Grooming Certification written portion
Vocabulary: Fetlock Joint The lowest joint on a horse s leg, located directly above the pastern. Similar to an ankle. Pastern A short bone on a horses leg in between the hoof and the fetlock joint. Coronary band Area on a horses leg where the hair stops and hoof growth begins. Located between the pastern and hoof.
Vocabulary Thrush A fungal infection that occurs in the hoof caused by wet, muddy or unsanitary conditions. The most obvious symptoms include a strong odor when picking the hoof and black flaky or crumbly material coming from the frog area of the hoof. Frog A triangular section of a horse s hoof that acts as shock absorbers for the horse. The frog is sensitive and only the brush side of the hoof pick should be used to clean it. Hind Quarters The back third of a horse s body. The hindquarters are the motor of the horse and include the haunches and back legs.
3 Reasons to Groom: Keep them Clean Grooming our horses regularly keeps their coats healthy and helps prevent thrush & fungus Check for Injuries Grooming is an excellent time to check a horse for any cuts, fungus, soreness or swelling. Create a Bond Grooming a horse helps create trust and a bond between human and horse.
Grooming Tools Rubber Curry Comb This brush is used to bring all the loose dirt and hair to the surface. Metal Curry Comb This brush is used to get off dried mud and loose hair when a horse is shedding.
Grooming Tools Hard Brush This brush is used to brush off all the loose hair and dirt from the horse s body. Soft Brush This brush is used to brush all the loose hair and dirt off the body & Legs of the horse. Hoof Pick This is used to clean out dirt and rocks from the horses hoofs.
Grooming Show each tool to the horse before using, so he knows what to expect. Work from hardest to soft curry comb, hard brush, soft brush. Start with the rubber curry comb. Brush in circles starting at the neck and working towards the hindquarters Do not curry legs, withers or any other bony part. Use the hard brush in a stroking motion to remove all the loose dirt. Start at the neck and work your way down to the hind quarters brushing with the grain of the hair and avoid legs, withers, & other bony places. Next use the soft brush in a flicking motion and it is okay to brush legs, withers, & other bony places.
Grooming Use the metal curry when there is dried mud on the horse or during shedding times. Brush softly with the grain of the hair. Avoid all bony places. Use the face brush to gently brush the horses cheeks and forehead. Do not brush the eyes, muzzle or ears. Do not use any brush but the face brush on the horses face.
Picking up a Hoof Stand by the horse s left shoulder with your feet facing the horse s tail. Run your hand down the outside of the horse s leg starting at the shoulder. Slide your hand to the inside above the knee, squeeze on the chestnut, until he lifts his hoof, then slide your hand down his leg as he lifts his foot. Grab and support the horse s foot by placing your hand where the hair meets the hoof (the coronary band.)
NOTE: **Make sure your feet are in line with your shoulders so that if the horse puts his hoof down he doesn t step on you** **If the horse won t pick up his hoof, tap gently with your foot on his hoof** **Once the horse picks up the hoof, immediately slide your hand down and hold where the hoof and hair meet.**
Picking out a Hoof generally counterclockwise! Start with the front left hoof, then move onto the back left Next do the right back hoof and then the right front hoof.
Picking out a Hoof 1st: Use the pick side of the hoof pick to clean out the grooves beside the frog 2nd: Use the brush side of the hoof pick to brush off all extra dirt 3rd: Gently place the hoof back on the ground. Watch out for your toes. *If the horse pulls the hoof away from you, pick it up and put it down, even if you were finished cleaning it.
NOTE: Our horses sometimes have a difficult time picking up their hooves. Hold the hoof lower to the ground and give them a second to balance before you start picking out the hoof.
Things to Look For 1. Make sure you get all rocks and dirt out of the hoof. 2. If you notice thrush, inform the Barn Manager. 3. Inform the Barn Manager if the horse acts like he is in pain when you pick out the hoof. 4. When picking out back hooves, the horse will usually lift his leg a little higher then the front and it will sometimes take longer to get balanced. Allow them to relax and lower the leg, don t try to pull it down. Do not be alarmed if the horse lifts quickly, just keep your hand on the leg and try again. If you back away, it teaches the horse that you will jump away if the hoof is lifted quickly!!
The Two Most Important Places To Groom: The Back The back is where the saddle sits, and if not groomed appropriately before the saddle is put on, it could irritate or hurt the horse. The Girth This is the area directly behind the horses front legs on the belly. It is important to groom the girth because that is where the cinch will go, and if not groomed appropriately, it could irritate or hurt the horse.
There are two ways to safely walk behind a horse when grooming it 6 feet or 6 inches Walk behind the yellow line Walk directly behind the horse Remember to walk all the way behind the yellow line when going around the horse. Before you walk behind the horse talk to him so he knows you are there and put your hand on his hindquarters. When helping a student groom, you must always have him/her walk behind the yellow line with you in between the student and the horse. Keep your hand on the horse and cross to the other side of horse. Stay as close to the horse as possible.
Safety Rules Do not groom horses unless given permission from the Barn Manager If a horse becomes startled or makes you nervous, move away immediately and inform the barn manager.
Extra Credit Try to memorize all the parts of the horse
THANK YOU! Please complete this short quiz and bring it with you to the barn! Thank you for volunteering your time and energy. Courage Reins could not run without volunteers like you! Quiz