Grooming, the grass kept horse

[vimto92]

:D Hiii,

Right, the ponies are kept out 24/7 all year round, this means I shouldnt use a body brush when grooming right as it strips essential oils they need to live out?

So it would basically be curry comb, dandy brush and face brush yes?

Thanks,

PS Does anyone know if decathlon stock brushes. Just need some cheap ones for summer camp, not compulsory at all.

[chickflick1066]

Thats true, if they are unrugged I guess :)

I use on Stumpy, but she's still rugged atm!

[helenc]

It's not good to excessively brush horses on 24/7 turnout if they are unrugged. Body brush would be the worse offender at removing oil but the others will remove some of it too. I literally just brush off the muddy/dirty bits before I ride & leave it at that!

However - my horses do get bathed sometimes in the summer but only if I know the weather is going to be dry for the next few days!

[xxxkristinaxxx]

So it would basically be curry comb, dandy brush and face brush yes?

Yes thats correct. I would use a body brush as that takes alot of the waterproof greases out of the coat.

[crazystevie]

Decathlon do stock brushes :D

[Esther.D]

If unrugged I just brush off the mud where the tack goes to ride, unless they have really been wallowing in which case I'll roughly remove enough that I am not embarrassed to be seen out with them :D Then I give them their first good groom when they start to moult properly. I am more concerned about removing oils over the winter than the summer. Summer I tend to give a quick go over with a body brush but I don't groom everyday at any time of year with ones who are out unrugged.

[LMS]

Why would brushing strip them of their oil when what you're doing is spreading it around when you think about it. Bathing strips the oils.

Funny though you guys mention not to use the body brush but that the dandy brush is ok. I have both types and also have them in soft, medium & hard bristles.

[Bebe]

Why would brushing strip them of their oil when what you're doing is spreading it around when you think about it. Bathing strips the oils.

Proper grooming would strip the oils, but you're talking full on serious grooming including hot ragging and strapping. I don't know anyone who goes to those lengths anymore.

A body brush is only worse than a dandy brush if you use it with a metal curry comb, which will take the oils off the end of the bristles when scraped across it. If you don't do that then there's no problem with it.

[becs]

Our 2 hairy ponies are only groomed when it's "in the way" - eg to rug or tack up. They waddle about happily with mud baked on most of the time.

I use whatever brush seems man enough to get it off, usually with a rubber curry comb.

IMHO I'm not convinced one type of brush makes a huge difference over others re grease removal. The brushes don't even get that deep on our woolly mammouths, it's just removing the caked mud off the top layer. I imagine it's more the _frequency_ of grooming that would effect waterproofing, eg only if you did it regularly & often. Depends on their breed & fur too. And like human hair, I'm sure the grease / sebum is continously made so replaced before long.

[Afellpony]

Although Falcon is rugged, I still only use a dandy brush on. Hopefully, within the next 3/4 weeks, it will be warm enough to take his rug off.

[Denbenj]

I usually just give Kai a quick flick of ( he loves Mud Grrrr) and ensure theres no Mud on tack areas

[Joyscarer]

I tend to just remove mud from the tack areas, pick out feet and wash off hooves (it seems as if we are on pure clay here otherwise I wouldn't bother too much) and take the surface mud off mane and tail and any other bits that offend my eye if hacking out :D

[LMS]

Proper grooming would strip the oils, but you're talking full on serious grooming including hot ragging and strapping. I don't know anyone who goes to those lengths anymore.

A body brush is only worse than a dandy brush if you use it with a metal curry comb, which will take the oils off the end of the bristles when scraped across it. If you don't do that then there's no problem with it.
I'm not talking about a full grooming including hot ragging/strapping. (I don't mention that anywhere)

When I'm thinking regular grooming, I'm thinking rubber curry or mitt, plastic curry & a bristle brush regardless if it's dandy or body (because other than the shape of it & one having a strap; my brushes have the same type of bristles)

In the winter, I don't bother grooming my horses since they have no way of getting dirty in the first place.

[puzzles]

no body brush - it removes too much essential and protective grease from the coat.
it can be used on the mane, tail and face however.
x

[Brandy Snap]

Brandy is out 24/7 but is rugged. So everyday I give him a quick brush over where his rugs have been with a plastic curry comb. On the days I'm riding he gets a full groom, with every brush in my box! :D But I just use the body brush on his mane tail and clipped bits. In the summer I use the body brush on him tho.