SK Shedding blade

The most popular tool for speeding removing a horse’s winter coat is the aptly named “shedding blade.” The long, flexible metal strip has sharp teeth on one side that, when dragged carefully across a horse’s coat, pull out the winter hairs that have been pushed nearly to the ends of the follicle by the growing summer coat.

While effective, shedding blades need to be used with caution. If used overly enthusiastically you can tear a horse’s skin.

To properly use the shedding blade, you either grasp one handle in each hand or fold the blade so it forms a loop, which you can use one-handed. Gently, run it across the horse’s coat, so it pulls out the loose hair. Be careful not to run the metal blade across any bony parts on the horse, such as his legs and head.

Do not overuse. Once or twice a week is recommended.

Another use for shedding blades is scraping through encrusted mud.