The horse is among domestic animals, one of the most vulnerable to sores and injuries. These are often the consequence of his clumsy behavior, his uncontrollable attitudes in the stable and his need for freedom.
These injuries occur not only in the stable, but also in the field, especially on horses who live in groups.
We must always treat wounds, even the smallest, with great care. In the event of a serious injury, it is of course advisable to consult the veterinarian.
An injury can occur during transport, or while hiking outdoors. In this case, the veterinarian is not always on site.
It is therefore advisable to always have a first aid kit on hand, both at the stable and when traveling.
In the stable you will also want to keep on hand in an easily accessible and clean place: knife, nose wringer, rope, hoof pick, bandages and a few clean towels.
You can easily treat small, superficial injuries like cuts, bites and scrapes yourself. Monitor the wound carefully and notify the veterinarian if it worsens, becomes infected, or if the horse becomes feverish.
In the meadow, a horse can be stung by an insect, bitten by a snake or come into contact with a plant capable of causing an allergy. If you notice abnormal swelling and/or the horse is nervous, always call your veterinarian, as well as in the event of joint wounds or wounds with a foreign body.

Be aware that an injured horse can easily panic and become dangerous to those around him, so: safety first! If necessary, cover his head, taking care to hide his eyes with a clean cloth or towel. Above all, keep calm, we never need a second victim.

What to do in case of a wound?
If the wound is just a scratch, and only in this case, clean the wound using an antiseptic soap or clean with physiological serum (sold in pharmacies). Then use a disinfectant and healing product like Equi'baume Tea Tree (be careful with “blue” sprays, only use them in case of scratches, they slightly necrotize the skin tissues and make sutures more difficult).
If the wound is deep, leave the foreign bodies in place, avoid cleaning so as not to cause dirt to enter deeper into the wound, isolate the wound from possible contamination with a clean cloth or compresses, try to limit the wound. edema with 'gel-packs' or ice (caution: never in direct contact with the skin), the sutures will be easier to perform.
Do not dab or wipe, this activates the bleeding!
While waiting for the veterinarian, keep the horse as clean as possible.
It will always be best to suture gaping wounds, whenever possible, within a maximum of 6 to 8 hours. Beyond that, the wounds become swollen and risk becoming infected. The veterinarian's work will be more difficult if not impossible and the healing will take longer.
Refrain from any untimely intervention, a bleeding wound cleans itself and any application: spray, balm, can make the veterinarian's work more difficult, sometimes even impossible.
The evolution of an open wound is often dependent on its immediate external environment and the surrounding injured tissues.
Avoid touching it, whether with your hands or with equipment; Just cover the wound with gauze while waiting for the veterinarian.
The amount of blood lost does not necessarily indicate the severity of the injury: very deep wounds may not bleed while superficial abrasions may bleed profusely.

All eye injuries should be considered serious. Consult the veterinarian immediately.

Is your horse vaccinated against tetanus? If not, you must immediately report it to your veterinarian in case of injuries, so that he can vaccinate immediately. Tetanus bacteria, unfortunately, are found everywhere in the horse's environment. Tetanus is a very serious condition, extremely painful and, without rapid intervention, often fatal!