Follow these grooming tips to help maintain horse health.

Get into a daily grooming program to make your horse’s coat shine and keep him in the best of health. Journal photo.

From AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam

Whether you show or not, good grooming is an important part of horse ownership. In or out of the show ring, when your horse looks good, you look good.

Most horses enjoy the attention of regular grooming and look forward to the daily ritual. It strengthens the bond between horse and owner. Additionally, grooming your horse on a regular basis gives you a chance to spot minor scratches, rashes, cuts or swelling before they become major problems. Read the rest of this entry »

Learn how to give your show horse the perfect clipping job.

As a trainer of halter horses, AQHA Professional Horseman Randy Jacobs of Dover, Ohio, knows a lot about clipping horses. He has clipped hundreds, from weanlings to stallions to his daughter's old pleasure gelding.

In the Horse Clipping Tips report, Randy offers his tried-and-true advice on setting yourself up for clipping success, even if that's not what your horse has in mind.

Have the Right Attitude

In Randy's opinion, you won't get anywhere with your horse, regardless of his attitude, if you don't have the right attitude.

“It takes a lot of patience,” he says. “So many people want to rush and get it done in a hurry. Take your time.”

If you rush, you increase the chances of having a bad experience.

“Avoid bad experiences,” Randy says. “Like spooking them or getting a horse hurt. And when I say hurt, I mean just something as small as nicking him with the clippers. It hurts, and he won't want it to happen again.

“Every bad experience only makes the next time worse.”

Get the rest of the story in AQHA's FREE Horse Clipping Tips report. Download it today, and share it with your horse-show friends!

“This horse clipping article really helped. We have shown a sorrel with lots of chrome for several years. Like it said, patience is a big part of getting a good clipping. I have learned to clip early in the week before the show, have the horse clean, particularly the white stockings, and mostly to take my time. The difference in results and the h

orse's attitude is amazing! Being a small-time participant, good free advice is always welcome.”

AQHA Member John Boyd

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“I enjoyed the clipping tips, especially how to maintain a safe clipping environment. It helped me realize I need a clean animal, sharp blades and the right type of clippers. Having help is something we sometimes cut corners on, but I agree when it comes to the right attitude that will carry you far in any endeavor.”

Marilyn Faye Parney

What goes into your horse shows up on the outside.

By Carolyn Heinze for The American Quarter Horse Journal

Your horse's glossy coat demonstrates the time and effort put into your overall horse show presentation. Journal photo.

Even when you’re not competing in halter classes, keeping your horse’s coat clean and shiny is a crucial part of your overall presentation. Not only does it demonstrate the time and effort you take to pay attention to details; it also lets observers know that you are concerned with your horse’s diet.

What, then, should you be feeding your horse to establish and maintain that sleek, enviable shine?

The good news is that if you’re covering the basics, you’re most of the way there already. Read the rest of this entry »

If you don’t take care of your horse, who will?

Part of being a horse owner and an outstanding Junior Master Horseman is caring for your horse. This means grooming him.

Grooming your horses is important in order to help their circulation, teach ground manners and check their health. Grooming is a good time for you to bond with your horse and develop a lifelong friendship.

Grooming requires quite a few tools:

1. Body brush: This brush removes dust, grease and dirt from your horse and has soft bristles.
2. Dandy brush: This brush has hard bristles used to remove dried mud and sweat.
3. Mane comb: The mane comb has long teeth and it helps get the tangles out of your horse’s mane and tail.
4. Curry comb: This comb is made of rubber and removes sweat and stimulates the horse’s skin.
5. Hoof pick: This tool cleans out anything that may have gotten stuck in your horse’s hoof.
6. Hoof oil: Hoof oil will help shine your horse’s hooves just like shoe shine!
7. Shampoo: Horses need their hair cleaned just like you! Horse shampoo will get their hair sparkling!
8. Scissors: Anytime you need to trim your horse’s hair, it is handy to have scissors in your supplies.
9. Towel: Using a towel to dry your horse after a bath will help to give your buddy some extra shine!
10. Sponges: Use a sponge to clean the eyes, nose and mouth of your friend.
11. Bucket: A bucket is a good place to hold bathing suds or to store your other grooming tools.

It is also important to take good care of your grooming tools. Make sure you always rinse your tools after grooming, keep them labeled and organized so you can get to them easily, and keep them stored in a safe place where they are protected from other animals and the weather. Try to groom your horse outside so the dirt and dust won’t contaminate any water and feed sources in the barn. Read the rest of this entry »

Get the quick tips you need to groom your horse properly.

From AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam

Whether you’re at a show or on a trail ride, it takes time and dedication to make your horse shine. Let Farnam show you how to keep your horse looking like the winner he is with the new Vetrolin grooming guide. Here are a few quick bathing tips:

• To wash the tail, dunk it in a bucket and work the soap in gently with your hands. Use the tail ends to suds the entire tail. Don’t scrub too hard–it can break off hairs.
• Scrub the tail down to the roots. Lingering dirt becomes obvious if you braid your horse’s tail for a show. Read the rest of this entry »

Day to day horse grooming and bathing basics.

From our partners at Tractor Supply Company

It’s a good idea to groom your horse daily to prevent saddle sores from forming on or around his back, to enhance circulation and stimulate cold muscles, and to help prevent possible problems by spotting minor scratches, rashes, cuts or swelling before they become serious.

A horse relies on his hair, skin secretions and a thin film of dust to protect against insect bites, scraping, chafing and chapping. The natural grime hosts friendly bacteria; however, regular grooming is still necessary to help ensure a healthy and happy horse. Even if you cannot groom your horse every day, make sure you at least curry and brush him to remove dead hair and dirt. Brushing also helps stimulate the natural oils in the coat that help make the coat shiny.

Quick Tips for Horse Grooming and Washing:

• Do not let dirt build up on brushes during grooming. Knock off the coarse dirt and hairs after each session. Read the rest of this entry »

These tips will give your horse the ultimate show-ring shine.

From AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam with contributions from Kristin Syverson

Want to prove you are a serious competitor? Then enter the ring with a serious shine. Not only does meticulous grooming demonstrate good horsemanship, it also creates a lasting impression in the judge’s mind. Set yourself apart from the crowd with these tips.

Manage That Mane

To shorten your horse’s mane, do not cut it with scissors. The proper way to shorten is by pulling and thinning the mane by hand. Horses are not as sensitive about this as humans. However, if too many hairs are jerked out at once, the horse will become irritated.

Read the rest of this entry »

Learn how to get the most from your horse clippers with these easy tips.

The American Quarter Horse Journal consulted several experts on the art of clipping your horse. Here are some great tips to help you polish off your horse and achieve a show-stopping performance.

Tip 1: Remove the Icky Stuff

• Remove blades from the clipper housing following the manufacturer’s directions.

• Use compressed air or an old toothbrush to gently remove dirt particles and hair from the clipper blades.

Tip 2: Use a Blade Wash

• Read the rest of this entry »

With a little practice, patience and good advice, you can show clip your horse’s bridle path.

By Christine Hamilton

There are many reasons why a horse can be difficult to clip:

He might be sensitive to the feel or to his head being touched; he might be genuinely afraid from a previous bad experience or abuse; or maybe he’s a newcomer to the process and needs some time to get used to it.

As a trainer of halter horses, AQHA Professional Horseman Randy Jacobs of Dover, Ohio, knows a lot about clipping horses.

Read the rest of this entry »