My tall, dark and handsome Thoroughbred Knight is a delicate flower. I can barely comb his mane without his head flying up into the air. He is not a fan of rigorous grooming, which makes things a challenge, during mud season which is now upon us. I’m so glad I discovered these grooming brushes and tools for sensitive horses.
Disclosure: Epona sent me a few items to try after I discovered the Glossy Groomer, and reached out to them sharing I was a fan of the brush. The non-Epona brushes mentioned here I’ve used for years.
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It All Started in Ireland. . .
It all started in a tack shop in Ireland during an Irish riding holiday. I’m not a huge souvenir-buyer, but one of my co-travelers saw the Epona Glossy Groomer, a shiny gray curry, and commented how it’s THE best brush. I picked it up and put it on my hand as though I were about to groom a horse. It was comfortable and easy to hold on to.
Unlike the hard rubber curry combs of yesteryear, this curry was kinder and gentler. Instead of zig zag teeth, this had bendable nubs.
“I like it, and it will pack well!” I thought and made my way to the cashier.
I wasn’t the only one who liked this modern curry comb, the Glossy Groomer.
Knight didn’t mind it at all.
It’s a great grooming tool for a sensitive horse because it’s soft and bendy, but lifts off grime very well. It’s so soft you can even use it on your horse’s legs and face!
Best Brush for Sensitive Manes
Next up, I tried the Epona Queen’s Brush–a brush for manes and tails. The brush itself–the part you hold onto and the circular paddle is also flexible. It doesn’t pull tangled hair, it just smooths right on through.
Although the shape is similar to the mane and tail brush I had been using, Epona’s Queen’s Brush is world’s apart.
Knight is sensitive by his poll (he cribs), and I can now–with the Epona Queen’s Brush–glide through his thick mane even near his poll with no head tossing. If he’s chomping hay, he continues to chomp hay, completely unaffected by the brushing.
Grooming Brushes for Sensitive Horses: Removing Caked on Mud
Knight loves to roll, and in spring and fall I often arrive at the barn and he greets me wearing caked on mud on one side–neck, barrel, back and legs. I used to use a metal curry–veeery, very gently on him, but it had its limitations. It’s heavy and it is bulky in my brush tote.
Next I discovered the Epona Classic Wood Curry Brush. This small, smooth wooden curry features extra-long, durable bristles. I can curry away thick, caked on mud quickly–much faster than with an old-school hard metal curry. The bristles pop out from a flexible rubber base whichallows the them to flex and comfortably connect along all of Knight’s contours.
I was worried the small brush would be hard to hold in my hand, but it is not. And better yet, I can brush the Epona Classic Wood Curry all over Knight’s dried coat of mud and it comes up quickly. Like seriously I can do one whole side of my 16.3 horse in about a minute.
I follow this up with my Tiger’s Tongue Horse Groomer. The Tiger’s Tongue is a lightweight sponge that “licks” away the last remaining granules of dirt. It’s another grooming product for sensitive horses that can be used all over the body–even the face. This is another easy-to-hold Epona product, and it can be used wet or dry. I like how much “territory” it covers in one sweep as I glide it all along my horse.
When Knight is been really muddy, I now use the Classic Wood Curry and follow it up with the Tiger’s Tongue and progress next onto a medium bristled brush. I really like the KBF99 Body Brush (click here to read the body bush review)
Say Goodbye to Dust & Saddle Marks
When Knight is clean, but has a thin film of dust remaining there are a couple of options: I use a damp microfiber cloth to remove the dust or I use my Haas Diva brush which I am totally obsessed with!
One last tip: when you are done riding and you need to remove a sweaty saddle mark (but it’s too cold for a bath), the Ulta-Mitt, also by Epona Products, is a gamechanger. It’s yet another easy-to-use product which can be used all over the horse’s body–even sensitive areas. A little bit of rubbing over the area where the saddle was in place and the sweat marks are erased.
In conclusion, these are several grooming brushes for sensitive horses like my Thoroughbred Knight. They will be perfect for any horse really. Besides cleanliness, I’m reminded of the benefit of grooming your horse or pony from one of my favorite horse books: Misty of Chincoteague. When you groom your horse, it’s a way to bond with him or her, just like Paul and Maureen Beebe did in the beloved Misty series.
Finally, one of the things I learned in my research is that the founder/owner of Epona Products started creating the line specifically to have grooming tools for her sensitive Thoroughbred. I really like that concept–an equestrian small business born out of trying to problem solve for one’s own horse. Smart and practical!
Leave a Comment: What do you use as grooming brushes for sensitive horses? If your horse isn’t sensitive, what brushes or grooming tools do you like?
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I'm Susan and this is my horse Knight. We have been a blogging team since 2015 and we're glad you're here. Tally ho!
