How to groom your horse

Grooming is one of the most everyday jobs with a horse, and one of the most useful. The BHS lists its benefits as:

• a clean horse
• removing dust and dirt that cause irritation
• a chance to check for lumps, bumps, heat and swelling
• better circulation and a healthier coat
• learning how your horse responds, and building a bond between you

In the wild, horses groom each other. The BHS says mutual grooming is one of the most common things horses do together, and that the withers are often a favourite spot. A good groom can mimic it, and the BHS says it can lower a horse's heart rate as well as improve your bond. World Horse Welfare adds that regular grooming is a good way to keep a close eye on the skin, so you notice changes early.

The grooming kit

The BHS lists a grooming kit as a hoof pick, dandy brush, rubber or plastic curry comb, body brush, flick brush, metal curry comb, sponges and a mane and tail comb or brush. Here is how its teaching notes use them:

Give each horse its own kit. The BHS's disease-prevention advice is to have separate grooming equipment for each horse and to clean it regularly, because shared kit can carry infection from horse to horse.

A full groom, step by step

This is the order the BHS teaches:

1. Get ready. Put on a headcollar, tie your horse up safely and skip out the stable, so you're not working around droppings.
2. Feet. Pick out the feet into a skip, from heel to toe. See hoof care.
3. Dandy brush to remove dried mud.
4. Rubber curry comb in circles to bring grease to the surface. Work down the left side of the neck, shoulder and body, then change hands for the right side.
5. Body brush firmly over the coat, in the direction the hair grows. Clean it on the metal curry comb every few strokes. Use the soft body brush on bony areas.
6. Mane and tail with a soft body brush. If the tail is thin, separate the hairs with your fingers first.
7. Head. Untie the horse to groom its head, with a soft brush or a stable rubber, taking care around the eyes.
8. Sponges. Use different sponges for the eyes, the muzzle and the dock.
9. Finish with a stable rubber.

As you go, the BHS suggests using your bare hands, without gloves, to feel the skin for lumps, heat and cuts. Areas that are easy to miss include the inside of the hind legs, behind the elbows and under the jaw.

Grooming a rugged horse

On a cold day, you can keep a rugged horse warm by grooming half of it at a time. The BHS's method:

1. Undo all the straps. Tie up the cross-surcingles and clip the leg straps back onto the rug so nothing hangs down.
2. Fold the rug back from front to back to cover the quarters, and groom the front half of the horse on both sides.
3. Fold the rug forward over the shoulders and groom the back half.
4. Put the rug back in place and fasten it.

Horses that live out

A full groom isn't right for every horse. The BHS and Bransby Horses both warn against over-grooming a horse that lives out without a rug, because brushing strips the natural oils that make the coat waterproof. Remove mud from wherever tack will go, so it doesn't rub, and leave the rest of the coat to do its job.

Is your horse enjoying it?

Some horses love being groomed, and some find it uncomfortable in places. The BHS suggests trying different brushes on different areas to find out what your horse enjoys. Its teaching notes describe what common reactions might mean:

A horse that is uncomfortable being groomed in one place may be telling you something about its skin, its tack or its health. See body language.

Manes and tails

Brushing. Brush the mane and tail with a soft body brush or your fingers. A smooth, untangled tail loses fewer hairs when you brush it, says the BHS.

Plaiting the mane over. To train an unruly mane to lie flat on one side, the BHS's method is to dampen and comb the mane, divide it into sections with bands, then plait each section loosely. Plaits can stay in for up to 24 hours, or until the horse is turned out, whichever is sooner.

Washing the tail. Washing keeps the dock clean and removes scurf. The BHS's method:

1. Tie your horse up, or have someone hold it. Stand to the side of the quarters, never directly behind, in case it kicks.
2. Wet the tail with a bucket or hose. Some horses tuck their quarters in if the water is cold.
3. Work in shampoo, then rinse it all out.
4. Swing the tail in a circle to get rid of the excess water, spray on a tail conditioner if you use one, and let it dry.
5. Comb it out with your fingers first, then a mane and tail brush.

Itching and rubbing at the mane and tail can be a sign of sweet itch: see skin and coat problems.

Whiskers and ear hair

Horses have special sensory hairs around the muzzle, nose and eyes and inside the ears. The BHS explains that whiskers have their own nerve and blood supply, and help a horse sense what's in its blind spots, just in front of and below its nose. Whiskers on the eyelids trigger a blink to protect the eye.

Trimming whiskers for showing used to be common, but the BHS says it has been banned for welfare reasons in Germany and Belgium, and that many UK governing bodies have now banned it too. The BHS advises that whiskers and the hair inside the ears should not be removed for cosmetic reasons, because removing them can cause confusion, stress and a greater risk of injury. If you trim the fluffy outer ear hair, hold the ear gently closed so you don't take off too much: it protects the delicate inside of the ear.

Washing and cooling off

After exercise. The BHS says leaving sweat to dry can block sweat glands and cause sores. Sponge off the sweaty areas, such as the saddle and girth area, neck, shoulders and flanks, and use a sweat scraper to remove the excess water. In cold weather, a cooler rug helps a sweaty horse dry without getting chilled.

In hot weather. World Horse Welfare suggests wetting horses all over with cold water, or hosing them, every few hours. Check the water temperature first: it warns that water sitting in a hose on the ground in hot weather can reach 60°C or more.

Legs. Don't wash muddy legs every day. The BHS says regularly washing legs, especially without drying them, is a risk factor for mud fever. It suggests letting mud dry, then brushing it off with a soft brush, and drying the legs thoroughly with a clean towel if you do wash them.

Pink skin. Pale skin burns. World Horse Welfare suggests protecting pink areas, particularly around the head and heels, with sun cream (test a small area first) or a fly mask with UV protection.

Staying safe

• Tie your horse up, or have someone hold it.
• Stand to the side, not directly behind.
• Untie the horse before grooming its head.
• Watch its reactions, and stop if it's uncomfortable.