Horsey first aid kit

Crazycob06

Crazycob06

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As some of you know I am a newbie horse owner! I have a lot of help on hand being at a quiet livery yard and having horsey friends but I was wondering what you all keep in your horses first aid kit?? What things are a must to have ready?? I want to make sure I am prepared! And also, is there any common procedures I should be looking up incase I need to use them? For example, poulticing seems very common and I think I get the gist of it but have never had to do it before! I know it all comes with time and experience but like I said, I want to be prepared!

Another thing, common signs of common illnesses?
I would be he first to recognise if something was wrong with tink but what are the most important things to look out for?

Thanks in advance for any tips!
 
Purple spray or similar
Vetwrap/bandages
Sterile dressings
Sterile water and salt
Sudocreme
Louse powder
Scissors
Hoof poultices, nappies and duct tape (or poultice boots)
Antibacterial shampoo
Mud screen
Wormer
Emergency contact details for vet and farrier
 
Argh, and a couple of towels, and sterile gloves!

Also, one or two large woolen blankets (double bed sized) to put underneath a rug if horse is cold rifed/shivering with cold and wet. They will soak up sweat/wet mud, etc, and quickly warm the horse and its rug too. Fold them in half first and layer as required.
 
small human kit!
plasters
sticky tape stuff
dressings
PAINKILLERS!

think ive used this more than a horse one!!! bute is also a good thing to have

poultcing, bandaging with vet rap, minor wound treatment.....sounds like you have a lovely yard! so never be afraid to ask for advise :)
 
Congratulations on becomeing a horse owner :) Be prepared for a very steep learning curve ;)

Thinkgs I have in my first aid kit:

Thermometer
Latex gloves
Vet wrap
Animalintex
Gamgee
Betadine
Aluspray
Sterile saline
Sterile gauze
Ambulance bandages
Scissors

Umm I think that's it :rolleyes:

Increased temperature and respiration are usually signs something is not quite right. Spend a lot of time observing your horse to gauge what is "normal." Some important things to learn are:

How to take the pulse, both digital (especially useful for foot health/spotting laminitis early) and at the neck
Normal temperature (both at rest and after exercise)
Normal respiration (ditto above)
Normal sweat patterns etc
Learn your horses normal demeanor etc

Good luck :)
 
TandD said:
small human kit!
plasters
sticky tape stuff
dressings
PAINKILLERS!

think ive used this more than a horse one!!! bute is also a good thing to have

poultcing, bandaging with vet rap, minor wound treatment.....sounds like you have a lovely yard! so never be afraid to ask for advise :)
Click to expand...

I do! Don't know what I would do without the help and advice I've had! :)
 
Casey76 said:
Congratulations on becomeing a horse owner :) Be prepared for a very steep learning curve ;)

Thinkgs I have in my first aid kit:

Thermometer
Latex gloves
Vet wrap
Animalintex
Gamgee
Betadine
Aluspray
Sterile saline
Sterile gauze
Ambulance bandages
Scissors

Umm I think that's it :rolleyes:

Increased temperature and respiration are usually signs something is not quite right. Spend a lot of time observing your horse to gauge what is "normal." Some important things to learn are:

How to take the pulse, both digital (especially useful for foot health/spotting laminitis early) and at the neck
Normal temperature (both at rest and after exercise)
Normal respiration (ditto above)
Normal sweat patterns etc
Learn your horses normal demeanor etc

Good luck :)
Click to expand...

This is great! Thank you!

She has already taught me a lot in a short space of time! Bless her! :rolleyes:

I will def make a note on pulse and temp! I spend a lot of time with her when ever I can so i know her pretty well and I watch her like a hawk!
 
Arizahn said:
Argh, and a couple of towels, and sterile gloves!

Also, one or two large woolen blankets (double bed sized) to put underneath a rug if horse is cold rifed/shivering with cold and wet. They will soak up sweat/wet mud, etc, and quickly warm the horse and its rug too. Fold them in half first and layer as required.
Click to expand...

I'll take some with me today just in case! Great idea!
 
TandD said:
small human kit!
Click to expand...

This.

Last time I sliced face open (fractured cheekbone and hole in face) I was told off when I was asked for steri-strips (as a compromise for not going to a&e) and could only produce large gauze pads and vet wrap :o

Ended up holding kitchen roll to my face for the following 24 hours :o

The horses first aid kit fills up two of these:
clear%20plastic%20box%20with%20lid.jpg


I also have a spare pony and full headcollar in each car, house and horse site. A spare scoop with pony nuts/horse treats for a rattly food noise. Lunge line, long rope and short lead rope. Purple spray and the derma cream stuff in car. Stanley knife and medical gloves. Think that's about it as emergency extras not exclusively in the medical boxes. The car stuff is useful for horses and farm animals.
 
We went to a clients evening hosted by our vets & a Professor from one of the teaching hospitals was there to talk & is one of the top people in his field. Apparantly he is the main person vets phone when they have a problematic injury/wound to treat.

He stated that first off look at the use by dates in your first aid kit & throw out anything out of date & that has got damaged or dirty. Next get rid of 'purple spray' & wound powder. The purple spray that you buy from tack shops is not the same as vets so don't use it. Additionally don't use wound powder as it dries up the wound, shrinks the skin back & if the injury needs stitches the vet will not be able to do it as any flap of skin will be too small to reach the other side of the wound. Any subsequent treatment will leave a much bigger scar than it would have been.

Treatment for the majority of wounds is to wash the wound, quite forcible using a garden sprayer containing about a teaspoon of salt to a pint of tepid water. This is to wash out any foreign bodies or dirt. Then cover the wound with hydrogel & wrap it in a sterile dressing. That way the wound will be clean & moist for when the vet comes. Do not flood the wound with disinfectant. Do not introduce chemicals into the wound. Dirt in the wound is not infection so it does not need disinfectant, the saline water will clean it. If you do this for all wounds the attending vet will have a much better chance of suturing the wound & leave only a small scar if any.:)
 
I did not know that re purple spray. Is it still ok for minor nicks and scrapes (eg; rubbing up next to a bramble, etc)? Or is it better to treat as per larger wounds?
 
I also have
bute
sudocreme
antiseptic cream - i use a human antiseptic cream for minor cuts and grazes :)
tea-tree oil
cotton wool
small bowl for water if needing to bathe a cut/graze
baby wipes!
golden eye
a towel
:)
 
I use farm purple spray and our vet has seen it and recommended its use on several occasions. It is bloody fantastic stuff and I've always had success when I've used it. There is a difference on horse purple spray from a store though and wouldn't bother with it. There is an equivalent to the vet one but very expensive and named something completely different.

I've only had a problem with it when I bent down to spray a hoof and managed to coat my face in a gust of wind :(
 
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