Grooming

Grooming is an important part of horse care, and the properly groomed horse not only looks better but feels better, and it is essential for horses used in competitions. The main reason for grooming is to keep the health of the skin and coat at an optimal level, and to give it the luster it naturally has. It can also decrease the risks or thrush, scratches, and other problems, along with the risk of chaffing during exercise or work. It also give the horse groomer a chance to check the health of the horse and see if there are any injuries that would otherwise go un-noticed, and in the behavioral aspect the horse will begin to have a relationship with the person who grooms it, trusting it more and letting itself be handled more.

Hoofs are picked, the coat is brushed with a variety of tools and sometimes the hooves will be painted with a hoof polish that gives it a kind of artistic touch (pretty much like women doing their nails). Usually brushes and combs along with soft brushes are used, the first brush is usually the hard brush, which pulls off all the big dirt and chunks, along with excess hair, followed by the soft brush with gets the finer particles - and if the horse is shedding a shedding blade can be used to help it along. Bathing a horse is usually not required, but some do it once a month to make sure no finer particles may be trapped - also it is usually done after a heavy workout to help it cool down. Horse shampoo and many human shampoos can be used at the most once a week, but even that can be too much.

Care for the mane, tail, and other hair consists of clipping, braiding and otherwise keeping free of burrs and other materials. Although a horse does not usually need much but brushing, some clip the horses mane, hair, and tail for looks alone.

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