No matter how you use your horse, you want to enhance his natural good looks and keep his "outside" healthy. With a companion animal or sport horse, you also assume the role of equine beautician. Even if your horse never enters a show ring, you could be a big-time consumer of grooming aids. You can choose among hundreds of products, in the bottles, tubes, and cans packed on the shelves of your tack shop. Which ingredients do you want on your horse?

We’ll explore the lotions, creams, and ointments you wipe, spray, or brush onto hair and hoof, along with grooming tools and beauty wraps. Although the substances might boast therapeutic benefits, they aren’t in the same category as medications. And realize that even though these are cosmetic concoctions, anything you use on your horse can lead to harm.

Off The Shelf And Into Action

To groom your horse, you aim to clean, condition, polish, and protect his coat, skin, and hooves. Cleaning comes first. Before you reach for topical solutions, you clean with traditional grooming tools–curry, body brush, or a textured cloth. These hand tools remove dirt and scurf from hair and skin through pressure and friction. The massaging and stroking stimulate circulation