How to Put Eye Drops in a Horse's Eye

If your veterinarian has recommended or prescribed eye drops for your horse, you might be worried about your horse acting up and flinging his head around while you are trying to give the medication. If approaching the application in the correct manner, however, your horse can be accommodating to the eye drops and might not give you any trouble.

Things You'll Need

• Helper
• Eye drops
• Syringe

Instructions

Applying the drops

1. Put your horse's halter and lead rope on, then have your helper hold your horse just tightly enough by holding the lead rope just below the halter to keep your horse from turning his head. Neither you nor your helper should be anxious about the procedure; if you are, it will make your horse act up.

2. Fill the syringe with the eye drop solution, using enough to give your horse the recommended dosage.

3. Put the drops on your horse's inside lower eyelid one drop at a time. Few horses will object to this method; if your horse does, you might need your veterinarian's help, or you might want to leave the task to a more experienced horse person.

References

• Dressage Today; "Equine Eyes;" Barb Crabbe, DVM; December 2008.