Cut to the chase
Would you know what to do if your horse got injured?Amy Clark offers advice on what to do – and what not to do – if he’s wounded
Our expert
Amy Clark BVSc MRCVS is a veterinary surgeon at North West Equine Vets. She’s worked in both mixed and equine practice, and has particular interest in wound management, dentistry and internal medicine.
Wounds are a common occurrence and most owners will have some experience of dealing with them. Despite our best efforts to protect our horses from themselves and their environment, we all know that they can be somewhat accident prone, no matter how proactive you try to be. Early intervention and first aid are essential for a good outcome, so what can you do if you find your horse has a wound?
Don’t panic
As distressing as these situations can be, it’s crucial to remain calm and assess the horse. Where is the wound? Are there any other obvious injuries? How much is it bleeding? Is he lame or distressed? Is there anything stuck in the wound?
The key aims of first aid are to stop the bleeding and clean the wound. The sooner the wound’s cleaned, the less likely infection is to develop.
Using large volumes of clean water is the best way to get rid of any dirt or contamination – remember: ‘dilution is the solution to pollution’. You could use a hosepipe for large wounds, or a homemade saline solution – made by adding a teaspoon of salt to a pint of water – for smaller ones. It’s important to flush out as much dirt, grit and hair as possible before any attempt’s made to cover the wound.