Hoovering a horse? Yes, really. If you’re in the US, you’ll likely have seen or used a horse grooming vacuum before. If you’re in the UK, probably not — and you think we’ve gone a bit mad, saying ‘vacuum’ rather than ‘hoover’.
Wherever in the world you are, brushing a muddy, dusty horse is a time-consuming job. Adding a vacuum to your grooming kit could help speed up the process so that you’re in the saddle sooner.
What is a horse grooming vacuum?
As the name suggests, this is a vacuum (or hoover) designed for grooming a horse. It’s a grooming method that started in the States and is making its way around the world.
They cost hundreds of pounds (dollars) and so are a big investment. You can also purchase grooming brush attachments that can be used on a normal hoover, like a Henry Hoover, for a fraction of the price.
In the video below, you can see a horse grooming vacuum being used. I’ve also put together a list of different models available to buy around the world.
A curry comb is a great tool for loosening dust, dirt and hair ready to be brushed off a horse’s coat, but sometimes a body brush or dandy brush don’t quite get to the roots. It still feels like there’s debris left behind.
A horse grooming vacuum offers a deeper clean as it suctions dust and dirt out from the root, leaving nothing behind in the horse’s coat.
Don’t overdo it though. There are essential oils in your horse’s coat that need to stay there.
2 Speed up grooming time
On the days when you don’t have much time to spare, a horse grooming vacuum saves you time and elbow grease.
Quickly running the hoover over your horse’s coat (when there’s no dried or caked mud on them) saves you having to use multiple brushes first.
Washing a horse takes time, means getting wet and isn’t fun for horse or handler in winter, particularly if you don’t have a hot water shower.
A horse grooming vacuum gives your steed a deep clean without the need to get them wet and having to dry them.
It will easily remove any loose hair from the body of a horse who has just been clipped, too.
4 Less cleaning up
Vacuuming leaves no dust or debris on the ground, giving you one less thing to worry about as everything is sucked into the machine.
No yard sweeping required! Just remember to empty the vacuum regularly.
5 It’s versatile
A grooming vacuum isn’t only for your horse — many are suitable for use on other pets, including dogs, too.
It’s also handy to have for cleaning your car or lorry after an outing, or your tack storage containers during a spring clean. You can buy different head attachments for each.
The downsides
Before you part with your cash and invest in a horse grooming vacuum, bear in mind the following:
1 Your horse needs to get used to it
As with anything new, your horse has to learn to accept the vacuum. It can take some time for them to grow accustomed to the sound and sensation, in the same way they do for clipping.
It might take some horses longer than others to do this, and a few might not ever enjoy the sensation. Some users have reported that vacuums can give a static shock — something to keep in mind when hoovering your horse.
2 It’s another thing to take care of
A horse grooming vacuum must be emptied, cleaned and stored properly after use in order to ensure it continues to function at its best and to prevent damage or rusting. Similar to the level of care you give your horse clippers.
3 Less time to bond
We’ve already touched on this; grooming is a great way to bond with your horse if they enjoy it, and vacuuming reduces that time together.
4 The expense
Once your grooming brushes are purchased, they are free to use and have no usage costs. However, a horse grooming vacuum has a high price tag and requires electricity.
5 Hoovering at home might be enough
If you hate hoovering your carpets at home, you may not enjoy vacuuming your horse as well. Many riders would much rather put off home chores in favour of cleaning tack and scrubbing water buckets, so why would you want to bring hoovering onto the yard?
The SHOWMASTER horse vacuum cleaner offers optimal suction power and is nevertheless quiet. It has a 5m cable offering greater distance from a mains socket, perfect for use on the yard, and can be used for wet and dry cleaning of horses and ponies.
The vacuum is suitable for sensitive steeds with its low noise. It has a 15 litre capacity and is easy to empty with no filter bags necessary.
Buying in the UK?RRP £109 Purchase here Brush attachment sold separately
This powerful and effective horse vacuum cleaner offers a simple and fast clean.
It comes with a 3.5m horse and 8.2m cable provide plenty of room to move it around.
It also comes with three attachments: a comb, a brush and a hedgehog attachment.
These quickly and effectively clean your horse’s coat, leaving behind a perfect shine. It has a tank capacity of 10 litres, and can be used with or without bags.
This vacuum has a large 30-gallon capacity, allowing you to vacuum countless animals without having to stop and empty the container. It is mounted onto a cart for easy mobility.
This powerful vacuum removes dirt, loose hair, dandruff and odour from your horse, while leaving behind the natural oils in the coat for a beautiful, shiny look.
It can also be used to dry your horse with the blower attachment.
This vacuum comes with a 10′ hove, serrated nozzle, vinyl spaghetti brush and blower tip.
This horse grooming vacuum cuts grooming time in half with its super suction. It also doubles as a blower to dry coats evenly and completely, leaving hair smooth and lustrous.
The vacuum is portable and lightweight. It comes with a permanent cloth filter, three replacement filter bags, two 6′ flexible hoses with air control, hose attachments (air concentrator, air flare and grooming rake) and three combo brushes (grooming, curry and pin combo).
This multi-brush is a single brush head with three unique interchangeable inserts: a stiff dandy brush, a medium body brush and a soft polishing brush.
The attachments fit onto a Henry Hoover. It also comes with a 2.5m hose, serrated blade tool insert to help remove hair from rugs and numnahs, as well as a carry bag.
Mel is a writer, photographer and content producer who contributes to both the print and digital aspects of Your Horse. She joined the team in 2021 after graduating with a 1st class honours degree in Equine Sports Science. Mel has owned horses from a young age, including thoroughbreds, sport horses and RSPCA rescues. She currently has two horses - Irish sports horse Romeo, who she's owned for 10 years, and ex-racehorse Alfie, who she is currently re-training.
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