Time is Up!
Inherently horses will take care of their own skin. This is done by rolling in mud or dirt, scratching on trees or similar, and mutually grooming each other to access areas of their body they cannot reach themselves such as the withers. All of these processes help remove loose or dead hairs and exfoliate their skin. Additionally, the weather will play a part in cleaning the skin and coat - the wind will remove loose hairs and the rain will wash their skin.
Today, these natural activities are difficult for most domesticated horse because they wear rugs for the majority of the time. Therefore, grooming must play an essential part in the horse's daily routine regardless of whether they are being ridden or not.
For cleanliness: keeping the skin clean will help prevent unnecessary chaffing or sores from the rugs or tack.
To promote health and prevent disease: a thorough groom will remove dead hairs and exfoliate the skin. This helps prevent excess bacteria or fungus building up on the skin, which if left can cause irritating and painful skin complaints such as mud fever or rain scald.
To bond and create a relationship with the horse: spending quality, quiet time with the equine whilst grooming can build up mutual trust to increase the relationship and bond between you and the horse.
To assess the horse’s health: grooming is a great time to perform a thorough physical examination of the equine’s body. It also allows the groomer to know what is normal and abnormal on the horse. Early detection of any cuts and rashes, abnormal sensitivity, heat and swelling can prevent further issues or complications arising.
To check the health of the hooves: to help prevent foot ailments and maintain the health of the hooves they should be picked out twice daily to remove any trapped stones, dirt or muck. During this time the shoes, or state of hoof (if barefoot), can also be examined.
To improve the horse’s overall appearance: regular grooming will remove dust, dirt and encourage a glossy coat. Simple tasks such as laying the mane, brushing the tail, removing stains, bedding and dirt will also enhance the horse’s image.
To stimulate circulation: a thorough grooming session will massage the large muscle groups and increase blood flow to the skin’s surface.
Improve your fitness: a thorough grooming session will not only benefit the horse it can also work your shoulders and triceps, thus increasing your upper body strength. This is one reason why grooming using alternative arms is important!
