Summer grooming tips and tricks you wish you knew sooner

A gleaming summer coat doesn’t happen by accident – heat, flies, sweat and long days in the field all take their toll.

But a few targeted adjustments to your horse grooming routine can protect your horse’s skin and coat, sharpen their appearance, and help you catch small problems before they escalate. Here are 9 summer grooming tips and tricks to help your horse gleam.

1. Start with clean tools

A grubby horse grooming kit can do more harm than good, as a brush clogged with hair and dust will redistribute dirt straight back into the coat. Clean tools lift the coat properly and leave a far clearer finish.

After each session, run a metal curry comb through your brushes to remove debris. Every few weeks, give them a proper wash in warm, soapy water – dip the bristles in water, ensuring that for wood-backed or natural-bristled brushes, the wood does not get soaked to prevent warping or damage to the glue. Leave them to fully dry with the bristles down before putting them away.

2. Stimulate circulation

Learning how to groom a horse effectively makes all the difference – and this time of year, it especially helps to manage shedding, keeping loose hairs off tack.

Start with a rubber curry comb, working it in firm, circular motions across the body and legs. This loosens mud and hair, helping the natural oils to move through the coat, stimulating blood flow.

Follow up with a body brush to remove surface dirt and draw out dust and grease from deeper in the coat. The two tools work as a pair: one loosens, one lifts.

3. Mane and tail magic

Brush out dried mud before tackling knots. If the mane or tail is tangled, apply a little detangler, then start from the bottom and work up in sections. If you plan to plait, however, go easy on the detangler, as it will make the hair too slippery to grip.

Staying on top of tangles prevents the sort of matting that takes hours to undo later. Cleaning combs prevents old dirt from being worked back into the hair.

4. Tackling stubborn stains

Grey horse owners will know the particular frustration of stable and grass stains. But rather than reaching for the hose, try a more targeted approach first. Over-bathing strips the coat’s natural oils, so spot-cleaning is nearly always the better option.

A little bit of conditioner sponged onto dried mud softens the hair and allows it to brush out cleanly. Finish with a soft brush to lay the coat flat.

For white socks that need brightening, a purple-toned shampoo is a useful addition to your kit. For grey tails, a tiny amount of mild washing-up liquid can help shift heavy staining – but use it sparingly, keeping strictly to the hair below the dock and rinse thoroughly. It will strip oils if overused.

5. The hot cloth finish

The hot cloth technique is the professional groom’s secret for a sparkling, mirror-like shine – but it isn’t just for the showring. A hot cloth removes the fine dust left behind by brushing, bringing out a natural shine. It feels good for the horse, too. Just dip a microfibre cloth in hot water – as hot as is comfortable to put your hand in – with a drop of baby oil, wring it out until nearly dry, then wipe over the horse. You want the steam to lift the grease, not soak the coat.

6. Grooming as a health check

Your horse grooming session is often where subtle problems first show up. So, as you work, pay attention to any heat beneath your hands, patches of dryness, lumps, or areas where your horse reacts to pressure.

Treat dryness promptly with a moisturising spray or aloe-based gel. Coat condition also reflects hydration, so constant access to fresh, clean water is essential all year round.

Don’t forget the hooves. Hard summer ground can cause dryness and cracking, so check for any signs of splitting. If you use hoof oil, apply sparingly for appearance rather than relying on it to alter moisture levels.

7. Feed for shine

A shiny, healthy coat starts from the inside. If your horse’s coat seems dull or dry despite regular grooming, it could be a sign that their diet needs a tweak. Good grazing helps, but some horses benefit from a little extra support.

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can be worth considering, either as linseed oil (100-150ml per day for an average horse) or as part of a balanced supplement. If you’re not sure where to start, ask an equine nutritionist or vet for targeted recommendations, rather than adding multiple products at random.

8. Smarter fly defence

Flies and midges are a constant presence during the summer months, but you needn’t always reach for the strongest spray on the shelf.

For everyday use, you can make a homemade fly spray for horses by mixing a blend of lavender or citronella oil diluted in water. Keep it weak (approx. 5-10 drops in 500ml) and always patch-test first. Apply after grooming a horse and dab around the face with a cloth rather than spraying directly. Fly masks can help, too. For horses with pink skin or light markings, fly rugs or sprays with UV protection offer extra summer safety.

If your horse is prone to sweet itch this time of year, stay on top of it. Persistent mane or tail rubbing is often the first sign. Early action – e.g. fly rugs, appropriate repellents and veterinary advice where needed – makes life far easier than trying to manage a flare-up later.

9. Let turnout do some of the work

Turnout plays a bigger role in coat health than we sometimes credit. Horses allowed to roll in dry, sandy areas naturally loosen and shed old hair in a way that no brush can replicate.

On warm days, removing rugs where appropriate lets the skin breathe and prevents unnecessary sweat build-up. Short, regular horse grooming sessions after exercise will also stop sweat from drying into the coat and dulling it over time.