Q&A With Amina Harouna Of Just Be Grooming
- Diana Bezdedeanu
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
DIANA: How did you first get started in the grooming industry?
AMINA: I always say my journey into grooming started long before I ever picked up a pair of clippers. I started riding horses when I was five years old. After my mom enrolled my sister and me in a few lesson barns, we got our first horse, Authentically Good. From the very beginning, it was incredibly important to both my mom and our trainer that we learned how to properly tack up and care for our horse, not just ride him. My sister and I shared Authentically Good, so we learned every aspect of horse care together. We were boarded at a self-care facility, which I absolutely loved.
A few years later, we moved to a barn owned by Susanna Kane. She became like a second mom to me and gave me countless opportunities to care for every horse on the property. At a young age, she trusted me with the care of over 30 horses. I was at the barn from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m., and I genuinely lived for taking care of them. In the summer of 2018, Susanna asked me to clip some of the older horses. The funny part is that I had never clipped a horse before, we always left our own horses natural during the winter. Before that, I mostly enjoyed bathing horses and creating fun designs on retired horses or horses that weren't actively competing. If I noticed a horse getting hot during the day, I'd pull them out and hose them off because I simply loved taking care of them.
People ask me all the time where I learned everything I know. My answer is always the same:
"I try. I fail. I don't give up, and I try again. Success in learning only comes after learning through failure."
The artistic side of my business comes from my lifelong love of art. I simply combined the two things I love most, horses and creativity, and created a career that didn't exist for me before.
DIANA: Who is the most memorable horse you’ve groomed over the years?
AMINA: I've groomed hundreds of horses in my last two years in business, and I will say I've had the pleasure of grooming Madonna's horse, along with a few other celebrity horses. But by far the most special horse I've groomed is a horse named Just Be, who I named my company after, Just Be Grooming. He's a 16-hand dark bay gelding with a wrench-shaped stripe on his face. I got him when he was 4 years old after he had been abandoned by his past owner, and through my 12 years of owning him, he's been the most kind, loving, and smartest horse I've had the pleasure of riding. I did Pony Club with him, and that's where my love for grooming blossomed.
DIANA: What areas do you service?
AMINA: I'm a travel groom and work with clients all over the world. I'm primarily based in Las Vegas, Nevada, serving the West Coast, and Maryland, serving the East Coast, but I'm always happy to travel.
DIANA: What does a typical day as a professional groom look like?
AMINA: No two days are ever the same. Some days start at 5:00 a.m. and don't end until 10:00 p.m. When I have multiple clipping appointments, I actually tell my larger clients to schedule the easier horses first and the more difficult ones last. Most people think that's backwards because you'd assume you'd want to tackle the hardest horses while you're fresh. But I've found that I'm actually the calmest toward the end of the day.
One thing I've learned is that horses feed off your energy. I rarely get frustrated with difficult horses because I don't see them as difficult, I see them as horses trying to communicate. They don't need force; they need patience, calmness, and someone willing to listen. My work is incredibly diverse. I clip, bathe, show groom, ride, compete, travel, and create content while modeling for equestrian brands. Every day looks different, and I love that because I'm constantly learning, adapting, and growing.
DIANA: This job is physically and mentally demanding. How do you avoid burnout while maintaining a high level of care?
AMINA: This is such an important topic and I love talking about it, especially as the sole provider doing the marketing, brand development, grooming, etc. Thinking back to a few years ago, just getting out of high school, my dream was to have a job that did three things for me:
Be in a place of work where my coworkers are horses. I find that horse owners are given such a bad rap for being “crazy.” But we're all just horse people looking out for the best for our animals. Whenever I'm around horses, it gives me a sense of peace and I can breathe and think clearly.
Travel. I love to travel and meet people all over the world. I grew up mostly in the United States, but I spent my summers home in Niger with my mom, dad, and siblings Lydia and Ismael. We would venture off and play games with the village kids. It opened my eyes to what the world has to offer.
Being connected with myself, whether it's going to the gym, hiking, or riding. I actually just recently joined a show barn, Punchberry, with Dinnia DiGennaro here in Vegas, to give myself that outlet of being present with horses, not only on the ground, but in the saddle as well.
So by utilizing all three of these things, it helps me stay grounded to enjoy my life and be able to show up to every job excited and happy.
DIANA: What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about the grooming industry?
AMINA: The biggest misconception I hear is that clipping horses is abusive. In reality, clipping provides many benefits when it's done correctly. It helps horses regulate their body temperature more efficiently, especially those in regular work. Thick winter coats trap heat and moisture, creating the perfect environment for skin issues like rain rot, scratches, and fungal infections. Clipping also dramatically reduces drying time after exercise or bathing. Horses dry faster, meaning moisture doesn't sit against the skin long enough for bacteria to thrive. Grooming also becomes much easier because dirt can't hide under long hair, and you'll use less shampoo and spend less time maintaining the coat. I think this misconception exists simply because there's a lack of education. That's why I take so much pride in the virtual content I create. It's educational and empowers horse owners to better care for their horses.
DIANA: What do you think the horse industry can do to better support professional grooms?
AMINA: Pay your grooms what they're worth. Professional grooms spend years developing specialized skills and deserve recognition, respect, and fair compensation.
DIANA: For young people interested in grooming, what advice would you give them?
AMINA: Prioritize experience over pay. Focus on learning horse behavior, safety, and technique. Clipping is only about 10% of the job, the other 90% is understanding and working with the horse.
DIANA: Any favorite products that all horse owners should keep in their tack trunk?
AMINA: I think all horse owners should have these three things in their tack trunk:
1. The Andis 5-in-1. This tool is so versatile! You can clean legs, face, ears, muzzle, chin, etc. without having to switch blades for a shorter or longer cut.
2. Equifuse. I'd say get the whole line, but if you can only choose one, get the Detangler Serum. It's gotten the fattest of knots out of tails and manes.
3. Any sheepskin mitt. Before my clients go into the ring, I'll dust them off with the mitt and it grabs all the dirt and debris from the warmup ring. You can also spray the mitt with the Equifuse Shine Spray for extra gloss.
Follow Amina on socials: https://linktr.ee/justbeandme
Written by Diana Bezdedeanu
A native of Westwood, Massachusetts, Diana Bezdedeanu is the founder and lead practitioner at Horses Offering People Education (HOPE in MA), an unmounted equine-assisted learning program. She has written for Sidelines Magazine, Community Horse, and Westwood Living. Diana is the proud owner of two retired bay off-the-track Thoroughbred mares, Coffee and London.
This article is from the August 2026 issue of Equine Business Magazine
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