Best things to put in a first aid kit?

[ellerslie83]

Just as it says really - am putting together a first aid kit, I have two horses at home, so have nobody else I can borrow things from. Just want to know what people think is actually useful - so any suggestions gratefully received!

 

[ellerslie83]

Thank you! Will put it on the list!! Am a first time owner - so much scarier than riding lessons, so want to make sure I have all the important things!

 

[lizness]

A thermometre, poultice material (animalintex), vetwrap, duct tape, cotton wool, hibiscrub, possibly swabs, something clean to make up hibiscrub in, possibly some salt, latex gloves, sudocreme, aloe vera gel, scissors. A piece of paper with usual horse parametres (e.g. normal temp, resp rate etc.) vets number, farriers number
In an ideal world some trimmers, possibly a hoof boot, soffban and stretchy bandage, a twitch can be very handy.

 

[ellerslie83]

Thanks lizness! Will add it all to the list!

 

[Sberry]

I would put in some of this new stuff called Leucillin - it is absolutely brilliant - I use it on Mud Fever on one horse with great results and on a cut on another, healing time was much quicker with this spray - really inexpensive to buy!

 

[Oberon]

Think about the common problems you may encounter and can be dealt with by yourself without needing the vet straight away....

Lacerations, abrasions, puncture wounds, hoof abscesses, thrush, mud fever, sun burn (if horse has any pink skin).

It's rare to find a wound on a horse immediately - we usually discover them a few hours later and by the nature of how they live, any wound on a horse will already be 'dirty', inflammed and contaminated by bacteria.
As such, a sterile field is pointless and common tap water is fine to clean wounds with initially.
Then it's a case of using an anti bacterial and anti fungal treatment that doesn't harm live tissue and then trying to keep the wound away from dirt while a scab forms to protect it.

I have a big box with.....

20 ml bladder syringes (got a load from a hospital worker that were going to be thrown out for being out of date or you can pick them up from eBay). They are great to irrigate wounds, holes in the hoof or force feeding meds direct into the mouth.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=syringe+20ml&_sacat=0&_odkw=syringe+50ml&_osacat=0

'Vetwrap' stretchy bandages (cheapest from eBay will do - around £2.00 per bandage) for use on limbs, hooves, humans.

Gauze swabs to clean wounds with.

Red Horse Field Paste (for use on soles/frogs for thrush)

Sudocrem for rashes, abrasions etc

Aloe vera gel (wounds/sun burn) or Neem gel.

Latex gloves to avoid getting yuck on my hands in the event of a nasty injury

Coconut oil for mud fever (I have this at home anyway).

Big wound pad to staunch bleeding.

Poultice material (like Animalintex)

Poultice hoof boot
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Shire...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item564b8b663d

I also have a hard poultice/soaking boot which has come in handy.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/easy-soak...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item4ac1617147

Nizoral shampoo is handy for leg mites/mud fever.

Stable leg wraps or stable bandages.

It's also helpful to have non adhesive wound pads, tape and plasters for humans at the yard.