Horse hates being brushed, suggestions anyone??

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alfielola05

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My thoroughbred mare seems to really dislike being brushed. She has one itchy spot on her quarters which adores getting a good scrath/brush, but other than that she fidgets and snaps (i dont think she is actually intending to bite me, rather as a warning) and kicks her legs out. I have tried everything I can think of from super soft brushes to rubber massage brushes, gloves etc. She is happy for me to run my hands all over her so I do think the issue is that she finds brushing uncomfortable but I may be wrong. Any ideas or suggestions would be gratefully recieved :):):)
 
Sounds like she is just very sensitive, may just be a case of trying not to put any pressure behind the strokes when you brush. We have one that hates OH brushing him because he is quite firm and seems unable to remember to not put pressure on, but he is fine for daughter and I because we are lazy and don't put weight behind the brush!
 
She is probably quite thin skinned and doesn't like the feel of the brush no matter how soft it is. If you think about it they can feel when a fly lands on them. Why don't you try the grooming gloves she may not react so much with them. :)
 
Agree with Sandgrounder, sounds like she is like most TB very thinskinned, get a grooming mitt and try her with that, also some people groom too hard and that what makes them jump a little, as you say she has 1 spot which she loves having done, but not the rest.:):):)
 
I was told that when a horse goes to bite when you groom in a particular area (like the girth area) you keep brushing in that area, and when they relax, you stop and praise.
Your mare sounds like its more of a thin skin issue than hating a particular area being touched. I would try the groom mit.
 
One of my TBs was the same. I spent the first few weeks just running my hands over him, the moved on to a very soft brush with no pressure. We then used what I call a Flick brush - sure that's not the technical name though! Now we have moved on and can use the usual grooming kit.
Good luck but I'm sure you'll succeed on this
 
I had a gelding that was exactly the same, were ever I groomed him he would figit and turn hIs bum on me. I tried soft brushed soft mitts the lot. He still hated it. But like your mare he would let me rub the dirt off with my hands.
 
Does she mind you towling her down? if not then you could hot towel her to remove the dust and grease or use a mit in the same way, although with a longer coat it will difficult but being a TB I'm guessing she's got a fine coat and during winter if she's clipped it shouldn't cause too much of a problem perhaps?
 
its soooo soft i can hardly feel it when i brush it over my hand, i recently bought a new one and it cost about £6 cottage craft make in R&R Country :) hope you find it! :)
 
Just a thought, Have you tried a scratchier brush... My DWB who has incredibly 'itchy' skin won't let you touch him with a body brush and actually tries to kill you if you use a stable rubber... but if I brush him with a dandy brush he goes into raptures of ecstacy!

BnBx
 
Horses that are like this are usually misaligned and need squaring up. The misalignment might only be trivial but it leads to a build up of static electricity in the muscles causing the ticklishness.

Frequently a good massage or learning how to give a release of the static electricity stops all the problems.

One thing you can use to remove the mud is a stainless steel pot scourer, they do not mind that at all and it removes mud well.
 
Agree with trying the flicky long bristled brush. I have tried super soft goat hair one and he my boy wasn't impressed but he will take the rubber curry comb for a good gentle scrub. Hate his body being brushed but demands his full face to be scrubbed to perfection! Men!
 
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