If you own or lease a horse, you’ve probably found yourself wondering what supplies you should keep on hand in the event of an emergency. An emergency sounds severe; however, the kit we’re going to talk about today is stocked with items to help in most situations and can usually hold you and your horse over until a vet arrives (if necessary). 

Full disclaimer: this is what we keep around, but you should always consult your veterinarian regarding what you should have on hand and how to use it properly. 

The Emergency Equestrian Supply List :

- Stethoscope 
- Thermometer 
- Latex Gloves 

- Cotton Roll (for wrapping legs) 
- Cotton Roll (to pull for scrubbing or wrapping hooves)
- Standing Wraps and Bandages
- Diapers (size 4 for average size horse) 
- Syringe (for flushing wounds or abscesses)
- Duct Tape
- Elastikon 
- Gauze Roll 
- Non-Stick Gauze Pads
- Regular Gauze Pads 
- Brown Gauze Roll
- Vet Wrap

- Iodine 
- Sugar
- Desitin 
- Scarlett Oil 
- Triple Antibiotic 
- Alushield 
- Vaseline 
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Saline 

- Banamine Paste 
- Bute Paste or Powder 
- Electrolyte Paste 

The Equipment :

The Wraps and Rolls:

The Ointments, Sprays, and Solutions:

The Medications and Electrolytes:

The Equipment

What You Should Have for Equine Emergencies and Why

This category of items is important for getting vitals (and applying messy poultices)! If your horse is colicing, your vet is going to ask you if you have a heart rate and temperature. This information will be really helpful in assessing how critical the situation is and determining the best next steps for your horse.

Heart rate can help indicate distress and pain response. A normal resting heart rate is generally 28-48 beats per minute.

Temperature lets us know if the body is reacting to something. A normal temperature is 99.0 - 101.5 degrees fahrenheit.

If you travel a lot, you’ll want a thermometer to ensure that your horse's temp stays within a normal range while on the go and when you return home. 

Finally, gloves are important if you ever have to doctor a wound, pack hooves with poultice, and about a million other things! 

The Wraps and Rolls

This section can handle anything from an abscess to wound wraps! It’s important to have a variety of gauzes and wraps because you’ll need the ability to choose your supplies depending on where the injury is. The best way to get a handle on these items is to talk to your veterinarian directly; most of the time they are happy to place an order with their supplier for you! The extra benefit is that you can ask your vet how they use each one! 

We published a blog and video about how to correctly apply a standing wrap; while the application and pressure will be different for a variety of injuries, it’s always good to know the basics. 

The Ointments, Sprays, and Solutions

You can find the majority of this list at your local feed store or at online stores such as FarmVet or Valley Vet Supply. These items are really important to be able to treat anything from a fly sore to an abscess or wound. 

Iodine and sugar are your ingredients for the secret sauce for abscesses

Desitin is phenomenal by itself for skin irritations (or sunscreen for pink noses)

Desitin mixed with scarlett oil is our most used tincture in our barn. We mix it until its pepto bismol pink and apply to everything from fly sores to nasty scratches/dermatitis and even some open wounds! 

Saline is incredibly handy to have around because you can use it as a sterile agent to flush wounds or eyes! 

Disclaimer: This is how we use these products, however you should always consult your veterinarian to ensure that you are using the correct treatment for your horse. 

The Medications and Electrolytes

We always keep banamine, bute and electrolytes on hand. All of these are incredibly useful and important to stock in your emergency kit. The dosage and use for these medications will vary based on horse size and symptoms. You’ll need a prescription to purchase the banamine and bute from your veterinarian.

Additionally, should consult your veterinarian before using any medications on your horse. 

We made a video on how to properly give your horse oral medication and vaccines; you can check it out now in our library! 

It can be stressful making sure you have the proper supplies in the event of an emergency, no matter how big or small! Hopefully this list will help you as you build out your emergency kit!

You can find videos in our membership library to learn more about wrapping, vet care, giving oral medications, and stable management! 

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