Every barn should have a horse first aid kit. It should be clearly marked, easily visible and accessible, kept where your horses are located, contain current, non-expired products.
A second aid kit should be made if horses are travelling.
It is much easier to remain calm when faced with a horse injury if you know your first aid kit is stocked and ready. Be sure to take inventory of your first aid kit often and keep your skills up to date. Horse First Aid Kit should include the following items:
- Bandage scissors & Fetlock Shears, Gauze roll, Animalintex pads including hoof shaped pad, Lubricating jelly, Syringes for wound flushing (60 cc), Saline solution, Sheet cotton, Small sponge, Vet wrap, Sterile gauze pads, Stethoscope, Hoof pick, Thermometer, Poultice, Poultice pad and poultice boot, Weight and height tape, Wound ointment, Wound wash (Prepodyne), Dermagel, Alcohol wipes, Disposable diapers or sanitary napkins, Disposable safety razors, Duct tape, Electrical tape, Electrolytes, Epsom salts, First aid manual, Flashlight and/or headlamp, Tweezers, Heavy duty scissors, Instant cold compress, Leatherman or multipurpose tool, Paper towels, Plastic wrap and plastic bags, Rubber or latex gloves, Safety pins, Cotton terry towels, Spray bottle, Stopwatch, Syringes of different sizes, Tourniquet, Wooden tongue depressor, Wound wash bucket.
Natural First Aid Kit
There are many things we can do for ourselves in cases of accident or injury suffered by our animals to provide immediate assistance and to minimize the distress of the incident. Your Natural Kit should contain essential herbal mixtures, homeopathic, flower remedies and ointments for accidents & injuries, cuts, abrasions, exhaustion, infection, bruising, overwork, early signs of colic, stress and more:
- Rescue Remedy: a few drops directly into the mount of the horse helps to reduce the panic and stress of shock and aid in settling things down much more quickly for the horse and to assist the owner make better calmer decisions.
- Antiseptic/Styptic: To reduce blood flow and as an immediate antiseptic. For any puncture wound or gash, first wash out with water if possible and pat dry, then apply a squirt of this mixture of Calendula and Yarrow extracts. If it is not possible to wash out the wound, then just squirt the mixture into the wound directly. If applied regularly thereafter, it will heal more naturally and quickly from the inside out and scarring will be minimized.
- Trauma Mix: This is a more comprehensive travel trauma treatment to be given if there are any accidents or incidents while floating your horse which result in high levels of distress. In such a situation a horse is liable to suffer stress colic or stress founder and it is vital to have herbal preventative program to hand which can reduce instantly the likelihood of these outcomes. The herbal ingredients are extracted into Organic Cider Vinegar for immediate uptake by the digestive system and doses of 10ml each are given directly into the mouth at frequent intervals during the incident and then for a few days following to finish off. The mix includes the herbs: Chamomile, Fresh Garlic, Hawthorn Berries, Parsley, Rosehip Berries, White Willow Herb, Yarrow Herb and Rescue Remedy.
- Skin Healing Cream: This simple cream is the first aid for scratches and burns, including rope burns. It has antiseptic and antifungal properties and includes the herbs: Chamomile, Horsetail, Calendula, Pine Bark, Slippery Elm and Thuja along with Elecampane to speed healing and minimize scarring.
- Hoof Oil: This Hoof Oil formulation functions by improving the circulation within the hoof and driving healing herbs directly into the hoof. It is also a valuable aid to healing of any limb injury. The application of hoof oil to the hoof will speed healing for all other leg injuries whether involving soft tissue, ligaments or bones. The ingredients are Arnica, Elecampane, Linseed, Kelp, White Willow, Rosemary and Wintergreen.
- Alleviate: This formulation is herbal alternative to Bute without the side effects. It can be used in conjunction with Bute for very severe pain to allow much smaller amounts of the Drug to be administered, thereby reducing the likelihood of ulcers and other side effects. It can be used instead of Bute when the pain becomes more manageable, thereby reducing the time of exposure to Bute. The mix includes Devil’s Claw, White Willow, Guaiacum, Burdock, Pine Bark, Rosehips, Elecampane, Yarrow and Vinegar along with the Bach Flowers Honeysuckle, Vine, Walnut and Rescue Remedy. This herbal formula may be used in a competitive environment as it is does not show up in drug testing.
- Colloidal Silver: Colloidal Silver is an antibiotic and may be used externally and taken internally. It is given as a preventative whenever your horse is taken to the Vet for any surgical procedures, when the usual approaches to infection via immunity support are struggling, as first aid when infection is a risk.
- Eyewash: The Eye Wash Mix Includes: Celandine, Golden seal, Rue as well as the Bach Flowers Rescue Remedy and Crab Apple. This concentrated extract is mixed with water and can be used in any eye accident, injury or infection. It must never be administered without dilution but two or three drops in a small amount of water splashed into your horse’s eye can very quickly reduce pain, inflammation and begin to treat the infection. Regular treatment with this mix will heal ulcers and any number of chronic eye problems.
Arnica Montana
Arnica is the first thing that comes to mind when preparing herbal first aid kit. Arnica Montana is used for any type of trauma, from a small bruise to falling off a mountain. There is no better plant for trauma, sprains, strains, bruising, rheumatism, or inflammation of the skin. There are reported cases of it being used immediately after a bad fall to horse and rider with no bruising occurring in the areas the Arnica was applied. It is often found in liniments or braces.
You can use it as a body rub, under bandages, even in bath water. Other herbs work in combination beautifully with Arnica. This is a plant that is very toxic when taken internally in its raw herb state. It is safe to use internally only when prepared homeopathically.
Arnica should be in every barn, home and car in case of an accident. It can be administered for serious trauma while waiting for your vet to arrive.
In case of:
The horse is shocked: Essential oils: Camphor or Melissa (by inhalation)
Abrasions: Topical Hypericum and Calendula lotion (diluted 1 in 10).
Bruise: Arnica internally, Arnica lotion externally, Essential oil: Hyssop (gentle massage).
Cut wound: Staphysagria and topical Hypericum and Calendula lotion (diluted 1 in 10).
Bony Injury: Symphytum, Arnica, Comfrey
Puncture/stab wound: Ledum, topical Hypericum and Calendula lotion (diluted 1 in 10). If it’s in the hoof first open the wound carefully to allow drainage.
Sprain: Ruta, Comfrey. Essential oils: Eucalyptus, Lavender and Rosemary (massage).
Haemorrhage: Yarrow. Essential oils: Cypress or Geranium (inhaled).
Damage to cornea of the eye: Euphrasia tincture diluted – 2 drops in an egg cupful of boiled, cooled water.
Learn to recognize injuries and illnesses in your horse and contact your veterinarian as soon as you notice a problem. Please note that calling the vet simply means picking up the phone and asking for input rather than guessing or waiting! You will know how to deal with whatever situation has arisen and increase your horse’s chance for a full recovery.
Here are some useful resources: