Believe it or not, horse riding brushes are some of the most fun items an equestrian can buy. They’re affordable tools that we use on a daily basis, but there’s such a huge variety of brushes for horses that it’s fun to pick and choose which ones we want to use. Brushes for horses have a large variety of uses, depending on the season, your horse’s individual coat, and how much they enjoy grooming. Whether you’re looking for the perfect horse riding brushes for shedding season or daily grooming, we’ve put together a list of brushes for horses based on their uses.
Shedding Tools
The Spring Equinox is only a little more than a week away, and most horses are jumping on the bandwagon and starting to shed their woolly winter coats. This means that it’s a terrible time of year to wear Chapstick or fleece to the barn and you should make sure you have all the tools you need now, before the shedding season really gets into full swing.
The Imperial Riding Spring Comb is perfect for those horses with the winter coat of an Alaskan Husky. The metal rings can be used like a curry comb, in a circular pattern, across the horse’s whole body. Dull serrated teeth pull out any loose hair and leave your horse’s coat shiny and clean, at least until the next time they roll in the mud.
You can also use a standard Shedding Blade. With its u-shaped metal head, this horse riding brush comes in handy as you can use the serrated side for a horse with a really thick coat and the more mild non-serrated side on horses with sensitive skin and a thinner coat. Plus, the comfortable leather grip is easy on your hands.
While you can use the Shedding Blade and Spring Comb on the horse’s whole body, it’s difficult to get into all the nooks and crannies of the horse’s legs with these tools. For the horse’s legs, you may want to use the TuffRider Grooming Stone instead. This small handy stone fits neatly in the palm of your hand and can be rotated to get into tight spots. Plus, this stone has a sandpaper-like texture that’s perfect for removing bot eggs and burrs.
Get Mud Off Your Horse
April showers bring May flowers and, for equestrians, lots and lots of mud. Whether it’s dried into their coat or wet and clinging to their hairs, mud is a pain to get off your horse. Fresh mud needs a bath and some good shampoo to get off, but dried-on mud can be easily loosened and removed with the TuffRider Plastic Curry Comb. This brush for horses has stiff plastic bristles that easily busts up dried mud and breaks it loose from your horse’s coat. It’s small enough to get into all the nooks and crannies on your horse’s legs, but you’ll have to use it lightly on horse’s with very sensitive skin.
After loosening up the mud with the TuffRider Plastic Curry Comb, get rid of it altogether with the Lettia Mud Brush. With slightly taller bristles for added flicking power, this Mud Brush for horses is designed to be tough enough to get through a muddy coat and bring the natural oils up to the surface of the coat.
Bring Out their Natural Shine
Everyone wants their horse to look healthy with a shiny coat that makes passersby stop and say, ‘wow.’ The right horse riding brush can really bring out your horse’s natural oils that really make their coat gleam. The Lettia Goat Hair Brush features dense synthetic goat hair bristles that are designed to make your horse look their best. Made of high-quality materials, this brush for horses is very soft to the touch, perfect for adding that finishing touch to your grooming process.
For Horses with Sensitive Skin
If you own a horse like a Thoroughbred or Arabian, then you know what it’s like to have to choose your horse riding brushes carefully due to their sensitive skin. Thin-skinned horses like these hot-blooded breeds may flinch or react poorly to being groomed. But, don’t give up hope. With the right brushes for horses with sensitive skin, you can make grooming time their favorite time of day.
Currying is often a sensitive horse's least favorite part of the grooming process. Hands On Gloves are a great way to change that. These grooming gloves can be used with a very light touch, and the scrubbing nodules will feel much better on your horse’s skin than standard curry combs. Thanks to Hands On Gloves, you can curry your horse clean while giving them your usual pets and snuggles.
Additionally, you can try the TuffRider Velvet Touch Horse Grooming Set. This set comes with two red rubber curry combs featuring two different sized rounded nubs. One comb has larger nodules and the other has more flexible smaller rubber nubs. For only $7.99, this set is a great way to test out which type of curry comb your horse likes best.
Prevent Fungal Infections
Did you know that a good brushing can help prevent the formation of fungal infections on your horse’s skin? Grooming increases circulation to your horse’s skin and removes bacteria and dirt for an overall healthier coat. Good daily grooming horse riding brushes can play a key role in your horse’s health.
The TuffRider Horse Groomer with a Big Handle is perfect for riders who may have arthritis or otherwise have trouble holding onto a smaller curry comb. With thick flat-ended rubber nodules, this curry comb will feel good on your horse’s skin, break up dirt, and increase circulation during your everyday grooming session.
Follow the curry comb with the Lettia Plastic Dandy Brush. This stiff dandy brush for horses removes all that dirt you just loosened up and gets it away from your horse’s sensitive skin. Complete with an ergonomic wooden back for a comfortable feel, the synthetic bristles of this brush are durable, long-lasting, and designed to keep your horse’s coat healthy and happy.
Find a brush for any use on your online tack store, Breeches.com. With a variety of high-quality brands, like Lettia and TuffRider to choose from, you’re sure to find the right horse riding brush for you.
Click here to shop our collection of brushes for horses.