It is very important to groom horses before riding, as sand between the saddle and its back can cause sores.
Imagine having a layer of sand between a saddle and skin for a one-hour, two-hour, three-hour ride... Ewwww.... sand paper! Hey, no wonder some Icelandics bolt! Let me wear your running shoes on the beach and then you put them on without taking the sand out, and run a few K's. >From Jennifer Allbright: After picking all four feet, take a rubber curry comb and brush all over the body in a circular motion. Avoid the lower legs and head since these are bony areas and need gentler brushing. The currying brings dust, dirt, and dead skin to the top surface of the coat so that it can be brushed away. Some horses enjoy a good strong currying, and some horses hate it, so try to be gentle at first. To clean the curry comb, tap it against a fence post to make the dirt fall off. Next, use a body brush to brush off the loose dirt and hair. Brush in the direction of the hair growth to smooth the hair as you brush. Flick the brush at the end of the brush stoke to try to get all the dirt removed from the coat. Occasionally, you will need to clean the brush fibers by brushing them across the curry comb. Finally, follow up with a soft brush to further smooth the hair and spread the natural oils along the coat. This is what makes horses shine. You can also carefully brush the lower legs and face with the soft brush. Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
