Grooming:-when and for how long?

[Chailin]

How long and when do you groom your horse? Some people only groom their horses quickly before riding and thats it. I groom my horse for an hour and a half every morning and if she gets muddy at night she gets aquick groom if shes being ridden or worked she'll get a quick groom before and sometimes after although she's not worked much.She gets her feet picked out morning and evening.I can't believe some people don't groom their horses.Grooming is a great time for bond with your horse and my horse usally relaxes and closes her eyes when I groom her.She seems to love it!

 

[Firehorse]

i love grooming my horse! its my wind down time after a manic school run! i usually spend half an hour while he's eating, but on days i hve extra time, i will give him a really good scratchy, scrubby groom and trim tail, bridle path, tidy mane etc. and then turn him back out and watch him roll in the mud/dust!!!

 

[JoJo_]

I wish I had the time to spend that long grooming! I tend to do a quick groom before riding/lunging 4 weekdays then the weekday she has the day off I will groom for 30mins or so. Then on weekends I spend longer grooming before I ride too usually. She also gets a bath every 3 or 4 weeks during spring/summer.

 

[martlin]

Erm, I've got 6 to do and work, so they get a quick flick of brush before work and a wash down after - 10 minutes tops...

 

[Chailin]

JoJo do you groom your horse every day?

 

[dwi]

I'd rather be riding than grooming. I spend ten mins at most giving a quick flick over the important bits and picking out the hooves and that it.

 

[S14Tobin]

How long and when do you groom your horse? Some people only groom their horses quickly before riding and thats it. I groom my horse for an hour and a half every morning and if she gets muddy at night she gets aquick groom if shes being ridden or worked she'll get a quick groom before and sometimes after although she's not worked much.She gets her feet picked out morning and evening.I can't believe some people don't groom their horses.Grooming is a great time for bond with your horse and my horse usally relaxes and closes her eyes when I groom her.She seems to love it!

I wish I had that amount of time to spend grooming! My gelding by no means gets groomed every day, he's brushed down before any work, feet are done every day and he's checked over. In summer he'll get 2 baths, one just as he's fiishing off moulting, the other at the end of the summer just as the weather starts to turn, and thats it. He's got a gorgeously healthy coat, moreso than some of the ones who seem to have every potion and lotion applied, so I think there is still alot in favour of mud, dust baths and the 'au naturel' approach! I remember my grandad telling me a good currying every week or two was the best thing to spread the natural oils through, and a dust bath does the rest!!

 

[Umbongo]

Some people don't have the time to groom for that long every day.
At work our racers and hunters are to look amazing everyday and they all get a good 20-30 minutes groom and hot cloth with baby oil every day except a Saturday as they are not ridden on a Sunday. When I have the time I do this with mine too. But sometimes when I don't have the time it is just a quick flick over before I ride.

 

[VioletStripe]

I looooove grooming - wish I could spend that long on it!!

When I had the loan pony, I would get to the yard after school and spend 15-20 mins grooming him before riding, mainly concentrating on areas where sweat and mud could build up easily and rub etc, so especially where tack would go and in between legs, and wash eyes, mouth, dock etc, and of course, hoof pick. Then, a quick flick over with a flick or dandy brush once again once I got off, again where the saddle had been and between legs, sponge off mouth again, pick out feet again.

Then on weekends, I would aim to spend 45 mins to an hour on grooming, really thoroughly going over him, trying to get him as clean as possible so that it wouldn't be too much work during the week. Then obviously a flick off after riding. Every 3 weeks or so in winter, the legs and tail would be washed with a mild shampoo with warm water, and dried again quickly, and then a barrier cream applied once a week because he had white socks, and I was terrified of him getting mud fever. He also would be topped up with 7 Day Mud Away once a week, just to make life a little easier. xx

 

[3Beasties]

An hour and a half each day on grooming In and hour and a half I would have mucked out and ridden!!

 

[Vizslak]

I loathe grooming mostly, I do groom a 'properly' a few times a week, most of the time its feet picked out and a flick over, I can't ever imagine wanting to spend an hour and a half grooming! I don't take that long getting a horse washed/plaited and ready to hunt!