How to Buy a Horse Grooming Kit

Buy a tack box or bucket. Something with lots of compartments will help you stay organized, sturdy plastic will stand up to heavy wear-and-tear, and a comfortable handle makes toting your grooming kit to and from the tack room a breeze.

Choose an array of brushes. An extra-soft, soft-bristled brush is good for the face, a soft- or medium-bristled brush works well for the body, and a stiff-bristled brush helps get knots out of the mane and tail.

Find a rubber massager. These items work two ways: as a deep scrubber for getting out embedded dirt from the coat, and as a massager. Most are the size of your palm or have a handle that slips over your hand.

Get a hoof pick, either in simple metal or with a thick, plastic handle and stiff bristles to scrub away dirt and mud. Every time before you ride or turn your horse out, you should pick her hooves.

Spray bottles come in handy for mixing mane and tail conditioners, spritzing water, and quick cleanups.

Keep fly spray available for keeping the fly population to a minimum. You can also find packets of moist wipes impregnated with fly spray that are great to use around your horse's eyes, muzzle, and other sensitive areas.

Have a supply of rubber bands. These are great for braiding manes or tails.

Gather a small first aid kit consisting of betadine scrub for washing out wounds, antibiotic ointment to protect from infection, gauze pads to cover wounds, some sort of wrap to keep the gauze in place, and pain medication such as bute.

Add a small collection of safety pins, sunscreen, hair ties, leather ties, a flat-head screwdriver for undoing bridles and tightly laced leather.

Include a leather hole puncher for adjusting strap lengths.