# Haas Brushes



## gottaquarter (Jun 8, 2012)

So I've been reading the recent posts regarding favorite grooming tools and notice there's a large following for Haas brushes, and since i really should replace some of the basic brushes i've had in the tack box forever I've taken notice. So I googled them and see that there are quite a lot of them to have to choose from! I might be able to swing two or three due to cost but over time i would love to put together a nice group of these. Im slightly confused by all the different choices and am hoping you Haas fans can not only recommend which ones you wouldn't want to be without but also if there are a few which would work from start to finish with dirty mud loving horses. I have a palomino and a buckskin that are outside and unblanketed, and even though they don't seem thin skinned i have noticed at times they wince a little if im too hard with a stiff brush. I see there's a brush made specifically for the legs, does anyone have comments about that one? So if you all can give me your Haas top three and for fun your fantasy grooming box i will take note..........especially in the best order to use on a dirty coat! (and they don't have to be Haas but i feel like those really seem to be a good investment by the reviews they get)
thanks pardners!!:cowboy:


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Love my Haas Schimmel brush for greys, but we only have the one brush, so I'm following to hear about the others! Like you, I'd be happy to put together a set, especially for our show horse who loves to get filthy. I do love it, and absolutely think they are worth the money.


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

I got a haas bundle after seeing it recommended on here (for greys). And up the schimmel IS amazing! As far as I'm aware thats the only colour based one. There are some that are soft for more sensitive skin. The schimmel is really good though but tbf it basically is a stiffer brush  I also love the diva!


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

I will try to get a pic of my (extensive ) collection and give the pros and cons for each... It will just take a while, as I love trying out new ones ALL THE TIME!

Last year Haas came out with a teal set mg: - luckily for my wallet this set seems to be only available in Europe... Except if @Kalraii wants to send me one :wink:

My mare hated grooming and seems to be quite sensitive. However, she truly loves the Schimmel brush, which is pretty stiff (coco fibers).


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## Captain Evil (Apr 18, 2012)

My horse seemed very sensitive to brushing, hated his belly brushed and so on, so I got a set of Haas for light colored horses, and he got much better. He stopped shrinking down when his back was brushed, but it wasn't until I got the Schimmel that he really came to enjoy brushing sessions. 

He is not gray, but a sorrel or flaxen chestnut, but he likes the stiff brush. He now also likes his face and around his ears (and in his ears if I use a tiny brush and am careful) and he loves the Diva on his head. Below the knees I use one of the other medium brushes. 

The other brush that can't believe he likes is the stiff red curry. Seriously. I have round rubber curries with soft little nubbies, and a hedgehog-type curry that ALL horses are supposed to love and gloves with little bumps on them looked perfect for a sensitive horse.. 

Nope.

He likes the stiff Haas curry better. Go figure!

My sister has a big TB/Shire cross mare, who really dislikes being brushed. Her previous owner said that she tried to desensitize the horse for years before accepting that she just would not tolerate it. My sister got a set of Haas brushes, and now can brush her horse everywhere.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

Ok, here's the list of brushes that I am currently using:
My mare used to hate grooming, but now she is fully enjoying it... Maybe it is because of the brushes :think:

*Curry combs*
•	Express brush – works like the softer of the Oster round curries, but for me lies better in my hand. And it’s awesome to remove hair from upholstery and wool felt pads.
•	Der Gute – a pretty stiff plastic curry. Not my favorite to use for de-mudding (prefer a rubber one), so I use it mainly to clean my brushes while grooming.

*Stiff brushes*
•	Schimmel – very stiff coco fiber bristles. Great for mud, stains, overall dirty horses, as well as fleece saddle pads and sport boots. My super-sensitive horse loves it!
•	Diamond Wurzel – synthetic bristles, a little softer than the Schimmel. Great for muddy horses post curry. A LOT of dirt is coming up with this one with very little effort.

*Medium stiff brushes*
•	Thoroughbred - leather back (pretty hard) that will soften with lots of use. Relatively soft bristles, probably the softest of the medium-stiff ones. My favorite medium brush.
•	Turnier – this is my first brush that I got (used) over 30 years ago. Back then the backs were still wood and that lost its color. But the bristles are still as good as new. A little stiffer and my horse only tolerates it in winter.
•	Brenic Madoc – longer synthetic bristles that can do double duty as a stiff brush, but struggle to get off thick mud without extensive currying. But similar to the Diamond Wurzel, a lot of dirt is coming up.
•	Flick brush/mane brush – very similar (if not the same) as Brenic Madoc, but in a flick brush design. Works very well for cleaning legs too without being too stiff. 

*Soft brushes*
•	Smile Grundy’s Finest – nice soft brush to get dust out of the coat and extra sheen after use of a medium brush
•	Diamond Gloss – be prepared to put on your sunglasses!
•	Diva – a Mattes sheepskin surrounded by soft horse hair bristles. Do I have to say more? In wintertime with thick coats and residual dust this brush gets clogged up very quickly. But after a thorough grooming this will pick up the last dust and makes your horse super shiny. Awesome for cleaning the face too!

If I would have to choose my favorites ones (in order of use while grooming): Schimmel, Thoroughbred, Diamond Gloss and Diva.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

@SwissMiss holy crap that must be the grooming kit that God built! That is quite the collection. And now I feel tempted to try a haas (I don't think I could justify more than one). 

Query: what makes the Haas God's gift to horses? 

And if you were to get just one for a pretty bay arab gelding- which would you get?


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

lostastirrup said:


> @SwissMiss holy crap that must be the grooming kit that God built! That is quite the collection.


:rofl: I am actually shocked at the number of brushes I have :shock: OK, one set (ahem the _blue_ one) is in the trailer and the _black_ one in the barn... Only Schimmel, Express and Diva are found in both locations :Angel:
I am collecting them for many years - and since they seem to last forever, the collection just keeps on growing 



lostastirrup said:


> And now I feel tempted to try a haas (I don't think I could justify more than one).
> 
> Query: what makes the Haas God's gift to horses?
> 
> And if you were to get just one for a pretty bay arab gelding- which would you get?


No idea why they are so popular :shrug: But all the horses I tried them on seemed to love them, including my don't-touch-me mare.

To make your pretty boy shine even more I would recommend a Diva. I think you can never go wrong with them :biggrin:


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

That IS quite a collection @SwissMiss! We just have the one, but your post has convinced me to pick up one or two extras for Christmas  

So do tell, how do you clean all these magical brushes?


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## Captain Evil (Apr 18, 2012)

I just got mine this past summer/fall... I would like to know that also!


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

Acadianartist said:


> That IS quite a collection @SwissMiss! We just have the one, but your post has convinced me to pick up one or two extras for Christmas
> 
> So do tell, how do you clean all these magical brushes?


:Angel: You could say the collection is quite excessive. But since they don't seem to break, they just accumulated over the years 
Initially you could hardly get them in the US and I bought them online in Germany (with free shipping :shock…

Most brushes I wash in soapy water or Lysol, rinse, and let air dry. 
The brush with the leather back I try to not submerge for too long and dry out of the sunlight.

I haven't had to clean the Diva yet (am brushing it out after use), but I am planning to wash it with melp to preserve the sheepskin. 

Recently I picked up a baggie of effervescent brush cleaner (to get free shipping :wink, but haven't used it yet. It gets rave reviews


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## gottaquarter (Jun 8, 2012)

Oh thank you so much for breaking it down like that SwissMiss!! I really do rely alot on personal feedback from people when making an "investment" for something that others would think could be accomplished with a cheaper item. Excited to look at your comments closer and whittle down a choice or two  I'm guessing these are all priced about the same regardless of where they are purchased?


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

@gottaquarter, yes prices are pretty much the same across the board. The biggest selection I have found at smartpak and ridingwarehouse…

And yes, I have heard the comment "a cheaper brush works too", but sometimes you need to treat yourself too, right?


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## gottaquarter (Jun 8, 2012)

SwissMiss said:


> Ok, here's the list of brushes that I am currently using:
> My mare used to hate grooming, but now she is fully enjoying it... Maybe it is because of the brushes :think:
> 
> *Curry combs*
> ...


What exactly is the difference between the schimmel and the thoroughbred brushes? they both sound like they are medium types............just at very different price tags!


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

gottaquarter said:


> What exactly is the difference between the schimmel and the thoroughbred brushes? they both sound like they are medium types............just at very different price tags!


Schimmel - resin body, coco fiber bristles which are pretty stiff/rough. I have heard they really are great to get stains out of greys (= Schimmel in German). Great to get the "first round clean" after currying.

Thoroughbred - leather body with soft horse hair bristles. Significantly softer than the Schimmel and probably most medium body brushes. Perfect to get all the dirt out of the coat. You know, brushing until the only reside in the curry is white :biggrin: Yes, I was taught how to brush a horse by an old cavalry officer. As long as you were knocking grey/brown dust out of your curry comb after cleaning your brush, your horse was still too dirty  At least I was spared the ultimate test: him checking the cleanliness of the horse with a pristine white glove :Angel:


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

That's an impressive collection @SwissMiss ! 
Where did you order your effervescent brush cleaner? And have you used it yet? How do you like it?
Mine needs to be cleaned.

I have a few Haas brushes loosely based off of the chestnut, light bay collection.

Same as Swiss I have the Der Gute plastic curry and I don't like it. I just use it in my opposite hand to clean my brushes as I go.
I also have the Brenic Madoc, I use it more like a big flick brush because of the long synthetic bristles.

I have the Military, Cavalier and Welsh. I bought the Welsh on accident because it has a blue resin back like the Skin Gloss brush. But still a nice brush.

My next Hass purchases will be the Skin Gloss and Diva.

I bought the Brenic off of Amazon but the rest of them came from Mary's Tack. I used to get a supplement from them and after a certain amount, free shipping. So I justify my Haas brush purchases as a way to get free shipping..lol..

This video from Eqclusive shows using a few of the brushes I have.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

@COWCHICK77 we have quite some things in common :biggrin: There are still some brushes I would like to try out, but honestly I should not. :Angel: But then, DD is adding my brushes to her grooming bucket... Maybe I shouldn't have started the addiction with her  This was her first brush 










I got the cleaner from ridingwarehouse, but haven't used it yet. Maybe this weekend. My brushes definitively need it!
I will let you know how it works!


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

SwissMiss said:


> @COWCHICK77 we have quite some things in common :biggrin: There are still some brushes I would like to try out, but honestly I should not. :Angel: But then, DD is adding my brushes to her grooming bucket... Maybe I shouldn't have started the addiction with her  This was her first brush
> 
> View attachment 999861
> 
> ...


Yes and thank you! 
Definitely some things in common 

Love the Lady Bug, very cute! Plus me being superstitious, ladybugs are good luck!


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## lb27312 (Aug 25, 2018)

@COWCHICK77 - and @SwissMiss you guys have motivated me into getting a few nice brushes... I hope it works out... A Christmas gift to my guys!


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

lb27312 said:


> @COWCHICK77 - and @SwissMiss you guys have motivated me into getting a few nice brushes... I hope it works out... A Christmas gift to my guys!


 @COWCHICK77, with all the advertisement we do, we should get some compensation from Haas :wink::think:


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## gottaquarter (Jun 8, 2012)

Oh my gosh, just watched that video..... Holy Moley! Actual results!!! Now I really want one of each! Thank you all for your comments and advice, I’m sold and not going to wait until Christmas to start enjoying them, quick where’s my wallet!


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

SwissMiss said:


> @COWCHICK77, with all the advertisement we do, we should get some compensation from Haas :wink::think:


Lol!!! Yes!!!


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## gottaquarter (Jun 8, 2012)

I kid you not the brush Gods were following this thread y’all...... SP ( not trying to advertise.... the company that makes single supplements in packages) sent me a Black Friday promo on my email today and all the Haas brushes are 20%OFF!!! So I went a little crazy and picked out a variety AND also ordered a nice big grooming tote to keep my brushes in! Justifying this as a very nice and overdue Xmas present that Christmas cash will go towards. Hope it’s ok to plug this sale but thought it would help convince anyone to go on and upgrade their tack box with some Haas brushes!!


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## txgirl (Jul 9, 2010)

ridingwarehouse and smartpak have 20% off going on right now, just ordered a few brushes myself!!


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Just when I thought I could live without something, I see this thread!! 

goes off to visit sale sites...

_ @SwissMiss you are familiar with my horses, plz advise on the "starter set" I need _


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## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

oops, my brushes aren't Haas, they are horsehaus , they are excellent quality, not sure if as good (or better?) than Haas,,,sorry about my confusion....lots of choices on their website and videos on the order of the brushes and why...love,love,love mine and they do an excellent job of lifting the dirt and leaving a shine. 

cheers,
Fay


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

The sale is dangerous. I ordered the schimmel, just because the mud is so bad and I'm sure it will be great at shows. The Diva looks good, but I already have a piece of sheepskin in my grooming kit. 

Anyone heard of Leistner brushes? They look similar to the Haas and are also German and very lush.


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