As equestrians, the well-being of our horses is always our top priority. Perhaps one of the most important steps we take to ensure the health of our equine friends is making sure they are receiving thorough grooming sessions as often as possible. Some may view grooming as a time-consuming chore, but the reality is that a good grooming session holds more importance than you may think. While it will of course promote a beautiful and healthy coat, it will also help you build a stronger connection with your horse, allow you to closely monitor your horse’s overall health on a daily basis, and build trust.

Looking Good, Feeling Better

A good grooming session should leave the coat gleaming, hooves cleaned out and free of uncomfortable debris, and a knotless mane and tail. This keeps your horse looking fantastic, and it also allows you to closely monitor your horse for any signs of injury or illness. While you are grooming your horse, take the time to do both a physical and visual check of the coat and skin; you may find that you are able to detect something troubling that you would have otherwise missed. Adding these few extra minutes to your grooming routine has the potential to save both you and your horse from complications due to illness or injury.

Building A Strong Connection

A simple but thorough grooming session has the potential to break down barriers between you and your horse. Horses bond with one another through mutual grooming, so it only makes sense that you will be able to bond with your horse during a proper grooming, as well. During a grooming session, horses visibly relax and find comfort in the company of their companion or groom. Use this to your advantage to turn the session into an opportunity to strengthen your bond with your horse.This is also a fantastic way for you to have one-on-one interactions with your horse in a relaxing, calm, and enjoyable environment for them. While you groom them, speak to them in a calm and friendly manner. Take note of the way they respond to your voice and touch. Grooming sessions also produce a good opportunity to use positive reinforcement training, as well; if you find that your horse may be a little hesitant to lift their hoof for the pick, or a little weary of a soft brush on their face, use positive reinforcement training to correct the situation and explain what you are asking of them.

Using The Right Tools

As you have learned in this article, grooming has proven to produce various benefits. In order to ensure that you are getting the most out of your grooming session, it is important to make sure that you are using the right tools. Tornado Tack is happy to provide the very best in grooming tools such as hoof picks, curry combs, and much more. To browse our extensive inventory to find the products that will help you in keeping your horse looking and feeling their best, click here.