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Show Horse Tfl1 With the warm weather that is upon us I have noticed many people riding their horses. This inbetween seasons weather makes horses hor-ses look terrible! The long hair, mud. the beginning of shedding, all help to create the impression that the horses aren't receiving proper pro-per grooming. Short of going to the car wash with our horse and doing a thorough job (risk giving the horse a cold) we can do some other things to enhance their appearance. A few tools are necessary to accomplish this. They are: a curry comb of shed'n'blade, mane and tail comb, and soft brush, stiff brush, moistened wash cloth, clippers or scissors, and a hoof pick. The purpose of the curry combshed'n'blade is to remove crusty dirt and mud from the surface of the horse. It has serrated edges and should be used gently, not with vigor. It is meant for the body of the horse and not the boney parts such as head and protruding joints. I prefer the shed'n'blade to the curry comb because it has a dual purpose which is to act as a water scraper after bathing the horse. It can be reversed so the smooth side is against the horse and by applying pressure will drag or scrape the water off. It is also easier for me to use and gets the job done quicker, at least I think so. The currv comb is easier for children to use because it can be held in one hand whereas the shed'n'blade usually requires re-quires two. A stiff brush is used after the mud is removed to loosen dirt from the skin and hair. It can be used with vigor except around the head. When brushing, brush with an across and out motion or down and out motion. If you do not use the out motion you move the dirt from one place to another on the horse, rather than remove it. If you can see the dirt fly, you are doing it right. When brushing around the head, be careful of the eyes and ears. Horses are sensitive there and gentleness is appreciated. After removing the surface dirt from the head, a soft brush can be used and then a moistened cloth around the eyes and nose. Your cloth for the head should be designated as such and used for that purpose only. Any soft rag will do and if you look around your house, I'll bet you can find plenty. Mucous from the eyes can be removed with use of a tissue. You can do this around the nostril, also. The mane, forelock, and tail are probably a mess, too. The mane and tail comb is a very efficient tool in removing remov-ing tangles and helping the by Linda Powell mane and tail to lie loosely as it is supposed to do, Horses really appreciate being able to swat flies with their tail. If it is all full of burrs, it is difficult to do. When doing the mane and tail or forelock, begin at the bottom, .NOT THE TOP. Take a little at a time and work your way up. In this way you do not rip through but go through easily. The hoof pick is very important. Remember the saying, "no hoof, no horse?" With all the mud and manure horses are subjected to stand in at this time of year, hoof cleaning is good preventive medicine. Thrush is a disease di-sease of the hoof which is caused by unclean conditions. condit-ions. You will know if your horse has thrush by cleaning the sole and frog area. A very offensive odor will be apparent when you remove the mud, manure. Removing the horse from the moist dirty dir-ty conditions and keeping the hoof clean will remedy the problem. Hydrogen peroxide's pero-xide's bubbling action will cleanse the hoof after the initial cleaning and the application of Koppertox will treat the infection. Hoof cleaning is more than a weekly routine, it should be : done often; especially during these moist conditions. Clippers or scissors are helpful in adding a final touch to the horse. Those of you who normally keep your horses mane roached or cropped all riding season have probably let it go during the winter. Enter the 'mohawk look'. Nothing is wrong with that, but it does make the bridle and halter a little difficult to put on not to mention proper fit. If you don't have clippers, scissors will act as a substitute. Be very careful when using sharp instruments around your horse. A sudden move by you or them and you could both be stabbed. Depending on the horse's neck and head, I prefer a bridle path cut for the halter and bridle ; to rest on. I like the look of a mane on most horses. Some horses, my paint included, look better with no mane. When clipping be sure to keep the falling mane hairs away from the ears and eyes of the horse. They don't like it in their nostrils, either. " As our horses continue to shed more and more, they will need more grooming. The removing of loose hair keeps them from feeling so "itchy" and will definitely improve their appearance and quite possibly their disposition. If for no other reason, it will give you contact with your long "lost" friend from last season and start this one out right for both of you. |