7 Best Horse Grooming Brushes: Mane and Tail, Hoof, Body, Deshedding

Horse grooming brushes, unquestionably, make up the most important part of your horse grooming kit. Knowing the best kinds of brushes to use can strongly impact the grooming experience for both, you and your horse.

Several factors must be taken into account before investing in any product and grooming brushes for your horse are no different. The purpose of any purchase is to deliver the best outcome possible and equestrian equipment, in particular, requires proper research and the execution of that research.  

Keeping this in mind, we have prepared a list of the seven best horse grooming brushes for your horse grooming kit so you can save time on your homework.

Best Horse Grooming Brushes That’ll Make Your Life Easier

The horse grooming brushes presented before you have been considered after judging them on several accounts, utility being the first and foremost among them.

1. Oster ECS Mane and Tail Brush

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The maintenance of the mane and tail hair of your horse adds great health and beauty to the animal. The Oster Equine Care Mane and Tail Horse Brush is an essential additive for your horse brush set. It has well-spaced bristles so it doesn’t tug or pull on the hair, avoiding any breakage.

Additionally, the bristles are ball-tipped so it reaches the deeper hair gently, making it an excellent choice for de-tangling. It has a handle that is ergonomically designed so you can hold it comfortably and the rubber provides great grip. It is great for finishing the grooming process and leaves the hair shiny and radiant.

2. Tough 1 Great Grip Mane and Tail Brush

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The Tough-1 Great Grip Mane and Tail Horse Brush is also ergonomically designed to fit your hands perfectly and the rubber gives extra grip. It gets rid of any knots and tangles in your horse’s hair, while gently massaging it with its bumps. It has comb teeth that reach the hair easily and avoid any breakage.

Another great way to avoid breakage of hair is starting from the bottom and working your way up towards the body. This ensures that the brush doesn’t get stuck in any knots or dirt pieces. It is one of the smoothest brushes as well.

3. Happy Horse Mane & Tail Brush

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The Happy Horse brush for mane and tail is a multi-functional brush and its dual purpose accommodates both, horses and dogs. It is gentle on your horse’s hair because of its pin bristles with ball tips. This brush maintains the beauty of the mane and tail by getting rid of tangles and knots easily, without breaking any hair or reducing volume.

You can also use it as a curry comb (which is an essential part of winter horse grooming), keeping the hair clean and massaging the horse simultaneously. The handle is also comfortable to hold and the grip is strong, as well, making it a preferable product to purchase.

4. Oster ECS Soft Grooming Brush

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The special feature of the Oster Equine Care Soft Grooming Horse Brush is that its bristles are soft. They have been made with hog hair and gently massage your horse’s coat. This promotes the release and equal distribution of natural body oils throughout the horse’s skin which this leads to a healthier and shinier coat.

The handle is made of rubber and has contoured sides for a strong grip so you can perform longer and quicker strokes while grooming. It is also very comfortable to hold and doesn’t tire your hand. 

5. Tough Flex Finishing Brush

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The Tough-1 Great Grips Flex Finishing Horse Brush is used to remove dirt particles and dust from your horse’s coat. It has two flexible joints that provide a good grip. Furthermore, it has hand straps that can be adjusted so it adds to the grip and that is a key benefit. This brush is quite flexible and convenient to use.

If you use it in light strokes, it brings out a great shine in the horse’s coat, making it more elegant.

6. J.T. International Horse Brush

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This brush is one of the best choices for your horse’s coat grooming. It is very gentle on the hair and skin and protects from hair fall. The J.T. International Horse Brush is ideal for sensitive horses as it doesn’t cause them any pain.

One of its great features is the hand strap that enables you to hold it easily and firmly. It keeps your horse well-kept and healthy-looking. It is a great investment for your equestrian pursuits and lasts you a good while before you need a replacement.

7. Intrepid Horse & Livestock Prime Soft Rubber Curry Brush

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The Intrepid Horse & Livestock Prime Soft Rubber Curry Brush for Horses has a lot of exciting features. Its design accommodates your horse grooming process in the most convenient way. Speaking of comfort, it comes with a strap that gives you extra grip over the handle and the material is solid rubber.

It is excellent for sensitive horses that are always shedding. This brush gets right into the coat, loosens and lifts the dust and hair, and leaves the coat clean and shiny. You may also use this brush while bathing your horse to get rid of any stubborn dirt particles.

Different Horse Grooming Brushes and Their Functionality

Shop for a horse grooming brush and you’ll come to realize the sheer variety of options you have (our list, above, is a prime example). But, what’s best for you and your horse is for you to know what to buy. And for that, here’s a list of different types of horse grooming brushes and what they’re used for.

If you’d like a complete list of grooming supplies and equipment, you may also want to check out this article.

Curry Combs

Curry combs are usually made of plastic or rubber. When you begin the grooming process, this is the first tool you will use. It has soft rubber teeth on one side and the other is smooth for you to be able to hold it. When you rub on or brush the horse’s coat in a circular motion with a curry comb, the dirt, debris, and shredded hair from the horse’s body come loose. You can eventually get rid of these easily as you proceed with the next grooming steps.

The gentle massaging quality of the curry comb in swift strokes stimulates blood circulation and is very beneficial for the horse’s overall health. The massaging also leads to the production of natural oils in your horse’s skin, leaving it shiny and hydrated. The softness of the rubber varies in different curry combs so you can choose one best suited to your horse’s needs. 

Dandy (Hard) Brushes

Hard brushes are very sturdy. They have stiff and hard bristles. This stiffness depends on the quality. They also purposely come in different levels of coarseness so you can choose one based on how much your horse can take.

Plastic bristles are the most common but they’re also made with rice stems. These brushes can be used in areas that are not too sensitive and accumulate the most dirt like the legs.

They are necessary for intense cleaning because they wear down even the most stubborn of the caked-on dried mud, heavy dirt, and even sweat marks. You should use them along the direction of the horse’s hair growth. They also deal with the dirt stirred up by curry combs.

If moistened with water, they perform as water brushes to wet down the mane, coat, or tail and make them easier to clean. The dandy brush must not be used on the face as it is very harsh.

Soft Brushes

Horse owners typically use soft brushes last, after the curry comb and dandy brush.

Another name for them is ‘finishing brushes’. Their bristles are soft and close together like a face brush’s and are usually made from organic fibers, but the best ones are made out of horsehair. They deal with the finer leftover dirt and dust particles that other brushes can’t reach and grab on to. Their final brushing evenly distributes the released natural oils over the coat and leaves it neat and shiny.

They also smooth out the coat hair after it has been scrubbed. Sweep or flick brushes are also types of soft brushes that have exceptionally long bristles and they flick dirt off your horse when used in short strokes.

Body Brushes

You can use these brushes over the horse’s entire body. Body brushes have a similar look to dandy brushes, except that they have softer and shorter bristles made with natural hair of some sort. We recommend them for smoothing down the coat and bringing natural oils to the surface through massaging. They’re in oval shapes and some of them come with hand straps so they are easier to handle and move around.

Body brushes also help remove dirt and loose hair. Some people use a curry comb along with the body brush for more effective cleaning. When the grooming is complete, they give the horse’s coat a very healthy shine.

You should use the body brush in long and gentle sweeps. The technique is very important. We recommend that you purchase multiple body brushes for specific regions; a softer one for the face and a firmer one for the rest of the body.

Mane and Tail Combs

Combs for the mane and tail are made of either plastic, metal, or rubber. If the teeth are widely spaced, they are gentle on the hair and don’t pull on them. Remember to avoid combs with seams between the teeth because they slice the hair that gets stuck in them. The best quality ones don’t have seams.

You can also spray the tail and mane with a silicone-based detangler before combing them. This resolves any knots and tangles and lets the comb slide through the hair easily. You should start combing from the bottom of the tail or mane and work your way up. This method reduces hair fall and leaves the hair looking thick and voluminous, adding beauty to your horse’s look.

How to Pick the Best Horse Grooming Brushes?

Now that you’re well-versed on the various types of horse grooming brushes, let’s talk a bit about what you should do when you’re in the market looking for brushes for your horse grooming sessions.

Wood vs Plastic

Wooden brushes have a firm grip and this gives you more control over the strokes. A better grip also doesn’t tire your hand and sits comfortably. On the other hand, plastic brushes do not possess this quality but they are more durable. This means that they last you a long time before you need to buy a replacement.

Now it’s up to you to decide which one works best for you.

Synthetic vs Natural Bristles

The material of the bristles majorly affects the quality of a brush. Brushes with synthetic bristles are very affordable and deliver their purpose well. But if you want to make your horse’s coat thicker and lusher, natural bristles are the way to go. These are going to cost you more but they are worth it. 

Price

The price of a product plays a major role in your attitude as a consumer. Every time you make a purchase, we recommend that you search the market and find the best value for your money. You should use the market competitive pricing to your advantage by comparing products and their respective prices.

Effective

When looking for a hose grooming brush to buy, you cannot make a random purchase. You should select the brush depending on your requirements. What part of the horse you want to use the brush for and whether it has the necessary features suitable for that part. 

Handle

The handle should be ergonomically designed to fit your hand perfectly so the brush is comfortable to hold. The grip should be good or it might give your hand a cramp.

FAQs Related to Horse Grooming Brushes

Before we bid farewell, lets answer some of your frequently asked questions.

What is the best horse grooming kit?

The best horse grooming kit has all the body brushes and tools ranging from hoof picks to scrapers and is well organized. The ‘Lincoln Complete grooming kit’ is one of the examples. It contains all the essentials, even hoof oil, and comes with a tack tray. Another excellent kit is the ‘HySHINE Complete Pro grooming bag’. It has a variety of high-quality products and an easy-to-carry bag. The ‘Kramer grooming set’ is also a great choice as it comes with a portable plastic grooming box with a lot of additional space. 

How do you deep clean a horse brush?

The first step of deep cleaning a horse brush is removing the dirt, dust, loose hair, and mud from it. You may brush it with another brush or run a comb through it. The next step is washing the brush with hot, soapy water. The detergent you use should have grease remover in it for better cleaning. Then soak the brush in hot water that has 10 percent bleach or disinfectant added to it for 30 minutes. After this, rinse the brush well with clean water and lay it out on a towel to dry with the bristles facing the ground. 

How often should you clean horse brushes?

The cleanliness of all your grooming tools is necessary for your horse’s health. Brushes in particular require extra care because they easily trap all kinds of dirt. If you don’t pay attention to them, they can cause and spread infections among horses. You should wash your brushes in detergent every week and more often in mud seasons.

You should do an overall light cleaning after each grooming session, of course, but the disinfecting can be less frequent. In case of any contagious diseases or infections, the deep cleaning process is crucial to prevent them from spreading.

How do you brush a horse’s mane and tail?

A brush for mane and a tail comb with bristles that are far apart are perfect for this job. Start by tackling one tangle at a time from the bottom and make sure you are not pulling on the roots of the hair by holding the mane or tail in your other hand. Your strokes should be very slow and smooth, gently working their way through the knots. You should avoid using a brush for the thicker tangles and use your fingers instead.

How often should you brush your horse’s tail?

You shouldn’t brush your horse’s tail too often; once a week is more than enough. If you do it frequently, you will break and pull out a lot of hair and the tail will keep getting thinner. It takes years for each hair strand to grow back to the same length. You may, however, brush the dock of the tail regularly as this promotes blood flow.

What can I give my horse for a shiny coat?

A shiny coat indicates good health for the horse. You can achieve this through a balanced diet with a lot of nutrients containing protein, zinc, copper, and vitamin A. The diet should be rich in liquid oils like soybean or cold-pressed canola oil. Rice bran oil and coconut oil are also great choices. This ensures that the diet contains enough essential fatty acids that directly impact the shine of the coat.

Conclusion

Proper horse grooming enables you to become familiar with your horse’s physical and emotional attributes. If you form a grooming routine suitable to you and your horse, it will be a very productive activity. You will be able to notice lumps, skin irritations, or any other abnormalities at the right moment.

Being entirely prepared for the grooming session requires you to have all your essentials ready and clean. If you have all the required brushes, the experience will be much more pleasant and the process, easier. This will promote a more comfortable and healthy relationship between you and your horse.

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