Dirty horse, happy horse.
The story of one grooming session

Daily grooming takes ten to fifteen minutes, and it gives you three things at once: clean skin where the tack sits, a thorough check of your horse from ears to hooves and quiet time with just your horse. The Merck Veterinary Manual recommends brushing every day, and a bath with shampoo from time to time, when needed[1].

Why groom a horse

To protect the skin. Under the saddle, girth and bridle, the tack presses and rubs against the skin. Matted hair, dried sweat or a clump of mud in such a spot can rub it raw. That is why these areas are cleaned most thoroughly before every ride.

To check your horse over every day. Your hand passes over the whole body, so it is easy to feel a new wound, rub, swelling, scab or a spot where the horse tenses up. Changes are easiest to notice when you know how your horse looks and reacts day to day.

To build your relationship. In a study of 27 horses, some were groomed gently, in the spots they liked most, and the rest according to a fixed routine during which some of the horses moved away. After 11 sessions, horses in the first group more often sought contact of their own accord, while those in the second more often moved away. Heart rate and cortisol levels before and after grooming did not differ, so the difference showed mainly in behaviour and in facial expression[3].

A 2024 systematic review notes that during everyday tasks such as grooming, people often overlook a horse's signs of comfort and discomfort. When grooming takes the horse's favourite spots and its reactions into account, the horse seeks contact more often and avoids it less often[4].

Horses groom each other with their teeth, most often around the withers and at the base of the neck. Scratching a favourite spot lowers a horse's heart rate[5]. In 18 horses under saddle, a minute of scratching on the withers produced longer-lasting relaxation behaviours than patting on the neck[6].

Where to groom your horse

Ideally outdoors. A 2024 review on equine asthma reports that the most dust that reaches deep into the lungs is stirred up in the stable during mucking out, grooming and the busiest hours. The authors consider it sensible to move horses out of the same airspace at those times[2]. Outdoors, dust and hair also do not settle on the bedding or in the manger.

In the stable aisle, do not block the way, and position your horse so that it cannot reach other horses, and other horses cannot reach it or you.

The wash bay is not a place for grooming. Loose hair, mane and tail hairs and sand clog the drain, and the wash bay is then taken up when others want to wash their horse or cool its legs.

Brushes and products

• Rubber curry comb with nubs or teeth: for matted patches, mud and dead hair.
• Body brush, ideally with natural bristles, and a second, soft one for the head.
• Plastic or metal curry comb only for cleaning the brush. A metal one is never used on the horse, as it is too sharp and can injure the skin.
• Mane and tail brush. Combs tend to pull out more hair.
• Hoof pick, ideally one with a brush.
• Clean cloths and saline: one cloth for around the eyes, a separate one for the nostrils, and another for under the tail and the genital area.

Every horse should have its own brushes. Ringworm spreads not only through direct contact but also via brushes and tack, and lesions most often appear where the saddle and girth sit[8]. Strangles, a contagious upper respiratory infection, also spreads via shared buckets and equipment, and even via the clothing and equipment of people who handle horses[9].

Test a new product on a small patch of skin first. The Merck Manual recommends watching the skin after any topical product, as it may irritate it or cause an allergic reaction[10].

If you compete, check the ingredients. The FEI Prohibited Substances List for 2026, for example, lists capsaicin, a substance found in chilli peppers, as banned, and cannabidiol (CBD) as a controlled medication. Substances with a similar chemical structure or similar effects to those on the list are also prohibited[11]. So check the active ingredients, not the product name, and do it every time the list is updated.

Grooming order

A fixed order helps you avoid missing any spot, and the horse quickly learns what comes next. Tradition says that whatever is done from one side of the horse is done from the left, and whatever is done from both sides starts on the left.

Research suggests you should not stop at the left side. Horses more often look at people with their left eye[12] and react more strongly to something new appearing on their left[13]. Yearlings that were not yet used to handling reacted worse when a person approached from the left, while two-year-olds that had already been handled on both sides reacted equally well on either side[14]. So grooming from both sides is also a daily lesson in staying calm on both sides.

1. Rubber curry combFirst one side of the horse in three sections: neck, shoulder and foreleg, then the barrel, meaning the back, sides and belly, and finally the hindquarters and hind leg. Then the same on the other side.
2. Body brushIn the same order, from the neck to the hindquarters.
3. HeadWith a soft brush and cloths.
4. Mane and tailFrom the bottom up, section by section.
5. HoovesLeft fore, left hind, right hind, right fore.

Rubber curry comb and hand

With the rubber curry comb you loosen matted patches, meaning hair stuck together, and remove mud, dust and dead hair. Hold it in your dominant hand and switch it to the other one where it is harder to reach. Use circular movements and adjust the pressure to the horse's sensitivity and to how much muscle there is in that area. Every few strokes, tap the curry comb on the ground so you do not leave marks on the walls or raise dust under your horse's nose.

Then run your bare hand over the coat. You will feel straight away whether any matted patches are left, especially where the saddle, girth and bridle will sit.

Is grooming a massage? Circular movements with a rubber curry comb resemble a gentle massage, and many horses enjoy them. There are no studies of grooming itself from this angle, but there are studies of massage. In 8 horses, 30 minutes of massage of the muscles at the back of the hind leg increased how far the hind leg reached forward[15]. In a Polish study of 5 leisure horses, massage before riding lowered cortisol levels in saliva and reduced the number of conflict behaviours under the rider[16]. However, a 2022 review found that such studies are few and have many weaknesses, so the therapeutic effect of massage has not yet been confirmed[17]. Grooming can therefore be a pleasant, relaxing touch for the horse, but it will not replace a massage given by a physiotherapist.

Watch how your horse reacts. Every horse has spots it likes and spots it does not. In a Polish study, 15 hot-blooded horses and 15 ponies were stroked for 5 minutes in five different places on the body. When stroked, the horses were more aroused than at rest, and the reaction depended on the spot, on the type of horse and on sex. The authors concluded that stroking the head may benefit horses, while more care is needed around the trunk[18].

A horse that leans in, moves its lips or tries to groom you back is feeling good. Moving away, pinning the ears, threats and attempts to bite all say “not here”[3, 4].

If your horse always reacts with irritation in the same spot, for example on the back, think of pain. In a study of riding horses, most horses with serious changes in the spine reacted aggressively towards people: 33 of 43[19].

Body brush

The body brush removes dust from the coat and gives it a shine. Hold it in the hand nearer the horse's head, and the curry comb in the hand nearer its tail. That gives you more reach, and if the horse turns its head, for example to swat flies, it will bump into the soft brush, not the curry comb.

Use long, sweeping strokes. Many people do two strokes against the hair to lift dust from deep in the coat, and one with the hair to smooth it down. After a few strokes, clean the brush on the curry comb, and tap the curry comb on the ground. When you move to the other side of the horse, swap the brushes between your hands.

Head

If your horse stands quietly, take off the headcollar and fasten it around the neck so you can reach the whole head. Use a soft brush and calm movements, especially around the eyes. Always stand to the side of the horse. If you stand directly in front of its face, the horse may suddenly throw its head up and hit you on the chin or in the face.

Grooming the head is the perfect moment for a quick check:

• Ears. Check the skin for scabs, small wounds or other changes.
• Eyes. Check that they are not watering, red, swollen or cloudy. A corneal injury is painful: the horse squeezes its eyelids shut and the eye waters. The Merck Manual stresses that any concern about a horse's eye calls for a prompt examination by a vet[20].
• Nostrils. Thick white, yellow or green discharge is a reason to call the vet. Thick, purulent discharge may accompany strangles, for example, in which the horse often also has a fever and enlarged lymph nodes under the jaw[9].
• Corners of the mouth. Check for rubs, small wounds or warts.
• Breath. The Merck Manual lists an unpleasant smell among the signs of dental problems, alongside dropping feed from the mouth and reluctance to accept the bit. A vet should check the teeth at least once a year, and more often in older horses[1].

Wipe around the eyes with a cloth moistened with saline. For the nostrils and for under the tail and the genital area, use separate damp cloths. Baby wipes are convenient, but they contain additives that can irritate the skin.

Mane and tail

Spray conditioners make detangling easier, give the hair a shine and help prevent tangles. Before you spray your horse, though, check how it reacts to the hiss of the spray and the feel of the product. If it is frightened, put the product on a brush instead, and get it used to the spray itself gradually. In a study of three habituation methods, gradually increasing the stimulus worked best: the horses ran off less often and needed fewer sessions[22].

Brush the mane and forelock from the roots, massaging the skin as you go, and check it for dandruff or scabs.

The tail takes more patience, because the hairs are long. Mane hair grows on average about 2.5 cm a month[23]. At that rate, a strand half a metre long takes about 20 months to grow, so every hair pulled out takes a very long time to grow back.

• Most gently with your fingers. Separate the tail strand by strand. It takes time, but it does not pull out any hair.
• With a brush, from the bottom. Twist the hair below the dock and hold it in your hand. First brush out just the ends, then let go a little higher and brush out the next section. Keep going all the way up to the dock.
• Finally, the dock. Brush it thoroughly and check the skin: dandruff, small wounds, scabs, rubbed hair.

A rubbed tail is a signal, not a reason to worm “just in case”. One cause is pinworms. Their eggs appear around the anus, the horse feels itchy and rubs, and the eggs are detected under a microscope on sticky tape pressed against that area. In Germany and France, cases have been described in which ivermectin, and in Germany also moxidectin, failed to clear pinworms. In a French pony herd, on the other hand, fenbendazole and pyrantel did work[24, 25].

Another common cause is sweet itch, an allergy to insect bites, most often from Culicoides midges. It is the most common itchy skin disease in horses, and in some regions of the world it affects up to 60% of horses. Lesions usually appear on the mane, the withers and the tail[26]. So work out the cause and any treatment with your vet.

Hooves

“No foot, no horse”: pretty much every horse person knows that saying. The Merck Manual calls daily hoof cleaning essential, and recommends hoof trimming by a farrier roughly every 6 weeks[1]. Pick out the hooves before and after riding, especially when you come back from a hack.

1. Left foreStand next to the horse facing its tail, lean on it lightly, run your hand down the leg and pick up the hoof. To lift its left leg, the horse has to shift its weight onto the right one, so leaning on it lightly helps[1].
2. Left hindLet the horse know you are moving to its hindquarters: run your hand along its back and hindquarters all the way down to the hoof. Rest the hind hoof on your thigh and step back slightly to draw the horse's leg out. This is more stable for the horse and safer for you[1].
3. Right hind and right foreThe same, from the other side.

Watch where your feet are: when the horse puts its leg down, the hoof must not land on your boot. Thoroughly clean around the frog and the grooves beside it, removing soil, manure, stones and pine cones. Check that nothing has lodged in the sole or the white line. Do not pull out a nail or any other foreign object stuck in the sole; call the vet instead.

The frog tells you the most. Thrush causes soft horn, an unpleasant smell and a thick, black discharge. The horse may react with pain when you press on the frog while cleaning. The disease usually starts in the central groove of the frog and is encouraged by damp and too little movement, but it also occurs in well-cared-for horses and in clean, dry stables. Treatment begins with removing the diseased horn, and many products are caustic and can damage deeper tissues[27]. So before you reach for a product, show the frog to your farrier or vet.

After training

After riding, pick out the hooves again and check the areas where the saddle and girth sat. You will also feel any new rub or warm spot.

Tendons heat up from the inside. That is why many people cool their horse's legs after hard work. In a 2025 study of six sedated horses, an hour in an ice boot lowered the temperature inside the flexor tendons by about 7 °C, and a cooling device with compression by about 10 °C. A bandage applied afterwards raised tendon temperature by about 4 °C, although it stayed within normal limits[29]. The study did not measure how much ordinary cold hosing cools the legs.

When washing the legs, start at the hooves and work upwards. This gives the horse time to get used to the water and its temperature. After washing, dry the pasterns thoroughly. Prolonged moisture is considered one of the factors that predispose horses to mud fever[30].

In hot weather, cool the whole horse. Hosing down with cold water is one of the most effective ways to bring down the temperature of an overheated horse. A review of heat stress research cites a study in which cold-water hosing alone cooled horses better than hosing followed each time by scraping the water off the coat[31].

A wisp of straw is an old cavalry method. Straw absorbs moisture well, so by rubbing the horse down with it you dry it off and give it a massage, especially where the saddle and girth sat. A horse that has been rubbed down well will not have sweat-matted patches once it is dry.

Finally, a roll. Horses often roll after hard work and after a bath, whatever the weather. The authors of a study of horses and mules regard rolling as an important behaviour that a horse should have the space and time for[32]. As the stable saying goes, a dirty horse is a happy horse. What should worry you is rolling from side to side together with pawing, looking round at the belly, lying down often, sweating and loss of appetite, as these are signs of colic[33].

Frequently asked questions

Scientific sources

We checked every publication in the Crossref and PubMed databases. The numbers in the text link to the list, and the DOI links lead to the original articles.

1. Textor J. Dental, Coat, and Hoof Care of Horses. Merck Veterinary Manual. 2025. www.merckvetmanual.com/horse-owners/routine-care-of-horses/dental-coat-and-hoof-care-of-horses
2. Diez de Castro E, Fernandez-Molina JM. Environmental Management of Equine Asthma. Animals. 2024;14(3):446. doi.org/10.3390/ani14030446
3. Lansade L, Nowak R, Lainé AL, Leterrier C, Bonneau C, Parias C et al. Facial expression and oxytocin as possible markers of positive emotions in horses. Scientific Reports. 2018;8(1):14680. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-32993-z
4. Hall C, Kay R. Living the good life? A systematic review of behavioural signs of affective state in the domestic horse (Equus caballus) and factors relating to quality of life. Part 2: Horse-human interactions. Animal Welfare. 2024;33:e41. doi.org/10.1017/awf.2024.41
5. Feh C, de Mazières J. Grooming at a preferred site reduces heart rate in horses. Animal Behaviour. 1993;46(6):1191-1194. doi.org/10.1006/anbe.1993.1309
6. Thorbergson ZW, Nielsen SG, Beaulieu RJ, Doyle RE. Physiological and Behavioral Responses of Horses to Wither Scratching and Patting the Neck When Under Saddle. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 2016;19(3):245-259. doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2015.1130630
7. Lansade L, Trösch M, Parias C, Blanchard A, Gorosurreta E, Calandreau L. Horses are sensitive to baby talk: pet-directed speech facilitates communication with humans in a pointing task and during grooming. Animal Cognition. 2021;24(5):999-1006. doi.org/10.1007/s10071-021-01487-3
8. Moriello KA. Dermatophytosis in Horses. Merck Veterinary Manual. 2025. www.merckvetmanual.com/integumentary-system/dermatophytosis/dermatophytosis-in-horses
9. Boyle AG, Timoney JF, Newton JR, Hines MT, Waller AS, Buchanan BR. Streptococcus equi Infections in Horses: Guidelines for Treatment, Control, and Prevention of Strangles - Revised Consensus Statement. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2018;32(2):633-647. doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15043
10. Moriello KA. Principles of Topical Treatment in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual. 2025. www.merckvetmanual.com/integumentary-system/integumentary-system-introduction/principles-of-topical-treatment-in-animals
11. Międzynarodowa Federacja Jeździecka (FEI). 2026 Equine Prohibited Substances List. FEI Clean Sport. 2026. inside.fei.org/sites/default/files/2026%20Prohibited%20Substances%20List.pdf
12. Farmer K, Krueger K, Byrne RW. Visual laterality in the domestic horse (Equus caballus) interacting with humans. Animal Cognition. 2010;13(2):229-238. doi.org/10.1007/s10071-009-0260-x
13. Austin NP, Rogers LJ. Asymmetry of flight and escape turning responses in horses. Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition. 2007;12(5):464-474. doi.org/10.1080/13576500701495307
14. Sankey C, Henry S, Clouard C, Richard-Yris MA, Hausberger M. Asymmetry of behavioral responses to a human approach in young naive vs. trained horses. Physiology & Behavior. 2011;104(3):464-468. doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.05.009
15. Hill C, Crook T. The relationship between massage to the equine caudal hindlimb muscles and hindlimb protraction. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2010;42(s38):683-687. doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00279.x
16. Jastrzębska E, Górecka-Bruzda A, Ogłuszka M, Lipka MS, Pawłowska A. Effect of Massage on Stress Indicators in Recreational Horses - A Pilot Study. Animals. 2025;15(6):789. doi.org/10.3390/ani15060789
17. Bergh A, Asplund K, Lund I, Boström A, Hyytiäinen H. A Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine in Sport and Companion Animals: Soft Tissue Mobilization. Animals. 2022;12(11):1440. doi.org/10.3390/ani12111440
18. Janczarek I, Stachurska A, Wilk I, Krakowski L, Przetacznik M, Zastrzeżyńska M et al. Emotional excitability and behaviour of horses in response to stroking various regions of the body. Animal Science Journal. 2018;89(11):1599-1608. doi.org/10.1111/asj.13104
19. Fureix C, Menguy H, Hausberger M. Partners with Bad Temper: Reject or Cure? A Study of Chronic Pain and Aggression in Horses. PLoS ONE. 2010;5(8):e12434. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012434
20. Knickelbein KE, Rogers C. Ophthalmic Emergencies in Horses. Merck Veterinary Manual. 2025. www.merckvetmanual.com/emergency-medicine-and-critical-care/emergency-medicine-in-horses/ophthalmic-emergencies-in-horses
21. Górski K, Stefanik E, Turek B, Bereznowski A, Czopowicz M, Polkowska I et al. Malocclusions and Dental Diseases in Privately Owned Horses in the Mazovia Region of Poland. Animals. 2022;12(22):3120. doi.org/10.3390/ani12223120
22. Christensen JW, Rundgren M, Olsson K. Training methods for horses: habituation to a frightening stimulus. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2006;38(5):439-443. doi.org/10.2746/042516406778400574
23. Shigematsu R, Osame R, Yokotsuka N, Takemoto S, Minamijima Y, Furukawa T et al. Millimeter-segmental analysis of individual equine mane hairs by LC/HRMS for revealing chronological drug distribution in anti-doping investigations. Forensic Science International. 2026;389:113144. doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.113144
24. Wolf D, Hermosilla C, Taubert A. Oxyuris equi: Lack of efficacy in treatment with macrocyclic lactones. Veterinary Parasitology. 2014;201(1-2):163-168. doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.12.009
25. Sallé G, Cortet J, Koch C, Gascogne T, Reigner F, Cabaret J. Ivermectin failure in the control of Oxyuris equi in a herd of ponies in France. Veterinary Parasitology. 2016;229:73-75. doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.09.020
26. Cox A, Stewart AJ. Insect Bite Hypersensitivity in Horses: Causes, Diagnosis, Scoring and New Therapies. Animals. 2023;13(15):2514. doi.org/10.3390/ani13152514
27. Beasley B. Thrush in Horses. Merck Veterinary Manual. 2024. www.merckvetmanual.com/musculoskeletal-system/lameness-in-horses/thrush-in-horses
28. Wilson AM, Goodship AE. Exercise-induced hyperthermia as a possible mechanism for tendon degeneration. Journal of Biomechanics. 1994;27(7):899-905. doi.org/10.1016/0021-9290(94)90262-3
29. McCarthy RD, Ordóñez HJ, Semevolos SA. In vivo effects of cold therapy and bandaging on core temperatures of equine superficial and deep digital flexor tendons. Veterinary Surgery. 2025;54(3):470-477. doi.org/10.1111/vsu.14235
30. Kaiser-Thom S, Hilty M, Ramseyer A, Epper P, Gerber V. The relationship between equine pastern dermatitis, meteorological factors, and the skin microbiota. Veterinary Dermatology. 2022;33(2):165. doi.org/10.1111/vde.13045
31. Kang H, Zsoldos RR, Sole-Guitart A, Narayan E, Cawdell-Smith AJ, Gaughan JB. Heat stress in horses: a literature review. International Journal of Biometeorology. 2023;67(6):957-973. doi.org/10.1007/s00484-023-02467-7
32. Luz MPF, Maia CM, Gonçalvez HC, Puoli Filho JNP. Influence of workload and weather conditions on rolling behaviour of horses and mules. Behavioural Processes. 2021;189:104433. doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104433
33. Moore JN. Overview of Colic in Horses. Merck Veterinary Manual. 2021. www.merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/colic-in-horses/overview-of-colic-in-horses

Published 21 October 2026. This article is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a vet.