6 Best Horse Brushes (A Buyer's Guide)

Choosing the best horse brush may not sound as important as buying a saddle or other tack. However, grooming is a daily activity, and having the right grooming brushes can save you time and make the process a lot more fun for you and your horse.

With so many brushes on the market, there is an endless variety to choose from. This guide will help you find the best tried-and-tested brushes to include in your kit to get your horse looking and feeling great from toe to tail.

Horse Brushes (Our Top Picks Reviewed)

Desert Equestrian Inc Legends Cowboy Brush Palmyra (Best Body Brush)

This is one stylish stiff grooming brush with an engraved leather strap and hardwood handle. We love the look and feel of the natural materials including bristles made from Palmyra, a fiber from palm trees. Besides looking good, the hard synthetic bristles are super effective at getting mud off your horse’s coat. 

The broad oval shape of the brush covers a good area with each stroke. This is an impressive tool to add to any grooming kit and to use at shows. The brush looks more expensive than it really is. Sadly, the bristles come out with time and the decorative button falls off after a couple of uses.

Pros 

• Attractive design
• Sturdy wooden handle
• Stiff bristles
• Strong enough to remove mud

Cons

• Not very durable
• Bristles are not for sensitive skin

The decker 65 Horse Hair Blend (Best Natural Bristle Brush) 

Our pick for one of the best horse brushes made with natural fibers. The soft bristles are made of a blend of horsehair and synthetic fibers that remove dirt from the coat without scratching the skin. 

We like the simple yet effective design of this brush. An ergonomic shape fits comfortably into your hand to prevent aches and tiring over a long time. The bristles are thick and densely packed and you can use this horse brush as a body brush in your daily grooming routine or as a finishing brush for a healthy shine. 

This is maybe not the most durable brush as the horsehair bristles fall out with use. Still a good buy overall.

Pros 

• Can be used on the face
• Comfortable grip
• Polypropylene grip will not get moldy
• Value for money

Cons 

• Bristles quickly lose shape
• Hard to clean hair off bristles

Wahl Combo Body Brush (Best 2-in-1 Body Brush)

The Wahl Combo Body brush gives you amazing value for money by combining a stiff grooming brush and a soft brush into a single tool. Wahl is a trusted brand when it comes to horse grooming brushes and this brush with soft bristles on one end and hard bristles on the other does the work of two brushes.

The strong, densely packed hard bristles work as a dandy brush to remove more difficult dirt and sweat from your horse’s coat. When you get to the sensitive face area, just swap ends for the gentler, soft bristles which work as a finishing brush.

Pros

• Contoured rubber grip
• Time-saving tool
• Value for money
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

• Less surface area of each bristle type
• Bristles could be stiffer

BOTH WINNERS Reversible Stainless Steel Curry Comb  (Best Curry Comb) 

A super 2-in-1 brush One side of this metal curry comb is smooth for daily use but you can flip it around to use the sharper teeth to remove stubborn mud and matted hair from the horse’s coat. One of the best horse grooming brushes to use in shedding season. 

The 4 rings of stainless steel tines work much better than the standard, soft rubber curry combs to remove shedding hair. The one problem with this product is that it is difficult to switch between the sides of the comb as the spring mechanism is very strong.

Pros

• Strong metal that does not bend
• Comfortable handle
• Easy to clean
• Can be used to clean hair off tack

Cons 

• Tricky to flip between teeth sizes
• Too sharp for sensitive body parts

SleekEZ Deshedding Grooming Tool (Best Grooming Block) 

SleekEZ Deshedding tool has a patented wave design that works wonders to remove dirt and loose hair without pulling the coat of sensitive horses. Built-up fur simply falls off the teeth so no need to pull it out.

The quality steel teeth don’t change shape over time and the wood is highly durable. Another benefit of this tool is that you can also use it to remove hair from horse blankets and numnahs. Be sure to buy the bigger ‘horse’ size that is comfortable to hold with both hands.

Thousands of happy customers all over the world praise this product as one of the best horse grooming tools around and essential addition to your horse grooming kit.

Pros 

• Comfortable oval-shaped grip
• Patented wave design teeth
• Lifetime warranty 

Cons

• Expensive compared to similar tools
• Does not work on long hair

Oster ECS Mane and Tail  (Best For Manes & Tails)

There are a couple of things we love about this horse brush that make it a great addition to your grooming kit.

The long handle is comfortable to hold with a good grip. The design lets you brush at any angle without getting a cramp in your hand, unlike wide-grip horse grooming brushes.

The horse brush head has a good surface area so you will be able to brush through tangles more quickly than with other mane and tail grooming brushes.

Lastly,  small balls at the end of the bristles effortlessly detangle the mane and tail. The balls also prevent pulling the horse’s hair or poking on sensitive skin.

Pros 

• Fast Detangling
• Works on different mane types
• Value for money
• Comfortable rubber handle

Cons 

• Small balls come off with regular  use
• Pins can bend easily

Tough 1 Great Grips Flex Finishing Brush (Best Finishing Brush)

The best thing about this finishing brush is that it has two flexible joints that move with your hand providing excellent grip and comfort. The flexibility is a huge help to those suffering from arthritis. 

The flexible design is also very useful in following the contours of the horse’s body.

This brush is perfect for brushing off dust and grass stains around the legs.

The synthetic bristles are medium at the end with soft bristles at the center. It is gentle enough to use on sensitive skin along boney withers and the spine. This horse grooming brush is great for removing fine dust, doing final touch-ups, and creating a shiny coat but not firm enough to remove tough dirt.

Pros 

• Adjustable strap
• Reasonable price
• Conforms to hand shape
• Perfect for horses with sensitive skin

Cons 

• Not for heavy-duty mud
• Strap over cutback may need adjusting

How To Choose the Best Grooming Brush (A Buyer’s Guide)

Brush Type

When it comes to grooming brushes, you will definitely need more than one. Different brushes have different uses in your horse grooming kit.

Some of your most important brushes are those you will use daily including a curry comb, body brush, and a flick brush with stiff bristles to get rid of tough dirt and loose hair.

For shows, you should consider buying a good finishing brush to create a shiny coat and a  mane and tail brush to get knots out of hair before plaiting. It is also always nice to have a few special trophy brushes to keep in your grooming kit and show off at a horse show.

Other tools like scrapers and de-shedding brushes may not be used every day but are necessary to get rid of layers of shedding hair and dead skin. Especially if your horse gets a thick winter coat. These tools are an important addition to any grooming kit.

Bristles

You will need to look at the material, bristle length, stiffness, and even spacing as this affects how you use the brush.

Brushes with bristles of natural fibers such as horse or pig hair are better for making the coat thicker and lusher and stimulating oil production for a glossy finish.  Natural fibers create softer, more gentle bristles that are good for horses with sensitive skin.  

Harder, long bristles are what you are looking for flicking dirt off the coat, brushing off sweat or grass stains. Short hard bristles are better at getting rid of caked mud and matted fur. In this case, synthetic bristle brushes including hard plastics, metal, and rubber (curry combs) will be your go-to.

Soft bristle brushes are used for final touch-ups as well a to sweep away finer dirt and dust.

Grip

There’s no point buying a brush that’s uncomfortable to hold or slips out of your hand every few strokes! Wooden handgrips are more firm and give you more control when brushing and are usually more comfortable to hold while a plastic grip often lasts longer.

If you have especially large or small hands, adjustable straps and contoured/ ergonomic grips are going to be your best options. Rubber grips on the brush will stick better against your palm without slipping. You can also find brushes with flexible joints that are good for preventing hand cramps. These flex brushes are also suitable for arthritis sufferers.

Price

As with most things, you usually get what you pay for when it comes to buying horse grooming brushes. 

Be prepared to spend more on good-quality grooming brushes that you will use daily. Invest a little extra on something that will make grooming easier to do and will save you time in the long run. Better quality materials, like wood, also tend to have a longer life expectancy.

Overall don’t compromise on your horse’s comfort and health. Be prepared to buy several brushes to use for different stages of the grooming process and on different parts of your horse. Over time your collection will grow and you will learn what works best for you.

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