| |
|
|
|
|
How to Groom a Horse and Why
by: Jennifer
Allbright
Grooming a horse safely and correctly is a very important part of daily
horse care. It is a great time to check over the horse for any issues on his
skin, back, and girth area and to get an idea of how the horse is feeling
that day. You should groom a horse before you take it out for riding or
exercising. It helps keep them healthy and looking good.
First, halter and tie the horse to a ring or safety string attached to
something solid. If the horse pulls back, you don't want the horse's halter
tied to something that will swing or be pulled out of the ground. A ring on
a wall meant for tying or a solid fence post often works well. You can also
use cross-ties if you have two rings and cross-ties.
Next, pick the horse's feet. This is one of the most important steps, so do
it first so that you don't forget. Stand on the horse's left side next to
his left front leg and face towards the horse's tail. Slide your left hand
down the back of his leg to the fetlock, which is the last big joint, and
squeeze a little. The horse should pick up his hoof and let you hold it.
Using the hoof pick in the other hand, pick out any rocks and remove any
dirt from the area around the frog and just inside of the shoe line. The
frog is the softer, raised triangular area located in the center of the
foot. You don't want to scrape or puncture this. You only want to clear the
indented area of the sole of the foot. If a horse doesn't pick up his foot
right away, you can cluck or say "Up" to encourage the horse to pick up his
foot. You can also try leaning a little on the horse's shoulder to shift his
weight off of the foot so it is easier to lift up.
After picking all four feet, take a rubber curry comb and brush all over the
body in a circular motion. Avoid the lower legs and head since these are
bony areas and need gentler brushing. The currying brings dust, dirt, and
dead skin to the top surface of the coat so that it can be brushed away.
Some horses enjoy a good strong currying, and some horses hate it, so try to
be gentle at first. To clean the curry comb, tap it against a fence post to
make the dirt fall off.
Next, use a body brush to brush off the loose dirt and hair. Brush in the
direction of the hair growth to smooth the hair as you brush. Flick the
brush at the end of the brush stoke to try to get all the dirt removed from
the coat. Occasionally, you will need to clean the brush fibers by brushing
them across the curry comb. Finally, follow up with a soft brush to further
smooth the hair and spread the natural oils along the coat. This is what
makes horses shine. You can also carefully brush the lower legs and face
with the soft brush.
For the tail, first use a detangler spray or gel such as Cowboy Magic, Show
Sheen, Mane 'n Tail Detangler, or EQyss Survivor. This stops tangled hairs
from being torn out when you brush the tail. Some people think you should
never brush a tail because hairs will be torn out. If you are careful and
brush only a small section at a time while starting from the bottom, you
shouldn't pull out many hairs. You can brush the mane without being as
worried since most manes are kept thin and short. If you have a long-maned
breed such as an Arabian or a Friesian, you will want to treat it as
carefully as the tail.
Also, use a clean, damp towel to gently wipe any dirt or dust from the eye
area and the nostrils. Most horses learn to appreciate this. You will
appreciate it too because when the horse blows out his nose, he won't get as
much horse snot all over you!
About The Author
Jennifer Allbright writes for
http://www.NewtoHorses.com which provides information to new-comers
on caring for, riding, and showing horses. The site offers a wide range
of information from safety around horses and resources for horse items
to specifics about dressage training and showing.
|
New York Fashion Week: It's on, pets - Boston Globe
Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:05:07 GMT+00:00
Coppell pets left behind by Peters tragedy settling into new homes - Dallas Morning News (blog)
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:00:39 GMT+00:00
VCA Animal Hospitals Offers Free Boarding for Pets Affected by Colorado Wildfires - MarketWatch (press release)
Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:11:34 GMT+00:00
Mega pet adoption slated for weekend - San Antonio Express
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 05:48:40 GMT+00:00
Saturday event offers pet vaccination, registration - Dallas Morning News (blog)
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:35:41 GMT+00:00
Humane Society offering free pet tags at two locations Sept. 11 - TCPalm
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:37:11 GMT+00:00
FEMA: Preparing Your Pets For Disaster - 7thSpace Interactive (press release)
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:03:59 GMT+00:00
Pets Welcome at Residence Inn Miami Airport South - Marketwire (press release)
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:29:38 GMT+00:00
Zimmer's Pets owner cited for animal cruelty - Pottstown Mercury
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:33:09 GMT+00:00
Is it OK to Play Switcheroo With Your Pet Foods? (Part 2: Why You Might Want ... - PETMD (blog)
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:53:24 GMT+00:00
|
|
|
