What should you do when grooming a sick horse?

• A. Groom vigorously to stimulate circulation.
• B. Keep him comfortable by wiping his eyes, nose, mouth, and dock, and groom gently.
• C. Avoid touching the face.
• D. Use abrasive brushes on sensitive areas.

Answer: (B)

When a horse is sick, the priority is comfort, cleanliness, and minimizing stress. Keeping him comfortable means gentle handling and careful cleaning of sensitive areas. Wiping around the eyes, nose, mouth, and the dock helps remove discharge and crusts, reducing irritation and potential infection, while grooming softly avoids adding fatigue or pain. This approach supports the horse’s comfort and recovery because sick animals are more easily stressed and their skin and mucous membranes can be more sensitive.

Using rough or abrasive brushes on delicate areas can cause irritation or pain and should be avoided, and vigorous grooming can exhaust a sick horse. Touching the face is reasonable for cleaning and assessment when done calmly and gently.