How to choose the right curry comb for your horse.
For hundreds of years grooms have used curry combs and brushes to clean a horse's coat.
In the old - pre-plastic - days, a curry was always made of metal, like the one pictured here from the 1800's. Today, we have more options: Meaning we have to make decisions!Which curry comb should you use for your horse?
THE BEST TYPE OF CURRY TO USE ON YOUR HORSE
High-quality synthetic curry comb.
High-quality synthetic material is not simply 'plastic'.
There is some 'method to the madness' and the material is resilient and does not crack. Ideally, it's also not too sticky (Rubber is NOT recommended! Imagine YOU brushing your hair with a rubber brush.... what would your hair look like?) There are generally two types:
1) A softer synthetic curry comb, ideal for sensitive areas, under the belly, on the legs, and between the hind legs, as well as on bony areas (shoulder blade, hip bone).
2) A firmer synthetic curry comb, much resembling the classic metal curry with wavy edges, but a bit more flexible and gentle. Great for all muscled areas and to clean your brush while you are grooming (3 strokes on the horse, then stroke against curry)
LIMITED USE
The rubber curry mitten
This handy and inexpensive tool can be helpful for sensitive areas with little hair:
- The insides if the hind legs
- Canon bones
- Fetlocks.
- Also great to remove caked-on manure under the tail area.
Don't use this mitten on your horse's coat. The sticky friction damages the individual hairs - meaning NO SHINE!
The metal curry
There are two kinds:
1) With sharp teeth - NEVER use on a horse! and
2) With wavy, rounded edges. You can use this metal curry carefully on crusted mud or muscled areas, but never on bony parts such as the shoulder blade.
NEVER USE
The prickly plastic curry.
This cheap monstrosity should never touch a horse's body. The cheap plastic develops microscopic cracks that have razor-sharp edges, which scratch your horse's skin and damage the hair. The result: NO SHINE and possibly skin infections.
IN SHORT:
You want to use a curry comb that
1. Massages the horse's skin without scratching
2. Brings up loose hair, dirt, dust without dulling the coat
3. Does not create static
4. Lasts a long time without developing cracks that can injure your horse or the coat
A high-quality synthetic curry will check all your requirements!
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