A sweat scraper is a tool used in

horse grooming Horse grooming is hygienic care given to a horse, or a process by which the horse's physical appearance is enhanced for horse shows or other types of competition. Reasons for grooming Grooming is an important part of horse care. Grooming a hors ...

and with other animals, such as

dogs The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

. It consists of a

handle A handle is a part of, or attachment to, an object that allows it to be grasped and manipulated by hand. The design of each type of handle involves substantial ergonomic issues, even where these are dealt with intuitively or by following tra ...

and a

rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...

blade A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Historic ...

. Sweat scrapers are available in both metal and plastic form, and also traditionally in wood (as seen in

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

). It is used to remove sweat and/or excess hair from larger pets. It is used in much the same manner as a

window cleaner Window cleaning, or window washing, is the exterior cleaning of architectural glass used for structural, lighting, or decorative purposes. It can be done manually, using a variety of tools for cleaning and access. Technology is also employed and ...

would scrape water or foam from a window with a rubber blade. The typical use of a sweat scraper is now actually to remove excess water after washing a horse to help it cool down rather than for just sweat. Without the use of a sweat scraper, it would take more effort and additional rags to remove the same amount of excess water therefore the proper use of a sweat scraper helps to ensure an effective cool down process.

References

Animal equipment {{Tool-stub