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When it comes to first aid your kit doesn’t need to be crammed with lotions and potions for every known ailment, but it is important that you do have the basics, you keep your first aid kit fully stocked and ensure everything is still in date.
Being prepared can go a long way towards making life seem easier when faced with an emergency. If your horse suffers an injury and you reach into your first aid kit, only to find that you used your last tube of wound gel months ago, it will only add to the stress as you jump into the car to race to the nearest tack shop.
Essential Items in Your First Aid Kit
Wound Dressings - to protect a wound and promote healing, your first aid kit should contain a good selection of various sized dressings.
An effective dressing should maintain a moist environment at the wound surface and absorb excess exudates, encouraging the wound to heal more rapidly and reduce the risk of infection and scarring.
A low-adherent dressing, provides a physical barrier to help keep micro-organisms out whilst offering protection and allowing the wound to heal.
Poultices - a veterinary licensed poultice such as Animalintex® can be used to treat a wide variety of ailments and can be applied as a hot wet poultice, a cold wet poultice or even as a dry wound dressing – particularly in a first aid situation.
The technique used depends on the particular condition to be treated.
Wound Hydrogel - a sterile wound hydrogel should be an essential in your kit, as research has revealed that moist wound healing provides a more controlled wound environment and encourages healing to start from within. After a wound has been cleaned, Vetalintex® sterile hydrogel should be applied to a depth of 5mm.
Bandages - bandages can be applied to help support and provide protection for tendons and ligaments and also to reduce swelling, secure dressings and assist in the healing process of injuries.
Cohesive bandages quickly and easily secure a dressing or bandage in place without restricting movement and come in a range of colours to brighten up your first aid kit!
Veterinary Gamgee® - an absorbent, high quality cotton wool enclosed in a non-woven or gauze cover is used to promote wound healing by insulating, cushioning and protecting wounds from external trauma.
Scissors – a decent pair of blunt ended scissors is essential for cutting bandages and dressings to the required size and also for safe and easy removal of bandages.
Thermometer - a slight change in temperature may indicate there is an underlying problem with your horse so make sure you have a good quality thermometer in your first aid kit.
Remember to always replace items once you have used them and when the use-by date has expired on products that contain an active ingredient.
Robinson Animal Healthcare has a wide range of products for all your first aid requirements including the market leading Animalintex®, which is the only VMD licensed multi-layered absorbent poultice available in the UK and the legendary Veterinary Gamgee®.
For more information contact Robinson Animal Healthcare on 01909 735000 or visit
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