Assembling Supplies
You have the choice to build your own first aid kit or buy ready-made kits (see “Buy a Ready-Made First Aid Kit”). Purchasing a ready-made kit is an easy solution, but many barn owners prefer to assemble their own. Creating your own kit may save you money and allows you to tailor the kit to your needs.
Equipment
• thermometer
• stethoscope
• halter and lead rope
• bandage scissors and regular scissors
• fencing tool/bolt/wire cutter, to free the horse from a fence or remove wire or twine that’s wrapped around a leg
• twitch
• Flashlight, in case the power is out or you need more light to thoroughly examine wounds
Wound care
• antiseptic wound wash
• antiseptic cream/ointment
• antiseptic spray
• hydrogen peroxide (for flushing deep puncture wounds)
• Betadine solution/scrub (for cleaning surface wounds and cuts and for soaking hoof injuries)
Bandaging Supplies
• vet-wrap, or other self-adhesive, stretchy wrap
• stable/polo wraps
• gauze pads, good for covering injuries before wrapping or for applying wound ointment if you don’t have gloves handy
• bandaging tape
• cotton wrap
• plastic wrap
• menstrual pads (can be used in place of gauze pads on top of wounds)
Hoof care
• Epsom salts
• hoof pick
• hoof knife
• shoe puller
• hoof boots
Medications
• phenylbutazone (bute)
• acepromazine (Ace)
• banamine
• syringe and needles
Talk to your veterinarian before administering any of the above medications since they may mask symptoms.
Paperwork
• vital information chart. List normal temperature, pulse, respiration and capillary refill times in case you forget while panicked.
• veterinarian contact information
• your contact information. Put your cell phone number next to the veterinarian’s contact information. That way, if someone else at your barn is dealing with the emergency, he/she will know how to reach you.
• horse owner information. If you don’t keep a list of horses and their owners in your kit, then include the location of this information so that if someone else must handle an emergency, he/she can find the information and contact the horse’s owner(s).
Miscellaneous
• petroleum jelly
• chemical cold pack
• latex or rubber gloves
• duct tape
• saline solution/eye wash. Talk to your veterinarian before washing the horse’s eye or administering eye medications. He/she may want to examine your horse first.
• tweezers/foreceps
• towels and/or baby wipes
Extras
• clippers with #40 blade:
• fly repellent
• electrolyte paste
• heated water bucket, to warm water before washing your horse or soaking his hoof in cold climates
• clean bucket, used only for treating wounds/injuries; you may need to mix up medications, dilute medicated shampoo, or soak injured/abscessed hooves.
• stopwatch
• 1- to 2-foot section of pipe (PVC or steel), to make a temporary splint to immobilize broken bones or severe sprains until the veterinarian arrives
Storing Your First Aid Kit
Deciding how to store your first aid kit may be almost as important as deciding what supplies you’ll include. Some people store them in a bucket or brush box, but then when they need the supplies they’re covered in dust or ravaged by rodents. Other people have a first aid cabinet attached to the wall, but that means you’ll be running back and forth to the first aid kit. Even if your first aid cabinet is located in your grooming stall, you may find yourself carrying armloads of supplies to a horse who has been injured in pasture and cannot move.
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