Guest Author - Darling Poor

Hoof Pick. Feet always come first for grooming. Make sure the hoof pick has a blunt tip and is angled to be parallel to the sole when used. One with an attached brush, such as the one below, make this regular task a breeze. (In fact, a hoof pick should be with you whenever riding and not just in your grooming kit, so consider purchasing a few spares.)



Shedding Blades. A shedding blade is typically used for muddy horses or those with long winter coats. It should be used with very gentle pressure. Drag the tool along the direction of the hairline. Some oval styles open up so the groomer can use two hands to drag the blade in a straight line. Shedding blades can also be used to clean brushes, where they make quick work of clearing out old hair and skin from bristles.



If the thought of using metal on your horse's coat concerns you, consider a plastic Shed Flower. Its unique design contributes both to hand comfort and effective hair removal:



Curry Comb. Some consider curry combs essential to a grooming kit, while others like to bypass this step and begin straight away with a stiff dandy brush. However, since curry combs can offer massage benefits as well as lift dirt to the surface, they are a good addition to any kit.

A wide variety of rubber and plastic curries exist, the latest being a gel type that conforms to one's hand. Curry combs that slip onto the hand must fit tightly or there is no benefit to the groomer. Alternatively, curries with specially designed handles help reduce hand fatigue.

Use a flexible small-nubbed curry comb on the face and ticklish/sensitive areas such as bony prominences:



Curry combs with teeth or larger nubs are stiffer and therefore appropriate for fleshy areas such as shoulders and rump:





Move in circles, ruffling the fur as you go. A common practice is to curry with one hand, following up with a dandy brush in the other. Clean the brush on the curry from time to time so that you are not reapplying dirt.

Brushes. By definition, a dandy brush has stiff bristles and its function is to remove dirt from the coat. Thankfully, manufacturers have begun to design these staples of the grooming kit with ergonomic handles, such as the one below.



Follow up with a soft brush, which helps spread natural oils from the skin onto the coat, providing shine. As with stiff brushes, the bristles range from natural plant fibers to synthetic materials or even animal hair. Experiment to see what your horse likes best. The softest brushes are usually made from animal hair:



See More Grooming Tips for Horses for the rest of the tools needed to get your horse shiny and clean.