Spring Horse Grooming Brushes

Spring cleaning and the right horse grooming brushes to make horse-hair removal a breeze…

Spring is here and the summer show season is just around the corner. Horses are shedding their winter coats and don’t we know it! Hair everywhere. Covering your clothes, your car and every other available crevice. Horses are never more grateful than when we give them a hand in removing the matts from their midriff and tangles from their tresses. In appreciation of your hard work, they’ll head off across the field and roll in the dustiest, dirtiest spot they can find, and we can just be grateful they looked fabulous for five minutes!

The importance of Spring Horse Grooming

Grooming is often an undervalued, yet essential, part of horse care and management. Although there are times when we want our horses to be smart and look the part, grooming is vital for checking-in with our horse; really getting the know them and forming a closer bond. They are sociable creatures and love the attention.

Often grooming is the time we are most able to get hands-on. Value this time: Be mindful and stay present. Rather than grooming in a hurry with your mind on the next job, use this time to really check-in and pay attention to your horse. Notice the slightest clues they offer on what they like and what they’d rather you did not do.

Every horse is different and by knowing your horse inside out, you’ll soon recognise the minor changes before they become bigger problems. As spring progresses, our hairy beasts lose their woolly coats and we can really pay attention to the condition of their skin, and it’s easier to feel any new lumps, bumps and bites too. Taking note of these subtleties whilst grooming enables us to react and respond to things like itchy skin, sore spots, or tight muscles before they make our horses miserable!

Spring clean your box first…

It is fair to say that not all brushes are equal and when it comes to spring horse grooming brushes we are fairly spoilt for choice, so we are going to recommend a few and you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them!

By choosing the right grooming brushes you can either apply gentle pressure to the skin and bony areas, such as the head and legs, or using a firmer brush, such as a rubber curry comb, to apply firmer pressure to gently massage the larger muscle groups on the neck, shoulders and hind quarters. With the lighter evenings and fairer weather, spring is the perfect time to dig out all your horse grooming brushes and take stock of what you have. Get rid of all those unnecessary items cluttering up your kit: a rogue glove, half a hay bale, a stale treat, loose plaiting bands and anything else which is does not really belong.

With spring underway, now would be a good time to do a deep clean and disinfect your brushes too; be brutal and throw away any which are losing their bristles and treat yourself and your horse to a new one. Whilst you are at it, why not check the best before dates on all those liquid grooming aids: Shampoos, coat shines and detanglers too?

Our Spring Grooming Brushes Top Picks:

If you are thinking of getting any new horse grooming brushes this Spring, top of the list has to be the Groomi- it’s a game-changer. It is lightweight, easy to use and has a shallow comb, so it works on your horse’s coat rather than the delicate skin below and the combs are changeable extending its longevity. When grooming horses who have not been clipped or older horses whose coats do not shed quite so easily, the Groomi is a marvel. The hair comes out easily, it is gentle and very effective on matted areas such as around the ears, behind the elbows and under the tummy and it makes light work of dried on mud too. Give it a go, you’ll find it outdoes most shedding blades you can buy and will last longer; the tool itself is made partly from recycled plastic, and the comb is replaceable so the whole tool doesn’t need to be thrown away!

Discover The Groomi

Once you have managed to remove as much lose hair as possible, use a circular motion with a curry comb and some good old fashion elbow grease to work any remaining loose hair and dirt off the neck, shoulders and hind quarters. Oster sell both fine and coarse curry combs depending on your horse’s preference and they have ergonomic handles too making them easier to use! Curry combs can be most effective after exercise when the horse’s pores are open, and their bodies are warm. Curry combs are also the perfect grooming brushes for a gentle massage.

To avoid tussling with tangled manes and tails it is a wise idea to apply our 2 in 1 detangle and shine spray Top and Tail spray, just spray lightly and comb through. Less is more when it comes to manes and tails, working your way through smaller sections at a time tends to get the job done more efficiently than trying to work your way through it all in one fell swoop.

Top And Tail Spray

The next grooming brush deserving of a place in the grooming kit is a dandy brush, great for use after the curry comb and getting rid of any remaining hair and dirt which has been brought to the surface. The dandy brush can also be used gently on sensitive bony areas, such as the legs, to remove mud and stable stains. A final once over with a flick brush or body brush should remove any remaining dust from your horses’ coat leaving it in perfect condition to add a spritz of coat shine should you wish. If your horse isn’t a fan of sprays, then we can highly recommend our Mane & Tail Conditioner from our EqWax range which is made from natural ingredients for a natural fly repellent effect.

Mane & Tail Conditioner

Chic Cheval Brushes

Chic Cheval is a unique brush super-store which stocks a variety of luxury grooming brushed, plus grooming kit bags and horse skin care products. We touched base with Anita, the founder of Chic Cheval, to get her top 4 Spring horse grooming brushes.

1. The Schimmel – £9.90

This brush is great at removing stains and stubborn dirt.
“Schimmel does have strong, firm bristles, so if your horse is sensitive, you will need to use this brush with care. However, a lot of horses really love this brush because it gives them a good scratch whilst being groomed!”

2. Wahl Combo Show Brush – £8.15

A brilliant brush with different bristle types on either end. One side with stiff bristles perfect for removing mud and on the other side, softer finer bristles to remove loose hair and to encourage a natural shine.
“I think this is a super useful brush and is ideal if you just want to have one brush in your trailer when going out and about. As with all of the Wahl Brush range, this brush is easy to hold because of its shape and is ideal for those who have smaller hands or prefer a narrower brush. These brushes are also perfect for those that do not like hand straps on their brushes.”

3. Oster Mane & Tail Brush – £11.25

A stand-out brush with slightly longer bristles than standard brushes, making them easier to pull through thicker manes and tails without ripping out hair, making them ideal for feathers too.
“As with all the Oster Brushes they are really comfortable to hold because of their ergonomic shape.”

4. Mustang – £19.25

Perfect for removing mud, suitable for all horses. This brish features synthetic bristles mixed with a special brass fine wire (which isn’t harsh, it just feels strong).

This is a great brush for native types and also for horses with thick, Cushings coats. Haas do say this brush is good for shedding coats, although it does remove the coat, I find the bristles get clogged up with fur easily. If you are looking for something to remove shedding coats have a look at the Oster or Haas Curry Combs. I use the soft Haas one and think its brilliant.”

Here at EcoGreen equestrian we take sustainability very seriously, especially when it comes to the welfare of our animals.

We have a great range of products and treats for horses, all of which are natural and environmentally friendly!