A GREEN HORSE is a NATURAL, ECONOMICAL and ECO-FRIENDLY WAY to a HEALTHY HORSE: Horse First Aid

Horse First Aid / Evacuations

Before I get too far down the road with all these issues, I believe it is crucial to be prepared for those “emergency” moments. Even though we should always try to prevent them, sometime during the time of your horse ownership there is a possibility you will encounter an emergency. Whether medical or weather related, “An ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure”… so, Be Ready!

The weather can pose terrible threats to our horses as we have seen with the Midwest floods and the current hurricane devastation along our coasts. At this writing, three hurricanes are spinning in the Atlantic heading towards the Eastern Seaboard. In the event of an evacuation, you should have plans in place to act.

Medical emergencies will require planning and preparations too. You need to remain safe, calm, act quickly and smartly and call for help. For your horse’s benefit, you will need to perform responsibly; especially to any signs of distress. You should have a plan in advance in possible emergencies. Here are some thoughts to better prepare you and your horse for an emergency...

In the event of a medical emergency…
REMEMBER to CALL YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY!

This phone number, as well as your farrier’s should be plastered in your barn, in your first aid kit and/or better yet plastered on the back of your eyelids

Evacuation Tips for Farm Animals:

Evacuate animals as soon as possible. Be ready to leave once the evacuation is ordered
Arrange your evacuation route in advance
Arrange a place to house your animals
Plan an alternate evacuation route. Alternate routes should be mapped out in case the planned route becomes inaccessible
Set up safe transportation. Make sure to have experienced animal handlers and drivers to transport them
Most evacuation sites will REQUIRE a negative Coggins test and/or medical records on your horse
Take your supplies with you. At these sites you should have, or be able to obtain readily, food, water, bedding, veterinary care, handling equipment for your horse, and generators if necessary. To be sure, ask the facility what you are responsible to bring BEFORE arriving

Work with your state department of agriculture, if your animals cannot be evacuated

Our area supplies a website with horse evacuation sites and other valuable information, in the case of emergencies. Check your locality for any information they may offer; start with the Public Information office in your area

Another bit of information, there is a company out there for roadside assistance, if you breakdown, while traveling with your equestrians.
The link is...http://www.usrider.org/index2.html

Every horse owner needs first aid essentials located in some form of an easily accessible container. If the horse’s situation is minor, your kit should be able to handle the needs to attend the problem. If the situation is an emergency, the supplies can help until your veterinarian arrives. I have a suitcase made of canvas on wheels. It has two red crosses, one on each side, to indicate to everyone its contents. It stays in the barn with the horses and it is easily transportable to carry with us whenever we travel. Always let someone else know where your kit is in the barn, travel trailer or vehicle

Depending on the destination with the horses, adjustments may be necessary to the kit. Below is a basic list of supplies for a kit. Design your kit to fit your needs. Consult with your veterinarian

Basic First Aid Kit Supplies and Functions:

Baking Soda – for Bee stings
Bandages – protect wounds, support muscles and hold ice packs with horse leg wraps or self-adhesive bandages
Blunt tipped scissors – safely cut away and remove bandages and wraps
Buckets – soak hooves and more
Duck Tape – will hold anything together, if necessary
Flashlight / Spare Batteries – view wounds in the darkness or poor light conditions
Hoof Pick – scrape away hoof debris
Hemostat – remove splinters, burrs, thistles and more from your horse’s skin
Ice Packs – prevent and reduce swelling
Lubricant – help insert thermometers - use mineral oil or petroleum jelly
Permanent Marker Pen – you never know when you may need to write or mark something
Peroxide - disinfectant for wounds
Pliers – to pull nails
PVC Pipes – cut 6” diameter piping in half, lengthwise and then into 1 ½ to 2 ' sections for use as an emergency splint
Rubbing Alcohol – quickly disinfect scissors, thermometers and more
Sheet or Roll Cotton –help apply pressure bandages or other support to injured muscles or bones
Stethoscope – to monitor vitals
Sterile Gauze – clean and cover minor cuts and wounds with sterile gauze. Use to hold dressings and pressure wraps in place
Surgical Gloves – keeps your hands clean and help prevent wound contamination
Syringes - administering medications and applying solutions
Thermometer – measure your horse’s temperature (normal range is 99°F to 101° F)
Tweezers – to remove foreign objects from skin
Used Hoses - 2 hoses, each approximately 1 foot long. After a horse is bitten by a venomous creature, nostrils can swell constricting airways; lubricate hoses with petroleum jelly and insert one in each nostril for airflow. It is important to ask your vet to show you how to do this before you need the knowledge
Vinegar or Lemon Juice – for Wasp stings
Wire Cutters – free your horse from fences/wire
Wound Antiseptic – prevent infections with an antiseptic powder or ointment
Wound Cleanser – clean fresh wounds with a gentle, iodine solution like Providone 10%

You should have your vet and farrier’s phone numbers in the kit. In addition, a complete record of medications, vaccinations and wormings should be included. Tag the container with your name, address and contact numbers

More Related Information Links:

"Herbs for My Horses, The Gardens"

"Herbs for My Horses, Their Names"

"Herbs for My Horses, Their Uses"

"Horse Pest Control-B"

"Horse Pest Control"

"Spring Clean Your Barn and Yard"

Helpful Extras to Add in Kit:

Electrolytes – help hydrate your horse (black strap molasses)
Eye Cleanser – flush away dirt and debris from eyes (Clear eyes)
Fly Mask – protect face wounds and eyes
Hoof Boot – treat abscesses and sore feet (men’s tube socks)
Medicated Shampoo – kill bacteria and fungi on your horse’s skin and coat with an iodine-based shampoo
Poultice – draw out infections; soothe sore muscles and more (Epsom Salts)
Tail Wrap – protect your horse’s tail and/or keep it out of the way

NOTE: A wound must be properly disinfected once, as continual disinfecting inhibits healing. You may use peroxide, iodine or a 10% copper sulfate solution. If nothing else, isopropyl rubbing alcohol or drinking alcohol - gin, whiskey, vodka, etc - will do the job. This disinfectant must be syringed into the wound if necessary and all dirt removed if possible.

NOTE: Check your supplies and the expiration dates regularly

Helpful Tips

Stay Calm
Act Quickly and Smartly
Call for Help
Stay Safe
Wash your Hands (with rubbing alcohol from the kit) and Apply Gloves before Addressing Wounds
Consider any Wound as a Concern
Consider Wounds are Better Sutured
Never Cut off Skin Flaps
Be Especially Concerned with the Horse that is very Lame Soon after Injury
Wounds of the Lower Leg are often the most Serious
Always be Concerned about Tetanus

The importance of risk management for safe horse keeping is essential. Try to maintain your property regularly for sharp objects that need removing, holes that should be filled, fences in need of repair, etc. and apply this same idea whenever and wherever you and your horse may travel.

Try to Be Ready... always!