How to Manage Your Pony's Shedding Coat

with Catherine Shelley

NCAS EA SSTA/ CE Level 2 General Coach, NCAS Level 1 RDA Coach, Dip. of TB racing - Melton Equestrian accredited with EA Ready, Set, Trot program.

As summer approaches, you'll notice your pony's thick, woolly coat beginning to shed. This natural process can make them quite itchy, leading them to rub and scratch against trees or their shelter. While some choose to clip their pony's coat, you can help them shed more comfortably by giving them a thorough grooming. This not only aids in their coat's shedding but also provides a wonderful opportunity to bond with your pony. The more time you spend grooming, the more your pony will enjoy your company.

I find that a rubber curry comb is just as good as anything else on the market and by now you would most likely have one in your grooming kit; so no need for any extra expense.

FIND AN EMPTY BUCKET

A good tip, is to have on hand an empty bucket to put all the dead hair into; thus keeping the area neat and tidy, free of all the loose hair that would otherwise blow and float all over the place; and believe me there will be a lot of hair that will come away from your pony at this time of year.

WEAR A WINDPROOF JACKET

Another suggestion is put on a plastic windproof jacket; as by the end of your grooming session, your top will look like it has grown a winter coat. Wearing a face mask will also stop hair from going up your nose.

GROOMING KIT

Before going to catch your pony, it is a good idea to have your grooming kit placed and ready at the tie up area. Once you have tied your pony up and removed the rug (if they are wearing one), get to work.

PICK OUT HORSE’S FEET

Before I do any grooming of my horse’s body, I always pick my horse’s feet out; as this gives me the opportunity to check over my horse’s shoes and hooves.

CURRY COMB

Then, begin with your curry comb, in a circular motion, to loosen the hair; a good place to start is around the wither area, as ponies always love a good scratch there. Or, you can begin on the top of his rump. You can use your rubber curry comb all over their body; but be gentle, when you are near their more sensitive areas; such as head, flank and underbelly. If they have their ears back and giving you a mean look, you are rubbing them too hard; on the other hand if they lift their head and moves their lips around, or even curls their lip up, that is a sure sign that they are really enjoying the grooming session. Don’t be alarmed if they try to give you a bit of a groom with their mouth either, as it is their way of saying thank you.

STRIP THE COAT

Once you have loosened up the hairs on their coat, you can then start to strip the coat out by using a downward stroke - as seen in the photo above. This will take the dead hair out and you can place in your bucket again so it doesn’t blow around all over the place. You will be amazed by the amount of hair that will come out.

BRUSH THEIR BODY

After completing your curry combing, finish off by going over them with a body brush; this will help to lay the coat back down and remove any dirt from their coat; at the same time, dust and skin flakes, that may have also come up to the surface of their coat, can be also brushed away.

MANE AND TAIL

Importantly, don’t forget to give the mane and tail a good brush, as loose hair, dust and dirt can build up there also. I always spray a bit of “No-Nots,” which can be purchased from your local saddler, on first and before I start with the brush; in particular, it helps with the curly tangles in the mane and tail.

RUG CARE

If your pony has been wearing a rug during the winter months, a good practice is to turn it inside out and place it over a fence to let it air, when you take the rug off. You can also use your curry comb, to remove any hair that has built up on the inside of the rug.

CLEAN YOUR BRUSHES

After any grooming session, always clean your brushes before putting your grooming kit away; as there is nothing worse than dirty hairy brushes in your grooming kit. Don’t forget to wash your hands well when you have completed your grooming activity and put your newly groomed and happy pony back in their paddock.

Looking for a pony of your own? Check out these ponies for sale!

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