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Discussion on Doesn't like grooming
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Member:
cgby1
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 - 3:46 pm:
I brought home a mare the beginning of last March. We got her settled in, the training is coming along very well but one thing I have not been able to improve is that she shows displeasure about being brushed. My other horses love to be brushed and show great pleasure. I use only soft brushes and my oster soft rubber curry (the one with lots of soft pins) but she lays her ears back and swishes her tail. Her skin looks healthy and she does not act hormonal so I am at a loss to what could cause her to act like this.
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Member:
chance1
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 - 4:39 pm:
Hi Cynthia,
I have a gelding who seems to hate being brushed. He used to hate it so much I had to cross tie him so he couldn't bite me, and he tried and succeeded on occasion! He too has a wonderful, healthy coat. What I found that worked was using a hair brush...yes, with the stiff, plastic bristles with the little plastic knobs on the end! He also LOVES being scratched and getting shots. He HATES the soft brushes and curry, but loves the hair brush. Go figure. I'll be interested to see what others have to say. Some told me that chestnuts have sensitive skin and that was the problem, but the hair brush seems to contradict that!
Happy Holidays! Ruth
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Member:
cgby1
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 - 5:21 pm:
Hi Ruthi,
She is a chestnut and I thought that she is sensitive but I never heard that it is related to her color. I will try the type of brush you mentioned but she doesn't have a long coat here in Southern California. She doesn't even care to be stroked with my hand, the only places she kind of likes being scratched is under her jaw, around her ears and a little by her withers.
Cynthia
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Member:
erika
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 - 6:26 pm:
Hmm, my chestnut mare is not too crazy about brushing either. But she likes to be scratched in strategic places.
Ruthi, I think you may be on to something. Maybe the soft brushes aren't scratchy enough!
Erika
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Member:
cgby1
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 - 6:48 pm:
When I first got her she had a lot of dried mud on her winter coat (slightly longer than it is now) and I tried to use a stiffer brush. She acted the same way so I figured softer brushes would be better. I didn't make any difference. I ended up giving her a bath a week later when it warmed up. The first picture was taken at her previous home.
Cynthia
 
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Member:
erika
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 - 7:09 pm:
I remember when you got her. I really like her looks--Thoroughbred?
Erika
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Member:
cgby1
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 - 8:12 pm:
Yes, that's what I was told. They said that they got her from a thoroughbred rescue but that she had never been raced. She doesn't have a lip tatoo or brand and she has a dished profile. We are working on dressage and I hope to take her to some schooling shows next spring or summer. Her neck and croup have improved plus she has filled out some. I have been working on her tail to get it longer and thicker but it is slow going.
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Member:
pattyb
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 - 8:38 pm:
OMG...I thought I had the only horse that doesn't like to be brushed!!! My Arab/Paint gelding (the moody one) hates soft brushes...but tolerates a wire slicker brush as long as I don't use it on his legs. I use a dusting mitt for his legs and sneak it down his back when he's in a good mood. And yes, he loves a back scratch. Curious to see your other replies.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 - 9:17 pm:
Some horses do have really sensitive skin. I've found that using those grooming brick (like a course pumice stone) work good and they also like the mitts you use to scrub them when washing, those kind of rubbery ones with the rough scrubby stuff on them, not the ones with teeth. Also, hands rubbing on them.
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 17, 2008 - 7:04 am:
I had the same thought Sara did, try one of those nubby mitts for horses or dogs.
Also, is it possible she associates grooming with being worked afterwards? Does she act negative in any way when being tacked up? Does she act that way being groomed in different areas, like loose outside? What if you rub her under her jaws first, then move on to other areas of her body and do this while she is loose? Maybe scratch, give a treat, scratch, groom her neck, back to under her jaws, etc.?
I've owned 3 chestnuts:
A saddlebred who you could brush with a wire brush, an Arab who tolerated brushing but would let you know by her body language what/where she wanted brushing, and my Friesian/Morgan mix, who loves brushing but is my most sensitive skinned horse.
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 17, 2008 - 8:17 am:
Massaging is not the same as brushing yet it seems to be a good bridging process for horses who resent being groomed.
My mare is also chestnut and, although she loves her head and crest being groomed and generally fussed with, she's not too keen when it comes to her back and girth/belly area.
I've found what I think is a very helpful, user-friendly website which provides short videos for massaging different areas of the horse, and I've been trying it out for about a week. At first she was a little suspicious, but now she really enjoys the muscles over her quarters being massaged, hangs her head, licks and chews, and I've extended it to her back and ribs without meeting with any signs of displeasure.
See what you think of the website: oops - been interrupted - I'll post it when I get back!
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Member:
pattyb
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 17, 2008 - 10:15 am:
Hanging on your every word LL.....waiting for you to come back, sounds very interesting.
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 17, 2008 - 1:12 pm:
Hang on no more ... here it is!
https://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/7193_equine-massage-preparation.htm
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Member:
pattyb
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 17, 2008 - 8:53 pm:
woooo hoooo LL, that looks very interesting, I'll have to dig into it when I'm off on Sunday. Look out  Zigman!
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Member:
cgby1
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Posted on Friday, Dec 19, 2008 - 4:57 pm:
Thanks for all the ideas, I will give them a try. If I go out in the pasture with a brush my other three will want a turn and than I can find out if she is associating grooming with work. It may even help her realize how enjoyable it can be. I am going to watch the videos on equine massage, I know that is a good thing to learn anyway. I will try using the rubber mitt as well to see if she likes it.
Cynthia
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