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Horse Barn First Aid Kit Checklist: Must-Have Items for Safety

Updated: Jan 30


Don’t let emergencies catch you off guard! Check out this essential horse barn first aid kit checklist now.

Could you handle a medical emergency at your barn, on the road, or during a lesson? Ensuring your first aid kits are properly stocked might make all the difference in a crisis. This guide provides a comprehensive checklist to help you stock first aid kits for every situation—barn, truck, trailer, and more. The beginning of the year is the perfect time to take stock of what’s in your first aid kit(s) and replace or restock anything. 


Types of First Aid Kits Every Horse Owner Needs

First, let’s talk about what types of first aid kits you should have. Does your business deal with people? Examples include teaching lessons, boarding horses, or running camps. Ensure you have a good first aid kit for people at the barn. Do you travel to serve your customers, like farriers and bodyworkers? A truck first aid kit for people is key for you. Do you keep horses at your farm or facility? Then a horse first aid kit is likely one of your top priorities. How about hauling? If you have a trailer, consider having a trailer first aid kit, too. If you’re like me, running a riding instruction business with several horses on the property and a trailer set up that is especially prudent in time of emergency, you may have or need all 4 of these!


Grab a pen and paper (or your favorite notes app in your phone). We’re making a list.


Step 1: Check Expiration Dates on All Items

Check the expiration dates on everything you have in each of your kits. If an item has expired, toss it. If it’s something that should continue to be in your first aid kit, add it to your list.


Step 2: Take Inventory of Remaining Supplies

Consider what you have remaining. Is there anything that is starting to run low? It would behoove you to put it on your list so you don’t run out.


Step 3: Use Comprehensive Checklists to Fill Gaps

Take a look at the checklists below (in no particular order), which include key items for each of your first aid kit types. Add anything that may be missing to your list. 


Some things are listed more than once. You won’t have access to your barn first aid kit, for example, when you’re on the road so you will need those items in your trailer first aid kit, too. Also, you may not want to share a thermometer between yourself/people and your horse(s). Depending on the item, you can either buy multiples or split up what you buy between the various relevant first aid kits.


First Aid Kit for People at the Barn


___  Antibiotic wound ointment like Neosporin

___  Antiseptic wipes

___  Sterile, non-adhesive pads

___  Stretch gauze

___  Band-Aids (Variety pack)

___  Advil

___  Anti-Itch Cream

___  Burn Cream

___  First Aid Splint

___  Aloe Vera gel

___  Tweezers

___  Non-latex disposable gloves

___  Scissors

___  Instant cold pack

___  Emergency blanket

___  Eye wash solution

___  Thermometer


First Aid Kit for Horses at the Barn


___  Stethoscope

___  Thermometer

___  Petroleum jelly

___  Antibiotic wound ointment, like Corona

___  Wound powder

___  Mild soap, like Dawn or Ivory

___  Tweezers

___  A headlamp

___  Sterile, non-adhesive pads

___  Stretch gauze

___  Cotton sheets

___  Vetwrap

___  Antimicrobial scrub, like Betadine

___  Rubbing alcohol

___  Saline solution (or salt to make one)

___  Quilted Pillow/Leg wraps

___  Antiseptic bandage

___  Ready-made Poultice

___  Diaper (for hoof abscesses

___  Safety razor or small battery-operated clippers

___  Horseshoe puller and rasp

___  Duct tape

___  Various plastic syringe sizes (for mixing oral medications given, flushing wounds, etc)

___  (Prescription) A sedative, like Ace with a syringe and needle or Dormosedan gel

___  (Prescription) Phenylbutazone (“Bute”)

___  (Prescription) Flunixin meglumine (Banamine)

___  Non-latex disposable gloves

___  Bandage scissors

___  Small towels

___  A bowl or bucket (for clean water)


First Aid Kit for People in the Truck


___  Antibiotic wound ointment like Neosporin

___  Antiseptic wipes

___  Sterile, non-adhesive pads

___  Stretch gauze

___  Band-Aids

___  Advil

___  Anti-Itch Cream

___  Burn Cream

___  Tweezers

___  Non-latex disposable gloves


First Aid Kit for Horses in the Trailer


___  Stethoscope

___  Thermometer 

___  Petroleum jelly

___  Antibiotic wound ointment like Corona

___  Wound powder

___  Mild soap, like Dawn or Ivory

___  Tweezers

___  A Headlamp

___  Sterile, non-adhesive pads

___  Stretch gauze

___  Cotton sheets

___  Vetwrap

___  Antimicrobial scrub like Betadine

___  Saline solution (or salt to make one)

___  Various syringe sizes (for mixing oral medications given, flushing wounds, etc)

___  Safety razor or small battery-operated clippers

___  (Prescription) A sedative, like Ace with a syringe and needle or Dormosedan gel

___  (Prescription) Phenylbutazone (“Bute”)

___  (Prescription) Flunixin meglumine (Banamine)

___  Non-latex disposable gloves

___  Bandage scissors

___  A small towel


Add Contact and Emergency Info

Consider keeping the following in both your barn and trailer first aid kit, too: 


  • A chart of horse vitals, for reference  

  • Your contact info

  • General emergency contact info [LINK TO BLOG THAT HAS]

  • Any of your horses’ prescription instructions

  • Your emergency and non-emergency Veterinarians’ numbers 


Check out this handy horse vitals chart our local vet clinic hands out to their customers.


Horse vitals chart for horse safety preparedness.

Ask for Professional Guidance

If you are not sure about how to give intramuscular (IM) or subcutaneous (SQ or SubQ) injections, ask your vet to show you how next time they are out to give your horse a wellness check. SQ injections are not common in horses, but may be needed for those who suffer from allergies, in particular.


Consider Natural Disaster Scenarios

Consider any additional prescriptions your horses or you have. If you live in an area prone to natural disasters, consider keeping a small supply of that prescription in your truck or trailer first aid kits. Let’s say you have to suddenly evacuate (like we have to here due to fire risk). You don’t want to beat yourself up for forgetting to grab your horse’s prescription in a time of stress or have to prioritize tracking a new prescription down in light of the other priorities occurring in such a situation. 


Bonus Tips to Enhance Preparedness

If you host people in your business, like with lessons, consider asking about prescriptions or reminding customers to bring their prescription with them when they come to your facility. We struggle with wasps every summer, for example, and I would hate for a kiddo who is allergic to them to not have the prescription they need to manage an allergic reaction from a sting. I also advocate for all instructors and trainers to be First Aid/AED certified, so that you are appropriately equipped, should an emergency arise. 


Preparedness can make all the difference in protecting the health and safety of your horses, clients, and yourself. What unique items do you include in your first aid kit?


Hugs and Happy Riding,

Kristin


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Learn more about author Kristin Bowers.


Blog posts from Equestripreneur are not meant to replace individual professional advice, which will best inform personal circumstances.

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