Horse does not like being groomed

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Lucyad

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My horse does not like being groomed. He is particularly bad in winter. He likes getting scratched with fingers all over, he likes getting his mane and tail brushed (also pulled, but I do not pull it, I use a thinning comb - strange horse). He likes getting clipped (particularly around his sheath - ooh err). He likes getting his sheath cleaned (!?). He just hates getting brushed! Apart from a small patch around his bum. He has always been like this but has been getting worse and worse over the years (originally just used to reposition himself a lot to say 'get off and brush my bum, human!' - now makes faces if brushed loose in the stable and fidgets terribly if tied). I don't think he is typical of ulcers - he is happy to be tacked up, mounted and ridden. He has fibre feeds and ad lib forage.

He has a very scurfy coat (very dark bay), so any brush recommendations that could help, while being acceptable to him would be great. I have tried rubber curry, pimple mit, harder dandies, softer body's etc.. I am running experiments this week using each untied to judge reaction to rate them. Last night was soft body (very unacceptable) vs fingers (acceptable). I'm doing them a night at a time to get clear reaction, as he just gets grumpier and grumpier otherwise.
 
I have a horse like that. He doesn't like brushes but he loves a massage 😁 I find he's best with a plastic curry comb, when I use it gently.
 
Is he like this if other people brush him? I'm wondering if it's the way you use the brush? I've got one very like this. He likes the rough stuff (hard scratching) including scratching up in his groin - he'll cock his back leg up to ask for a scratch. (weird). He used to be very grumpy when being brushed. I've found the way to please him, is to use long, firm slow strokes with the brush. If you use the "quick flick" method, he'll try and kill you. You say he's worse in winter, and has a very scurfy coat. I should imagine he's itchy. Linseed is excellent for that. I'd try a brush with harder bristles, and use the long, slow, firm method. It works for mine - might do for yours.
 
One of mine hates being brushed, so I don't really bother! I rub the mud off her face (I keep her face clipped out) with my hands, and any mud in non essential places can stay there.

I hot cloth her once a week or so to keep the grease down.

I find it a better way of keeping her on side!
 
I had quite a thin skinned grey that really didn't like being brushed. I used a good old fashioned cactus cloth on him instead which he didn't mind. And would finish off with a soft suede buffer.
 
Have you been able to have him looked at to see if he has any sort of skin condition?
Have you tried any supplements for skin/coat to see if they help at all?

I used to ride a horse who seemed to be very itchy and whilst he didn't have sweet itch, it was believed he had sensitive skin and he didn't seem to like the feel of some brushes on his coat. He was fine to be brushed as long as you followed the way his hair went at all times (if the direction of hair changed you had to be careful) and when you did up his girth you had to make sure you did it gently and it didn't irritate him by brushing his hair the wrong way as you put it up. I don't know if I'm describing it well or not, but he was an oddball and would like a massage and an itch. He was a tinker cob and would get quite scurfy legs as well as being water/horse phobic so he was a nightmare to clean. From what I can remember, I just used softer body brushes and a rubber curry comb as he liked the massagey part of it but you've said your horse doesn't like that.

Some horses just don't like to be groomed for some reason :(

I also have a dark bay who can be a bit scurfy and dusty but he loves being groomed and always looks very shiny so I'm not sure I can be much help. His coat is more scurfy/dusty in winter when he's not clipped and his mane and tail can get very scurfy in summer. The really soft goat hair brushes seem to work like a duster on him. I don't feed any supplements for his skin or coat, so can't offer much advice on if any of them are any good sorry :(
 
CrazyMare said:
One of mine hates being brushed, so I don't really bother! I rub the mud off her face (I keep her face clipped out) with my hands, and any mud in non essential places can stay there.

I hot cloth her once a week or so to keep the grease down.

I find it a better way of keeping her on side!
Click to expand...

Same here! Except for I don't even hot cloth. It's ok at the moment as he's not in work or rugged. Luckily he's not much of a roller or it would be a awful!
 
Have you tried a cactus cloth? Most sensitive horses I've tried mine on love it. Use dry as a curry, spritz with water or coat conditioner spray to lift the dust. Then just give it a rinse.

Alternatively, ever tried a vacuum? I have a grooming vac but a cheaper option would be a shop vac. My horse seems to like it- so I cactus cloth to loosen the dirt and then suck it away.
 
Hot clothing is a good idea, he is fine to be washed, I will try that. Loads of other good ideas for me to try, thanks!
He isn't generally a particularly itchy horse, just likes a bum scratch. He has linseed anyway, for condition and joints, and has a nice shiny coat. It's just a build-up of grease from not getting brushed properly, and being rugged in winter. This could make him itchier in winter and the grooming action makes him even itchier, I suppose.

I have seen a set of brushes advertised that are supposed to be good for getting a shine on dark bays, but they are very expensive and no point if he doesn't like them.

I rub and pick mud off, especially around his face and girth areas, just now.

I'm going to try a coarse dandy with slow but firm action tonight, and a grooming mitt.

Tomorrow on to a soft face brush...
 
OK, I'm ordering a cactus cloth now....and I do have a cordless Dyson, and he is a strange beast who loves being clipped so.....
 
LHIS said:
Why don't you try some grooming gloves? I have a pair, fondly known as 'the S&M gloves' which give a good groom and if your horse doesn't mind a scratch with your hand he might abide these?
These are said S&M gloves - http://www.horsehealth.co.uk/grooming/grooming-box/grooming-mitts/hands-on-grooming-mitt :D
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This - see my thread (and video) of my horse who hates being groomed....or did before I bought these gloves.

ETA - the link would be useful wouldn't it! http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...s-being-brushed&highlight=horse+hates+groomed
 
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It looks similar to the decathlon mitt I have https://www.decathlon.co.uk/massage-glove-id_8285632.html

He likes the roller side, but not too keen on the spikes. I'll try again though, maybe it is just because he associates the whole lot with brushes, which is why I am trying separately, and not in the usual slot of just before being ridden, when he can get impatient. (Trying to remove that association - I think he is often very keen to get going in winter, and gets a bit excited if he thinks he is going hunting).
 
I am so glad others have this too! Jay man is OK to be pulled, fine to be clipped with the big noisy clippers, great to wash and hose off... but hates being brushed.

I don't think it is anything physical as he loves a rough scratch all over and is also fine with a Black and Decker rotary car hoover!

The best brush for him is a grooming mitt, or plastic nasty brush.

I have no idea why he hates brushes so much. I have tried goat's hair, natural bristle, nylon, nothing passes his test. He can get more than tetchy if you continue.

If he has to be brushed than I go at him quite roughly, as bizarrely this upsets him less than a gentle groom. If I use a scrubbing motion I may even have his muzzle purse into a trunk. But, gentle brush, no way!

He does not like having the front of his rugs done, but is fine with the saddle, bridle and girth.

Strange horse.
 
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I'm glad it's not just me, I have been getting increasingly worried about him as he gets more and more emphatic. He is hardly a sensitive flower either - he is a great big half Clydesdale and where not clipped (low chaser), has a very coarse thick coat.
 
Mine doesn't like it either. He doesn't get tetchy or bite but he constantly moves away if he can, he just doesn't enjoy it. If his hind gut is hurting he will lift a hind leg but will never kick as I take the hint. He does have a muscle condition which made me wonder if it was hurting him, but he fidgets away even when he doesn't seem sore. I just don't bother doing more than a couple of seconds flick off now as I don't see the point in making him endure it if he doesn't like it. Lucky for me he's a shiny little thing so doesn't seem to need grooming!
 
my horse hates being groomed at this time of year! the mud in his field is super sticky, its almost impossible to get off, so I can see why he hates it! he chucks his head up, pins his ears back, kicks out when you try and do his tummy!

luckily he was sedated for his teeth today, so he good a proper mud removal session :)
 
You have probably already thought of it, but my old chap used to object to synthetic brushes as the static seemed to bother him, but was fine with natural bristles. He's not the only one I know.
 
Well I used the pimply mitt last night with success! Loose in the stable while he was eating his dinner, which would usually have provoked faces. He even let me flick the resultant dust off with a body brush! Now collecting mitts...
 
Mine is another who prefers a metal curry comb over a body brush! I've got a small, really stiff dandy brush which is fine, but a normal dandy brush is annoying.

Some days he is fine with any brush but mostly he prefers to not be groomed, TYVM. However, he LOVES his head being brushed, when I brush his forelock he lowers his head and will stand there for ages (I've got one of those which is more like a hairbrush).
 
to me it sounds like a skin 'issue' ... especially if he is scurfy.

Does he seem itchy at all?

he may have an allergy ... interestly i was talking to a client about her appaloosa and how they are prone to skin allergies ...

Have you tried 'think itch'? i used it for my baby who is very sensitive to fly bites - but i beleive it is good for skin conditions too.

obviously make sure you are using an extra (extra extra) soft body brush on him. maybe even a wool mitt?
 
Another vote here for the "S&M" gloves. I use mine on loads of different horses both wet and dry. They all love them. If he's alright with the pimply mitt he might really like these. They're much more enjoyable to use than a brush, I find.
 
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