What belongs in a stable medicine cabinet? The complete checklist

---

Excellent Horse Protection Spray Lotion 2.5 l

Every stable has a box, drawer, or cabinet somewhere where bandaging scraps, half-empty spray bottles, and a rusty pair of scissors accumulate over the years. The problem usually becomes apparent at exactly the wrong time: the horse is standing in its stall with a bleeding wound, and no one can immediately find a clean pack of gauze pads.

Over the years at MHS Pferdesport, I have learned that a stable first-aid kit does not need a long wish list, but a clear structure. Wound care, skin care, hoof care, and diagnostic tools each serve a different purpose, and each category has its own schedule for checking and restocking.

Below, I go through each category to explain what actually belongs in it, how often I check it myself, and when an injury or symptom is no longer something to handle on your own but requires a veterinarian.

• Wound care, skin care, hoof care, and diagnostic tools each serve a distinct purpose and therefore require category-specific checks rather than a uniform inspection.
• Bandaging materials and sprays lose their effectiveness after their expiration date, so a regular monthly check determines whether emergency supplies are functional or useless.
• Hoof oil should be used specifically on visible cracks or after exposure to moisture, not as part of the daily grooming routine; otherwise, it tends to soften the hoof rather than protect it.
• A fever thermometer is only useful when you know the normal temperature (37.5 to 38.5 degrees), because that is the only way to detect a deviation.
• Heat, odor, or discharge from a wound are clear signs that self-treatment should end and the veterinarian should take over.

What basic equipment does every stable first-aid kit need?

Wound care is the core of every stable first-aid kit: wound disinfectant spray, sterile gauze pads, gauze bandages, self-adhesive bandage, and clean scissors should always be included. Without these five items, no fresh injury can be properly treated, no matter how minor it looks.

I need tweezers almost as often as bandaging materials, usually to remove splinters, thorns, or small foreign objects from the skin or hoof. This happens more often than you might think, especially in pastures with bushes or remnants of barbed wire.

Disposable gloves also belong in every box. They keep the wound clean while I treat it and protect me at the same time when I am working with open wounds.

How I store everything determines whether it will work in an emergency. I keep the complete basic equipment in a sturdy, dustproof box, because stable dust and moisture can make dressing materials unusable over the course of months without any visible sign on the packaging. A box with a tightly fitting lid, kept in a dry place outside the stable itself, is usually sufficient.

Which care products for skin and coat belong in the stable first-aid kit?

For irritated or sweaty skin, I use Excellent Horse Protection Spray Lotion 2.5 l, which neutralizes sweat odor with a blend of essential oils and cares for the skin instead of merely masking it.

For itching or sensitive skin from within, I use Excellent Itch Stop Horse Feed Oil. It combines omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids with vitamins E and C and plant extracts, thereby supporting skin regeneration from within.

Neither product replaces a diagnosis. They are part of ongoing care when the skin or coat is visibly stressed, such as with noticeable itching, a dull coat, or increased sweat odor after work.

Before buying, I always check whether the symptom occurs seasonally, for example during shedding or insect season, or whether it is persistent. I usually treat seasonal irritation externally with the spray lotion, while persistent skin problems are more likely to call for the feed supplement because they often need to be addressed from within.

How do you properly care for hooves with items from the stable first-aid kit?

I regularly care for dry, brittle hooves with Excellent Horse Hoof Oil Plus 500 ml, which protects the hoof from drying out and promotes elasticity.

Hoof oil belongs in the stable first-aid kit, not the grooming box. I use it selectively when I notice visible cracks in the bearing edge or after longer periods of rain, when the hoof has absorbed a lot of moisture. However, I do not apply it during every regular grooming session, otherwise the hoof is more likely to become too soft than protected.

Before I treat only externally, I also check the hoof for heat, unusual odor, and sensitivity to pressure. These three signs may indicate an incipient hoof abscess, which no oil in the world will resolve, no matter how often I apply it.

For persistent problems such as thrush or deep hoof cracks, care alone is not enough. The horse should then be seen by a farrier or veterinarian before the problem gets worse.

Excellent Plus Horse Hoof Oil 500 ml

How often should the stable first-aid kit be checked and replenished?

The stable first-aid kit should be checked at least once a month: check expiration dates, note depleted supplies, and reorder missing items. A fixed calendar appointment helps, because otherwise this check is the first thing to fall by the wayside in everyday life.

Bandaging materials and disinfectants have an expiration date, which is not a minor detail. Expired compresses or sprays may work less effectively or not at all, especially when sterility is important.

Before the seasons change, it is worth taking a targeted look at the first-aid kit. In spring, with shedding, and in summer, with fly season, what I need most often changes, so I adjust the first-aid kit accordingly.

Seasonal additions to the stable first-aid kit throughout the year

After each use, I immediately replace any items that have been used up, rather than waiting until the next monthly check. Anyone who puts an empty pack of compresses back after treating a wound will have no clean material available during the next incident.

Which tools and aids should not be missing?

A fever thermometer is essential equipment for every stable first-aid kit. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, a horse's normal body temperature is between 37.5 and 38.5 degrees Celsius, and I can only recognize a deviation with a current measurement.

I need a flashlight or headlamp to thoroughly check wounds and hooves, even in dark corners of the stable or in the evening. Hoof soles and the coronary band in particular are difficult to assess in poor light, and that is exactly where small stones, cracks, or developing abscesses can hide.

I also keep a small notebook or note-taking app in which I record my horse's pulse, breathing, and temperature. This lets me see at a glance whether a value really deviates from the usual pattern instead of relying on my memory.

I keep a list of emergency contacts, namely the veterinarian, farrier, and a replacement for each, right next to the first-aid kit. In an emergency, I do not want to have to search through my phone when seconds count and my hands are already full of bandaging materials.

When should you call the veterinarian instead of treating the horse yourself?

Heavy bleeding, deep wounds, sudden lameness, or a fever above 38.5 degrees are always reasons for me to call the veterinarian immediately rather than treating the horse myself. In these cases, the stable first-aid kit is only sufficient for initial treatment until professional help arrives.

Signs of colic such as rolling, sweating without exertion, or a lack of bowel movements are, according to the AAEP recommendations, always emergencies requiring immediate veterinary assessment. I do not wait to see whether the symptoms improve on their own.

I initially treat superficial abrasions or mild skin irritations myself: apply disinfectant and observe the wound for 24 to 48 hours. This is sufficient for most minor everyday injuries.

If a wound worsens despite this care, for example due to swelling, noticeable warmth, or discharge, I call the veterinarian instead of continuing to treat it myself. These signs indicate an infection that can no longer be stopped with home remedies alone.

Stable first-aid kit by category: what belongs in it and how often to check it

Basic essentials or targeted additions: what does your stable really need?

For a horse kept at home, the basic essentials are usually enough: wound care supplies, a fever thermometer, and a grooming product such as Excellent Horse Protection Spray Lotion 2.5 l for everyday use. This covers the most common minor incidents without overcrowding the stable.

As soon as a horse develops recurring skin problems, its hooves become prone to dryness or cracking, or several horses are being cared for in the same stable, it is worth specifically expanding the kit with Excellent Itch Stop Horse Feed Oil and Excellent Horse Hoof Oil Plus 500 ml. This addition is based on the horse's actual needs, not on a one-size-fits-all list.

The first step is always the same: go through the existing first-aid kit completely, check the expiry dates, and set a fixed monthly appointment for this. Everything else can be added step by step from there.

This checklist summarizes what belongs in a complete stable first-aid kit and how often you should check it.

• Have disinfectant spray, sterile gauze pads, gauze bandage, and clean scissors ready
• Keep a clinical thermometer and tweezers readily accessible in the first-aid kit
• Keep Excellent Horse Protection Spray Lotion 2.5 l in stock for irritated or sweaty skin
• Apply Excellent Horse Hoof Oil Plus 500 ml regularly to dry or cracked hooves
• Plan to use Excellent Itch Stop Horse Feed Oil for persistent itching or during coat changes
• Check the expiry dates of bandaging materials and sprays once a month
• Post the veterinarian's and farrier's emergency contact details visibly next to the first-aid kit
• Record vital signs such as temperature, pulse, and breathing regularly to detect deviations early