A Guide to Building a Basic Grooming Kit
If you’re just getting started in building a grooming kit, this article is for you. It explains the most essential tools you’ll need to groom a horse properly and how the various tools are used. A comparison of synthetic versus natural bristles in horse brushes is provided.

A basic grooming kit includes:

Rubber curry comb: Available in large and small sizes to fit all hands. Applied in a circular motion on the fleshy parts of a horse, its short rubber teeth softly stimulate circulation in the horse’s muscles and skin while loosening dirt and shedding hair. Use this curry as the first step in a grooming session. If you can only have one curry comb in your kit, this curry is the one to choose. Other flexible rubber curry combs come with nub-like teeth, cone-shaped teeth or soft bristles.

Sarvis Curry Comb: In tough plastic with long teeth to penetrate long winter coats and work effectively on dried mud and manure stains. Some people use this type of curry for the dual purpose of combing manes and tails; others find it useful at bath time as it lathers soapy water on the horse’s coat. Use it in a circular motion on fleshy areas of the horse only.

Stiff or Hard (Dandy) Brush: With very stiff synthetic or natural bristles, this type of brush is used just after currying to whisk away the heaviest layer of loosened dirt and hair. It can be helpful in removing dried mud from a horse’s legs or off hoof walls. Extremely sensitive or thin-skinned horses may not tolerate the coarseness of the stiffest of brushes, so check for degrees of coarseness from very stiff to medium stiff to suit your particular horse. Dandy brushes come in a rectangular shape with grooves or contours on the sides of the handle for comfort in the hand. Body brushes are oval.

Medium-Stiff/Medium-Soft Brush: A must for virtually everyone, especially those people with a sensitive horse that cannot tolerate the coarseness of very stiff bristles. Different manufacturers refer to medium brushes as either medium stiff or medium soft, but a medium brush can prove useful when your horse does not require the heavy-duty action of a very stiff brush. A medium brush with either synthetic or natural bristles is used as an interim step between the stiff brush and the finishing or soft brush.

Soft Body Brush/Finishing Brush: This type of brush is another essential tool for every groomer and is used last in the grooming session. Its soft, fine bristles are positioned very closely together to remove the finest dust particles from the horse’s coat and to smooth out the hair which enhances natural sheen. They come with synthetic, natural or a blend of both bristles and can be oval body brushes or rectangular dandy brushes.

Hoof Pick: The most necessary tool in the grooming kit is the hoof pick for cleaning the crevices of a horse’s hooves before and after any ride and turnout. You can find them in all sorts of styles and colors, including those with brushes to help flick away dried dirt and bedding. No grooming box would be complete without a hoof pick to remove manure, mud, stones and debris from the horse’s hooves.

Mane and Tail Comb: While some people prefer to use their fingers only for separating the hairs of tails and manes, others rely on wide-toothed mane and tail combs and brushes. These tools separate tangles and pull out pieces of bedding while leaving the mane and tail soft and glossy. Add a detangler to make the job even easier.

A wide array of grooming bags and totes is available to help keep grooming tools organized and easily portable around a barn.

Choosing between Synthetic and Natural Bristled Brushes
Natural Bristle Brushes

Tend to be slightly more costly than synthetic bristle brushes.

With proper care, stand up to many years of use.

Made from horse hair, goat hair or pig hair that some equestrians believe produces a better end result in horse grooming.

Typically have wooden handles that should not be bleached or left to soak.

Synthetic Bristle Brushes

Available in budget-friendly price points.

Plastic-backed brushes can be soaked in a mixture of bleach and water for cleaning.

Come in a variety of bright color combinations.

Can be used during bath time with no negative effect of the soap on the brush.