Advanced First Aid for Horses

Okay, so these are a few things I like to keep in my first aid kit for my horse. You can always have more, but you need the basics at least. Click here for the Basic First Aid. This is an advanced First Aid Kit. Just buy one thing every month and soon you'll have everything you need.

Thermometer

This is one of the most important things you should have. Take your horse's temperature on a daily basis to know what your horse's normal resting temperature is in different weather conditions. Your horse's normal temperature should be between 37.2℃ - 38.3℃ (99℉ - 101℉).

Digital Rectal Thermometer

Stethoscope
This is very important if you suspect that your horse has colic or pain of some sort. Any pain will raise your horse's heart rate and colic will reduce your horse's normal gut sounds.

Stethoscope

Vet wrap

This is a very handy thing to have. Its a bit sticky, but not as sticky as a band aid. Its nice and stretchy and comes in different colours and sizes. You can use it on a lot of things like leg injuries, hoof wrapping and tail wrapping if you have a mare that is foaling to keep the tail out of the way and a lot more. You can even use the small ones on your fingers if you forgot your riding gloves.

Vet Wrap

Scissors

You need scissors to cut things like bandages, vet wrap, gauze, etc. The scissor in the image  below is a medical scissor. You can use any scissor, as long as its sharp.

Medical Scissor

100% Pure Vaseline

Put this under the wound to prevent the draining fluids from coagulating on the hair under the wound and make a mess. Also good to mix with Flowers of Sulphur for Mud Fever.

100% Pure Vaseline

Self Adhesive Bandage

This is just to keep the vet wrap from coming off or sliding down in the case of a leg injury. You get a few different sizes. If you get the correct ones, they are sticky as hell so take caution when removing it as it will pull out a few hairs. This is also nice to put on if your horse has small hock sores, you can just put a small piece on the area and it would help with the scarring.

Self Adhesive Bandage

Salt

Some people like to use an antiseptic scrub or dettol, but I like to use regular salt. I think when you disinfect a wound it tends to burn more but it also cleans better. The best is to dilute it into warm water until some of the salt crystals don't dissolve anymore.

Regular Salt

Terramycin Spray
Terramycin is very good for drying out wounds that get slimy and need to dry out to heal.

Terramycin

Cotton Wool Roll

The cotton wool is to put between the gauze and the vet wrap. This is to absorb any blood or fluid from the wound.

Large Cotton Wool Roll

Gauze

It is important to put the gauze between the wound and the cotton wool to prevent any fibres from going into the wound. this can be really difficult to remove. Especially when granulation tissue begins to grow. If any fibres get stuck in the wound, it will only prolong the healing process.

Gauze

Extra Halter & Lead Rope

An extra halter is a good thing to have. You can grab your first aid box and run for you injured horse. No need to look where you last had the halter or unlocking another door to get a halter. Use a rope halter without metal pieces that can cut into your horse's face. In the case that your horse is stuck somewhere and he tries ti get out and accidentally hits his face on the ground trying to get up, a metal piece can cut him and cause more damage.

Extra Halter With No Metal Pieces

Super Glue

Yes, you must think I am craze, but I am not. This is to close minor wounds that you can "suture" yourself. Do not use it if the wound is still bleeding and swollen. The vet uses one that is called Vetbond, but it is the same as Super Glue. I have used it twice on my mare. Once on top of her eyelid which was opening and closing as she blinked and once on her butt. 
Just make sure the cut is entirely clean and the hair cut as short as possible. Press the skin together and glue. Watch out for your fingers and leave a tiny(2mm) opening at the bottom of the wound to allow it to drain if it needs to. You don't want the glue inside the wound but on top of it to keep the skin from gaping. after a few days you will notice the glue starting to loosen and fall off leaving the wound almost healed.

Super Glue. If you notice a sizzling sound coming from the wound when you applied the Super Glue, don't worry. Its just a reaction to the glue coming into contact with the bodies fluids.

Anti Bacterial Wipes
Wipes are good for keeping the surface clean if you don't have water available. You should always have water but this can be a backup in an emergency.

Dettol Wipes

Distilled Water
Buy a bottle (or 2) of distilled water to store in your first aid kit. If you don't have a tap, you will need a backup water supply. 

Distilled Water

Duck Tape
You will need this if your horse gets an abscess. It  will not last very long depending on the surfaces your horse walks in.

Duck Tape

Epsom Salt
This is also for hoof abscesses. Try to keep it dry and in an airtight container. Please get one that does not have essential oils or anything else in except epsom salt.

Epsom Salt with no additives

Betadine
Betadine is an antiseptic ointment. You can use it on big and small wounds. You can also dilute it with water and rinse it over your horses irritated skin in the case that they get very itchy from bug bites. Watch out for contact with your clothes as it can stain them orange to brown.

Betadine Ointment

Head Lamp
When you have an injured horse and the lights are out, you need light to help your horse. As easy as that. 

Head Lamp

Hoofpick
If your horse has an injured hoof you need to get it clean so you can see how severe it is and what you need to do to help your horse.

Hoof Pick With a Brush

First Aid Book
This is a nice thing to have especially if you don't have a lot of experience with horse injuries.

First Aid Book

Bucket
Empty bucket for mixing cleaning solution or to soak your horse's hoof. You can also use a normal bucket, but this one is nice because it saves space.

Collapsible Bucket

What do you have in your First Aid Kit?