PrintAs a groom for Ashley Holzer, Gallagher has mastered the art of the flawless turn-out, and she shares a few tricks to help others do the same.
As groom and barn manager for Canadian Grand Prix dressage rider Ashley Holzer, Denielle Gallagher keeps a barn full of show horses looking and feeling their best, including star performers Pop Art and Jornello. She also worked with Gambol, who was sold to a rider in California, and longtime friend Imperioso, who passed away in October of 2006. In addition, Gallagher also gets her own Prix St. Georges horse Gallaway’s Abrikos, a 16-year-old Russian Warmblood gelding, to the ring polished and on time.
Why is a well-groomed horse important?
A well-groomed horse says many things: No. 1 it shows that the owner and/or caretaker pays attention to detail. I notice whether the horse is feeling under the weather, ill, or if the horse is jumping out of its skin. As a groom you may want to make your rider aware of that before she gets on; it can change the workload. Ashley and I are always talking about how the horse feels. It helps me understand what to feed them, if they need more turnout, etc. I also notice things like sore backs and swollen legs. Also, when I see a perfectly turned out combination, it says a lot about the professionalism of the team or barn.
What do you do in your daily grooming routine to make things easier on show day?
Curry, curry, curry! Taking the time to curry each day will make it easier for you to have a shiny horse at the show grounds. The more you curry, the softer the hair particles become, which makes them smooth. This also removes any dead skin cells and helps to bring the oils of the coat to the surface, hence giving them a shiny gleam. Doing things like clipping the legs, tail and ears before you leave for the show cuts down on things that would take extra time in a busy situation.
Also, having all your brushes and blankets clean helps to keep the horse as clean as possible. In our barn each groom has her own grooming box. This contains everything she will need to have each horse turned out perfectly. Each groom has one set of brushes that are washed regularly. If a horse gets fungus or a skin irritation then we will separate and disinfect the brushes.
I usually put my brushes in the washing machine or dishwasher. It works perfectly, and then I let them air dry; just the regular detergent works great. For the blankets I brush them off with a metal curry, which scrapes all the shavings, and then hang the blanket on the door perfectly clean. As far as washing, I use Tide cold water formula. I try not to wash blankets in hot water so they do not shrink.
When you buy the nice white shipping halters, they only stay white so long. After we ship and they get dirty I put them all in the washing machine on delicate. I wash them in cold water with Woolite, then hang them to dry. Once dry, I take a dog brush and groom away—they look brand new every time!
What grooming tools could you not live without?
