7 Top Tips for Spring Grooming

Here are some time saving ideas for both the clipped and unclipped horses to keep them looking and feeling tip top during the Spring shedding season!

1.  Use barrier sprays to help repel the wet and mud.  A good coat sheen spray will double up and do the job.  Spray onto clean dry legs before turning out.  You will find that brushing off is so much easier as well as keeping a barrier between them and the muck!  Better than covering up their legs with boots and wraps that get heavy with mud and water, and can cause rubbing and discomfort over a long daily period.

2.  If you use rugs for turnout, this in itself will help keep some of the mud off, but there will always be more to find and remove and generally the head and ears are the worse offenders!  The Super Groomer from Smart Grooming is a super effective pad that will groom away all the dried mud around sensitive areas, around eyes and all the places that mud just clings too!  This can be used all year round, whether for mud removal or for using wet for shampooing and massaging in shampoo. It is quick and effective and won’t break the bank either.

3.  Use the stiffer types of grooming brushes such as the Borstiq Arenga for getting the real thick dried mud off, or try a curry comb to break the caked mud up first, good on the larger flatter areas.

4.  If you need even more help with shedding, then the EzeeGroom will really get out vast amounts of coat very quickly and easily.  A simple yet effective solution to removing quantity of hair as well as giving your horse a good old massage too.  Very effective in removing dirt and dander and great to use after clipping to remove clipped hair as well as the grease that goes with it.

5. Keeping on top of hair heels and legs is so much easier if you can clip these areas.  Not only will it leave a neat tidy finish, but will make it easier to treat any areas that might be sore too.  Although some owners will like to leave feathers on in full, this does mean much more dedicated care to the leg area to check for hidden problems.  A good product to check out and use on both clipped and hairy legs is Keratex Mud Fever Powder.  Just shake on and massage in, this will also give protection from really wet and soggy conditions.

6.   Use a stain remover for a quick clean and fix without having to give a full blown bath if the weather is chilly.  A quick spray to a dodgy stain with Smart Grooming Polar White, leave for 2 minutes and then wipe off with warm water and sponge will smarten up in an instant.

7.  Hot clothing is a fabulous way to finish after a good all over grooming session.  This will remove any further surface dust and dirt and add to the final shine.  Just use a quarter of a bucket of hot water (must be a bearable temperature for your hands and your horses’ skin!) and then put 4 or 5 drops of Smart Grooming’s Super Shine into the water.  Get a flannel and dunk in the bucket, and then wring out.  Apply to all the coat or areas as needed.  Will bring back instant shine to dull coats as well as giving a final clean without too much water being needed.