Does your horse show signs of fear during grooming?

This article deals with the subject of grooming and, in particular, body-clipping. Although the following discusses the body-clipping of Gypsy Vanner horses, the principles outlined are common to the grooming and clipping of all breeds. The following  is supplied with the compliments of Lisa the groomer for Gypsy MVP, America’s most trusted source for Gypsy Horses.

We all know it is body-clipping time if you work with Gypsy Vanner Horses. When the temperature in your area is above 70 deg F it is time to dispose of that fuzzy undercoat . Most Gypsy Vanners are used to being body clipped if they are from a warm climate area. If they haven’t ever been clipped, they may be afraid of the clippers.  So if they have never been clipped before, you’ll need to take the time to introduce them to the clippers.

 Introduce your horse to the clippers slowly.

We’ve found that if you hold the clippers on your horse and also give him some loving , he will begin to understand that the clippers will not harm them.  Horses are prey animals in the wild , so they are naturally afraid of many things.   As a horse groomer it is your duty to make this as good an experience as you can.  Should the big clippers scare your horse, try starting with smaller ones (the ones used to trim the face).  The large clippers (the ones used on the body) make a loud noise, so understand that it is a fear reaction, not misbehavior.

Start with a clean horse

Brush and thoroughly clean your horse’s coat.   At Gypsy MVP we use a medicated shampoo from EZ-Groom. We find that this shampoo prevents irritation.

Be sure you keep the clipper blades cool and clean.

This makes  horse grooming job much easier plus it will give a better clip for your horse.  Keeping the clippers cool and clean is very important. Clippers can get hot rather quickly , so make sure you study them often. And if they are dirty they are louder and clip slower.  

Offer treat when you are finished with the grooming session.

When you’ve completed your grooming session , make sure you give your horse a treat, so it makes it a good experience for him .  This way the next time you put your horse in a stall for clipping (or any other reason) he will look forward to the experience.

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Easy Horse Care:  Part 5

  These horse grooming tips will assist you in keeping your horse in top condition.

Grooming is a significant factor in taking care of your horse and something that will add materially to his well-being. Should your horse be stabled you can anticipate devoting around 30 minutes or more every time you clean and groom him when he’s in work.

If your horse is stabled and is fed significant amounts of manufactured feed, regular grooming is absolutely essential. It’s also necessary should your horse receive a full ration of artificial feed, but is put out each day in a protective rug.

Should your horse be located out in the paddock, day and night, all year round, grooming should only be confined to the elimination of superficial mud and dirt. In this instance vigorous grooming may remove the protecting waterproofing grease generated in the coat. Full grooming should be carried out just on a periodic basis.

Why grooming is important.

 Your horse’s body is going to generate large amounts of waste material after the eating of concentrate foodstuff. A great deal of this is disposed through the higher respiration level involved any time your horse is exercised and also through the normal process of excretion. However a substantial quantity is dispersed through the pores of the skin. It’s for this reason that it’s very important that you should keep your horse’s skin thoroughly clean through frequent and thorough cleaning if the pores and skin are to perform their proper function.

 Additionally, this grooming encourages blood circulation and muscle tone along with contributing to a feeling of well-being in your horse and developing a relaxed relationship between your horse and yourself.

 You’ll discover that grooming, rather than an over-all rub-over before saddling up, is best performed right after exercising when you horse will be warm and his skin pores are open. As well as cleansing your horse and stimulating his pores and skin and circulation, this kind of grooming session offers a very good opportunity to carry out a thorough inspection of your horse. You need to look thoroughly for scratches that may need attention and to also ensure that his eyes are thoroughly clean, and not runny.

 Now for picking out the feet.

 This is vital to the well-being of your horse and should be carried out prior to cleaning the body. Should you find it necessary to wash his feet, it’s important to make sure that the heels are nicely dried. If the heels are left wet, they can very easily become chapped and sore leaving them liable to contract some sort of infection.

 To pick out the front feet, run your hand firmly down the rear of your horse’s leg along the tendon to the fetlock. Then lift up the foot and standing close to the horse, pass your hand round the hoof and make use of the hoof-pick in the right hand to clean it. It’s a good idea to capture any dirt picked out for disposal.

 For the hind feet, once again stand close. Then work your hand from the inside down the back of the leg and pull forward from the fetlock. Holding the foot in your left hand, with your hight hand clean out from the rear to the front with the hoof-pick.

 Although working around your horse’s feet like this might appear a little daunting, you’ll soon find that after just a few times it becomes an easy and familiar task.

 Your grooming kit.

 Ideally, your grooming kit should consist of these items:

 Dandy brush: a brush with stiff bristles to remove mud and dirt.

Body brush: a soft brush with short bristles to brush out dust and scurf in tender places like the face.

Curry comb: metal, plastic rubber primarily used for cleaning the body brush.

Water brush: a brush with fine bristles used dampened for the tail and mane.

Sweat scraper: to remove excess sweat or water from the coat.

Mane comb: a wide-toothed steel comb for the tail and mane.

Hoof pick: for cleaning out the hooves.

 For convenience and safe keeping it is suggested that all these items be keep in an appropriate bag or other container.

Finally, you can obtain a great aid to effective horse grooming from Amazon by clicking HERE.

Related posts:

1. A Horse First Aid Kit Could Save Your Horse’s Life ~ A Few Helpful Tips!
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3. How To Overcome His Fear While Grooming Your Horse.