Any one who has a horse, boards horses, or is interested in going into any aspect of the horse industry would benefit greatly in knowing how to groom a horse. Not only does grooming simply improve your horses appearance, a good brisk grooming gives you ample time to inspect you horse from head to hoof.

• As you brush his head you are able to look at his ears for ticks and mites, his nose for sun burn and his mane for dandruff.
• Going down his neck you may look for bites or ticks, or scratches where he might have caught his head while grazing through a fence, or his back and belly may reveal sores from the saddle or cinch.
• At his tail you can see if he is rubbing.
• Grooming is a very good time to look at your horses legs where a variety of injuries may occur such splints, cuts, heel rot, and inspecting his hooves you can look for thrush, foreign objects, or splits.
• You may just simply notice that a bridle path needs shaved or bot eggs on the inside of his knees, or hooves that need a trim.

All these things may be noticed as you are getting ready for a ride, spending some time helping him shed out winter hair, or getting mud off his belly. If you set yourself a daily grooming time you will also increase his circulation and help get him warmed up if you are planning to ride.http://www.horsekeeping.com/horse_books/Horse_Care_for_Kids_excerpt_Grooming.htm

On top of the physical benefits for your horse there are also some very import psychological aspects as well. Grooming is a good time to bond with your horse and give him a pleasurable experience of simply being with you.http://www.horsekeeping.com/horse_books/Horse_Care_for_Kids_excerpt_Grooming.htm It gives him something to look forward to without any particular demands.

By virtue of simply brushing your horse every day you get him used to having you move around him at all angles and makes him less ticklish about the whole process of grooming, and by extension maybe other things as well. It will teach him patience at being tied and worked with and may help out when you need the farrier or the vet to work on your horse.

There is a proverb that says "A workman is only as good as his tools".http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/01/kyla/quotations/prov.html This saying can be applied to the tools that you will need for grooming your horse. Be sure to purchase sturdy tools of good make or you may find yourself throwing away brushes that can't stand up to some vigorous use or withstand a few washings.

The most basic tools that you will need for grooming your horse are:

1. Curry comb: Curry combs come in many different shapes and sizes. The older curry combs are metal rounds with a wooden or plastic handle. These are good few shedding out a winter coat but may not be used on a summer coat or a sensitive, or thin skinned horse. The metal teeth can scratch the skin. A metal curry comb must never be used on the horses legs and should not be given to a child who may get a little rough with it. Rubber curry combs with a strap to slide your hand in are very convenient and easy to use. They can be used summer or winter and used on the legs, albeit gently.
2. Stiff Brush(also known as a dandy brush): This is a stiff bristled brush that comes in a plethora of shapes, sizes, and colors. They come with straps and without. You want to make sure you purchase one that is comfortable in your hand and is not too big. You will want to test a few in the store to find the right one. You will be using this very vigorously and a brush that is too big will make your hand tired or may want to fly out of your hand when you are using it.
3. Soft Brush or body brush: This come in a variety of sizes as well. Once again find one that fits your hand comfortable and has many fine bristles that at well attached to the brush.
4. Hoof pick: There are two basic type of hoof picks, those without brushes and those with. Some are shaped, some are straight. Choose which ever will work for you best and buy a couple.
5. Mane brush and tail comb: Once again many to choose from. For the tail you want the comb that will pull the least amount of hair. The mane brush you don't want bristles that are too stiff and they may just break out, those that look like pegs in a little rubber piece may pull out. You may go through quite a few of these before finding the tooth size and/or bristle type you like.
6. Rags or barn towels: These may be any type of towel that holds up to frequent washings. They have numerous uses from toweling the wet horse off after a vigorous workout, the gently cleaning eyes and ears. A variety of sizes, shapes and weights will be best so you can pick the rick rag for the job. A good place to find these rags are used clothing stores, flea markets or garage sales. Be sure to wash these often and keep them in a plastic drawer or container in the barn where they would be kept relatively dust free. Some people like to include a few sponges as well and these can be picked up at any horse supply store.
7. Container: Being able to have everything all together in a tote is very handy when grooming your horse. It saves you numerous trips to the tack room and allows you to work efficiently. Many places sell grooming totes but you can also find bargains at hardware stores, or in using a five gallon bucket.

1. Tie or Cross tie your horse. Make sure the area where you tie your horse is solid and free from obstacles. Have your grooming tools already there so you do not have to leave your horse unattended.
2. Place your free hand on the horse as you brush with all the brushes. It allows you to feel if your horse is tensing up and you will be able to push yourself to safety or give a quick tap to remind him of his manners.
3. Use the curry comb to vigorously scrub your horse in a circular or side to side motion.http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2796424/grooming_your_horse_the_oldfashioned.html Bear down gently to lift and loosen the dirt and scruf from the coat. You will want to be careful if using the curry comb on the cheeks and legs. Do not scrub so hard you make your horse uncomfortable and pay particular attention to a ticklish or sensitive horse that might not appreciate some one being too over zealous in grooming.
4. Dandy Brush: Use short, snapping strokes to make the dust fly at the end of the flip.http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2796424/grooming_your_horse_the_oldfashioned.html This step gets down to the skin and frees it from large dirt particles. Brush all over the body in the direction of the hair and be sure to be gentle on sensitive areas such as face, ears, and legs. Don't forget the belly and chest and to keep your free hand on the horse.
5. Body brush or soft brush: Even if you have done the greatest job with the currying step and the dandy brush, if you look closely you will see that the coat of the horse is clean but filled with the fine dust and a greasy dust called scruf. The body brush will remove this and distribute the oil evenly over the coat. Go in the direction of the hair and over all parts of the body.
6. Next take a damp rag and go over the face. Clean the lips and nostrils of dust and dirt. Clean the eyes.
7. If your horse if light colored or has white markings you can go over these areas with the damp towel as well. For stubborn stains get some soapy water to scrub with. Once the stain is removed wipe with a clean end of the towel.
8. Pick your horses feet. If you have a pick with the stiff brush on the end of it use this to brush off any dried mud or manure. If you do not you can use the flat of your hoof pick to scrape it off.

To do the mane and tail pick out the knots, burrs, and bedding by hand. There are some show stables that will not allow anything but the hands to take care of these parts so if you are working for a stable ask to be sure before taking a comb to a show tail. If you do use a brush or a comb do not brush fast, this may tangle the brush in the hair and break it. Start at the tips and then separate small sections out to work on one at a time, working from bottom to top. Never rip at a mane or tail or you will get hairs that are short and bushy and like to stick out in an unattractive way.

If the hair is particularly tangled you can purchase detangler sprays from a horse supply store which will aid in removing the knots. Be sure to brush clear to the roots of the mane and tail and as you are doing so check for ticks. They like to crawl up into the base of the mane and nestle down in. Ticks may carry Lyme Disease and other diseases as well. If left unattended they could make your horse sick.

As a final touch you can take a wet brush and lay the mane down flat and touch up the short hairs at the top of the tail.