Original Civil War Cavalry Curry Comb, non-dug

This is another piece which I recently acquired; it is a Civil War Curry Comb. It still has the original wood handle attached and measures approximately 8 ½” x 5”. They were used by both the Union and Confederate cavalrymen.

During the Civil War the grooming of a soldiers horse was an important part of their everyday care – often done before taking care of themselves. Regular grooming helps to ensure the horse is healthy and comfortable. At a minimum, horses are generally groomed in the morning and usually groomed and cleaned up again at night.

Using a curry comb on a horse improved the health of the skin and coat which decreases the chance of various health problems such as thrush, scratches and other skin problems. This cleansing was necessary so chafing did not occur under areas of tack. It also formed a relationship between the horse and the cavalryman which could carry over to other handling duties and riding.

This unique tool remains in great condition, only showing some minor surface rust. An example is in the Civil War Library and Museum, Philadelphia (see pictures). There are excavated examples of this comb in “Horse Equipment of the Civil War Era”, by Howard Crouch. He describes it as “…the typical Civil War period design” (see pictures). This is a very solid piece, tight and no rust.