Grooming for your Horse

There is this human-centric belief that “horses love to be groomed” – but it really isn’t the case. It has been found that most horses studied did NOT like being groomed. It can be a disrespectful invasion of their personal space.

MANY of our horses who work with the public are kinda “over it” when it comes to grooming. To them grooming either means “work is coming” or “invasion of privacy and excessive fondling by strangers.”

It is really important to learn not just HOW to groom but learn how THIS HORSE wants you to groom them.
Many horses will say what touches they like you or do not like you to do. But just because they say they don’t like what you’re doing doesn’t mean that they don’t like being groomed.

It could mean:

• – They don’t like YOU doing that! They don’t feel like you are at that level in their relationship that you would be allowed to groom that spot. Some horses see grooming as a very intimate experience and they don’t like letting just anyone touch them.
• – They don’t like HOW you are doing that! Maybe you’re doing it too fast, too slow, too hard, too soft and ticklish, too spastic… and they want you to change how you’re doing it and continue.
• – They don’t like it RIGHT NOW, but maybe would another time. Maybe they are tired, or frustrated, or excited or feeling sensitive right now. Maybe the room is too loud and distracting.

What you will find is that it isn’t necessarily that they don’t like being touched there ever!! There is so much to the context of touching your horse and reading your horse.