Shedding Tools - Which ones are worth the $$
The pros and cons of seven popular grooming tools for shedding out horses effectively
It’s incredible how many shedding tools are on the market right now for getting your horse slicked out quickly and easily. With so many options it can be tricky to know which one will work best for your horse. Some are better for long shaggy coats while others are better for horses that have a minimal winter coat to lose. Another thing to consider is the handle design especially if you are grooming a number of horses in a row.
I’ve tried a whole mess of different shedding tools over the years and there are definitely some I wish someone would have told me not to waste my money on, which is why I put together this handy post to help you get the right one for your needs.
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Choosing the right shedding tool for your horse
SleekEz tools work great for a variety of coats and have very small teeth so you don’t have to worry about irritating your horse’s skin. They are also a bit easier to hold than some of the other shedding tool options. I’ve found that the medium sized option is the best one for covering a lot of ground without being too big for working around the curves of the body. . You can get a good deal on SleekEZ here.
A while back I wrote a post about using a Tiger Tongue for grooming sensitive horses if you didn’t catch it you can get the scoop on it here. Overall I really like the Tiger Tongue for shedding out short-haired horses as it won’t scratch the skin. I also like how flexible it is for working around boney areas. It’s not the best choice for horses with super long winter coats. You can grab one here.
Shedding stones are a very reasonably priced option that works well on most horses. They do get worn down as you use them and need to be scraped clean to keep the surface sharp enough to pull the loose hair from the coat. It’s a bit of a trade off as they are cheap but you can expect to be replacing them often and they break easily if dropped on concrete. Here are the most reasonable ones I’ve found.
For long-haired horses, a basic metal shedding blade can be helpful. I would go with the type that can be opened up to use with two hands. Using it this way also makes it much more flexible working around curves of your horse. I wouldn’t use this style on horses that have short winter coats as the teeth are a bit long and may scratch the skin. Get a blade for your wooly bear here.
De-matting combs are a must have for horses that get long shaggy winter coats. I’ve used them on horses with metabolic/Cushings issues as their long hair can easily turn into uncomfortable mats. They work especially well around the horse’s armpits, chest, and underbelly, where long hair gets matted with the shorted hairs being shed out. The comb quickly cuts through the mats leaving the hair feathered out smooth (no more embarrassing scissor chops all over your poor horse’s coat). . Get one here and get after that icky matted hair.
Furminators do work but not as well as some of the other shedding tools as they tend to feel very rigid and get clogged easily. I’ve found that this style of shedding tool is very tiring on my hands.
Whoever invented this tool should have it used on their entire body. The round design makes the teeth on this shedding tool hook deeper into the horse’s coat which scratches their skin and makes it very harsh on their angular bodies. Don’t waste your money on it.
If you’ve found that along with shedding your horse is struggling with some serious dry skin issues you may want to check out this post here for some more great tips on keeping your horse slick and healthy both inside and out.
Insightfully,
Becky
