Making a Basic Equine Wellness Kit

Have you ever found yourself in need of a bandaid with not a single one in sight? I’ve definitely had that experience, and it’s not a good feeling. The same goes for our horses–we want to always have some basic med kit tools handy in case of an emergency.

Med kit recommendations vary, but this post is about the basic items I recommend having on hand so you can deal with basic horse medical situations while you wait for the vet. 

1. Thermometer, Stethoscope, & Stopwatch

   1. These are three really basic but helpful tools to have for basic veterinary intervention. A quick read thermometer makes taking rectal temps easy, and a stopwatch makes timing the counting of breaths or a pulse easier.

   2. Pro tip: take your horse’s TPR (temp-pulse-respiration) every so often and write it down. Having baseline data is very helpful in a vet situation.

2. Headlamp

   1. If your horses are like mine, they love to hurt themselves in the evening, dead of night, or when it’s snowing outside. A simple headlamp lets you doctor them with free hands. 

3. Notebook and pencil

   1. It’s often hard to remember details when you’re stressed, and vet emergencies with our beloved horses are stressful. Having a notebook to take notes can be a lifesaver. I recommend getting a waterproof tablet from the sporting goods store. 

4. Chlorhexidine Solution & Iodine

   1. Both of these can be found at the closest farm store, and are great for cleaning wounds. 

5. Silver Sulfadiazine, Nitrofurazone, and/or Corona Ointment

   1. Both of these are great for wound care; I prefer Silver Sulfadiazine but it’s by prescription only, so that can make having it on hand more difficult. Nitrofurazone and Corona Ointment are both great options for wound care as well. NOTE: it’s best to administer nitrofurazone with gloves. Silver and Corona are safer to handle without. 

6. DMSO Topical Gel

   1. DMSO is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and can be used for bringing down swelling. NOTE: do not get this on your bare skin as it’s quickly passed trans-dermally. If you get it on your skin, you can often taste it in your mouth, which is just icky. Wear gloves. 

7. Epsom Salts

   1. Not only can you give epsom salts to provide horses with magnesium and encourage drinking water, but you can also use it as a soak for an abscessed foot to help draw the infection out. 

8. Sterile eye wash

   1. This is another easily acquired item that can be useful if you have a horse with a weepy eye or an older horse with a clogged tear duct. 

9. Phenylbutazone (Bute) & Flunixin Meglumine (Banamine or Prevail)

   1. Both these NSAIDS are very useful for veterinary needs in horses, as they are pain relievers. That said, both are by prescription only, and should be used only once you have vet clearance or experience with the horse to know how the drug effects them and why you are administering it. 

   2. Flunixin Meglumine is particular useful for potential intervention in colic cases (you can read more about that here)

10. Vet wrap, gauze, and duct tape

    1. All three are readily available at the farm or drug store and are important if you have a horse with any kind of open wound. 

11. Nitrile gloves

    1. See the note about DMSO above. 

12. Syringes & 20 gauge needles

    1. Syringes can be used for giving meds orally or flushing wounds, and needles are helpful if you have to administer intramuscular meds from the vet. 

13. Small bucket and clean rags

It's best to keep these items all together in a handy place, and somewhere with a stable temperature if you live where it gets cold like I do. A storage tub works really well and it's easy to carry from the house to the barn.