However, there are several breeds, particularly draft horse breeds, that consider lower leg feathering to be a breed trait and do not permit the clipping of the fetlocks or "feather" on the lower legs.

Body clipping

      In addition to basic trimming, many horses are "body clipped" in the winter months, to remove their winter coat. This can serve a practical purpose, as it keeps the horse more comfortable during work, and helps him cool down faster. It can also serve an aesthetic purpose, as most horsemen agree a horse looks finer and more show-worthy with a shorter coat. Additionally, grooming is usually easier and less time-consuming when the hair is shortened.

Before one makes the decision to body clip their horse, they must be sure to consider the fact that they are removing the horse's natural defenses against the cold. They must therefore be able to provide blanketing, and in some cases, stabling, for the horse if the temperature drops, or if there is a cold rain or snow. This will increase the amount of work needed to keep the horse, as the groom must change the blankets as needed, but it is essential to keep the horse comfortable and healthy.

Types of body clips include:

• Full body clip: the horse's entire body is clipped, including the head and legs. This is the most common clip, used in many disciplines. It provides the most "natural" clip, resembling a horse's normal summer coat, plus it is a relatively straightforward clip for a groom to complete. However, it provides the least amount of natural protection for the horse.
• Hunter clip: The entire horse is clipped, except for the legs and a patch of hair under the saddle. This clip traces back to the hunt field, and is still used there today, as it provides extra protection to the back of the horse (essential during several hours of hunting) as well as to the lower legs (which may be cut by brambles), but still allows for the horse to stay cool while galloping.
• Blanket clip: Long hair is left in a blanket-shaped area on the horse. The shoulders and neck are clipped, the legs are left unclipped.
• Trace clip: varies, but generally the horse is clipped from under his throat, down along the jugular groove, and then clipped half-way up the shoulder and belly. Variations include clipping higher along the neck, shoulder, and belly, and clipping a strip off the side of the hindquarted, to the buttock. Additionally, many clip a strip half-way up the cheek to the muzzle. The back and legs are left unclipped. The clip is named after the traces of the carriage, as it follows a similar pattern. The amount of hair removed is based on the work the horse is in, the amount he sweats during work, and the areas where he sweats the most. It is most commonly seen used by eventers.
• Strip clip: clip along the jugular, chest and under the barrel. This is a minimal clip, and many horses with this clip do not need extra care beyond their regular blanketing.

The mane

See also: mane (horse)

The mane's evolutionary purpose was to help keep the neck warm or dry. The modern horse usually has its mane groomed to fit a particular breed style or practical purpose.

The mane may be kept in a long, relatively natural state, which is required for show by some breeds, including the Arabian, Andalusian, Friesian, Morgan, American Saddlebred, and other breeds, particularly those used in Saddle seat style English riding competition. A long mane may be placed into five to seven long, relatively thick braids between shows to keep it in good condition, to help it grow, and to minimize debris and dirt from entering.

In other breeds or disciplines, particularly many Western stock horse and hunter/jumper breeds, the mane is thinned and shortened for competition purposes. The most common method of shortening and thinning the mane is by pulling it, which This type of mane is most common for hunt seat style competition, and for some western pleasure classes for some of the stock breeds (breeds mandated to show with a long mane wear a long mane in western classes). Originally a thinned mane was considered easier to keep free of dirt, burrs, and out of the way of the rider, thus worth the time and upkeep of regular thinning. Today, its purpose is primarily for tradition and to make it lay down flat and easier to braid or band.

Braiding or banding a mane is believed to produce a finer appearance, can be used to help show off the neck, and sometimes can help to mask conformational faults. Acceptable braiding techniques vary between disciplines and breeds.

The mane may also be roached, or completely shaven off. This is most commonly seen in polo ponies, Australian Stock Horses and roping horses, to keep the mane out of the rider's way, and to prevent the mallet or rope from becoming entangled.

The tail

  The tail may be either clipped, thinned, or added to, depending on breed and discipline, in order to enhance its appearance. Most grooming of the tail is aesthetic. However, it should be remembered that the tail's main purpose is for fly protection, and cutting the tail too short can remove this natural defense.

Clipping

A "natural" tail, which is not clipped, is commonly seen in the majority of competitive disciplines, including show hunters, and in most western performance disciplines. In some breeds, a natural tail is a show requirement.

Banging is also quite common, particularly in Europe. It involves cutting the bottom of the tail straight at the bottom, usually well below the hocks. This is believed to show off a horse's gait, and is seen most often in dressage. In some nations, banged tails are also seen in eventing and show jumping. Tail extensions, described below, are often sold with a banged bottom, and so the style is sometimes seen in western disciplines, though it is considered a fad and not a traditional look.

Sometimes, the sides of the dock is clipped, to the point at which the tail "turns over." This results in a finer appearance, and shows off the horse's hindquarters. This is most commonly seen in dressage and at times in eventing, in areas where dressage styling prevails.

Tails can also be thinned, by pulling hairs at the sides of the dock, or pulling the longest hairs, to shorten it and make it less full. This is currently out of fashion, though was once popular for the hunter and western breeds.

Some breeds, such as the draft horse breeds and some harness breeds, dock their horse's tail especially short, originally to keep it from being tangled in a harness.

Tail extensions

"Tail extensions," as their name suggests, are false hairpieces which are braided into the tail to make it longer or fuller. This is sometimes seen when a horse has a naturally short and skimpy tail. It is also common in certain breeds with "set tails," or tails that are made to stand upright. A tailset shortens the length (or "skirt") of the tail, and a tail extension makes the tail look to be a more natural length. On the other hand, in other breeds, use of tail extensions is illegal.

Braiding

Braiding of the dock of the tail is most commonly seen in show hunters, equitation, and field hunters, with the skirt of the tail left loose. Certain breeds are also shown with the skirt of the tail braided up. However, some disciplines, such as eventing and dressage, do not commonly braid the tail, as it can cause the horse to carry it stiffly, especially if it is not braided evenly, and therefore make him appear to be stiff in the back. In inclement weather, the skirt of the tail may also be braided and coiled up to the dock in a stylized knot known as a mud tail.

Setting

Tail setting involves placing the dock of the tail in a device to help keep it upright. This is performed only when the horses are stalled, and the device is meant to help train the muscles to keep the tail in a position that is desired for showing purposes, which is thought to make the horse appear "flashy." This is generally only seen used by certain breeds, such as the Saddlebred.

Other show grooming products and supplies

Highlighter

  Highligher is a gel, ointment or oil used to add shine and thus accentuate certain parts of the horse's face. Less often, it is placed on the bridle path, crest, knees, hocks, mane and tail. It is commonly used in the United States by certain breeds such as stock and gaited breeds, but is frowned upon in the Hunter disciplines. Other nations often do not use such products on show animals at all. In a few disciplines, such products are banned. Most breeds that allow highlighting require such it to be clear, without dye or color.

Neck sweats

Neck sweats are wraps, usually of neoprene, placed on the neck or jowl of the horse to cause it to sweat. This is a short-term method that will temporarily reduce a thick jowl or cresty neck, to make it appear finer in appearance. This tool is used both by breeds prone to heavy necks who benefit from some slimming, but also by breeds with refined necks to create a more extreme refinement, often called a "hooky" neck.

References

Harris, Susan E. (1991) Grooming To Win: How to Groom, Trim, Braid and Prepare Your Horse for Show. Howell Book House; 2nd edition. ISBN-10: 0876058926, ISBN-13: 978-0876058923 Hill, Cherry (1997) Horse Handling & Grooming. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing ISBN 0-88266-956-7