What are the First Aid priorities in the case of a road accident?

  • Routinely carrying a basic but well equipped first aid kit in the transport box is all important.
  • When an injury or accident occurs away from the yard/stable/premises, e.g. on a roadway, in a box/truck accident, the action taken and the first aid given is solely dependent on the level of knowledge and skill of the person or owner present.
  • Again, it may be just a case of calming the horse by proper careful handling, having assessed its condition, moving it to safety and giving it the treatment considered necessary at the time.
  • If there is a visible injury, the handler has to assess and decide what emergency action is best to take under the circumstances.

    • What should the handler do where a horse is down in the box?

    - The main thing is to remain calm and try to keep the injured or cast horse as calm as possible to prevent further injuries. Call a willing horse person to help.

    - A veterinary surgeon may have to be called to sedate the horse or give it a general anaesthetic to facilitate “dragging” it carefully out of the