The HEALTH CARE section covers everything from how to give
oral meds, to taking the CRT, to floating teeth. Here is a sample from the HEALTH
CARE section:
First Aid Kit
The
purpose of a first aid kit is to provide you with the tools and supplies you need
to give immediate care to your horse.
I have 3 barn
first aid kits. One next to the crossties that holds frequently used items.
The
other two are in the tack room.
I keep a commercial
human first aid kit right by the door.
And I keep
my custom trauma kit ready when I need it and at room temperature. I assembled
all of the essential tools and supplies for dealing with a wound in a large plastic
container with a snap lid. (Available in the home storage section of your favorite
department store).
When an emergency strikes, I know
when I open my kit, all the necessary items will be there, ready to use.
FIRST
AID KIT CONTENTS |
|
first aid book
veterinarian’s phone number
flashlight and batteries
latex gloves
thermometer
lubricating jelly
Betadine solution
Betadine ointment (povidone-iodine, 10%)
triple
antibiotic ointment furacin ointment (nitrofurazone)
saline eyewash
phenylbutazone (Butazolidine)
Banamine (flunixin meglumine)
wooden applicator
sticks
non-stick gauze pads
conforming gauze padding (leg quilts or
disposable diapers)
self-adhering stretch bandage
elastic adhesive tape
scissors
pocket knife
tweezers
stethoscope
watch with
second hand
disposable syringes and needles
instant cold compress |
TO HAVE ON HAND
chain twitch
protective hoof boot
weight tape
clean buckets
clean cloths
clean spray bottle
portable lights (clamp or stand)
extension cords IN REFRIGERATOR
antibiotics
epinephrine |
The
FACILITIES section covers everything from bridle care and storage, to making
a water buddy, to ideal round pen size. Here is a sample from the FACILITIES
section:
Fire Strip
For
safety against fire and to eliminate breeding grounds for flies and mice, keep
at least a 30’ perimeter regularly mowed around all of your horse buildings.
The TACK section covers everything from conditioning leather,
to washing blankets, to cleaning Velcro. Here is a sample from the TACK
section:
Blanket Zap
During
dry weather, when you remove a blanket from a horse, static electricity can make
a load snap and cause a stinging zap that can make a horse blanket shy.
When
a horse’s hair coat is very dry and fluffy, it is more likely to zap. Natural
oils insulate the hair shafts and cut down on zapping – that’s one reason I minimizing
bathing (which removes natural oils) and emphasize currying and brushing (which
distributes the oils to the ends of the hairs).
I’ve
also found that various blanket materials work differently in different climates.
Here, certain nylon and fleece linings generate more static electricity than cotton
or wool linings. But this can vary according to the temperature and humidity in
YOUR barn.
No matter what blanket I use, when removing
it, I DON'T slide it across the horse’s hair coat, which could create static electricity.
Instead, I lift the blanket UP and off. To avoid a zap at the moment I separate
the blanket from the horse - I do it one handed. I remove the blanket with one
hand and keep my other hand free of the horse's body and the blanket. That way,
I don't complete an electrical circuit and my horse doesn't get zapped.
That's
it for this month. Don't forget, when you ride, keep your mind in the middle and
a leg on each side.
Before you copy, forward or post anything from this newsletter or Cherry
Hill's Horse Information Roundup, be sure you read this article!