11 Essentials For Your Horse Grooming Kit
Every equestrian usually grooms their horse before and after every ride – and in between too.
Make sure you have these 11 essentials items in your horse grooming kit.
Grooming is not only essential for the health of your horse’s coat and feet, it’s an opportunity to run your hands over him and feel for any heat or swelling that may not be visible to the naked eye.
It’s also an amazing opportunity for bonding.
Check out this post on more benefits of grooming your horse.
Often we get into the habit of only going to the barn to ride or train our horses, or ask something of them, like standing for the vet or the farrier.
Going out and simply touching on them, loving on them, without asking anything in return is often a nice change of pace for the burnt-out horse.
So to make sure you have a fully equipped grooming kit, we’ve put together this list of grooming must-haves.
In addition to your grooming kit, make sure you have your equine first aid kit fully stocked, too!
Horse Grooming Kit
1. Hoof Pick
Since “no hoof, no horse” we’ll begin with the hoof pick.
Picking out your horse’s feet is essential before and after every ride and on a daily basis to prevent stone bruises and thrush.
We prefer hoof picks when a brush on the opposite end so that you can pick out the major clumps and brush off the rest of the dirt easily.
2. Hard Bristle Brush
To begin grooming your horse’s coat, start with a hard bristle brush.
Use strong flicking motions to “flick” off any mud or stuck on dirt.
Because the bristles are stiff, avoid using this brush on your horse’s face or other ticklish parts.
We really like this hard bristle brush because of the wooden handle and the natural fibers reduce static for when you’re grooming in the Winter.
3. Currycomb
After you knock off the clumps of mud and dirt, you’ll want to use a currycomb, in a circular pattern, to increase circulation on the skin and bring up even more dirt hiding closer to the skin.
A currycomb will also promote the production of the coat’s natural oils and tease up any lose hair.
Most currycombs are these small, circular rubber brushes, but we also love these grooming mittens too.
4. Body Brush
After the hard bristle brush knocks off the big clumps of mud, and the currycomb brings up dirt hiding closer to the skin, you’ll use a body brush to remove whatever the currycomb brings up.
Softer than the hard bristle brush, but stiffer than the soft bristle (below), a regular body brush will remove the remaining dirt while spreading the natural oils on the coat, giving your horse a beautiful shine.
5. Soft Bristle Brush
For adding the shine and finishing touches on your horse, as well as for brushing their face and more sensitive areas, you’ll need a soft bristle brush.
This soft bristle brush from Horze.com made with goat hair absolutely pampers your horse.
6. Sponges
You’ll also need sponges for bath time, cleaning legs and more.
We usually keep a few around, just in case.
7. Mane Comb
Whether for brushing out tangles from a mane or tail or pulling a mane for a show, this small metal mane comb is durable and fits easily in any hand.
And they’re so inexpensive, we have several.
Like this one: mane comb
8. Sweat Scraper
After a bath, you’ll need a sweat scraper to “scrape” off all of the excess water.
This ensures your horse will dry faster and will not develop rain rot, if they are prone to.
9. Shedding Blade
In the Spring, a shedding blade is super helpful to help loosen up hair and remove it from your horse’s coat.
10. Mane and Tail Brush
Another way to brush out tangles in the mane and tail is a mane and tail brush.
If you don’t pull your horse’s mane, and find an actual brush more comfortable, a mane and tail brush will suit you fine.
We have both based on what we’re trying to accomplish.
For pulling a mane, we use the mane comb. For simply brushing out the knots we use a mane and tail brush.
11. Grooming Tray
And to put it all in and keep it organized, you’ll need a grooming tray.
These are sturdy, waterproof and sit neatly on the top of a fence or blanket bar for convenience while you’re grooming.
BONUS: Full Grooming Tote
And of course, if you don’t want to buy each of these items individually, you can buy a complete grooming kit, already made for you!
Perfect Birthday or Holiday gift for the new equestrian in your life.
These 11 items, with a few other personal items, will ensure you have a complete grooming kit for your and your horse.
And to avoid transmitting rain rot or contact dermatitis between horses, we recommend having a separate grooming kit for each horse you own.
We separate our grooming kits in different colored trays with the horses’ names on them.
Happy Grooming!
