How MUCH grooming?

Me and my Shadow · 01-04-2004, 06:45 PM

This is really going to show how wet-behind-the-ears I actually am, but oh well, here goes:
Just HOW MUCH should I groom my horse? I don't know how much is needed for his purposes, and all the friends I have to ask here go at it from a "brush where the tack will touch before you ride" opinion. Not that I would fuss about what they do with their own horses, but I LOVE grooming him, I just don't want to over-do it.
Here's his picture:

I've been, most days, whether I ride or not, doing the "5 brushes", curry, hard brush, soft brush, mane and tail, then hoof pick and brush. If I ride, I repeat the hard and soft brushes, and the hoof pick, unless we were just in the pen, which is grass and sand. Some days, he just gets the soft brush if I'm pressed for time.
I get the feeling that I'm "fussing" over him too much, but then, he's still pretty dirty, too, and I can't wash him (no hot water) until warmer nights come along.
I don't show, he's just for pleasure riding on trails and for my riding and my daughter's to improve. I want to take care of him well, but not go overboard and irritate his skin or anything. I still haven't made up my mind on his mane, is there any reason to shorten it if I'm not showing him, or is that ONLY cosmetic?
So, how much SHOULD I groom a "backyard" horse? Sorry, I told you this question would make me sound like a rookie!!! LOL!

<small>[ January 04, 2004, 07:49 PM: Message edited by: Dawn ]</small>

HalterGirl_88 · 01-04-2004, 06:54 PM

First your horse looks like he's an adorable guy

We brush our horses twice a day-curried, vacuumed, sprayed with laser sheen and brushed with a soft brush. Only thing you wouldn't want to over do is brushing the tail, that will cause breakage. So I'd say brush to your hearts content! Oh and I wouldnt worry about shortening his mane at all if you're just pleasure riding.

cutting_queen · 01-04-2004, 06:58 PM

well every horse loves to be groomed! well if he likes it and it hasn't irritated anything yet! i see no problem! that is the same way i groom my horses!!! i spoil them rotten!! but they are all so sweet so they are not snobby!! i even take them all out everyday and groom them especially when it is raining,i will spend an hour each horse grooming them in the rain. i can't ride so they might as well get a little attention. it would be better for his coat in he is also getting oil with his grain if he doesn't get oil already. it will just help keep it all shiny and pretty so it will be more affective when you groom him. he is a gorgous horse by the way!!

Me and my Shadow · 01-04-2004, 07:08 PM

Thanks!
He is a sweetie, thanks for the compliments on him -- I snapped this today right after my daughter rode him. He knew it was supper time, so he was looking at the camera like, "well, THAT ain't a feed bucket, ma'am." LOL!
So, brush away, huh? Good. I love to brush him almost as much as he loves it! I'm glad about the mane, too. I was honestly dreading having to pull it -- seems like it would have to hurt at least a little.
Do I need to do anything to his hooves besides picking them? The farrier just trimmed him last week, or the week before, and he's barefoot. Do they need oil, or is that cosmetic, too?
Thanks again for your help!

Dawn · 01-04-2004, 07:09 PM

Is it just me, or do his fronts seem like they've been cut way back and short?

Me and my Shadow · 01-04-2004, 07:14 PM

Dawn, I would sooo love to answer you, but I don't know what that means!! LOL! When I say rookie, I really mean rookie!
Do you mean his feet?

Dawn · 01-04-2004, 07:15 PM

Lol, when I posted that my thought was literally "Is anyone even going to know what I'm talking about?" Yes, I was referring to his feet. The backs look on the short side of normal. But the fronts just look insanely short to me.

Dawn · 01-04-2004, 07:16 PM

Nevermind, he's backs are just as bad.

Me and my Shadow · 01-04-2004, 07:21 PM

I really don't know at all.

They were just trimmed, I know that, but I was not there with the farrier, so I didn't hear his explanation of things, just was told by the man that owns the other horses that the farrier loved him b/c he was so sweet for him.
I know he did have a chip in one front one, so could he have been cutting short to get rid of it? I don't have a clue about the finer points, just to get a farrier to him every 1-2 months, and not to shoe him unless something really changes. Would it have anything to do with his breed -- like to smooth out a gait or something? (TWH) I'm trying to learn to get him and hold him in a running walk, but he paces pretty bad. I've been thinking it was all me, but could it be his feet?

Dawn · 01-04-2004, 07:24 PM

I'd be interested to know if anyone else thinks they're too short. It might just be me being stupid. I don't know. Walkers are normally left long and high (not that that's a good thing) but it does mean that it's not because of his breeding that they're short.

01-04-2004, 06:45 PM	#1
Me and my Shadow Full Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 59	How MUCH grooming? This is really going to show how wet-behind-the-ears I actually am, but oh well, here goes: Just HOW MUCH should I groom my horse? I don't know how much is needed for his purposes, and all the friends I have to ask here go at it from a "brush where the tack will touch before you ride" opinion. Not that I would fuss about what they do with their own horses, but I LOVE grooming him, I just don't want to over-do it. Here's his picture: I've been, most days, whether I ride or not, doing the "5 brushes", curry, hard brush, soft brush, mane and tail, then hoof pick and brush. If I ride, I repeat the hard and soft brushes, and the hoof pick, unless we were just in the pen, which is grass and sand. Some days, he just gets the soft brush if I'm pressed for time. I get the feeling that I'm "fussing" over him too much, but then, he's still pretty dirty, too, and I can't wash him (no hot water) until warmer nights come along. I don't show, he's just for pleasure riding on trails and for my riding and my daughter's to improve. I want to take care of him well, but not go overboard and irritate his skin or anything. I still haven't made up my mind on his mane, is there any reason to shorten it if I'm not showing him, or is that ONLY cosmetic? So, how much SHOULD I groom a "backyard" horse? Sorry, I told you this question would make me sound like a rookie!!! LOL! <small>[ January 04, 2004, 07:49 PM: Message edited by: Dawn ]</small>

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01-04-2004, 06:54 PM	#2
HalterGirl_88 Senior Member+ Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,611	First your horse looks like he's an adorable guy We brush our horses twice a day-curried, vacuumed, sprayed with laser sheen and brushed with a soft brush. Only thing you wouldn't want to over do is brushing the tail, that will cause breakage. So I'd say brush to your hearts content! Oh and I wouldnt worry about shortening his mane at all if you're just pleasure riding.

01-04-2004, 06:58 PM	#3
cutting_queen Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: arlington, washington (hicksville,usa) Posts: 368	well every horse loves to be groomed! well if he likes it and it hasn't irritated anything yet! i see no problem! that is the same way i groom my horses!!! i spoil them rotten!! but they are all so sweet so they are not snobby!! i even take them all out everyday and groom them especially when it is raining,i will spend an hour each horse grooming them in the rain. i can't ride so they might as well get a little attention. it would be better for his coat in he is also getting oil with his grain if he doesn't get oil already. it will just help keep it all shiny and pretty so it will be more affective when you groom him. he is a gorgous horse by the way!!

01-04-2004, 07:08 PM	#4
Me and my Shadow Full Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 59	Thanks! He is a sweetie, thanks for the compliments on him -- I snapped this today right after my daughter rode him. He knew it was supper time, so he was looking at the camera like, "well, THAT ain't a feed bucket, ma'am." LOL! So, brush away, huh? Good. I love to brush him almost as much as he loves it! I'm glad about the mane, too. I was honestly dreading having to pull it -- seems like it would have to hurt at least a little. Do I need to do anything to his hooves besides picking them? The farrier just trimmed him last week, or the week before, and he's barefoot. Do they need oil, or is that cosmetic, too? Thanks again for your help!

01-04-2004, 07:09 PM	#5
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,612 Images: 1283	Is it just me, or do his fronts seem like they've been cut way back and short?

01-04-2004, 07:14 PM	#6
Me and my Shadow Full Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 59	Dawn, I would sooo love to answer you, but I don't know what that means!! LOL! When I say rookie, I really mean rookie! Do you mean his feet?

01-04-2004, 07:15 PM	#7
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,612 Images: 1283	Lol, when I posted that my thought was literally "Is anyone even going to know what I'm talking about?" Yes, I was referring to his feet. The backs look on the short side of normal. But the fronts just look insanely short to me.

01-04-2004, 07:16 PM	#8
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,612 Images: 1283	Nevermind, he's backs are just as bad.

01-04-2004, 07:21 PM	#9
Me and my Shadow Full Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 59	I really don't know at all. They were just trimmed, I know that, but I was not there with the farrier, so I didn't hear his explanation of things, just was told by the man that owns the other horses that the farrier loved him b/c he was so sweet for him. I know he did have a chip in one front one, so could he have been cutting short to get rid of it? I don't have a clue about the finer points, just to get a farrier to him every 1-2 months, and not to shoe him unless something really changes. Would it have anything to do with his breed -- like to smooth out a gait or something? (TWH) I'm trying to learn to get him and hold him in a running walk, but he paces pretty bad. I've been thinking it was all me, but could it be his feet?

01-04-2004, 07:24 PM	#10
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,612 Images: 1283	I'd be interested to know if anyone else thinks they're too short. It might just be me being stupid. I don't know. Walkers are normally left long and high (not that that's a good thing) but it does mean that it's not because of his breeding that they're short.