When it comes to horses, winter brings with it a host of extra challenges. Along with the shorter days, you now have cold temperatures, mixed with adverse weather conditions. Then there is the problem of at whole a lot of mud! To add to this, your horse is protected with thick, woolly winter coat, which mud loves to cling to. For those that choose not to rug their horses, grooming becomes a bit more difficult. The likelihood is that, come the end of October, your horse resembles a woolly mammoth.              

Don't skip it

Despite the changes in coats and weather, grooming is just as important during the winter for a variety of reasons. Grooming also promotes circulation and is necessary to remove dried sweat, dead hair and skin. As well as this, grooming keeps you connected to your horse, while at the same time checking for any issues. One of the most important things to do with your horse is to pick out their hooves to check for any signs of thrush (usually detected by its pungent smell). You can also use a hoof brush to clean the hoof for a closer look to see if there are any cracks in the wall of the hoof.

Maintain skin health

In the winter time, your horse’s thick winter coat can hide issues such as skin problems, wounds and possible weight loss. If you take the time to groom your horse, you can monitor how the animal is coping with the harsher conditions and address any potential issues. Even if you don’t spend a lot of time grooming, if nothing else, wash your horse's legs during the winter to see what lies beneath.  If you can trim around the fetlocks, it will allow you to clearly see the lower legs and to easily treat any scrapes, cuts or irritated areas, that is without all that hair in the way. It's important to keep an eye out for signs of mud fever, too (sores/cracked skin around the heel area). Using a good barrier cream such as TRM Equizal Barrier Cream before the wet weather gets settled can be a good way to get ahead of this.

Use the right tools

The question is then, what brushes should you use. There’s a wide variety of horse grooming tools available for winter grooming. Some horses have very sensitive skin and do not like being groomed, while other horses enjoy the feel of curry combs and stiff brushes. You will know the best option for your animal. Using the right grooming tools will not only help save time while you’re grooming, but it’ll also give you better results more quickly. The Epona Tiger Tongue is a new concept that is proving very popular and can be used to remove dirt and sweat marks. It can also be used wet or dry. This grooming tool acts just like a cat’s tongue to effectively clean the horse’s coat! Grooming gloves are also great for winter grooming as can use two hands at once.

The popular curry comb is a must-have in any grooming kit. Using small circular motions, you’ll want to use the curry comb to lift dirt to the surface of your horse’s coat. It's important not to go as heavy on sensitive areas as it can be uncomfortable for the animal. There are soft face brushes that you can use that aren’t as harsh. It is important to ensure that the areas around the saddle, bridle and girth areas are free of dirt. Dirt and debris on these areas can rub as the horse works, leading to abrasions, or worse, infections. Currying not only loosens dirt, but massages the skin and distributes natural oils.

Another essential for the grooming bag is the Dandy Brush. This breaks up debris and you can either use a long-bristle dandy brush /or a long-bristled sweep brush with medium bristles. Once you’ve gone over the horse’s entire coat, smooth it down with a dense, short-bristled brush

Mane and tails are particularly prone to mud, so why not use a detangler, such as Turfmaster Mane and Tail Detangler to remove the knots and dirt and then either separate with your fingers or brush with a soft brush. Do not use a plastic curry comb on the tail as it will break the hairs and is uncomfortable for the horse.

Hand wash delicates

Last but not least, if you're riding during the winter and your horse gets sweat marks, but it's too cold to bathe (or he has a thick coat), you have a couple of options.  You can use a sponge and warm water and just rinse off the girth and saddle areas. Use a sweat scraper to remove any excess water in these areas. You can also wait until the areas dry off and remove the sweat marks with a brush. Either way these marks should be removed to avoid any discomfort to the animal. 

The last thing, remember, no matter what grooming tools you use, grooming in winter is a messy job, but a necessary one.