Caring for your horses

 

  GROOMING

Grooming not only makes your pony look neat and tidy, but also helps his/her skin stay healthy!

Grooming is an excellent way of bonding with your pony.

Most ponies enjoy being groomed as it gives them a chance to relax and it also gives you a chance to check over his/her general health and condition.

If you put lots of energy into you’re ponies grooming the muscle tone and circulation will improve in your pony. A few ponies are ticklish in different places so brush fairly firm.

 Grooming will inhance the the bond of being able to lie down next to them without being stomped on... LOL

The main brushes you would normally use are:

 

 

Dandy brush

 

A large brush with stiff, long bristles. It is used for caked-on mud, particularly on grass-kept ponies. A dandy brush should not be used on the face or dock, as it is too harsh.

Body brush

This has a shorter, denser bristles and enables you to get deeper into the skin to remove dirt, scurf and grease.

Curry comb

 

There are three types of curry combs: firstly, a metal one used to scrape the body brush to get it clean. Rubber and plastic curry combs are good for getting excess hair out of the coat, and for removing caked-on dirt. Avoid using a curry comb on a ponies face.

Mane comb

 

A plastic or metal comb with teeth used to comb manes. It is best avoided on the tail, as it tends to pull out hair.

  

Hoof oil and brush

 

Use a brush on the hooves. Leave oiling until the end of a grooming session or it will end up with dust

And dirt stuck all over it.

Sponge

 

You will need three sponges, one for the eyes, one for the nostrils and one for the dock. It is a good idea to label them to avoid confusion as one might have soap on it.

Sweat scraper

 

This has a handle and semi- circular rubber blade to scrape off excess water.

Hoof pick

This is used to remove all stones and mud from the horses hooves. If you you pick your horses hooves out into a bucket it saves having to sweep the pen

Shampoo

 

There are a variety of horse shampoos available. Always use a proper equine shampoo rather than a human variant, as this will avoid irritation your ponies skin.

 

 

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Believe nothing because it is written in ancient books.

Believe nothing because someone else believes it, but believe only which you yourself judge to be true!