It’s always important to have an accessible first aid kit at the barn. Riding horses and just being around horses in general can be dangerous. Horses are much bigger than humans, which is often forgotten because they are usually so trainable and well-behaved. But remember, we are about one-tenth of their size, and they can easily hurt us even if they are not trying to. Keep reading for some first aid kit necessities to have at the barn just in case!
Band-Aids®
There are a lot of small injuries that can happen when you’re around horses such as getting blisters from riding, falling off the horse, getting scraped, and more. Be sure to have band-aids in your first aid kit to easily treat cuts and scrapes and prevent infection.
Antibiotic Ointment
Make sure you have an antibiotic ointment in your kit to help immediately treat cuts and scrapes. Healing time will decrease if this ointment is applied at the beginning of the injury.
Tweezers
Tweezers can be useful in a variety of ways, such as getting particles out of a deep wound. Be sure to have these readily accessible in your first aid kit - they will definitely come in handy.
Sticky Tape and Gauze
For deeper wounds, gauze may be needed to stop bleeding. Make sure you have sticky tape on hand to secure the wrapping.
For more ideas, see the following list below (via NHS).
triangular bandages
safety pins
disposable sterile gloves
scissors
alcohol-free cleansing wipes
thermometer (preferably digital)
skin rash cream, such as hydrocortisone or calendula
cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings
antiseptic cream
painkillers such as paracetamol (or infant paracetamol for children), aspirin (not to be given to children under 16), or ibuprofen
cough medicine
antihistamine cream or tablets
distilled water for cleaning wounds
eye wash and eye bath
