What’s In My Grooming Tote: Adriana
I recently purchased the Noble Outfitters Equinessential Tote and I love it! My previous grooming tote was an oldie (I’m not kidding, I got this thing 16 years ago!!) but goodie plastic grooming tote. This classic tote is indestructible and has served me very well. However, this summer I was looking to upgrade to something that was a little bigger and had better compartmentalization and the Equinessential Tote absolutely fits the bill. Here’s what you’ll find inside of it:
Grooming Sprays:
Showsheen : I have been using Showsheen for years and I always keep a bottle in my grooming tote. It’s my favorite product for keeping Finley’s tale detangled and feeling strong.
Eqyss Avocado Mist: I love the way this mist smells, but I love the way it cleans Finley up even more! I like to use this product two ways. First, I like to lightly spray him after I’ve finished brushing him and then rub the mist in with a towel which really enhances his shine and picks up any lingering dirt. I also love to use this after work outs. I do a fine spray on his dried sweat marks and use my jelly curry to really work it into his coat. Then I finish with a quick brush and the sweat marks disappear!
Ecolicious Moisture Maniac : This is a new addition to my collection. I purchased this product about a month ago and I’m liking it a lot! My horse tends to rub the top of his tail sporadically and this spray seems to be helping those hairs stand up to the abuse. Bonus: It has a really clean, orange smell!
Brushes & Curries: I have an assortment of brushes that I have collected over the years including the standard soft brush, hard brush, and rubber curries. Some of my other favorites include:
Jelly Scrubber: I’ve had this curry for years but only really started using it regularly when I bought Finley about a year ago because he LOVES being groomed. It’s intended to be a bathing mitt but I use it daily as a curry. I especially love this mitt because it easily fits on my hand and stays put AND it also has different textures on each side so depending on what part of Finley’s body I am working on I can easily flip to the appropriate side of the scrubber.
Haas Diva Mini Brush : This brush is the ultimate finishing brush. The center is made of the softest lambswool. Seriously, you need to feel this thing! I prefer a very soft brush to use on Finley’s face especially around his eyes and down his nose which is why this brush is perfect for us!
SmartPak Long Bristle Poly Brush: I bought this from SmartPak about a year ago and it’s become my favorite everyday brush. It’s a long, medium bristle brush and it does a great job getting rid of most dirt, dust and loose hair. I’ll skip over some of my other grooming tools and go straight for this one if I’m short on time. Unfortunately, we no longer carry this brush but if you’re looking for a similar product, the Large Haas Flick Brush is very similar.
Therapeutic Supplies:
Vetrolin Liniment & Vetrolin Liniment Gel : Vetrolin is my go-to liniment. I love this product and use it after workouts to make sure my horse continues to feel great every day. The gel is the perfect cold weather liniment option that you can apply to target areas even when it’s seriously cold in the barn.
Sore-No More Liniment: This is my favorite herbal liniment. I especially love to use it to combat wind puffs. My previous competition partner Faith had pretty intense windpuffs on her hind legs and this product worked so well to keep them in check, especially during the hot and humid summer weather. Not only is it really gentle on my own skin, but it’s safe to apply under standing bandages which was my favorite way to use it with Faith.
Hoof Picks: Can you ever have too many hoof picks on hand? I like to keep a few in my tote including one with a brush and the standard coated steel pick.
SmartPak Weight Tape: I check Finley’s weight on this tape at least once a month. While the actual number may not be completely accurate, it helps me keep tabs on if he is gaining or losing weight which has been really helpful over the past year as we’ve really ramped up our training together.
Ointments: I always keep some Vaseline, triple antibiotic ointment & Horseman’s Dream Veterinary Cream on hand to treat everyday scrapes, cuts and rubs.
These are some of my favorite things to use to help keep Finley looking and feeling great! What are some of your grooming tote essentials?
