Equine First Aid Kit

Every horse owner needs to have a stocked first aid kit in their barn. If you haul your horse alot (like shows or rodeos), you need to keep on in the trailer, too. Here are some materials for a good first aid kit:

• Self-sticking bandaging material, such as VetRap
• Telfa or other pads for cuts and wounds
• Bandaging tape to hold bandages on
• Guaze or cotton rolls
• Small, sharp scissors
• Betadine scrub or other iodine solution to clean wounds
• Phenylbutazone, or 'bute' for pain relief (can only be obtained through vet)
• Acepromazine, to tranquilize horse in grave emergencey (can only be obtained through vet. This is a good item to have in the trailer in case of a sever trailer accident)
• Disposable syrynges and needles
• Twitch (to use on wild horses if treatment is needed)
• Pocket Knife
• Rubbing Alchohol
• Large animal rectal thermometer
• Epsom salts
• Masking tape
• Clean towels and rags
• Sponge
• Leg bandages
• First aid ointment (even human first aid cream will work)
• A pair of hoof nippers (I've never heard of anyone else keeping them, but I do, and they work great for snipping things that scissors can't, like leather, some wire, ropes, rubber, and all types of stuff. They are great to keep around in case you ever need to cut something off your horse)

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There are pre-made first aid kits with basic first aid materials that you can buy. You can talk to your veterinarian about putting together a good first aid kit, and ask him/her what he/she reccomends.

You should be able to give shots, and know how to restrain a horse. You should also have some training in first aid, or at least read up on different emergencies and the procedure that should be followed. Your vet might recomend a book on equine first aid. The pre-made kits usually contain a booklet on common emergencies and how to treat them.

Acepromazine is not common in first aid kits, but professionals keep it just in case of a bad trailer accident. What would you do if your trailer flipped over with the horses in it and they were panicking? This drug could be used to tranquilize horses in this case until a vet arrived, and prevent the horse from further injuring himself.