Boredom Busters - Grooming and Massage Tips

• Posted on 15 January 2021
• By Happy Horse
• 0

Feel like you’ve been lacking quality time with your horses because of lack of time in the saddle? Grooming is a great way to spend time with your horses, give them some extra love and help get the excess winter grime off. Many grooming tools double as massage tools as well, so can leave your horse feeling extra relaxed! Here are some must have items for winter grooming! 

The Equigroomer is a staff favorite and a must have for every grooming kit. The fine toothed blade is great for more sensitive horses and can be used to remove loose hair, dirt and dander from all parts of your horse's body while giving a light massage if enough pressure is used. This tool will leave your horse's coat shiny and smooth while bringing up natural oils from your horse's skin to make their coats healthy.  This tool comes in a large and small size for different hand sizes and also to get the more sensitive parts of your horse's body such as their legs or around their face.

The Big Touch Groomer is another great grooming tool that doubles as a grooming and massage tool. It has large thick teeth to pull up worked in dirt and hair but its rubber material prevents it from being too rough on horses if you use some arm. It comes in multiple fun colors and has a nice hand strap to keep it firmly in your grip. 

For a really hands on grooming experience try the Hands On Grooming Gloves. Their unique design makes them great for wet or dry use. These gloves remove hair, lather in soap, and are tactile enough to still be able to use your hands and grip items with them on. Not only do these gloves let you pet your horse and groom them at the same time, but they also distribute natural oils for healthy skin and coat, and massage and stimulate circulation, while keeping your hands clean. 

Try the Tiger’s Tongue Groomer or a Groomers Stone for a quick and easy way to remove dirt with a stimulating effect. The Tiger’s Tounge can be used wet or dry. Both of these products have multiple uses including removing dirt and hair, buffing hoofs, erasing sweat marks, and removing bot fly eggs. 

Got a thin or short tail? Winter is a great time to work on your horse's tail! Stock up on all the essentials including tail bags, shampoo, conditioner and detangler. Make sure to clean your horse’s tail well and brush out the tangles before putting it in a bag to promote growth. If you can’t put a tail bag on try the Knotty Horse Apricot Oil Recon Leave in Conditioner or the Eqyss Avocado Mist Conditioner and Detangler to promote growth and give your horse’s mane and tail a healthy conditioning. Both of these are staff and customer favorites!  

Once your grooming is done if you still have some extra time, practice your braiding skills! There’s no rush and no one is going to judge you. You can start over as many times as you need and pull up tips and tutorials to follow. Just grab a comb and some bands and perfect your braids. Starting with clean and tangle free hair is always helpful as well! 

If you don’t have much time, just a quick curry and brush will help get off the grime and bring out the natural oils of your horse's coat. Make sure not to be too rough or fast in your grooming, and spend extra time being gentle and getting those extra itchy spots! Grooming, even if its quick, helps promote a healthy coat and is a great way to bond. 

Don’t forget to clean all your grooming tools when you are finished! Give them a quick rinse or give them a deeper clean with a soak and some Brush Therapy. 

*Massage Tips - For the most enjoyment for your horse and most benefits use a light to medium pressure, move in the same direction as the hair, and make small circles to promote stimulation and give a massaging effect. Be extra gentle around the face and on the lower legs where the skin and coat may be thinner. Pay attention to what your horse is telling you and give extra attention to spots they enjoy and lighten up or increase pressure based on their reactions. 

Make sure to watch for our next Boredom Busters video and blog on our favorite horse toys and treats!!