8 Top Grooms’ Must-Have Grooming Kit Items

When it comes to recommendations for essential grooming products and items, who better to trust than professionals working at the highest levels of equestrian sport? The sleek shine of top sport horses is the result of hard-earned skills and trade secrets of the best grooms who’ve honed the perfect grooming kit to get the job done.

In the list below, award-winning grooms responsible for the pristine presentation of some of the best turned-out horses in the world have offered their favourite must-haves. This surprising mix of well-known brand-name products and ordinary grooming kit items might give you a few ideas to try on your own horses this summer.

(L-r) Stephanie Sharples, Julie-Anne Munns, Marine Renaudet, Debbie Carpenter.

1) Stephanie Sharples

Stephanie Sharples is the yard manager at Hughes Dressage and has been working with top British FEI dressage rider Gareth Hughes for over 20 years.

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Her first must-have grooming necessity is a quality set of brushes — a staple of every top-level groom. She recommends the Alan Davies set. Davies was the head groom for British Olympians Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin before stepping down in 2023. The “Alan Pack,” sold worldwide by Eqclusive, includes brushes like “Mr. Flicky” and “Mr. Glossy.”

Sharples also recommends the Elite Pro Grooming Bag from LeMieux, which features a handy shoulder strap and many different-sized pockets.

Other favourites are Show Off Shampoo, an equine shampoo that helps enhance natural coat pigments, and Plait it Up mousse, applied before braiding to help keep wisps at bay. Both products are made by NAF Equine.

Lastly, Sharples said she would never travel without a supply of high-fibre Saracen Re-Covery Mash.

“It’s an amazing feed to help aid recovery after travel or competition,” Sharples told HorseSport.com. “Even the fussiest of eaters and drinkers love it and it helps to get them hydrated again.”

2) Julie-Anne Munns

Canadian FEI groom Julie-Anne Munns, who recently won the Best Groom Award at the Lovstä Future Challenge during the Global Dressage Festival in Florida, works for top Canadian dressage riders Jill Irving and Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu.

For a deep-cleaning before sending horses into the competition ring, Munns recommends the Diamond brush set from HAAS.

“My favorite is the ‘Diva,’” Munns told HorseSport.com. “It’s a soft, fluffy brush good for removing any dust just before the horse goes into the ring for a quick, shining touch-up. I keep it specifically in my ring bag.”

To prepare the mane for plaits, her favourite solution for the dry, dandruffy skin at the roots of the mane is washing it with an anti-dandruff shampoo, followed by spraying the skin with witch hazel.

For braiding, Munns prefers waxed string. “It holds together really solid when tying into a braid,” she said.

To get tails show-ready, Munns recommends EQyss Micro-Tek shampoo, which offers soothing itch relief, followed by the leave-in concentrate conditioner Cowboy Magic Detangler & Shine.

3) Marine Renaudet

French FEI groom Marine Renaudet works for German Olympic Show Jumper Daniel Deusser. Her top recommendation is R-Body Wash, an all-around horse shampoo from Result Equine. “It makes them very glossy,” Renaudet said. “You need to apply it for two minutes and then rinse it out, and then it gives them a shine. I really like it.”

Renaudet also never goes to the ring without a supply of baby wipes in her grooming bag. “Lifesaver!” she said. “They’re my favourite thing ever.”

4) Debbie Carpenter

Debbie Carpenter is a British FEI freelance groom who works primarily in eventing. She’s groomed at the Paris Olympics, numerous Nations Cups, British Horse Trials, and FEI Young Rider shows.

“I love Exhibitor Lab’s Quic Braid Spray for stickiness while plaiting,” Carpenter remarked.

She also recommends the stiff-bristled HAAS Mustang brush for making the best quarter marks, or the patterns on the hindquarters achieved by back-brushing the coat.

(L-r) Daniel Lazcano Bleis, Deonte Sewell, Kerryn Edmans, Corentin Tual.

5) Daniel Lazcano Bleis

Daniel Lazcano Bleis grooms for Irish FEI show jumper Jack Ryan. He recently won the Best Groom Award at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Show and the Hughes Horse Stud Annual Show.

Bleis said he doesn’t typically have favourite brands of products, but he would never leave home for a show without packing a set of good, clean brushes.

“I believe it’s better for the horses to get a good brush instead of getting washed all the time and disturbing their natural skin protection,” Bleis advised.

He also recommends having apple cider vinegar on-hand for different skin irritations, baby oil for extra shine on the coat, and Dettol antiseptic for any small abrasions that need disinfection on the show grounds.

6) Deonte Sewell

Deonte Sewell works as a groom for American grand prix show jumper Collin Reynolds while pursuing his own riding goals in eventing.

For Sewell, it’s important to keep a basic grooming kit on hand at all times that includes a hoofpick, scissors, a comb, and rags. He also always has a supply of Effol Hoof Oil to keep hooves moisturized at dusty showgrounds.

“And cookies,” Sewell said, laughing. “I can never forget cookies!”

For show prep, his favourite product is the Cowboy Magic Detangler & Shine. “It always leaves the tail shining and soft,” said Sewell.

He also uses EQyss Premier Marigold Equine Coat Conditioning Spray, which keeps his horses’ coats moisturized throughout show weekends.

“After the horses are all tacked and ready to go, I love to touch up areas with Shapley’s Hi Gloss Finishing Spray,” Sewell said. “They always smell good and look their best.”

7) Kerryn Edmans

Kerryn Edmans, who won the FEI Groom of the Year Award in 2022, was a former groom for New Zealand international 5* event rider Tim Price. She now works as a freelance groom while pursing studies in soft-tissue therapy.

“Two of my favourite turnout products would be Exhibitor’s Quic Braid Spray for getting those perfect tight plaits, and World Champion PEPI Coat Conditioner,” Edmans shared. “I’m very lucky to have American friends who bring me over care packages of these products!”

“I also love a bit of Supreme Products Black Eye Gloss for the trot-up to make their eyes and muzzles extra shiny.”

8) Corentin Tual

French FEI groom Cory Tual works with American Olympic show jumper Lillie Keenan. Earlier this month, he celebrated a Nations Cup win for team USA at Aachen.

For the ringside, he recommends the essential basics. “I always have a clean towels,” Tual said. He also carries treats, baby powder for touching up white socks, sharp scissors, and antiseptic aluminum spray in case of small cuts.

In his grooming box, he always carries Santa Fe Coat Conditioner & Sunscreen, which has UV protection that prevents the coat from fading in the sun.

What’s in your grooming kit?