Grooming Kit for Fun Rides

Fun ride season is just around the corner! Here at Smart Grooming we’ll always try to attend a few fun rides across the summer – they are great for a change of pace for our competition horses, and a fun outing with friends is never amiss!

It’s worth remembering that a fun ride is quite different to other events, and will need different equipment. Here is what we think should be included in everyone’s fun ride grooming kit. 

What to include in your grooming kits for Fun Rides 

1. Hoof pick with brush: This tool is essential to remove stones and debris lodged in the hooves. You’ll need it before you head off through the start gate, and you’ll need it on your return to flick out any remaining debris as well as check the condition of the feet. The Borstiq Stubby Hoof Pick with a pick on one end and a small brush on the other allows you to be more thorough. The pick is very strong and robust and the stiff bristled brush is the perfect size for brushing out the sole and frog areas.
2. Body brushes: Body brushes are used to remove dirt, dust, and sweat from your horse’s coat. They come in various sizes and bristle types, such as soft, medium, and stiff. We recommend the Mex Fibre Flick or the Smart Grooming Extreme Clean brush – both are firm and perfect for removing sweat and dirt after a long ride.
3. Face brush: A face brush is generally smaller in size and has soft bristles. Very useful for having handy for brushing off the sweat around the ears and under the jaw.  We recommend the Borstiq small body brush as being especially suited for the sensitive areas.
4. Mane and tail brush: A mane and tail brush is used to detangle and smooth your horse’s mane and tail. Combine with a mane and tail detangler for stress free knot removal and prepare for beautiful flowing tales in all of your photographs from the day. We recommend the type of bristles that are made from wood, as they won’t damage or split the hair when brushing through.  
5. Splosh Wash, Sponges & Sweatscrape: Depending on what the unpredictable British weather is doing it’s likely both you and your horse will come back hot and sticky. We recommend splosh wash – pop a capful directly in your water bucket and no need to rinse. Use a sweat scrape to remove excess water, and you’re all done.
6. Grooming tote, bag, or box: It’s likely you’ll be boxing your horse to the start location – a ready packed bag for your grooming kits keeps everything together and it’s easy to put straight in the lorry or trailer. He is one of our favourites – the smart grooming competition bag.

When packing your grooming kit for a fun ride, it’s important to consider the length of the ride and the weather conditions. For the summer this might be extra water and suncream. For the spring and autumn, think waterproofs and layers! It can also be sensible to have a first aid kit in the lorry, for both you and your horse.

Have a lovely fun ride season this year!