Rubber curry combs

[raingodz]

Just wondering peoples thoughts on rubber curry combs? One place I go to does not use them at all and the other uses them everyday and views them as an essentual part of the horses daily routine, so I was just wondring who was right, or is it yet another of these things that split the horse world a part :rolleyes:

[teabiscuit]

i use one for when the horses are moulting-it pulls the loose hair out well :)
edited to say-is it lose or loose?

[LMS]

Did the place that do not use the rubber curries give you a sensible answer as to why not use them?

I find that some sort of rubber curry or mitt (for sensitive horses) is essential in a grooming routine because it loosens up debris and promotes circulation as it massages.

My mare Heidi absolutely loves the rubber curry as it also gives her a nice scratch all over (I'm her surrogate horse groomer, because Ariel doesn't reciprocate).
Though Ariel being thin skinned, is more sensitive therefore doesn't like the rubber curry but she does however like the grooming mitt (it's covered with nubs).

[raingodz]

i use one for when the horses are moulting-it pulls the loose hair out well :)
When I rode in the 80's, this is what I was told a rubber curry comb was for.

[raingodz]

LMS, no I have not managed to ask the YO yet, but the yard who use them every day says it is to stimulate the skin and muscles.

One of the people who worked at the yard that doesn't use them said that thay had never used them, but wasn't sure why.

[Wally]

How do you survive with a hairy horse and no rubber curry comb????

With Horses who live out it is essential, it gets the mud off without stripping the waterproofing. Long live the rubber curry comb.

[Frances]

One of my most favorite bit of kit. So cheap to buy and so useful for cleaning brushed, hairy horses, massage, everything.

You can spend pounds on some really flash brushes and the end result is pretty much the same - it is an essential piece of kit in my grooming box.

I would love to know why your place does not use them!! Probably some urban myth! We were told not to feed our horses out of coloured buckets but we never bothered to ask why as it was such a strange idea! Wish we had now!

[raingodz]

How do you survive with a hairy horse and no rubber curry comb????

They are clipped, except the two shetlands, and they live in in the winter :)

I would love to know why your place does not use them!! Probably some urban myth!
I will try and talk to the YO on Sunday, but I started this thread because I couldn't work out why and had yet to ask the YO.

As for the coloured bucket thing, that is a bit odd :rolleyes:

[Trewsers]

I love my black rubber curry comb, tis most useful - it gets Storm's hairy belly and legs clean when no other brush will do!:D

[cloang]

we use ours to get the loose hairs out but our pony doesn't like it on her tummy so use a mitt there.

[Big Ears]

it's about the only thing i use!

[Kryss]

Horse I look after loves a good raking through with his rubber curry comb so much he doesn't even notice his feed bucket's purple!! :D

[4_white_socks]

I'll be the odd one out then...

Poppy absolutely hates it! So does the newest horse at the stables (he bites hard when something is wrong - why am I the one that had to find out he doesn't like rubber curry combs?!) and I'm pretty sure some of the others don't like it either.

If you try to use one on Poppy she'll nip quite hard, no matter how you use it. If you try to brush her legs and she doesn't like the brush (often a dandy brush) she'll not stand still. Fussy pony. :D She loves my goat hair body brush and hates synthetic bristles! She hates all rubber curry combs and mitts, but she's ok with soft dandy brushes and also plastic curry combs. :rolleyes:

So yes, I do have a rubber curry comb in my big box (which probably smells of food as all of the horses try to eat it :rolleyes: ) but it's only really used on the cobs as they seem to be the only ones that like it. How odd...

[deesidedidi]

I use mine every day for massage small circles on the horse, and for cleaning my body brush after.

[~Perdita.M~]

Love mine too, best thing in the world for dried mud and hair shedding:D

[ploddycob]

i love the UNI GROOM rubber curry, its fab when moulting...

[bexj]

All of the above for the rubber curry comb - essential bit of kit.

As for the plastic curry comb......well, I can safely say that was the biggest waste of £1.50 I have ever had!! Its sat in the bottom of my grooming kit since the day we bought it.:D

[keep the faith]

As for the plastic curry comb......well, I can safely say that was the biggest waste of £1.50 I have ever had!! Its sat in the bottom of my grooming kit since the day we bought it.:D

same here!:rolleyes:


i also use my rubber curry comb when lady gets a bath.Just put on the shampoo and rub in circular motions. It really works the shampoo into the coat and takes all the dirt away.:D

[1 morejump]

Currying the horse is essintal to good grooming. You get up all the dirt and skin irritants that are lying on the skin, promote blood circulation, and stimulate the hair follicles which lubricate the hairs in their own natural oils and makes the coat healthy. It isn't oily like people hair oil but it is a nessesity to the coat. Once all that stuff is at the surface you bursh it off. Even if the animals are clipped things are still going to be stuck in their hair. The coat acts as a net, it catches all the dirt and bits of hay and holds them in. Currying works it all up to the surface and is essiential for removing irritants. I can't understand why a barn wouldn't use currys!

Don't use the plastic currys, they are stiff and can hurt the back, rubber is much better as it molds to the horses curves and is softer.

[Frances]

My absolute favorite brush is the plastic curry comb!

I love it. Do everything with it, except face. For an Icelandic horse, they are brilliant in mains, tails and body. Gets everything off for only £1.12 in the Robinsons catalogue. You can't have too many! and they come in groovy colours including purple!

[*Sez*]

I use my rubber curry comb a lot :D . I have a full "grooming routine" that starts with the rubber curry (or sweat scraper then plastic curry to remove the worst of the mud if they're wet - the rubber one just squeaks off their fur), followed by dandy brush, body brush and finally face brush, then manes and tails are picked free of straw or muck with my fingers (luurrvley job when they've been rolling in puddles :D ) and swept over briefly with the dandy. Then there's the extra bits like the shedding blade, hoof oil, mane comb, cactus mit and stable rubber that get used once in a while. Oh, and I usually pick out feet at the end - Salsa is well known for relaxing during grooming and creating a large pile of manure which he then dances all over. If I do his hooves at the start, they're quickly covered in muck :rolleyes: . It's no joke trying to clean it off freshly oiled hooves! :D

[mogadoga]

Quite baffling! lol.
Plastic curry is my fave!
Believe it or not, my horse LOVES to be scrubbed on the sides of his head with it. And if im not doing a good enough job he knocks me flying trying to rub harder. Haha.
Yes, he is a bit odd...

[EquestrianRider]

I use it everytime for grooming.

[chewitmonster]

The rubber curry comb definately comes into action during moulting time! It brings up all the dirt and piles and piles of hair! Fantastic thing, and all the horses bar the two tb's on the yard love a good massage! xxx

[martini55]

I love rubber curry combs, esp. in winter time. Perfect for removing dried-on mud, removing scurf and moulting hair! Much kinder than using a hard dandy brush (nothing else seems to get rid of the mud). Plus martini loves it :)

[Whatanejit]

Cooper seems to enjoy it at the moment.

Loadsa ginger hair coming off!!:eek:

[Grace O'Malley]

They do serve a useful purpose, but some horses really dislike them.

My friend's horse that I used to ride was very itchy, and loved being curried quite hard all over.

Then I bought my own horse, and she doesn't care for it at all. She doesn't even like her body being curried (circular motion) with one of the gel-type facial curries--very soft little fingers. Though she does like it on her *face*. Go figure. She *is* tolerant of a fairly stiff brush, so I use that to get the mud and shed hair off. Then I go over her with a softer brush. I think she just doesn't like the feel of her coat being roughed up against the grain.

So, you know, there's more than one way to clean a horse ;)

[Bay Mare]

Another one who loves the rubber curry comb :) I have recently acquired the Oster thing with rubber spikes, she loves being massaged with that and I love how it gets the mud off ... double bubble :)

I'm with you on plastic curry combs, bexj, I will not use it for the mane and tail, have you seen how many hairs are left behind on the curry? I use a metal curry with the body brush (though I don't need to use one on Saff as she lives out). I'd 'lost' my plastic curry and never even noticed :rolleyes:

My other 'must' is a shedding blade for when she's moulting ... brilliant :)

[Bebe]

All I've used all winter is either a rubber or plastic curry comb. I use the rubber by preference but if the mud refuses to come off I bring out the plastic one, shifts anything.

I'm with you on plastic curry combs, bexj, I will not use it for the mane and tail, have you seen how many hairs are left behind on the curry?

I use the plastic curry on Bebe's mane and tail, but if you'd seen how thick they are you'd understand that removing some hairs is a bonus! I go back to a nice wide tooth comb for the summer when she doesn't have mud dreadlocks but for winter the plastic curry is great. I wouldn't use it on a horse with a thin mane & tail though.

[teabiscuit]

our mud is quite clay like and only the plastic curry comb will get it off the mud monsters- couldn't manage without it.
love the rubber curry comb at this time of year for the moulting season.
the oster one sounds good-will have to have a look at them
raingodz i was taught in the early eighties too

[hApPiNeSs]

I have been told that the rubber curry should only be used on the stable-kept hoss as it removes grease from their coat

A shedding blade works just as well on the grassies :)