With Hurricane Matthew taking his leave back out into the Atlantic, I thought now might be a good time to take a look at what's inside our first aid kits. We all know we should have one somewhere collecting dust in the barn but what should you keep in it? How often should you check the contents?
Before we dig deep into what I keep in my barns first aid kit, lets get the disclaimer out of the way. Always call your vet for guidance before attempting to treat your horse. ESPECIALLY if it involves your horses eyes. A horse can lose an eye in a matter of hours if left untreated.
I keep two first aid boxes in my barn; the first one is what I call my 'Hoof Box'. This box contains everything to pull off a twisted shoe, deal with a thrown shoe or treat a brewing abscess. Thankfully the 'hoof box' sees a lot more use. The second contains my primary first aid supplies for dealing with an injury or illness. Here is a list of what I like to keep in my box. I will note that I use a piece of bailing twine to affix the scissors to the lid so that no one is tempted to take them out of the box when they need to cut open a bale of hay.
I would love to know what you keep in yours, be it something you keep on hand for off label use or something that I missed on the list. Want to view the list in a larger format or print it off? Click Here
As a general rule of thumb I go through my first aid kit once a year or when I am actively using the box.
I will replace anything that is expired, nearly empty or looks like critters have gotten into it. This keeps the box fresh and ready to use in the event you need it.
