Advice on horse first aid from Clare Wild our horse sitter in Bedford

The Essential first aid kit for your horse or pony

Having the basics to hand will ensure that you are able to deal quickly and effectively with any injury to your horse or pony.

As professional Horse Sitter with Kirstys Horses I know only too well how essential it is to carry a first aid kit with me at all times. There have been a few occasions while providing horse care in Bedford that I have needed my equine first aid kit to hand.

An equines first response to anything unusual is to escape. This does not cause many problems in a wide open space but with fences and stables blocking the way this can often lead to injury. Likewise if there are a number of horses sharing a field every so often there will be disagreements or over zealous play which again can lead to injuries. In many cases these minor injuries can be dealt with without the need to call a vet, however if you are in any doubt you should always consult your equine vet.

Keeping a well-stocked horse first aid kit at the yard ensures treatment can be given quickly. It should be kept in a clean box in a dust free area such as a cupboard. Items should be replaced as they are used and an inventory on the outside is always helpful especially if the services of a freelance groom or horse sitter are used. If travelling with your horse always ensure that you take a first aid kit with you just incase.

Ensuring both you and the horse are vaccinated against Tetanus saves panic over every small wound. When dealing with any wound it is vital to ensure it is flushed clean as quickly as possible as infection can set in very quickly.

Suggested contents of a full first aid kit
• Clean bowl or bucket
• Clean towel
• Large roll of cotton wool
• Round-ended curved scissors for trimming hair from wound edges
• Anti-bacterial scrub eg Hibiscrub or Pevidine
• Pack of sterile saline — very handy when on the move
• Ready-to-use poultice eg Animalintex, Poultex
• Wound gel eg Intrasite Gel
• Non-stick dressings eg Melolin, Rondopad
• Gamgee and large scissors for cutting it to size
• A selection of bandages including:
• Stretch cotton bandages eg Knit-firm, K-band and crepe bandages
• Adhesive bandages eg Elastoplast
• Elastic conforming self-adhesive bandages eg Vetrap, Co-plus
• Tubular bandage eg Tubigrip
• Synthetic orthopaedic bandage eg Soffban
• A set of stable bandages
• A roll of electrical insulating tape 2cm wide
• A roll of black PVC tape or silver duct tape 7.5 or 10cm wide
• A gentian violet or antibiotic spray
• Petroleum jelly eg Vaseline
• Wound powder containing fly repellent
• Wound gel such as Dermagel, intrasite gel or vetalintex
• Small pair of tweezers
• Thermometer

Contact Clare our Horse Sitter in Bedford

Equine Vets in Bedford
Horse Care Bedford