Grooming for Winter

Grooming a horse before and during winter requires protecting its natural coat oils while managing mud, sweat, and hoof health.

Essential Winter Grooming Steps

• Pick hooves first:
Check and clean hooves daily to prevent thrush, clear out packed snow or stones, and look for loose shoes caused by wet or frozen ground.
• Use gentle currying:
Loosen embedded dirt and dander with a rubber curry comb using circular motions, avoiding excessive scrubbing that strips natural skin oils.
• Brush off dried mud:
Allow mud to dry completely before brushing it away with a stiff dandy or flick brush rather than hosing the legs every day, which destroys the skin's natural waterproof barrier.
• Hot-cloth clipped or greasy coats:
For horses with clipped or heavy coats that collect sweat and grease, wipe them down with a steaming-hot, wrung-out towel or cloth using a mild shampoo or water-alcohol mix.
• Inspect under blankets:
Fold back or remove rugs daily to check for rain scald, lice, feather mites, or skin irritation where blankets rub.
• Avoid full baths:
Skip full-body water baths in cold weather unless strictly necessary, as a soaked coat loses its thermal insulation and risks chilling the horse.