Being prepared; Home vs Boarding

[lifeishorsesarelove]

Hey all! I’m getting ready to move my horses "home " to our new rental property. After boarding for possibly too long, I am THRILLED to be doing this!

However, I do worry about being caught by surprise by something, in terms of medical situations, that I don’t have what I need to deal with it. Boarding means that if your horse’s life is on the line, you’re not likely to have someone tell you they won’t let you have some Banamine. At home, there’s no back up to save you, and that’s scary!

I will be picking up some Banamine from my vet ASAP before they come home. I have Bute, basic bandaging supplies and topicals for scrapes and boo boos, (shameless plug for dermagel, here) but I’m not sure what else I should add. I’ve been incredibly fortunate with my two so far (touch all the wood within a half mile distance) so I’m blanking on the “you definitely won’t need this until you NEED IT” type stuff.

What is in your essential at home “oh shit” kit? Thanks in advance!!

[fjordmom]

Have you asked you vet for suggested “necessities” or maybe check out a Pony Club manual for a basic first aid kit list. You already named the basics. I like keeping some frozen ice packs (those little flexible ones for coolers) in my freezer. I seem to use them more than a lot of other things. I also keep Aluspray and Blu-kote on hand.

[S1969]

I have been lucky not to need many things - I keep Banamine and Bute on hand; wound cleansing, bandaging supplies, bandage scissors. I keep an antifungal product or two on hand; Animalintex pads, a hot pot because I don’t have hot water in my barn, some clean (stored in plastic bag) cloths/rags in the event of a large wound that needs immediate attention.

I also keep emergency numbers and my street address posted in my barn. If I get kicked by a horse while holding one for the farrier, he could be the one that needs to call 911 - so make sure the information is readily accessible by others, not just in your head.

I have had much more need for barn “oh shit” supplies – basic tool kit, extra hose sprayheads, fence repair supplies, electric fence repair, a hammer and a sledge hammer for fixing wooden fences or other various parts of the barn (you’d be amazed at how much impact a kick from a 1000lb animal on a wall or fence can have), extra cotter pins and of all sizes/types for tractor/implements, bee spray, WD-40, extra work gloves…

[2DogsFarm]

Great list from S1969 :encouragement:
I keep meaning to get a hammer for the barn instead of traipsing back to the house anytime I need to pound something.
And don’t forget duct tape for repairing just about anything.
Right now my manure fork & broom are both secured by it.

List of emergency #s is posted in my barn too.
Farmsitter may need to call the vet or hayguy or my cell if I’m out f town.

As for medical supplies:
Make sure your banamine is kept cool & toss when expired.
I am a convert to sublingual dosing rather than IV or IM - shaking hands can do less harm with a needle-less syringe & it takes effect in 5-10min.
Cheaper than icepacks are frozen peas or corn - they conform to a leg & can be consumed when defrosted
I use more Corona ointment than anything else for cuts/scrapes - seems to grow hair back quickly.

[lifeishorsesarelove]

Loving the suggestions so far. Would never have thought of ice packs or the emergency numbers list
.
Banamine will live in the house, a whole 20 steps away. Living in Canada, we’re frozen from Dec-April, and I can’t imagine it would do very well being frozen.

My tool collection is already expanding. We’re doing some upgrades to the barn (free labor, owner pays for supplies) and I just upgraded my cordless drill. Love my new DeWalt!

[mg]

I always have Banamine, bute, rubbing alcohol, saline solution, betadine (solution and scrub), triple antibiotic ointment, Derma-Gel, and thermometers (at least one digital and one manual), gauze squares and wrap, vetwrap, Blu-Kote, and Alushield on hand. You should also have a way to cool parts of your horse down, either with ice or cold hosing. I also hold on to anything I get from the vet. You never know when you might need SMZs, Neo-poly-bac eye ointment, or dex!

[Mango20]

@S1969

I have had much more need for barn “oh shit” supplies – basic tool kit, extra hose sprayheads, fence repair supplies, electric fence repair, a hammer and a sledge hammer for fixing wooden fences or other various parts of the barn (you’d be amazed at how much impact a kick from a 1000lb animal on a wall or fence can have), extra cotter pins and of all sizes/types for tractor/implements, bee spray, WD-40, extra work gloves…

I agree with this (plus duct tape and baling twine for those quick fixes)! If you are in an area with good vet coverage, you really only need to have enough first aid things on hand to cover the time until the vet can get there - banamine, basic bandaging and wound care supplies, etc. Also consider a lead rope with a chain, in case you need extra control in a tense situation.

[mmeqcenter]

Medical things I try to make sure I always have available:
Bute tablets or powder
Banamine Injection or paste
Acepromazine (mild tranq) Injection
Dex (Dexamethasone) (corticosteroid) Injection
Hydroxyzine (antihistamin) Tablets
Needles, syringes
Gauze pads
Vet wrap
Standing wraps
Furazone
DMSO
Liniment
Corona Oinment
Triple Antibiotic Ointment (with and without steroid, both eye safe)
Aerosol spray “bandage” wound treatments (Blu Kote and Alushield as mentioned above)
MTG
Wonder dust
Water/vinegar mix in spray bottle

Other items of use:
Lead with shank; you can buy just a shank to put on the end of an existing lead if needed
Extra halters
Extra buckets
Extra leads
Extra everything, really (think small stuff too - snaps, clips, eye bolts, etc.)

I’d agree also with the posts about tools. I started with a great supply of my own tools already (already had a miter saw, circular saw, drill, and other hand tools), and have still bought plenty more. We’ve had our farm for 10 months.

[Cat_Tap]

You cannot live without binder twine and Duct tape.

[MrPerfection]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but have a Thermometer and a clock with a second hand so you can count respirations etc. if need be.

[2DogsFarm]

@MrPerfection

Not sure if this was mentioned, but have a Thermometer and a clock with a second hand so you can count respirations etc. if need be.

:yes:
And make sure that thermometer has a loop on the non-business end for tying baling twine to so thermometer doesn’t get sucked so far into horse you need to spelunk for it < seen it happen… with an old-fashioned mercury thermometer :eek:
Twine can then be attached to a clip that clips onto horse’s tail leaving your hands free.
I prefer a modern digital model - easier to read.

[trubandloki]

@lifeishorsesarelove

Would never have thought of ice packs

A bag of frozen peas will do the trick if you do not have an ice pack.

[Sweetums_Mom]

I always have a spare water trough heater as I’ve had them fail in the middle of the winter and pounding ice is not my idea of fun! Spare hose also or at least the fixit thing to fix a leak.

[merrygoround]

The newer digital thermometers are very accurate and safer to use than the mercury thermometers we’ve used for centuries. I never dropped and broke one, but a"friend" did. It was mine and it was not replaced. Grrrr! The new ones beep at you when done, and are easy to read while in use.

Another must have besides an assortment of snaps is eye screws.

I find some of "mmeqcenter"s suggestions a bit over the top. The average owner should not need injectable dex or steroids hanging about. To easy to contaminate, and they do go out of date.

[trubandloki]

@vicarious

I find some of "mmeqcenter"s suggestions a bit over the top. The average owner should not need injectable dex or steroids hanging about. To easy to contaminate, and they do go out of date.

My thought too.

I think it is best to talk to your vet about what they think you should have on hand for your horse and your situation. They know how long it is likely to take them to respond (on average) and all the other details that will be involved in deciding what you might need.

[beau159]

Wine … you must also have a glass of wine on hand!! (For you … not the horse. )

Or whiskey, if you aren’t a wine drinker. Shot glass optional.

My addition to the list would be a bolt cutters and/or wire cutters. Where I board, this summer I looked over and saw a horse who was tangled in the fence – must have rolled and got too close. I had nothing to cut the wire with and BO was not home. Watched horse struggle getting up, bust off fence posts, and rip open its hock. I went and bought a wire cutters the next day and keep it handy in my trailer. I’m not watching that unfold again! Terrible.

On that thought, also have a sharp utility knife very handy at all times. Easy way to keep it handy is use a piece of sticky velcro to keep it on the wall near the barn entrance.

[scrbear11]

Diapers, Twine and duct tape. You can mend anything.

^^An wine… or whiskey. Having a farm (no matter the size) is a never ending project. You have to have a sense of humor.

[findeight]

Store brand elastic self adhesive fabric wrap (Vet Wrap). That’s right up there with baling twine, duck tape and frozen peas.

I would not go overboard with one or two horses,you just need to stock things for immediate first aid until the vet gets there. Bute and Banimine, short term ice therapy (nothing beats the peas for price and flexibility in shaping to an injured limb, easy storage too) basic antibiotic cream and something to wrap over the peas or a compress to hold them in place.

You do realize you are at least as likely if not more so then the horse to get injured? Never seen a horse smash a finger in a gate, get a splinter under a nail trying to remove a broken board or that Classic, hammering the fingernail instead of the nail head.

Equipment wise, a spare Halter, if your Halter gets broken in some kind of hang up wreck? You’ll be needing a spare so the vet can see him, or maybe to catch him so the vet can see him. It is well known lead ropes grow legs and sneak off in the night. My theory is they rendezvous with single socks and gloves. I once had 3 light blue lead ropes ( they were on sale) keeping solo self care on rural private property. Property owner lived on property but non horsey, no dogs, just indoor cats. Two of the lead ropes vanished out of the locked store/feed/tackroom. Couple of months later, both light blue ropes reappeared accompanied by a handsome red and yellow stripped rope with fancy heavy duty brass hardware. I dunno, you tell me.

[FreshAir]

milk of magnesia and a big syringe to dose it in…helpful if they start to act colicky

[Wonders12]

I agree with a chain (or a twitch if you prefer). Hopefully you’ll never need it, but without extra hands, you might.

I would add your choice of abscess/hoof treatment to the list. Whether it’s Animalintex pads, epsom salts, etc. It’s not a life or death situation if you don’t have it on hand, but it doesn’t go bad and you don’t have to go without treatment for a day when your horse shows up lame on the day you have no time to get to the store. (This is assuming you feel confident self-diagnosing a likely abscess.)