Long Hair Coats And Freezing Temperatures Can Make Grooming Your Horse A Difficult Task This Time Of Year. Follow This Guide To Help Make Things A Little Easier In Your Barn This Winter.
Jillian Sinclair
1. Curry… Curry… Curry…
And then curry some more! But seriously, the curry comb will become your best friend this winter. Just a regular brush doesn’t stand a chance against caked-on mud and dirt in a thick hair coat. Use a curry comb in small circles all over your horse’s body to lift and break up the dirt from underneath his hair coat. Then, you can use a regular brush to get rid of all the grime that came up from underneath that jungle of a hair coat.
2. Saddle Marks Be Gone
Your horse is still going to work up a sweat when exercising in the winter, but if it’s too cold to give him a shower, try this quick fix. Put some rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle and lightly spray their dried sweat marks. You can even mix in a little rosehip oil to make the mixture more luxurious. Once you’ve sprayed it on, gently rub and wipe the area. Once dried, the saddle marks will be gone.
Read More: Equine Winter-Feeding Checklist
3. Keep Them Tidy
Your horse has a fluffy coat in the winter for a reason, so we don’t want to do anything to mess that up. But, you can routinely clip the hair on the pasterns to prevent them from becoming caked in mud and tangled.
4. The Slicker the Better
To prevent dirt and mud from building up in your horse’s coat, routinely spray them with a grooming product that contains silicone. The silicone will keep the hair slick and slippery so the dirt will slide right off. Just be careful about spraying anything slippery where your saddle might go.
Read More: Winter Horse Hoof Care
5. Tie It Up
Your horse’s tail can become so dirty and tangled during the winter months. When you know you won’t be able to give it the shampoo and condition that it needs for a long period of time, braid the tail and tie it up in a tail bag. You can even put a little bit of conditioner or grooming spray in first so it will be nice and tangle-free when you take the tail out. This will also help keep dirt from building up in their tail.
