Top 7 Tools You Need For Winter Grooming

My go to items for winter grooming.

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How do you groom thick, furry coats in the winter? If you live in the north, like me, bathing in the winter is pretty much out of the question without a heated washroom. I do wash tails and lower legs with my portable hot water heater, if we happen to get a warmer winter day, but that is about it. The problem with many brushes is that they can only skim the top of the hair. They don’t penetrate down to the skin which is where all the health benefits of grooming happen for the horse. Here's what I have in my grooming tote to keep my herd's thick coats looking good in the winter.
First, I have a pet blower/dryer. You can purchase horse specific ones with a lot more power, but I use a much less expensive one (like this on on Amazon) made for home use on dogs. I bought it almost five years ago and it works great! I use this to blow out the dust and dirt that is deep in the coat and on the skin. I also use it to dry tails when I do a quick winter wash. My blower/dryer has adjustable heat and airflow settings. I usually have it on the lowest heat and airflow setting since that is what my horses seem to prefer. Be sure to experiment and find the setting that your horse prefers. You may need to desensitize your horse to the blowing and noise before use.
Another favorite tool is a scotch type horse curry comb. This has long metal blunt ended teeth that reach through the hair down to the skin.  I use this comb with a light touch since it can feel irritating to your horse if you go over the same area too much. This tool is great for increasing blood flow at the skin’s surface and stimulating production of good oils to keep the hair and skin healthy. I don’t recommend using it on dried up mud clumps since it will most likely pull them rather than break them up. ​

I'm using the scotch type curry comb on River's thick winter coat.

In addition to the scotch type horse curry, I like to use a traditional oval rubber curry on dried up mud spots. The rubber curry doesn’t pull on the hair that is muddy. The rubber teeth are very effective at breaking up mud clumps with minimal, if any discomfort to the horse. Currying is great to get the dander and dead skin cells up from the skin. You can use the curry in a circular motion or in short strokes going with the direction of the hair. Be sure to pay attention to your horse’s response to how you are using the curry as well as the amount of pressure you are using to get down into the hair. Like people, some horses are more sensitive to how they are brushed. Rubber curries can be found at just about any store that sells grooming supplies. It is a good basic tool that should be in everyone’s grooming tote.
Another must have is the Hands On Grooming Gloves. The fingers have longer bristles than the palm and are fantastic at getting mud off legs and other sensitive areas. Since the brushes are on the glove, you know exactly how much pull the bristles are creating on the hair. This makes grooming much more pleasant for your horse. These gloves are ​

great for those of us whose hands get tired and lose grip of the brush or have arthritis. They are also wonderful for shedding season. They work on horses, dogs, cats, and any of your other furry friends.
No rinse shampoo is also in my winter grooming arsenal. This is essential if you have a horse with a lot of white. My horse, Dream, was a grey pinto and had all white hair – coat, mane, forelock and tail. Whiskey is over 50% white. So, I have a lot of experience keeping white hair looking good. My favorite no rinse shampoo is Shapley’s Easy Out No Rinse Shampoo. You spray it on, rub it in, and use a clean cloth to dry/rub out the stain. I use this during show season as well for the random spots that show up overnight after bath day. It is best if you attack dirty spots as soon as you see them. This will lessen the staining of the hair, if not eliminate it. In case you are wondering, you can use the “purple” (shampoo with white enhancing ingredients) shampoo on other hair colors with no ill effect. I just keep the whitening one on hand since it works on all my horses, and I mainly notice spots or stains on the white areas.  
Manely Long Hair shock treatment is another staple in my winter grooming go to kit. This is a fifty-fifty combination of the conditioner and polisher. The polisher keeps the mixture from freezing. It also keeps snow and mud from sticking to feather, manes and tails. I use this during the winter on manes, tails, feather, and forelocks to keep them moisturized, tangle-free and somewhat clean. White hair when hydrated typically does not hold stains.
Rounding out my winter must haves is a good hoof pick. A good hoof pick is at the top of my grooming favorites no matter what season it is. No hoof, no horse as the saying goes. My favorite is made by Oster. It has a pointed tip which is very handy on getting stuff out of little hooves. The handle has a soft grip and is big enough around to get a nice grip on it.   
Most of my winter grooming only utilizes these seven tools. Getting through the winter months with healthy, happy ponies is so much easier with the right tools for the job at hand. ​