TCJp23 Equipment Update: First Aid

FIRST AID:
...things you need to know

Where effective first aid is concerned you can't bee too prepared or too careful.

You don't want to be hosing your horses arterial blood off the yard floor before you come up with a practical first aid strategy (like I did), make a plan now.

I have a Brownie badge in First Aid too, so feel I am suitably qualified!!

I have a fully stocked, comprehensive First Aid kit in my feed room, and a phone in there with my vet and farrier on speed-dial.  I have a bigger supply of vet wrap than my saddlery, because being prepared for emergencies is vital, you could save your horse significant down-time if you have all the right stuff immediately to hand.

I have a 'quick kit', a bag of essential things I need to dress most cuts and wounds.  I can just grab it and everything I need to bandage a wound is right there.  This has been used several times, It really is a great idea.

'Quick Kit' First Aid Kit: In the kit I have the following:

• gamgee
• cotton wool sheets
• scissors
• gauze cloth
• wound cream
• vet wrap
• gaffa tape
• bandage tape (to secure the ends of bandages where necessary)
• first aid spray
• hoof shaped poultice sheets
• hoof pick

For example, don't wait until you really need to work an emergency situation before you learn your horse doesn't like his leg hosed, or he wont stand still for you to bandage his leg.

Tom has just had a bath, it's a great way to get your horse to enjoy being hosed....do it when it's really hot, and he'll love it!

If your horse really MUST be kept in with an injury, remember he'll need at least 18 hours of fibre (hay or haylage) to eat in a 24hour period.  and keeping a buddy near-by can help tremendously with keeping stress levels to a minimum.

PRACTISE

I treat every little cut like it was a big-deal, so I can practise bandaging and hosing.  Not just to speed up my response and better my technique, but to get the boys used to all the fiddling about, to a point where it becomes a casual affair, mine will stand still in the yard, no head collar, whilst I fix a bandage etc on.

In the summer, when it's hot, your horse might enjoy, like my 2 do, a cold hose on the legs.  This is a great time to get him used to being hosed when he can relax because it feels good.  Then when you need to hose for an injury, and you're panicking and flapping about, he will be the calm one!

BANDAGING:

Some bandaging for first aid can be fiddly, so prepare for this.  Get you horse used to the mechanics of the job of first aid.  

Cotton wool sheets over the dressing with vet wrap over the top and secured with some tape (my vet did the bottom one, you can tell because I will only buy black vet wrap, Tom & Henry are very style-conscious even with an injury).

LEG WOUNDS:

Cleaning: which could be cold hosing for quite a while until you're certain the wound is clean, or wiping with a clean flannel.  It can be useful if your horse sustained a  minor cut earlier in the day to clean it with a flannel, rubbing gently until the wound bleeds again, this can help clean the wound further, but only do this if you've watched your vet do it and you can copy his technique.  Drying the wound, and applying a wound cream or similar preparation, we all have our own favourite things that work best for us (I like a giant tube of cream).

Dressing: This is when I use a human-grade first aid gauze layer in between the freshly cleaned wound and the bandage.  I lay a piece of the fabric over the wound, cut to size when necessary, it can be helpful to stop the wound blood sticking to the bandage.

Bandage: Vet Wrap, I love this stuff, it sticks to itself so it's much less fiddly to apply.  Rehearse using these too because there is a degree of tolerance in the level of stretch.  You don't want to apply too tight, or too loose, it needs some practise.

Stable Bandages: If the boys are in for the night, i'll swap any protective outdoors boot for stable bandages, these are fleece and stretchy, they can keep your bandage and leg protected and warm, and are easy to get on.

Boots: Invariably my 2 are turned out.  So putting boots over the bandage, and on the leg on the other side too, helps keep the bandage in place and adds extra protection.  Have a variety of brushing, tendon and specialist turn-out boots in your inventory, you never know what type you may need.  Try to buy ones that are machine washable too.

Protective Indoor Boots: I have indoor quilted boots too which cover the leg from the knee to below the fetlock.  If I have wet the leg for and injury (hosing or cleaning) and it's cold, these are a great thing tom use after towel drying the area, it keeps the leg warm (always put a matching one on the opposite leg), and allows it to dry too.

TENDON INJURIES:

I never approach a tendon injury without veterinary consultation.

For tendon injuries remember only 20 minutes of cold-hosing is effective in bringing down swelling.  It can also keep you occupied with a real job while you wait for the vet to arrive. Do this at least twice a day as your vet advises, OR buy your kit 'cold bandages', they are amazing, I fully recommend them: Aerborn Coolsport.   I keep an old plastic biscuit tin specially for this:  soak the bandage in water, in the tin, in the fridge so it's cold until the gel in the bandage swells.  They attach to the leg with long elastic Velcro straps, they are very easy to put on.  Which is handy if you've got a fidgety horse!  Leave them on for 20 minutes, and it gets the job done, you can do other things in the yard and saves water too. 

These cool boots are brilliant, I recommend every horse owner has a set,

they are easy to use and you can get on with other yard duties while they work.  with a hose you'd have to stand there for ages, boring for you, but more importantly, very boring for your horse. xx

Your horse may have to be stable bound (box rest) for a period of time, listen to your vet, but also use your judgement. 

When Henry has had tendon injuries (always a nutty field-related, shoe at the end of a 4metre skid type-thing), I have approached his box rest strategy in the same way. 

I have kept him and Tom indoors for as few days as possible (usually just 1). 

Then Henry stays in for the second day and Tom gets the yard and his box to wander about in. 

Then day 3 Tom goes out into the field that joins the yard only and Henry gets the yard and stables.  Keeping them close keeps them happy and Henry can move at liberty without being moved along by Tom. 

Henry, confined to the yard so he heals.  Tom is very near by and my land it arranged so there's nowhere he can go where Henry cant see him.

This can last a few days, then John builds a special tiny coral with electric fencing out into Tom's field. Henry gets a bit of rolling and grazing done, but in a very tight restricted area, so there's no possible chance of him leaping around and re-injuring himself, perhaps I should say, there's less chance....Henry doesn't need much room! 

Then the vet comes back, and gives him the all-clear to be turned out.  I am never in a hurry to ride, so Henry gets all the convalescence he needs. 

During this period Steve, my farrier has also called by to put on a special shoe which gives some relief to the injured area, and makes Henry sound enough to be turned out finally.

Remember farriers know everything about feet, and can make special emergency shoes to suit an injured horse, even help relieve a tendon injury.

Being prepared and practised means you skill levels rise, and the time it takes to apply a tricky dressing and bandage gets quicker each time.  If your horse gets a wound in a tricky place, you'll be more confident to tackle it, and your horse will be happy to stand still while you do it too.

You could ask your vet if they run a first-aid course, then you could learn about how to tackle on a few different scenarios.