Commonly overlooked areas when grooming your horse

 

Horse owners are busy! Jobs, family, traffic, errands, you name it, can cut into valuable barn time. But try and get good grooming in – if nothing else, it’s a great way to bond with your horse, and can alert you to potential issues. Sometimes, though, we “overlook” some key areas…

 

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  • The underside of your horse’s head, between his jaw cheeks – This is an area that seldom sees a curry comb, due to its shape. But, your fingernails giving a scratch to one area that horses love to be scratched can tell you if there is grunge, scabs, bugs, etc. You can also run a stiffer brush in this area to help with shedding and cleaning. If your horse is quiet in the cross ties you may be able to unbuckle the throat latch of the halter for a moment, but know that many a horse has backed out of such a situation and headed for higher ground. Or food.

 

horse-jaw

Face cheeks to pinch, love, and inspect.

 

 

  • The corners of the mouth – this area is often irritated by the bit and can crack, blister, and peel. I suggest always applying a balm here before the bridle goes in, and in applying the balm you can also check for irritations. You should also have a look at the front teeth, they can sometimes get caught on things and break. True story – I know a horse that became a head tosser overnight – finally the owner called the Veterinarian, turns out one of the front teeth was partially ripped out. Ouch!

 

  • The ears. For the most part, ears are “self-cleaning” and need very little intervention. But – daily inspections are helpful for staying ahead of problems. And, it’s good desensitization for your horse. Learn more about ears here.

 

 

horse-ears

 

  • The sheath/udders – yes, it’s personal, and yes, it’s necessary. Tumors and goo and scrapes and bugs and scabs love to live here. Check every day and when you need to clean, it’s not a big deal.

 

 

horse-sheath

Many horses like to have their sheaths scratched, other horses, not so much.

 

 

  • Under your horse’s tail – the rectum area likes to get dirty, flakey, and icky. And, by doing a check and a clean, you will also never forget to pull that thermometer before you get on.

 

  • In between the butt cheeks – This area loves to get rubs, from warm-weather workouts, to finding the sweet spot on a fence. Clean, and then protect before another ride. You may find sores where the friction of exercise has happened – ouch – and you can treat accordingly.

 

 

Horse-butt-and-tail

Oh la la!

 

 

  • Coronary bands – sometimes, if the hair is not trimmed, you can miss the beginnings of a crack. This is also a very common area for scrapes and cuts. Be sure to use your fingers and eyes to inspect this area!

 

 

coronary-band-shiny-hoof

Keeping the hair trimmed on the coronary band lets you see cracks, scrapes, and scratches easily.

 

 

  • Elbow area – this area formed by the elbow, the belly, the girth area, and the zillion folds of skin, is very popular for sores and irritations. Tack, sweat, skin, and dirt can create sores, that sometimes can’t be seen. And ticks.

 

 

horse-elbow-belly

So much skin and hair! Another great place for ticks and grunge to hide.

 

 

What forgotten areas did I forget?

 

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HandsOn Finishing Gloves - Double Sided
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The jute side buffs to add shine, the other side is fuzzy for lifting dust and applying fly sprays and grooming products.

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This is the strongest hoof pick available!

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Farnam Slick 'N Easy Horse Grooming Block
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Good for grooming, shedding, and bot egg removal

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BRUSH FACE WHITE GOAT HAIR
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For faces, ears, and any place your horse needs a softer brush.

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USG H.A.A.S Haas Diamond Gloss
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Sort of a mix between a finishing brush and a body brush. Soft for sensitive horses.

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Jeffers Horse Face Brush
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This brush is luxury and will help your horse shine!

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Huntley Equestrian Deluxe Grooming Bag
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Keep all of your poops in a group with this handy tote.

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H.A.S HAAS Mould Horse Brush Large Silver, Medium
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Boost shine and create a smooth coat with this medium brush from the best of the best - HAAS. Go forth and shine!

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Wet Brush Shower Hair Brush Detangler
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Gentle and effective detangling for your horse's mane and tail.

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Electric Cleaner Co Rapid Groom Horse Vacuum
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It's always satisfying to vacuum your horse!

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These are HandsOn Gloves with special pricing! Only in the color gray.

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Big Hoss - Outlaw Nutrition

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The best shampoo for shine and soothing.

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Brighten duns, palominos, and golden colors.

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For dark bays, black points, and black horses

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For chestnuts and some bays

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For deep conditioning and detangling - coat, mane, and tail.

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This is my favorite horse care product for shine, conditioning, detangling, and stain protection.

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These are HandsOn Gloves with special pricing! Only in the color gray.

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WAHL Professional Animal Bravura Cordless Trimmers
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This cordless trimmer is powerful and comes with the 5-in-2 blade system for versatility.

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Wahl Professional Animal KMC+ 2-Speed Cordless Clipper Kit
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This is my favorite clipper - It's great for body clipping, trace clipping, and trimming. Cordless for the win!

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J.T. INTERNATIONAL Cleaning Hook
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Clean anything and store anything with this versatile hook. Easy to bring to horse shows, too!

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HORZE Supreme Silent Crochet Ear Bonnet
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If your horse can't hear it, it won't eat them.

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If you love options, this surcingle has a kabillion rings to pick from.

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Artificial Grass Turf Broom - Curved Bristle Broom
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This is the best broom for getting every last bit of shavings out of the barn aisle.

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Huntley Equestrian Deluxe Grooming Bag
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Keep all of your poops in a group with this handy tote.

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Let your horse have the best view with this spiffy stall guard!

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Tech Equestrian Rain Sheet with Neck Cover | 1200Denier

Keep your horse dry during bad weather, this rain sheet is also great for windy days.

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This is SO SATISFYING to shrink up your seasonal horse blankets and gear.

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Vertical storage is the best! No more digging through trunks.

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Keep your horse's water and noms warm this winter.

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Toolwiz Magnetic Sweeper with Wheels, 50 Lbs Capacity
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16 Pack Vacuum Storage Bags with Travel Hand Pump
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Plus you can keep dust and rodents out of your horse's blankets while saving space.

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Thank you!

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