134 - maintain the health of horses

Aims Objectives To be able to treat a horse’s wounds To know how to check a horse for injury Identify possible sites of injury on the horse Identify different types of injuries Outline the care for each type of injury

Checking a horse for injury Be safe Be methodical Use the flat of your hand Compare like for like

Common sites of injury Horses can gain an injury anywhere on their body. Caused by themselves, other horses or objects in their environment. Face Neck Forearm Hocks knee Cannon bone Fetlock joints Heels and coronets

Task one Make a list of injuries that a horse could sustain.

Types of wound Contused wound Treatment? E.g. Bruises & sprains Usually internal bleeding without breaking the skin Leads to swelling, heat and pain. Treatment? Cold ………….. Ice …………… Sometimes combination of h… and c…….. treatment

Types of wound Incised Wounds Treatment Clean straight edges Bleed freely Normally heal quickly Treatment May need to call the ……… to s………….. the wound Keep wound c……… and dry

Types of wound Abrasion wounds Treatment Very superficial skin wounds, e.g. Saddle sores/ grazes from falling When they occur on the Knees they are referred to as Broken knees Treatment Must be cleaned th………. to remove grit from the wound Skin should be kept moist Allow a good period of time For healing

Types of wound Laceration wounds Treatment Torn edges & irregular shape, with some bruising Frequently, there are torn flaps of skin that die before healing. Treatment Often can’t be stitched Must be kept ………….. Best to keep wound open to enable healing

Types of wound Puncture wounds Treatment Often more serious than they look Opening may be small, but penetration can be of varying depths. Dangerous if sited around a joint Treatment Assess severity Vet may need to be called Clean ………………. Must be kept open to enable ……………. from the inside first

Task two Wound Description Of wound Treatment Laceration Clean, straight cut Requires cold hosing, or a combination of hot and cold treatment. Incised Grazes If located around the joint must call a vet. Keep wound open to enable healing Contused Jagged edges to wound Must be cleaned thoroughly. Skin should be kept moist Abrasion Bruise or sprain Can be stitched –up if the wound is fresh. Puncture Small hole, can penetrate deeply Often can’t be stitched. Wound must be kept clean.

Treating wounds General wound care Tubbing Poulticing Hot fomentation Cold treatment

General wound care Assess the severity of the wound Hose with cold water (helps to clean area and remove inflammation) Cut hair away from the site Clean wound with a warm saline solution using cotton wool (clean wound from centre to outside, using a different piece of cotton each time) Apply antiseptic cream

Tubbing Prepare a bucket of warm, saline solution Clean horse’s foot Grease the bulbs of heel (unless this is the site of infection) Place foot in bucket Dry foot Used to provide relief Used to clean infections in the foot

Poulticing Tub the foot Dry the foot Apply a warm poultice Apply self-adhesive bandage around the hoof Apply electric tape to secure if required (occasionally use baby nappies) Used to draw infections out of the area. Commonly used on the hoof to draw out foot abscesses

Hot fomentation Used on sites where Poulticing is not possible Immerse towel in hot water Wring the towel out Hold against the skin Repeat so that the towel remains warm Use of heat Ease pain and stimulate healing

Cold treatment Assess the area Apply the cold hose Run the water above the site of inflammation At least 20 mins Repeat frequently Used to remove heat and inflammation from the area to aid healing

Task Three Write a list of equipment you would require in order to treat a minor wound List: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Task four Complete the sequencing task for Poulticing a horse’s hoof

Aims Objectives To be able to treat a horse’s wounds To know how to check a horse for injury Identify possible sites of injury on the horse Identify different types of injuries Outline the care for each type of injury

Task five Practical on the Yard To carry out Poulticing

Questions