I’ve been a brush snob ever since my mom and I went to the tack shop to get Angel her first set of grooming tools. Anything that is going to touch my horse’s coat, mane, or tail is carefully selected thanks to a combination of my mom being a hair dresser and growing up owning a sensitive-skinned mare. On top of that, I’ve always loved wood-backed brushes because they simply look pretty.
That said, I was super excited to try out the Wahl grooming tools when I heard they were releasing a handful of the line in a new color. Because of my picky nature, the range of brushes I like is limited and usually pricey, so I am always willing to see how new brushes hold up to my standards. This set was a handful of pleasant surprises.
Of the six tools Wahl released, I’ve ranked them from my favorite to least favorite:
Rubber Curry
Ax has always been incredibly sensitive when it comes to currying—he only tolerates the softer side of a jelly scrubber—until now.
This nifty thing is unlike any other curry I’ve encountered. Unlike round or hand-shaped currys, this one is shaped like a small rectangle and is easy to hold with contoured edges and a rubber lining. The nubs are made of a super soft, flexible rubber that Ax lets me use over his most sensitive spots without resistance. Even currying over the areas that he is protective of—his lower back—causes no reaction. He is happy to let me go over his entire body and face with no fuss. It is also great for scrubbing shampoo into the coat during those much-needed baths.
He LOVES this thing, therefore I love it and promptly tossed my old curry in the trash!
Stiff Body Brush
I won’t lie, I thought this brush was going to be a bust. As you’d expect, Ax isn’t a big fan of stiff brushes, and I usually reserve mine for his legs and days when he rolls in the mud. So I was surprised that he loves this brush—I can brush him with no flinching, tail swishing, or even a hint of annoyance.
Like the curry, this brush is shaped for easy holding and grip, but my favorite feature of the brush is the size. It is quite a bit longer than most brushes (9.75″!), so it covers more surface area with less work. Call me lazy, but I find this super convenient when you are running late for a lesson and your horse was a pig that day.
Another bonus to this brush is that fact that it is synthetic, making cleaning as easy as using some soap and a hose!
Mane and Tail Brush
If you read my tail maintenance post, you know that my preferred way of caring for Ax’s tail is to not care for it at all. When I do brush it, I use a wide-toothed comb, never a brush. Well, I used a brush and I liked it.
The bristles on this brush are extra long, so it really gets into the center of Ax’s super thick tail and “massages” the tailbone. While I didn’t find it ideal for a wet tail, (TIP: always untangle a wet tail with a wide-tooth comb) it worked great for untangling a clean, dry, dread-locked tail. Because his tail is so thick, dandruff builds up easily at the end of Ax’s tailbone. The long bristles helped with loosening dead skin from the tailbone and getting it out of the hair.
I even used this on my hair one day when I skipped the “hunter hair” and a rain storm made my hanging out ponytail a tangled mess.
Hoof Pick
I love that this hoof pick is long, sturdy, and made with reinforced steel, making it easy to get the most hard-packed crud out of hooves. Some days it feels like Ax stomped around to make sure that any mud and dirt in his feet is super stuck in there and this pick was great for getting it out.
One of the main features of this hoof pick is what I have a love/hate feeling about—the handle. Like all the other brushes, Wahl made sure that the hoof pick is comfortable to hold with soft rubber lining the edges, but in its attempt to be contoured to the hand, it is too big to slip easily into a grooming tote. The handle is much fatter than the average hoof pick, so while it is definitely easy to grip, it simply doesn’t fit into my already jam-packed brush bag.
Mane and Braiding Comb
I always untangle with a wide-tooth comb, so the rubber grip on this was super helpful in slippery, wet, detangler-covered hands.
I wanted to love this comb because I loved the idea that it is dual-sided, but I found myself fighting with it more than using it when it came to brushing out Ax’s tail. Because of the teeth on both sides, it was easy for the tip of the brush to become twisted and tangled, and accidentally ripping out hairs in the process, while combing. This may not being a problem with thinner tails, but I didn’t have much luck. That being said, the prongs are definitely good for separating the mane for even braiding or banding.
Metal Shedding Blade
The shedding blade rings in last by no fault of its own—Ax is clipped year-round, so I don’t have a need for a shedding tool other than a curry. The blade has two stainless steel serrated pieces for quick shedding and comes apart super easily to use two-handed. I immediately gifted this to my mom who now cares for my ever-furry Morgan pony.
Long story short, a boring, wood-backed brush loving girl has fun turquoise brushes. TURQUOISE. I’m super impressed with the quality of these brushes and love the new pop of color in my tack trunk! The only thing this kit is missing is a soft brush, which Wahl makes but not in the newly released turquoise.
All the Wahl tools can be found on Amazon here in both black and turquoise and have Prime shipping!
Breeches & Boat Shoes 
You had me at turquoise! 😍 Except I think my leistner brushes will have to be pried from my cold, dead fingers haha. But those look like lovely brushes!
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