Shedding season is upon us again, as horses drop tumbleweeds
of hair anywhere they rub or roll. In most climates, horses shed out twice a
year, making way for their emerging summer and winter coats.
Here’s a look at our favorite tools for grooming shedding horses. For convenience, each title link leads to that product on Amazon. (Full disclosure: I’m an Amazon affiliate, meaning I receive credit for purchases made through their links on my sites. These products may also be purchased from saddle and tack merchants, pet stores, and other retailers.)
1. Equestrian Fuego Horse Shedding Bar-Blade – Get a grip on horse shedding with this handy tool. The metal combed edge easily scrapes away stray hairs all over the horse.
2. Farnam Slick 'N Easy Horse Grooming
Block – This hand-held coarse fiberglass block uses friction and
elbow grease to groom the horse’s coat. It’s super for putting the finishing
touches on shedding, after using more heavy-duty tools. It’s also great for doing
a quick touch-up before a ride or show class.
3. LuxPal Five-Fingered Deshedding
Gloves – Horse shedding doesn’t get any simpler than this. (It’s the
same principle as those old car-washing mitts. “Wax on. Wax off” (to quote The Karate
Kid movie.) Lots of companies
offer this kind of shedding glove. Quality varies. Pick a pair, rather than a
single one, for quick and easy horse grooming.
4. Oster Coarse Curry – This
spiky curry only looks fierce. It’s actually soothing to many horses, and it
works well in stirring up and removing shedding hair. (My Warmblood, Paint, and
Morgan couldn’t get enough grooming with this curry, although my ticklish
Thoroughbred didn’t favor it so much.)
This looped tool has serrated edges, making it extra useful for shedding out a horse quickly. The handles separate, making one long blade for two-handed grooming. It’s also handy for clearing off mud or scraping off water after a horse’s shower.
A few comments on other horse shedding products and practices:
Ringed metal curry combs
(with concentric circular toothed blades) are frequently found in the hands of
those shedding their horses. This is a matter of some debate, as certain equine
experts and owners maintain that these tools are intended for cleaning grooming
brushes, not for actual use on horses’ coats. I think it depends on how you use
them. And they can be super for shedding or for removing dried mud.
Many equestrians choose to clip their horses’ hair periodically throughout the year, especially if those equines are housed in heated barns and wear weatherproof blankets (and possibly neck and hood coverage) for turnout. Some purchase their own clippers, while others pay professionals for clipping.
Equine grooming vacuums are also popular. In some cases, show barns have such vacuums for grooms to use, or they make the machines available for boarders to use. Some equestrians buy their own horse grooming vacuums. Although these seem convenient, I have never found them useful with my own horses. None of my horses have been fans of the suction or noise these machines make.
Horse shedding is messy work, but it can be quite pleasing to the horse. Done well, it’s sort of a form of massage, and it offers quality bonding time for horse and human. In addition, shedding horses are frequently regarded as harbingers of the changing seasons.
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Image/s: Public domain photo and product promo photos (fair use)
