How to Give First Aid to a Horse

Horses often time injury themselves and if you are present when one of these injuries occurs, you may have to perform first aid on the animal. The following steps will tell you how you should perform first aid on a horse if the situation ever occurs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Apply pressure with a clean gauze if the horse has sustained an injury that is bleeding. Pressure should be kept on the wound until the bleeding stops.
2. Cut the hair around the wound once the bleeding has stopped. This keeps the hair out of the wound and allows room for healing. Clean the wound with betadine, shampoo, or peroxide. Any of these will clean the wound well. Once the wound is clean apply an antibiotic ointment to the wound. This can be purchased at any retail store or drug store.
3. Apply a bandage to the wound. Wrap the wound with several gauze pads, then wrap these with large quilted bandages. All this should be wrapped with an elastic wrap. It should be wrapped tightly but not so tight that it disrupts circulation in the horses leg. This dressing should be changed at least every 3 days. If there continues to be a great deal of discharge or blood, change the bandages everyday and get the horse medical attention.
4. Stop swelling in the leg of a horse by making it stand in a warm bucket of warm water and Epsom salt. This salt can be purchased at all grocery and drug stores.
5. Rest the horse as long as needed so it can return to normal activity without pain or further injury.

Tips & Warnings

• If you see signs of infection or the horse becomes sick, call your vet immediately.