Grooming
Article
Spring Cleaning? Don't forget Sheath Cleaning
One veterinarian offers some tips on an often overlooked but extremely important task: sheath cleaning.
Photo by Erica Larson, News Editor
Article
Once-Over Grooming
Grooming gives you visual and tactile information about your horse's health.
Photo by Megan Arszman, TheHorse.com Web Producer
Article
Spring Cleaning? Don't forget Sheath Cleaning
May 14, 2013
One veterinarian offers some tips on an often overlooked but extremely important task: sheath cleaning.... Read More
Article
Post-Body Clipping Hives
June 01, 2012
Can clipping horses' body hair off for the winter cause hives? And are there any remedies?... Read More
Article
Dirty or Shy?
October 10, 2011
I rescued a gelding earlier this year, and I have noticed he has some weird tendencies when urinating.... Read More
Article
Once-Over Grooming
July 01, 2011
Grooming gives you visual and tactile information about your horse's health.... Read More
Article
A Sticky Situation: Getting Tar Off Your Horse
August 01, 2010
I painted some boards with tar rather than black paint. Of course my bay and white Pinto mare got some in her ... Read More
Article
Sunburn and Photosensitivity in Horses
August 01, 2010
Like humans, horses are susceptible to sunburn, especially on the non-pigmented pink-skinned areas of the body. The skin condition photosensitization (a sensitivity to sun exposure) is different from sunburn in that it often affects both pigmented... Read More
Article
Focus on Health: The External Horse
August 01, 2010
Maintaining of a horse's hair coat takes a lot of energy, protein, and certain trace elements and minerals. ... Read More
Article
Fly Spray Effects Vary by Insect, Application
March 18, 2010
How well a fly spray kills certain insects depends on the species of the insect and length of application. ... Read More
Article
Link Between Facial Hair Whorls and Horse 'Handedness' Reported
June 23, 2008
Irish researchers identified a unique link between equine motor laterality, or "handedness," and specific characteristics of facial hair whorls (trichoglyphs): right-handed horses had significantly more clockwise whorls whereas whorls were more... Read More
Article
Groom Carefully as Tick Season Fires Up
May 12, 2008
Everyone wants their horses to be healthy. Ticks are carriers of Lyme disease, for which there is no currently licensed equine vaccine available. Pay careful attention to your horses and monitor them for ticks. Lyme disease can also occur in humans, ... Read More
Article
Grooming Products
May 01, 2008
Good management is as important as good products when caring for your horse's coat, mane, and tail.... Read More
Article
Readers Respond: Battling Rain Rot
March 13, 2008
Nearly 1,600 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "Has your horse had rain rot?" <P... Read More
Article
Clipper Blade Myths and Folklore
February 01, 2005
First, let me explain how this whole thing started. I am a sharpener who does clipper blades, scissors, and clipper repairs for professional groomers, home groomers, colleges, beauticians, etc. Basically, I work for anybody who uses these tools.... Read More
Article
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
November 01, 2004
When it comes to winter coats, most of us think of the long hairs that end up down our shirts, up our noses, in our mouths and eyes, and all over the floor during springtime shedding. However, there's more to a winter coat than shedding... Read More
Article
Horse Care in the Fall
September 28, 2004
Fall deworming is important; winter is usually when internal parasites do the most damage and rob the horse of vital nutrients. By fall the worm eggs and larvae eaten during spring and summer have matured and are living in the digestive tract unless ... Read More
Article
Hong Kong Trainer Contends Shampoo Contained Banned Substance
May 22, 2003
According to an Associated Press story on bloodhorse.com, a top Hong Kong horse trainer ridiculed a doping charge against him after officials found the banned substance in a shampoo handed out... Read More
Article
AAEP 2002: Kester News Hour
February 03, 2003
Probably the best-attended session of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) annual convention, the Kester News Hour provides brief reports of studies that were too new or too brief to be included in the longer scientific... Read More
Article
Clipping the Coat
October 01, 2002
As the days grow shorter, the diminishing sunlight triggers your horse to grow a winter coat. This built-in prompt means he is certain to grow a coat no matter what climate he lives in, warm or cold. It's an amazing protective device for your... Read More
Article
Beauty IS Skin Deep
May 01, 2002
You've been training and practicing for months. Your mare is right where you want her to be, and now it's time to get to the show and give her a chance to strut her stuff. But you can't just show up at the show like you do when you... Read More
Article
Grooming Your Horse: Deep Down Clean
June 01, 2001
Daily grooming also gives you a chance to detect and monitor any injuries or other health problems such as cuts, skin infections, allergic reactions, thrush, etc. Finding health problems early gives you the best chance of treating them successfully.... Read More
Article
Clip and Bathe Safely
April 01, 2001
Wouldn't it be nice if clipping and bathing your horse were as simple as giving yourself a shave and a shampoo? You'd be done in 15 minutes or less, with no fuss and no frustration. But for many horse owners, clipping and bathing are among the... Read More
Article
Grooming For Health
September 01, 2000
Regular grooming promotes good health. This hands-on process goes far beyond just making the horse "look pretty." Genuine grooming combines energetic scrubbing, all-over polishing, conscientious inspection, and consistent protection in a series... Read More
Article
Safe Use of Grooming Products
June 01, 1999
Explore lotions, creams, and ointments, along with grooming tools and beauty wraps you use on your horse.... Read More
Article
Spring Tune-Up
March 01, 1999
We are ready for a new season of fun riding or competing. The question that must be answered at this point is this: How ready are our horses? In some cases, the answer is that they are kept ready all year long. ... Read More
Article
Massage While You Groom
September 01, 1998
How much time per day do you spend grooming your horse? It probably varies between a minimum of five minutes to sometimes as long as 30 minutes, depending on what needs to be done. Over the months and years, this time adds up to a... Read More
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Farm Call: Your Questions Answered
Post-Body Clipping Hives
Q. My horse was body clipped this winter so he could dry more quickly after being bathed. He developed a case of hives within a few weeks after clipping. Can clipping horses' body hair off for the winter cause hives? And are there any remedies?
Dirty or Shy?
Q. I rescued a gelding earlier this year, and I have noticed he has some weird tendencies when urinating. I haven't seen him drop his penis, and when he urinates he just pees and then he starts to walk away while still urinating. Is this normal?
A Sticky Situation: Getting Tar Off Your Horse
Q. I painted some boards with tar rather than black paint. Of course my bay and white Pinto mare got some in her mane and on the white part of her neck. She has very sensitive skin. How can I remove the tar from her hair coat and skin safely?
