How to Control a Horse's Bleeding With a Pressure Bandage

If a horse injures a leg seriously it might be necessary for you to stabilize the leg and control bleeding until the vet arrives. A pressure bandage is a good way to accomplish this. A pressure bandage is designed to control the bleeding and keep down swelling as a short term solution to a medical emergency.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Wipe away the blood so you can see to access the extent of the injury. If the wound is only bleeding lightly or moderately you might want to cleanse it with running water from a hose before applying the pressure bandage. If bleeding is heavy apply bandage immediately.
2. Place a one inch thick stack of gauze pads over the wound. You can also use a roll of gauze but do not unwind it. Just remove the roll from the package and use it the way it is.
3. Wrap a roll of gauze around the leg to hold the stack of gauze in place. Continue wrapping until you have used the entire roll. Wrap it snug but not too tight.
4. Cover the gauze with a layer of padding wrapped around the leg. Sheet cotton or a clean cotton towel works well for padding. You want your layer of padding to be approximately 2 inches thick. This will allow for even pressure over the wound and will absorb some of the blood.
5. Hold the bandage snugly in place with an outer wrap of cotton flannels, bandaging tape or an ace bandage. Wrap the center only leaving approximately 1 inch of the padding exposed at the top and the bottom. This will ensure that you do not make it too tight on the horse's leg. You want the bandage tight enough to apply pressure but not so tight that it restricts circulation.
6. Get the horse veterinary care as quickly as possible.