A Grooming Guide to Cleaning Your Horse

Use a soft, clean rag to clean discharge from the corners of your horse's eyes.

Your dreams have come true, and you're finally the owner of your very own horse. But, the realization hits as you're staring down the lead rope at your new horse: You have no idea what comes next. Don't worry, Perfect Horse is here to help! Here, you'll find what you need to know about head-to-hoof grooming and maintenance for your new horse.

General Grooming
Frequency: Daily is ideal, but not practical for every horse owner. Groom at least each time you ride, especially under the saddle. Shedding season in the spring and fall will require extra time and elbow grease.

Grooming is a great opportunity to bond with your horse and check him over for any injuries or abnormalities. It also helps massage your horse's muscles and can help with blood flow throughout his body.

As you flip through tack catalogs or browse through your nearest feed store, you might find the selection of grooming brushes and potions overwhelming. But when it comes down to it, there are just three tools you absolutely need for your new horse: a rubber curry comb, a dandy brush, and a hoof pick.

Starting with the rubber curry, lift dirt and grime out of your horse's coat by brushing in a circular motion. The curry comb is used only on the soft parts of the horse's body, such as the chest, neck, belly, and hindquarters. Avoid using the curry on the horse's sensitive boney structures, including the spine, points of the shoulder, face, and legs.

Start from the front of your horse and move toward the tail, using a circular motion in the direction of the horse's natural hair growth.

Next, you want to sweep off the loose hair and dirt that currying has brought to the surface. Your two choices for this job include a dandy brush or a body brush. A body brush is oval-shaped and has a strap handle, while a dandy brush is more ergonomically designed for your hand and has longer bristles.

A medium-to-soft dandy brush is a versatile tool and will cover most of your basic needs for whisking away dirt, although, as your grooming box grows, you'll probably want to add an extra-soft dandy brush for grooming your horse's face and legs, and an extra-stiff body brush for days when your horse is caked in dried mud.

Hoof Picking
Frequency: Daily, and also before and after every ride. You'll want to check for rocks or sticks stuck in the bottom of the hoof or wedged in the crevices. If you do nothing else grooming-wise, make hoof picking a part of your horse care routine.

While cradling your horse's foot, use a hoof pick to dig out dirt, manure, rocks, and sticks. The cavities between the frog and bar of the hoof are especially prone to collecting debris. Start cleaning from the heel and move forward. Don't feel afraid to use a little muscle to make sure the hoof comes clean. This is a great time to check the health of your horse's hooves-check for tender spots and possible puncture wounds. If you spot trouble, call your veterinarian or farrier. Cleaning out mud and manure can help prevent infections, such as thrush, a foul-smelling condition believed to be caused by anaerobic bacteria that produce a slimy black discharge. You may need to apply a topical dressing to eliminate thrush.