Horse grooming brushes are used and required by horse owners to keep the animal clean, promote a healthy skin and coat, and enhance a horse's appearance. A grooming supply kit typically contains a selection of different brushes and equipment to clean and care for the animals hooves, which is also considered to be part of the grooming process. Each of the different types of horse grooming brushes has a particular function, which can include removing dry surface dirt, grease, dust, mud, and loose hair as well as grooming or platting the mane.
A dandy brush is used to remove dry surface dirt from a horse's coat. This type of brush has long, stiff bristles which are typically made from synthetic fibers and are normally only used on the horse's body and neck. A groom usually avoids using these horse grooming brushes on the legs and face of the animal, as such stiff bristles can cause the horse some discomfort in such sensitive areas.
A body brush has far softer bristles and usually has a leather strap that the groom inserts his hand into, thereby ensuring a firm grip on the tool. The purpose of these horse grooming brushes is to remove grease and dust from a horse's coat. Unlike a dandy brush, this type can also be used on the face and legs. A body brush and curry comb are two horse grooming brushes that are almost always used in conjunction with each other. A curry comb is a plate of metal containing several rows of serrated teeth that is used to clean the body brush, during grooming, to ensure that any grease and dust residues are not transferred back to the horse's coat. A metal curry comb is never used to directly clean the coat.
A mane comb is used to groom the horse's mane and tail. This tool can be constructed from metal of rubber, however, a metal mane comb is the most common used to pull, or trim, the mane. When platting the mane and tail of the animal, a mane comb is always used.
Although only used on the hooves, a hoof pick is also considered an important tool in a kit of horse grooming brushes. This is a metal, hand-held hook — usually approximately 8 to 9 inches (20.3 to 22.9 cm) in length. A groom will use a hoof pick to remove mud, debris, and stones from the inside of the hoof.