There’s more to a curry comb than meets the eye. They are part of every groom’s kit and come springtime they help horses shed those winter coats. However, if you have ever wondered what else you can do while hanging out with your horse whether in pasture or in their stall, you can actively massage them with a rubber curry comb. They will not only thank you with all the lip gestures and body movements, “more here please”, but you will add more bonding time with your majestic friend, release tight fascia that causes painful trigger points, and increase circulation overall. All the while getting to know their body even better whether you ride or not.
Bonding happens on so many different levels. Since they are herd animals, they are always looking for the leader and in this case that’s you. When we bond, we create trust and understanding. Basic grooming is a start, but here we want to use it to spend productive time with our equine partner. Whether you have a retiree or lawn pet or competitive athlete, this is a great opportunity to spend time with them. All you need is a rubber curry comb, like the one pictured and of course a heart full of love. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you how to use it next.
Once you find your favorite curry comb, it’s time to get to work. I prefer the soft gel kind that you see pictured. Using both hands with medium pressure, use the curry to “pull” towards you or downwards, depending on the area. For example, the neck, start at the crest of the mane and “pull” downwards, easing up when you get to the cervical spine. Make your way all the way down the spine to the tail, pulling away from the vertebrae just like that. Then go back to the neck and do the area all over in a circular motion. If you notice your horse enjoying a particular area, my horse loves his shoulders, just stay there for a while working in all different directions. Play with your grip to see what is most comfortable. By doing this you are releasing fascia from muscles all over their body. You will also observe any spasms or tender areas that may tell you that it’s time to ease up on training or the saddle needs adjustments or maybe nutrition needs to be addressed if muscles seem “dehydrated”. As a bodyworker, I know a horse absorbs their nutrients when their muscles feel “juicy”, maybe supple is a better word! I think you get the idea.
Increasing Circulation seems so obvious and that is true. Any time we manually massage an area we bring circulation to those muscles which helps reduce recovery time and it can help before training by loosening up muscles that tend to be tight. You will notice an increase in performance with muscles that are already warmed up.
A simple rubber curry comb, time, and love will not only have you learning more about your horses’ body but creating another layer of bonding between the two of you. Using your newfound tool to help release fascia over muscles and increase circulation throughout their entire body. I hope you all have fun with this and enjoy the present moment with your equine partner.
