JCW Equine Grooming

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JCW Equine Grooming Professional horse clipping
Grooming services available
100% Guaranteed show finish with written testimonials as proof.

Servicing Melbourne’s SE suburbs, mornington peninsula, South and East Gippsland.

14/10/2026

Harry’s mane makeover meets the Liveryman Nova! ✂️🐴

Harry has a mane hog every six weeks, and that super-thick mane made the perfect first test for the Liveryman Nova trimmers.

I usually reach for my Diamond Cut Medley 5-in-1, so it was great to put the Novas to work and see how they handled the job. They gave Harry a neat finish, and I’m excited to try them on more detailed work next winter. The Medley has a little more grunt for Harry’s thick mane, but the Novas definitely proved they can get the job done!

Hogging can give a horse a smart, tidy look and make the mane easier to maintain. It’s also a popular choice for some disciplines—ultimately, it comes down to what suits the horse and owner.

I’m looking forward to testing more clippers and sharing honest reviews. More product reviews coming soon!

Warmer days are on their way ☀️ Now’s a good time to get to know what’s normal for your horse before the heat really set...
10/10/2026

Warmer days are on their way ☀️ Now’s a good time to get to know what’s normal for your horse before the heat really sets in.

Notice how much they usually sweat, whether they’re drinking well, and how quickly they cool down and recover after work. That gives you a useful baseline to spot changes as temperatures and humidity rise.

After exercise, think about the conditions, the effort they’ve done, and their individual salt and electrolyte needs. Fresh water should always be available, and your vet can help you work out what’s appropriate for your horse.

If your horse is struggling to cool down, breathing heavily without recovering, becoming weak or unusually lethargic, or is very hot but sweating little or not at all, stop exercise, move them to shade with airflow, offer fresh water and contact your veterinarian urgently.

A little preparation now can make a big difference when the hot days arrive. Save this reminder for spring and summer 🐴💙

04/10/2026

A fresh clip and another step forward 🤎

This lovely OTT Thoroughbred has been off the track for three months, and his owner has had him for a short time. When he came into her care, he had a bad dose of stomach ulcers and terrible skin rot. His ulcers have since been treated, and he’s packed on weight since she took him in. He’s still a work in progress, and his owner is doing a fantastic job giving him the care and patience he needs.

Skin rot—often called rain rot or rain scald—is a bacterial skin infection that can cause matted hair, scabs and crusty sores. Damp conditions can contribute to it, and the affected areas can be uncomfortable.

Because his skin rot was so severe, his owner decided to clip him to make treating his skin easier. Removing the coat helps expose the affected areas, makes them easier to see and care for, and can help the skin dry. Clipping is one part of the process, alongside keeping him dry and following his skin-care plan.

His owner has a detailed plan in place for his gut and skin health after working with her vet and talking things through with me. It includes Malaseb washes to cleanse the affected skin and oil treatments at the appropriate stage to help condition and support his skin barrier. The oils are there to support the skin, not to kill the infection, and his skin needs to dry fully between treatments.

Gut health and skin health are connected through the whole horse. The digestive system helps make nutrients available for healthy skin, coat growth and repair. Stomach ulcers can affect appetite and body condition, so treating them and helping him regain weight supports his overall health as his skin is being cared for too. Ulcers don’t directly cause skin rot, but looking after his gut, nutrition and skin are all part of supporting his recovery.

This clip is one practical step in his ongoing care, helping make his skin treatment easier as his owner continues supporting his health and condition. With her dedication and a detailed plan in place, I have no doubt he’ll be looking a million dollars very soon! 🤎

03/10/2026

Mirror, mirror on the wall… who’s the baddest of them all? 🪞😎

Tonka, that’s you! ✂️🐴

Tonka has Cushing’s (PPID), which can make it harder for horses to shed their winter coat normally. With warmer days on the way, that extra hair can leave him feeling hot and uncomfortable. A clip helps him cool down more easily and enjoy the sunshine in comfort.

Looking sharp, feeling cooler, and still rocking that cheeky Tonka attitude! 💙


🐴 Do horses pick up on how we feel?Research suggests horses may detect emotion-related odours in human sweat and respond...
02/10/2026

🐴 Do horses pick up on how we feel?

Research suggests horses may detect emotion-related odours in human sweat and respond differently to fear-related and neutral odours. They also pay attention to our posture, breathing, voice and movements.

That doesn’t mean they can read our minds, or that every change in behaviour is a reflection of us. A horse might become watchful or hesitant for many reasons, including discomfort, their surroundings or past experiences. Look at the whole picture and listen to what your horse is showing you.

Before you approach, take a moment to breathe, soften your shoulders and hands, and move steadily. Give your horse room to respond. You don’t have to feel perfectly calm—just stay patient, observant and ready to adjust.

“Your horse doesn’t need perfection—just patience and clear communication.”

🐴🧠 Your horse remembers more than you might think…Horses can remember familiar people, voices, places, routines and past...
01/10/2026

🐴🧠 Your horse remembers more than you might think…

Horses can remember familiar people, voices, places, routines and past experiences—both positive and negative.

That’s why every interaction matters. Calm handling, patience and consistency don’t just make today’s session easier; they help shape how your horse responds to you in the future.

A horse that feels safe is more able to relax, learn and build trust. Take your time, reward the small wins and remember: you’re creating memories with every interaction. 💙🤍

Positive experiences today help build a confident, resilient horse for tomorrow.

29/09/2026

Harley’s winter coat has had its moment… now it’s time to feel lighter! ✂️🐴

This handsome Warmblood wasn’t in work over winter, so there was no need to clip him earlier in the season. Now he’s starting to shed his coat and, with warmer days ahead, his hunter clip should help him stay more comfortable as temperatures rise.

We left a saddle patch for protection and finished with a tidy-up of his mane. A fresh new look for the change of season! ☀️

🐴 SENSITIVE DOESN’T MEAN DIFFICULT PART 2Does your horse pin their ears, tense their body or step away the moment you ap...
28/09/2026

🐴 SENSITIVE DOESN’T MEAN DIFFICULT PART 2

Does your horse pin their ears, tense their body or step away the moment you approach with a brush?

Before assuming they’re being naughty, stop and listen. Your horse may be anticipating discomfort or trying to tell you that the brush, pressure or area being touched doesn’t feel pleasant.

Sensitivity can be related to the type of brush being used, excessive pressure, thin or reactive skin, static, a dirty coat, previous unpleasant experiences—or an underlying area of pain or irritation.

HOW TO HELP A BRUSH-SENSITIVE HORSE:

🤍 Approach calmly and allow them to see and investigate the brush
🤍 Begin on a less sensitive area, such as the shoulder or neck
🤍 Try a soft brush, grooming mitt or clean towel
🤍 Use slow, gentle strokes and gradually adjust the pressure
🤍 Avoid using hard brushes over bony or delicate areas
🤍 Pause when they relax so they learn that calm behaviour brings relief
🤍 Keep early sessions short and finish on a positive note
🤍 Make sure brushes are clean, undamaged and free from trapped hair

Watch for pinned ears, skin twitching, tail swishing, flinching, tightening through the body, stepping away or guarding a particular area. These are early warning signs—not something to punish or ignore.

If your horse reacts before the brush even touches them, they may have learnt to expect discomfort. Patient, positive sessions can help rebuild trust, but forcing them to tolerate it may make the reaction stronger.

A sudden, severe or one-sided reaction deserves further investigation. Check carefully for heat, swelling, wounds, scabs, bites, rubbed hair or tenderness. If the behaviour persists, speak with your veterinarian or another suitably qualified equine professional.

Good grooming isn’t about getting the job done as quickly as possible—it’s about listening, adjusting and making the experience comfortable for the individual horse.

When you remove your horse’s saddle after a ride, take a moment to look closely at the sweat pattern before washing and ...
27/09/2026

When you remove your horse’s saddle after a ride, take a moment to look closely at the sweat pattern before washing and grooming it away. These marks can provide useful clues about how your horse has worked, how the saddle and saddlecloth have moved, and whether your horse may have experienced pressure or discomfort.

A generally even pattern on both sides can be reassuring, while repeated uneven patches, unusually dry areas or concentrated sweat may be worth monitoring—especially when accompanied by sensitivity, changes in behaviour or reluctance to be tacked up.

AFTER UNTACKING, CHECK FOR:

👀 Differences between the left and right sides, including noticeably heavier or lighter sweating
🤚 Heat, swelling, tenderness or areas that feel different from the surrounding skin
🟤 Ruffled, rubbed, flattened or broken hair that may indicate friction or movement
⚪ Dry patches surrounded by heavy sweat, which can sometimes suggest reduced contact or pressure
🐴 Flinching, dipping, moving away or tightening when the area is touched
🧥 Marks beneath the saddle, girth and saddlecloth, including pressure lines or uneven rubbing

One unusual sweat pattern doesn’t automatically mean the saddle doesn’t fit. Weather, workload, coat thickness, fitness level, riding conditions and saddlecloth materials can all affect how your horse sweats. A horse may also sweat more heavily in certain areas simply because of heat, movement or the way the coat lies.

However, if the same pattern keeps appearing after different rides, or your horse seems uncomfortable during tacking up, riding or grooming, take a clear photograph before brushing the coat. Note the type of work, weather conditions, saddlecloth used and any changes in behaviour. Then speak with a qualified saddle fitter, veterinarian or appropriate professional who can assess the full picture.

OBSERVE BEFORE YOU WASH & BRUSH—YOUR HORSE’S COAT MAY BE TELLING YOU SOMETHING.

26/09/2026

Rio’s transformation 🧡

At 28, this handsome Quarter Horse is living with Cushing’s disease, also known as PPID. The condition can interfere with normal coat shedding, leaving some horses with a long, thick coat—and it can make staying cool harder. With yesterday’s humidity, Rio was sweating under all that coat, so we gave him a clip to help him feel more comfortable as the warmer weather rolls in.

Clipping a wet horse is usually a no-no, and I know that. But Rio’s comfort had to come first, so we carefully made it work for him. Every horse is different, and older horses with PPID need their care tailored to how they’re coping.

Feel cooler, Rio! ☀️

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Moorooduc, VIC
3933

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