• Scrub brush for removing mud from your horse (and thereby saving your better, more expensive brushes for finish grooming).
  • Plastic kitchen scouring pads (“scruffy pads”) for removing dried sweat and mud from thin-skinned equines.
  • Cheap, yard-sale towels for a zillion uses, including final grooming/polishing, applying fly spray to faces, rubbing alcohol on legs, wiping slimy bits, and keeping dust and mold off tack.
  • Turkey basters for rinsing mouths and cleaning sheaths.
  • Turkey-basting brush for applying hoof conditioner.
  • Empty dishwashing-liquid bottles for applying liniment.
  • Disposable razors for removing bot eggs.
  • Vaseline for polishing faces.
  • Baby oil for cleaning sheaths and udders, and detangling manes and tails.
  • Hair brushes, especially heavy rubber ones, for grooming manes and tails.
  • Hairspray and gel for taming flyaway mane hairs.
  • Unscented, alcohol-free baby wipes for cleaning the inner ear, around the eyes, in the nostrils, and under the tail.
  • Large, heavy-duty plastic detergent bottle for a horse toy. (Fill with pebbles, cap tightly, and hang in your horse’s stall.)
  • Lightly sweetened breakfast cereal for horse treats.
  • Utility knife, hung near your hay storage area (always with the blade retracted), for quick-and-easy hay-bale opening.

This article first appeared in the May 2001 issue of Horse & Rider magazine.

What did you think of this article?

Thank you for your feedback!

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Horse&Rider provides all you need for today’s Western horse life. Learn from top professional trainers, clinicians, and horsekeeping experts.

Related Articles

Pair of horses grooming each other

Meet the Needs of the Whole Horse

Your horse can certainly benefit your mental health. Make sure you're meeting the needs of the whole horse, including his mental well-being.
Read Now
Young Horse Crib-Biting on a Fence

Curb the Habit: Understand and Address Cribbing

Horses may crib for a variety of reasons but it can be indicative of deeper problems. We talked with an expert to get the lowdown on cribbing.
Read Now
Cowgirl washing horse off with hose on hot day

Defeat Dirt With These Equine Spa Day Tips

You have your equine bathing routine to a science, but don’t forget to take these things into consideration, next time you drag out the hose.
Read Now