Equine Emergency Prep: What I keep in my vet kit.

As the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity wraps up, I’m preparing to head to Abilene for the Stock Horse of Texas World Show and Derby. I’ve prepared my horse as much as possible but en lui of last minute preparations I’m organizing my trailer and restocking things such as my vet kit.

Here’s a run down of what’s in my vet kit. I’ll try to explain as much as possible but I can’t do it all in this post. Please feel free to comment or contact me if you are questioning anything in my kit!

First off, to stay organized, my vet kit is in a first aid storage container, a tackle box is also very useful for this and other small items you may want handy, such as Chicago screws, bobby pins or safety pins! If you keep medications on hand for your horse definitely throw those in your vet kit.

Basically, I want to have my bases covered in case there is an emergency. I grew up in a rural area that did not have any vets for the longest time so we made do with what we had.

In any emergency get to your vet ASAP. My list is for if you are wayyyyy too far from a vet, or it’s something small enough that you can handle it on your own.

For cuts, scrapes or other open wounds I keep vet wrap, diapers, and some sort of antiseptic or antibiotic on hand. I absolutely love an old timey salve my mother orders but in an effort not to use it up I do really like Silver Honey. I also keep hydrocortisone, its great to put around a horse’s healing wound if they’re itching alot, or if you get stung by a bee while you’re on the road.

For split hooves I keep JB Weld and Duct tape around. GET TO YOUR FARRIER AND VET ASAP if your horse splits a hoof, once again these are for last resort type situations. Duct tape is useful for all kinds of bucket/trailer/truck/tack/finger repairs though.

I always keep syringes and needles on hand. Most of the time I use my syringes for oral medications, but if you keep injectable medications with you and know how to properly administer them, this is for you. Personally I keep a small (6 cc) syringe around for orally administering previcox and a large (60 cc) syringe around for bismuth subsalicylate or liquid DMSO (10cc to 50 cc water is an old timers horse cough medicine). Bismuth subsalicylate will lower the acidity of a horse’s stomach just as pepto bismol does for humans, which I also keep on hand for horses that don’t travel well and bad truck stop burritos.

Along with the liquid DMSO I keep the gel form for topical application. As a natural painkiller it can help horses heal from an injury or recover after a hard workout. You don’t want to get this stuff on your hands, so I also keep a few rubber gloves around. I typically buy a whole box and just throw some in a zip lock baggie in my kit.

Things for me and my horse.

Ibuprofen - not my horse’s #1 painkiller/inflammation reducer but in a pinch it will work.

Allergy meds - I take 1 my horse takes 5 if either of us has hives.

For me.

Contact case and solution.

Eye drops.

Once again, these. are the things that I'm comfortable using on my horse in a pinch. See your vet if your horse is sick or injured and don't take my advice if you're not comfortable with it!

Until next time, wish us luck at our first big show, maybe I'll see you on down the road!