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Tack Time - First Aid Kits

Two very important words for every horseman to take to heart are "be prepared." This is particularly the case when the need arises to have an emergency first aid kit available to treat your horse for an illness or injury that occurs at the barn or along the trail.

For the best protection, you may want to have one kit for barn use and one for trail use that can be kept in your trailer or scaled-down somewhat to be placed in your saddle or cantle bags. Each kit should be brightly colored, making it readily noticed and accessible. Water-proof containers would also be recommended, especially for the trail kit.

Organization of the items in the kit will make it easier for you to find the items you need to treat specific ailments or injuries. Plastic zip-lock bags are ideal for pre-packaging and labeling items for specific injuries, such as treating a cut, for example. You will not have to rummage through the entire kit to find each individual item or determine what should be used when you are anxious to see to your horse; rather, you would simply pull out the bag labeled "cuts/abrasions/punctures" and voila! Everything you will need is there!

You can also list the contents on the bag, as an added measure. Always remember to replace any supplies that have been used to keep your kit well stocked and ready for the next time it is needed.

Stock your first aid kits with the following supplies:

• Tools

• Flashlight
• Knife
• Scissors
• Thermometer
• Rubbing alcohol (sterilization)
• KY jelly or other lubricant

• Stethoscope
• Hoof pick
• Tweezers
• Safety pins
• Syringes/needles for injectable meds
• Twitch
• Your veterinarian's phone number

• Antibiotics and wound medications

• A broad-based injectable antibiotic such as Penicillin (requires refrigeration, which will protect its shelf life, but it can be kept unrefrigerated for up to 40 days) or Gentomyicin
• SMZs -  pill form
• Anti-bacterial soap
• Triple antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin)
• Betadine
• Furacin ointment
  
  

• Pain Medications*

• Banamine, oral or injectable
• Bute, oral or injectable
• Tranquilizer, such as Ace, or some type of calming paste
  
  

*If a veterinarian has been called and pain medications are used prior to his or her arrival, always record vital signs (heart rate, pulse, temperature, etc.) before giving the pain meds. The vet will need to know this information because the pain meds will mask the problem.

• Wound Dressings
• Gauze pads, various sizes
• Telfa pads
• Cotton roll, packaged
• Cloth leg wraps
• Quilted/padded leg wraps
• Women's sanitary napkins (thick pads, non-adhesive backing)#
• Disposable Diapers (off-brand are less expensive)#
• Vet wrap, 3-4 rolls
• Duct tape (ideal for wrapping a poulticed foot)
• Chemical ice bags/packs for swelling
  
  #Ideal for trail emergency kit
  
  

• Dehydration Treatments

• Electrolyte paste
  
  

• Allergic Reaction Medication

• Benadryl capsules/pills

Design your first aid kits to meet your needs for the barn and trail. Talk with your veterinarian or other experienced horse people for input on other items that may be handy to have on hand. Hopefully, you will never experience an emergency and have to turn to your first aid kit, but if you do, your advanced preparation may simply prevent your horse from developing an infection, or it could possibly save his life.