Having the best outdoor brooms on your yard can make all the difference – and it’s the same with the best wheelbarrows and best shavings forks. To the untrained sweeper a broom is just a broom, but to anyone who has spent even a small amount of time sweeping a yard with a sub-standard outdoor broom knows this is far from the truth.
Every equestrian has an idea of what they consider to be the best outdoor broom, but quick and efficient is what we’re all after. Whether you’re sweeping bedding, mud or hay, we’ll help you choose a broom that makes light work of sweeping your outdoor space, wherever it is.
Best outdoor brooms for yard use
Herbie’s Super Bulldozer Broom
Handle length: 60in (152cm)
Head width: 24in (61cm)
H&H Review: 8/10
This broom from Herbie’s is described as suitable for use on wet or dry debris, and on rough or smooth surfaces. It is lightweight and has an extra-long handle, which has a swivel hanging feature for easy storage. The heavy-duty resin broom head is warp-, rot- and crack-resistant, and it doesn’t absorb water in the way that wood might do.
The bristles are made of stiff natural fibres that are great for heavy debris and rough surfaces, and provide a good flick action. Replacement heads and handles are available.
Event rider and BHSII Lisa Spence and her team tested this broom and found it was lightweight and works well sweeping in both directions. The superb flick-action can’t be beaten and it makes sweeping up a breeze. Since testing this broom the handle has been upgraded to aluminium so it’s now thicker and stronger but super lightweight, making it one of the best outdoor brooms out there.
Read the full Herbie’s Quickie Super Bulldozer Broom review
Charles Bentley Bulldozer Yard Broom
Handle length: 61in (156cm)
Head width: 14in (36cm) or 24in (61cm)
This Bulldozer broom is simple yet effective. It’s heavy duty and has both soft and stiff PVC bristles, which can be used for light dust and heavy debris together. The broom handle is detachable and comes with a comfortable grip handle.
H&H’s deputy website editor Georgia Guerin has used this broom and rates it. She says: “The person stabled opposite me has the wide one, while the livery next door has the narrow. They’re both great, but for getting the job done I’d definitely recommend the wide option.”
Red Gorilla Deluxe Synthetic Corn Broom
Handle length: 43in (110cm)
Head width: Standard or large
This new and improved corn broom performs well in wet environments with easy clean sweeps as the polypropylene bristles don’t stick together. It offers excellent coverage and control without absorbing moisture or breaking down over time. It’s strong and lightweight, with a flexible head and a durable aluminium handle for comfort and durability.
It’s available in six colours – so it’s easy to identify yours at the yard. This type of corn broom is particularly great for getting into corners and sweeping piles into a scoop.
We have not tested this corn broom however Red Gorilla is renowned for their innovative designs and has been trusted by riders for many years.
TDBS Heavy Duty Outdoor Broom
Handle length: 57in (145cm)
Head width: 18in (46cm)
This brush has hard-wearing synthetic bristles and a strong stainless steel handle, which comes in three sections that easily screw together to provide one long and strong handle. It can be used in wet or dry conditions, and it will not rot or mould like a wooden broom.
This broom is very well rated on Amazon and people have commented on the adjustable height of the handle and a mixture of soft and stiff bristles that make light work or clearing paths and is great value.
Harold Moore Stable and Yard Broom
Colours: Blue, green, pink or purple
Handle length: 140cm
Head width: 30cm, 45cm, 60cm
H&H Review: 6/10
These Harold Moore brooms are designed to be compatible with any surface, including concrete, rubber matting, stone, tarmac or cobbles. They are hard wearing and specifically designed for the demands of the professional equestrian environment. They have a low wear rate and are designed to work on the toughest surfaces while remaining soft enough to be rubber matting friendly. Available in a range of colours and sizes, so you can pick the best combination for you.
The bristles are crimped to increase the contact surface area and create a more effective material grab. They’re also non-absorbent, rot proof and easy to clean. The design minimises clogging and the increased hole depth provides additional bristle support, while anti-corrosive stainless steel staples securely fixes them in place. The pole is made of high performance durable aluminium and topped with an ergonomic hanging handle.
Lisa Spence and her team tested this broom and found it was particularly useful for sweeping shavings back, although also worked outside for sweeping hay.
Read the full Harold Moore Yard Broom review
Red Gorilla Gorilla Broom With Hard Bristles
Colours: Blue, red, pistachio, pink, yellow or purple
Handle length: 120cm or 147cm
Head width: 30cm or 50cm
This Red Gorilla broom is available in six different colours, and two handle lengths, which is great if you struggle to find the right height broom and suffer with back ache. It has a colourful and practical design, and comes with a built-in scraper blade and anti-clog channel, which cuts down flying dust for a clean sweeping action. The extra-wide head on the larger broom allows you to shift more with minimal effort. It performs well in a wet environment as the head and bristles don’t soak up any fluid.
I have the smaller of the two sizes in this broom in purple. It is great for sweeping back bedding in the stables and keeping the hay barn tidy. The colour has not faded and the broom is not too heavy and I have found the scraper to be useful when I have mud on the stable mats to remove.
Lisa Spence and her team tested this broom as part of a group test and found it was a sturdy and durable broom for everyday use, however it performed better in the dry than the wet.
Read the full Red Gorilla Broom review
BroomRaker Cleaning Tool
Handle length: 115cm
Head width: 30.6cm
This lightweight and robust tool from BroomRaker is the handy combination of a broom and a rake in one, eliminating the need for two separate tools. It is made of recyclable and sustainable materials, and has been designed, developed and manufactured in Britain. This dual-purpose tool is the only tool designed to fit and clean the grooves in Ifor Williams horse trailers.
I have used this tool when I owned a trailer and it saved my back and many hours when picking out the manure from the individual grooves from the trailer rubber matting.
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