Equine First Aid / Emergency Care

A few days ago we were reminded that horses can get themselves into a very bad predicament in a heartbeat and can cause injury to themselves, their owners/handlers, or both. In the span of a couple of days, two different situations came to our attention that prompts us to share information on First Aid and Emergency care. We won’t go into specifics of the stories, but one involved an injury to the horse owner and the other an injury to the horse. Both injuries were the result of the horse’s reaction to its situation and environment on that specific day. Below, you will find some basic First Aid guidelines and information. We hope you find this helpful and useful.

Always be prepared!
While we never want to have an accident or emergency, it is best to plan for one. Here are a few things you should consider.

1. Buy or build a First Aid / Emergency Care kit

2. Gather and Post all important Contacts and key information

3. Develop and Action Plan and Practice

First Aid / Emergency Care Kit

When buying or building your own First Aid / Emergency Care Kit, be sure to consider both the horse and rider. Ideally, you should have a separate kit for horse and rider. Many times we get nicks, scrapes, scratches, bumps, bruises and it would be handy to have ready access to some Band-Aids, alcohol wipes, or other basic first aids. Keeping a first aid kit for the riders separate from one for horses will help ensure that items needed for the horse stay sterile without a steady stream of hands grabbing band-aids.

Suggested items for your Equine First Aid / Emergency Care kit

We haven’t found a pre-packaged First Aid / Emergency Care Kit that has all of these items, you can find kits with many of these items and then supplement the pre-packaged kit with the other necessary items. We suggest this kit as a place to start:

First Aid Kit Available from Jeffers Equine

Gather and Post Important Numbers and Information

1. Make sure the First Aid / Emergency Care kit is easily accessible and VISIBLY MARKED. Identify where the first aid kit is (we suggest some sort of very visible sign as to its location).

2. Post important information by each phone in your facility. Information cards should contain Veterinarian contact, backup Vet (in case the normal vet is unavailable), nearby neighbors or friends who can assist in case of emergency, and other important phone numbers (barn owner home, cell, or alternative number). Be sure to include your local Police / Sheriff, Fire, Animal Control or other relevant numbers. – Be sure to include off-hour and evening numbers.

3. Be prepared to transport a horse. Make sure you have a trailer and it is ready to be loaded at a moment’s notice. Alternatively, post information for someone who can transport an animal as needed. It would be ideal to have a package for your truck that has phone numbers, traffic route to nearest emergency care vets or surgery centers. Keep the package in your glove box (and keep it up to date over time).

Action Plan

Develop an Emergency Action Plan BEFORE you have an emergency. Preparation is key to a successful resolution to any emergency. It is often the first few minutes of an emergency, and how it is handled, that will determine the outcome. Here are some items to consider:

1. Train employees and others. Give short sessions on normal horse health and teach them to check a horse’s vital statistics. Knowing what normal looks like will help people identify when a horse is in distress. There are many types of emergencies and the emergency may not be obvious to an untrained eye.

2. Make sure every visitor knows all of the safety precautions that you have taken and where to find help.

3. Conduct regular “emergency drills”. Practice your action plans. Walk through what to do in case of emergency. A practiced team will handle emergencies with care and great skill.

4. Remember, prevention is the key to stopping emergencies before they occur. Check your horse’s stall and turn out area for wire, nails and sharp edges. Move horses that do not get along with each other.

What Now – We have an emergency!

There are far too many types of emergencies to cover them all. However, here are some important points to remember:

1. Stay Calm! At least try to stay calm (remember what we said about practicing for emergencies).

2. Keep the horse as calm as possible. Your own, calm behavior will help.

3. Move the animal to a safe area where it is unlikely to be injured should it go down.

4. Get someone to help you, and delegate responsibilities, such as calling the Veterinarian, retrieving the first aid kit, holding the horse, etc.

5. Notify your Veterinarian immediately. Be prepared to-provide specific information about the horse’s condition. Be prepared to answer any question the vet may ask

6. Listen closely and follow your equine practitioner’s instructions.

7. Do not administer drugs, especially tranquilizers or sedatives, unless specifically instructed to do so by the Veterinarian.

Stay Safe… and as one of our friends would say:
”Use your instincts and pay attention to what happens before what happens happens!”

Thanks for stopping by,
The NickerTown Staff