As a horse owner, it is our responsibility to know and be able to treat immediate first aid needs of our equines and to acknowledge when we need to contact our veterinarian.

First aid kits come in all sizes with everyone having different ideas of what is needed.  Personally I call First aid kits “trauma kits” and believe that they are to be used to “get you from where you are to where you need to be”.  Now here is how I think of them and how why I say what I do.
Trail kits are to get you from the trail to maybe back to your trailer where you have a larger kit that can help you further.  Trailer kits are to get you either fixed up, or you have enough supplies to get home where your barn kit will help you further. Barn kits are for just that, they stay at the barn and help with first aid needs or until your veterinarian arrives.

Not all kits are built alike and most people who attempt to build a first aid kit leave out something.  With your barn kits, it’s good to have extra items such as a Stethoscope, thermometer, extra vet wrap, cotton bandages, hot and cold packs, ice hoof boots for soaking.  Where as these items are not necessarily needed in a trail kit.  Again why?  Because a trail kit is a trauma kit – a kit to help you immediately take care of an issue and if need be return to your trailer for more supplies.

So let’s go with a basic – 1-2 use kit:

1 roll 4″ vet wrap, cotton swabs, antiseptic ointment, small gauze wrap, bandages in 3 sizes, plastic gloves, tampon – for puncture wounds, female pad – larger wounds, small bottle of saline solution, betadine sponge

These items can easily be put in a large zip lock bag and dropped into your saddle bag.

For more information about the First Aid kits we offer through Equestrisafe, follow this link.

For more extensive information we’ve located an article for you as well:

https://thehorse.com/158276/equine-first-aid-basics-part-1/