Readers Respond: Your Horse Grooming Tips and Tricks

Responses: 50

Do you have a way to put a special shine on your horse's coat or detangle an unruly mane? Share your grooming tips here! Share Your Tips

Visit a beauty supply store for whitening shampoo (the blue and purple stuff) -- it costs about a third of what the horse-specific type costs. Works great!
—Guest fashgirl

Okay that's a bit harsh, and speaking as a woman who has only ever owned grey horses, I don't take my own advice. :-) Seriously, though, I have two things I do to deal with my pee-stained baby: 1. mild dishwashing soap. He soaks in it, just like those old commercials. Dawn really does make him whiter and it doesn't bother his skin. 2. learn to love being a slob. Except when I'm showing (which isn't often with a 4-month-old son), I've learned to not mind the look of a dirty grey horse. He gets baths whenever he's ridden, but if the stain won't come out, I don't worry about it. I'd rather just love him as he is - and he loves his "pee baths".
—Guest Jenn

Keep a package of baby wipes in your tack box for quick clean ups on both you and your horse.
—2writenride

I think it's really important to remember the ears while you're grooming your horse. It's easy to overlook that step!
—AbContests

Curry a ton. Then a lot of soft brush. It worked for me. Also black.sunflower seeds in their food
—Guest iz

all i do is give my horse an egg mixed in his feed every meal, we have our own chickens s o buy from someone you trust. or you can give them a tablespoon of molases in there feed this will however give them more energy.
—Guest missy

white socks are hard to keep white. I bathe my mare then after i spray bleach on her white feet. leave for few min then wash off. dont leave on for too long or it will burn her skin! and wallaaa they are white
—Guest palominolover

dont put show sheen on the saddle area it makes it too slippery and then the sweat builds up making a sticky mess of dirt and sweat and show sheen.
—Guest taylor

don't use show sheen on your horse because it is actually not good for them it really dries the horses hair out , believe me i am speaking from experience. not to mention it collects dirt the next day or to also it makes them hotter it not bathed the the next day.
—Guest cowgirls???

don't use babyoil on hot days it makes your horse hotter and also shaving off eye lashes are not good to do they are for keeping flies partly off also don't dock a horses tail unless you have fly protection on good'
—Guest cowgirl???

if you want whiter legs all you have to do is wash the legs and then shave them and there you have it!!!!! i shave his every month when showinga and all i have left to do is just use a soft brush and viola!!!!!
—Guest horse love

I find that using bronco fly spray after a bath really makes your horse soft, smooth, and shiny! After your horse is about half dry, spritz it on and smooth down with the bristle brush. Flies werent on my horse all day!
—Guest

Make sure you brush over the places where the tack is placed. (under belly, top back, and face!)
—Guest ScEoNa

I used to go to pony club with a pony who HATED having her ears touched. She loved being washed though, so whenever I hosed her down, I would slowly creep up the neck and wash her ears. Sure, she would get moody, but every time it got her better & better and now, bridles and head collars go on with ease! also, if a horse or pony likes being washed or groomed, make it a regular thing. This will mean that they wont cause trouble when being caught because they will expect a pamper session (: enjoy and happy-horsing!
—Guest Rachel Daisy

Clipping...ahh, clipping. My horse looks rather interesting clipped super-short, like alot of the other horses in my barn are clipped. So, instead of clipping reeeeally close to the skin (which some people do so dust just sweeps off and sweat...well, sweat is nonexistent) I suggest you clip your horse's hair to mid length. It looks nicer than short-short, and even though supershort has a lot of benefits, medium length is a nice compromise.
—Guest elmobuddy1