6 Best Horse Shedding Rakes For Double Coated Breeds That Old Grooms Swear By
Tackle heavy shedding in double-coated breeds with these 6 rakes. Trusted by seasoned grooms, they remove dense undercoat while protecting the topcoat.
There’s a moment every spring when you realize the horse hair has won. It’s in your coffee, woven into your barn jacket, and floating through the air like fuzzy dandelion seeds. For those of us with double-coated breeds like Fjords, Haflingers, or even just woolly Quarter Horses, this "hairpocalypse" is an annual test of patience and grooming tools. The right shedding rake isn’t just about tidiness; it’s about making your horse comfortable and keeping their skin healthy.
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Tackling the Tough Double Coat Shedding Season
That thick, fluffy undercoat that keeps your horse toasty all winter doesn’t just fall out on its own. It’s a dense layer of insulation that needs help releasing, and a standard soft brush will just glide right over the top. You’re dealing with two distinct layers of hair, and the real work is in separating the dead undercoat from the healthy topcoat.
Failing to manage this shed effectively can cause real problems. Trapped hair and dander can lead to skin funk, rain rot, and intense itching that leaves your horse rubbing on fences. In warmer weather, that lingering insulation can also cause a horse to overheat, creating unnecessary stress.
Understand that there is no single magic bullet for this job. The most successful approach involves having a few different tools and understanding when to use each one. Think of it as a process: one tool to loosen, one for bulk removal, and another for sensitive areas and finishing touches.
The SleekEZ: A Modern Classic for Heavy Coats
The SleekEZ doesn’t look like much—just a block of wood with a small, serrated metal blade. But its simple design is deceptive. This tool is a powerhouse for grabbing and pulling out massive amounts of loose undercoat without cutting the longer, healthy guard hairs.
This is your workhorse during the peak of shedding season. When the hair is coming out in sheets, a few passes with a SleekEZ will leave a mountain of fluff on the ground. It works best on a dry coat and is incredibly satisfying to use on the large, muscular areas of the body like the neck, back, and hindquarters.
The tradeoff for its efficiency is its potential for aggression. The blade can be too harsh for bony areas like legs, withers, and faces. You need to use a light hand and let the tool do the work; pressing down hard will only irritate the skin. It’s a fantastic tool, but not one for a heavy-handed groom.
EquiGroomer: The Gentle Rake for Sensitive Skin
If the SleekEZ is a bulldozer, the EquiGroomer is a precision excavator. It uses a similar blade concept but is designed to be much gentler on the horse’s skin and coat. The blade is engineered to grab only the dead, scaly ends of shed hair, leaving healthy, anchored hair completely alone.
This is the tool you reach for when dealing with a sensitive-skinned horse, a fine-haired breed, or for cleaning up delicate areas. It excels on faces, legs, and along the flank where a more aggressive tool might cause discomfort. Because it also pulls up dander and dust, it leaves the coat with a beautiful, polished shine.
Its gentleness means it’s not the fastest tool for bulk removal. You won’t get the same dramatic piles of hair in a single pass as you would with a more aggressive rake. The EquiGroomer is best for daily maintenance during shedding season or as a finishing tool after the heavy lifting is done.
FURminator deShedding Tool: Power for Thick Hair
Effectively reduce shedding with the FURminator deShedding Tool. Its stainless steel edge reaches through the topcoat to gently remove loose undercoat hair, while the ergonomic handle and FURejector button offer comfortable and easy use.
The FURminator is a name many recognize from the dog grooming world, but its equine version is a serious contender for thick, dense coats. The fine-toothed metal comb is designed to reach deep beneath the topcoat to efficiently pull out the loose undercoat. It’s incredibly effective and can clear a dense patch of hair in just a few strokes.
This power comes with a significant warning. The teeth on the FURminator are sharp enough that they can cut or break healthy guard hairs if used with too much pressure or too frequently. Overuse can damage the topcoat, compromising its natural ability to shed water and protect the skin.
Think of this as a specialized tool, not an everyday groomer. It’s best reserved for tackling the absolute thickest parts of the coat, like a crested neck or woolly hindquarters, where other tools struggle to penetrate. Use it sparingly, with a very light touch, and never as your primary shedding tool.
The Classic Metal Shedding Blade: Tried and True
You’ll find one of these in nearly every old barn, and for good reason. The classic metal shedding blade is a simple, effective, and versatile tool that has stood the test of time. It’s typically a long, flexible band of serrated metal that can be used as a loop with two handles or opened up straight.
Its genius lies in its simplicity and multi-functionality. Used as a loop, it scrapes away huge amounts of loose winter hair and caked-on mud. Opened up, it becomes an excellent sweat scraper after a workout or a squeegee after a bath. This versatility makes it a valuable, space-saving tool in any grooming kit.
There is a bit of a learning curve to using it effectively without irritating the horse. You have to find the right angle and pressure. It’s not as foolproof as some modern designs, but once you get the feel for it, its effectiveness is undeniable.
Oster Coarse Curry Comb: Loosens Deep Undercoat
This might not look like a shedding "rake," but no shedding session should start without it. The Oster Coarse Curry, or a similar long-toothed rubber curry, is your essential prep tool. Its firm, long fingers are designed to get deep into the coat and loosen everything up.
Using a vigorous circular motion, the curry comb lifts dirt, dander, and, most importantly, the dead undercoat to the surface. This makes the job of your shedding rake infinitely easier and more effective. It also provides a great massage that stimulates blood flow to the skin.
Skipping this step is a common mistake. You’ll spend twice as long with your shedding blade trying to dig out hair that a good currying would have brought right to the top. Think of the curry as the tool that starts the job, and the rake as the tool that finishes it.
HandsOn Gloves: A Versatile Shedding Solution
For the horse that hates metal tools or for those hard-to-reach places, HandsOn Gloves are a game-changer. These are flexible, five-fingered gloves with rubber scrubbing nodules across the palms and fingers. They allow you to groom your horse with the natural motion of petting.
Their biggest advantage is their ability to conform to any part of the horse’s body. You can easily groom bony legs, delicate faces, and sensitive underbellies without worrying about a hard tool causing discomfort. For a horse that is head-shy or nervous about grooming, these gloves can turn a stressful experience into a pleasant one.
While they are excellent for loosening hair and are fantastic for bath time, they don’t have the "pulling" power of a dedicated shedding blade. They won’t remove massive clumps of matted undercoat. They are best used for daily grooming to keep the shedding process moving along or for horses that simply won’t tolerate more traditional tools.
Proper Raking Technique for a Healthy Coat
The best tool is useless without the right technique. Your goal is to help the natural shedding process, not to forcefully strip the coat. Always use short, smooth strokes that follow the direction of hair growth. Let the weight of the tool do the work; you shouldn’t need to apply significant pressure.
Pay close attention to your horse. A swishing tail, pinned ears, or flinching skin are clear signs that you’re being too rough or have hit a sensitive spot. Adjust your pressure or switch to a gentler tool for that area. Grooming should be a comfortable, even pleasant, experience for your horse.
A smart shedding routine has a few key steps. First, never try to rake a wet or muddy coat, as this will pull healthy hair and can cause skin irritation. Always start with a vigorous currying to loosen debris and hair. Follow up with your main shedding tool on the large areas of the body, and finish with a softer tool or brush for the legs and face.
This process is more than just making your horse look good. It’s a critical opportunity to do a full-body check. As you work, you’re running your hands and tools over every inch of your horse, giving you the chance to find ticks, skin irritations, cuts, or unusual lumps that were hidden under that thick winter coat.
Ultimately, tackling a double coat requires more of an arsenal than a single weapon. The best approach is to combine a few of these tried-and-true tools, using each one for its intended purpose. By matching the tool to the horse and the task at hand, you can make shedding season less of a chore and more of a productive step toward a healthy, gleaming summer coat.
