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what do you groom?

5K views 25 replies 23 participants last post by  ShowJumpLife 
#1 ·
What do you do when you groom? i brush Tobys body first then i just kinda go from there. Toby loves to be brushed as long as there is food in front of him. his favorite brush is the body brush.
 
#3 ·
First I do the hooves & check them (for any cracks, if they need to be done, etc.) & then I use the currycomb, then a hard brush, then a soft brush followed by a face brush. :D & then I do the mane & tail, comb it out. When I'm doing a quick-groom, I just do the hooves & curry/brush. :)
 
#4 ·
Lets see
~rubber curry comb - Get out chunks of dirt and dry mud and loosen.
~Very Hard Bristle Brush - Get out any more dried mud
~Curry again - Loosen dirt from undercoat
~Hard bristle all over...- remove all remaining dirt - very long time spent here
~(optional) hose down bottoms of legs - only if its warm out. not for winter-skip
~Hooves...Pick - all mud out then brushed with the other side of the pick
~hooves...oil - Protein on sole, and oil/conditioner on wall and outside and heel
~Medium brush legs and body and neck -remove dirt and dust
~Face brush. - clean the face :D
~Soft Body Brush - Flick away any remaining dust
~Brush Mane, Pick Tail - Straightens the mane. Pick shavings from tail. Its currently wrapped, Otherwise its gently brushed or just picked out.
~ShowSheen Body - I spray his whole body with the stuff except saddle area. This includes mane and tail
~Long bristle Soft Brush body - flicks off any more dust possible and makes him clean
~Soft Brush Body - Adds shine and smooths
COOKIE TIME - he's always so well behaved. i dont use a hay net or anything. So i give him a horse cookie or peppermint.
Usually takes 45 minutes or so to an hour
I have a pretty long grooming process. But my horse absolutely loves it and he always looks amazing. Right now I even have his tail braided since im using MTG. So each time i groom ill take off the bag and add conditioner or more MTG all over his tail before i put the bag back over it, but the braids wont come out for a few weeks.

For a short one...this is rushed and done in 20 or 30 minutes. And the second currying and brushing is skipped to go straight to the soft brushing cycle and only one cycle of hard brush/curry
 
#5 ·
I think it depends on why you're grooming. Most important, if you're about to ride, are things like checking hooves and brushing anywhere the saddle, etc., will rub. You want to remove anything that could cause a problem.
 
#6 ·
If there is dried mud, I use a shedding blade to get the mud off.
Then I use a medium brush to brush the dirt off.
Then I curry all over
Then i use the hard brush (If the horse has sensitive skin, I use the medium brush)
Then medium brush,
Then body brush.

I use one hoof pick (with the brush) to remove all mud from the hooves
then I pick out the hooves.

I don't really brush the mane/tail unless it's knotty. I'll usually just go over it with a medium brush.
 
#8 ·
I check/pick out my horses hooves, then go over them with a hard-bristle curry, then go back over them with a soft brush, then brush their faces with a soft brush, then the mane and lastly the tail with a comb. Lol.
 
#9 ·
Like Joshie, it depends on what I'm grooming for. I also mix it up, sometimes hooves first sometimes last. If the mane is really dirty I will start there since it will get the neck dirty if I don't.
If I'm just going for a quick ride, I'll just do the saddle/girth area and feet. Pretty much skipping everything else. I'm a bad horsey mom I know :shock:
 
#10 ·
mane is really dirty I will start there since it will get the neck dirty if I don't.
If I'm just going for a quick ride, I'll just do the saddle/girth area and feet. Pretty much skipping everything else. I'm a bad horsey mom I know :shock:
Well, I guess we're both bad then. I really doubt our horses care though. :wink:
 
#12 ·
There are 4 horses and a pony here. They get groomed if they are get dirty in winter so their hair stays fluffy. Otherwise they get it sparodically depending on my mood/time and if I'm riding or not. Hooves get done when I get round to em. My horses live out 24/7. They get a rinse down after a hot summer ride.

When I do groom I use a shedding blade if they are filthy followed by a rough brush. Often that's it. It just depends on what I'm going to do tho. They just go roll after I am done anyway. LOL
 
#13 ·
My usual is pick the feet, go over everything with one of those wonderful rubber mitts with the gentle little nubs, and then use the body brush. Mojo is thin skinned and does not like much pressure, so these tools are my favorites. I pick the bits of straw out of his tail, pull a little section of his mane (I try to do this tedious task a bit at a time) and I'm done.
 
#14 ·
Here is my winter grooming routine before I ride...
- Pick hooves and brush mud/snow of the hooves
- Detangle and brush mane and tail (on occasion)
- Showsheen mane and tail (on occasion)
- Take blanket off
- Curry body
- Use hard brush to get most of the dirt of body and legs
- Soft brush the whole body and face to add shine and get off the rest of the dust
- Put saddle on
- Showsheen the whole body and face and brush again with soft brush (on occasion)
- Go over him with a rag to pick up any leftover dirt
- Put bridle on

Then after winter rides...
- Untack
- Curry the whole body
- Throw cooler on (if he's sweaty)
- While he's drying I'll pick his hooves
- After he's cooled off for a while I'll brush him off with the hard brush
- Then go over him with a rag

In the summer before rides...
Pretty much the same as before winter rides except there are no blankets to take off, except maybe a flysheet and flywraps if the flies are bad. Also, I spray some flyspray on before I put the saddle on.

In the summer after rides...
- Untack
- Hose him off his whole body (if I'm in a hurry just where he's sweaty)
- About once a month I'll do a full bath with shampoo and conditioner
- Graze him until he's pretty dry
- Pick his hooves
- Spritz with fly spray
- Put his flysheet and flywraps on (if the flies are bad)

I think that's about it. Usually tacking up takes about 30 minutes but if I'm in a hurry I can cut it down to about 10-15 minutes. Untacking probably only takes 10-15 minutes and sometimes longer depending on how sweaty he is in the winter and if I give him a full bath in the summer.

 
#15 ·
Here's what I do when I groom the school horses...

Winter:
Take off blanket
Curry comb body
Hard brush body
Body brush body, face, legs
Use detangler on mane and tail, brush them out
Pick out feet, brush off dirt on the wall of the hoof with either a hard brush or the other side of the hoof pick
Quilted saddle pad, cashel, saddle, bridle.

After ride I basically do the same thing, sometimes towelling off the girth area and maybe chest/saddle area as well if they are particularly sweaty. Then I put the blanket back on, treat and then put them away. (they live outside)

In the summer, it's the same routine except for the blanket and I have more of a tendency to use some ShowSheen on their coats. Also I might use a towel afterwards to make them shinier.

After the ride in the summer we usually give them a rinse and then sweat scrape after a quick brush.
 
#18 ·
I do their mane, tail and forelock first, then the body and then the hooves. I don't do more than a curry comb and body brush on their bodies anymore. I dunno why...but I don't.
 
#20 ·
HI! I am new! Well all my horses have different grooming scheduals( yes I can't spell, get used to it)
Blue: Quick Groom
1) Curry
2) Hard Brush (Whole Body, Front Legs where boots are)
3) Soft Brush (Whole Body, Front Legs where boots are)
4) Brush out mane and tail
5) Pick out feet
Blue: Long Groom
1) Put Cowboy Magic Detangler and Shine in tail (Mane is now cut short)
2) Curry (Whole Body)
3) Hard Brush (Whole Body, Legs)
4) Medium Brush (Whole Body, Legs)
5) Soft Brush (Whole Body, Legs)
6) Rub with Shammy
7) Pick out feet
8) Brush mane, forlock, and tail
9) Spray body with Flyspray(Summer only) and Vetrolin Shine(If she is due to have it again)
10) Soft Brush again
11) Hooflex or Twinkle Toes Hoofs
12) Trim whiskers, feltlock hairs, and bridle path(If needed)
Ariel: Quick Groom
1) Hard Brush(Whole body)
2) Soft Brush(Whole body)
3) Pick out hooves
Ariel: Long Groom
1) Cowboy Magic Mane and Tail
2) Curry (Whole body)
3) Hard brush (Whole body, legs)
4) Medium-Hard brush (Whole body, legs)
5) Medium Brush (Whole Body, legs)
6) Soft Brush (Whold body, face, legs)
7) Pick out feet
8) Brush out mane and tail
Cat and Jack: Groom
1) Cowboy Magic Mane and Tail
2) Curry (whole body)
3) Hard brush (whole body, legs)
4) Soft brush (whole body, legs)
5) Pick out feet
6) Spray with Vetrolin Shine
7) Re Soft Brush
8) Comb out mane and tail
9) Hooflex
 
#21 ·
Wow... I feel really slack when it comes to grooming compared to some of you... my horses would probably think it's Christmas or something if I spent 50mins grooming each of them!! Haha my arms wouldn't though!

Like some people have said, it really depends on the situation and climate. But generally, if I'm going to ride/lunge/school in any other way, I do:

- Take off rugs (if in any)
- Pick out hooves
- If muddy, curry comb off the dried bits
- Dandy brush the body and legs briefly - if I'm in a rush I skip this step.
- Body brush the body and legs, paying special attention to where any gear may be about to sit
- Use the face brush on their face

Done! I think it takes me roughly around 10-15mins to do all that, quicker if I'm in a rush. I believe grooming is important, as it stimulates the muscles, but I don't believe in prolonging it, as I think firm, clean strokes not only massage more efficiently, but doesn't tire the muscles out either. Then again it's been ahh 5yrs since I've only just one horse and having three, plus being a uni student doesn't allow for long sessions. My horses don't really care if they have a little bit of dirt on them, in fact my girls will show me just how much they appreciate their grooming by finding the dirtiest/dustiest spot to make sure I do another good job next time :lol:

Of course I do make the time to give them a good groom once/twice a month, normally when I tidy up trimming areas etc. And they also get washed over the spring/summer months too.

x
 
#22 ·
For just everyday grooming, I don't take long because there are so many horses I am in charge of, if I took 30min per horse, none of them would ever get worked.

-take of sheet & blanket (if winter/fall)
-curry
-hard brush
-spray conditioner spray
-soft brush
-brush mane
-tighten bands on hooves
-wrap legs
-wrap tail (unless the horse shows in Pleasure division)

About every other week I clip muzzle, eyelashes, ears, forelock/bridle path, white on feet, and roach the mane if it's an equitation horse.
 
#24 ·
It depends on if I'm comfort grooming or getting ready for a ride. It also depends on the temperature.
If I'm Grooming for a Lesson...
~Hoof Pick
~Use Plastic Curry over body
~Use softer Curry for face and legs (it's not as "hard" as a normal plastic one and it's meant for the face)
~Hard Brush
~If they still have some dirt on them then I got over them again with the plastic curry and Hard Brush
~Soft Brush
~Mane and Tail
 
#25 ·
Wow... I definately feel like a bad horse mum compared to you guys... lol!

I normally groom before i ride, i'll go over them completely with either a dandy brush or body brush, and pick out feet. If I'm in a rush, just the saddle girth area. Yep, thats it, lol. Oh and zinc on Wildeys nose cause he gets sunburnt.

If i'm getting ready for a show then they get the full groom. Quick brush with a curry to get mud off. Bath with normal shampoo, glo-white for socks/blazes on wildey. Bundy has no white. Conditioner through tail and stubs of roached mane, lol. Rinse all out. Sweat scrape then dry with towel, spray showsheen everywhere but saddle, then graze till dry. get out the clipper and re-hog mane, clip whisker, feet, and anywhere else that needs tidying. Brush all over with soft body brush. Spray more showsheen through tail and braid, then bandage. The mornign of the show go over with soft brush, brush out tail, hoof black and baby oil/makeup on face and a little through his hogged mane/tail to keep the dandruff/dust away.
 
#26 ·
Pick out hooves and wash feet with stiff water brush.

Remove stable stains with damp brush and towel try

Rubby Curry over body avoiding bony areas

Dandy brush over body in short sharp strokes flicking the dust out of the coat into the air.

Body brush- atleast 20 strokes on each part of the body, upper neck, lower neck, shoulderm chest, back, ribs, belly etc on both sides.

wipe eyes nose and cok wwith damp sponge

body brush every hair in mane tail and forelock.

use clean waterbrush to lay the mane and bandage tail

Wipe over horse with damp stable rubber.

Strap neck shoulder back and rump, 20times in each place - we are working it up to 40 atm but ive only had my boy for a month so still working it up.

The whole prosess take and hour and a half to two hours per day, in winter it will be twice a day. Takes a long time but the results are awesome.
 
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