Equi-Wrap: Horse Health, Wraps & Supplies
Tanya Drayton
Published by Tanya Drayton at Smashwords
Copyright © 2011 Tanya Drayton
Look for these other titles by Tanya Drayton coming soon to Smashwords.com:
The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Hunting
The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Fishing
The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Camping
Trade or brand names used in this manual are used only for the purpose of educational information. No discrimination is intended and no endorsement of products or breeds of horses by Equi-Praise is implied, nor does it imply approval of products or breeds of horses to the exclusion of others, any of which may also be suitable for the purposes stated herein.
All rights reserved; First Edition, January 2003 ; Second Edition (revised), January 2010
This book is available in print directly from the author
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Wrap & Bandage Rolling and Care
This manual is not intended to replace quality veterinary care, instructions and recommendations. Always call your veterinarian at the first signs of an emergency. The intent of this manual is to allow the owner/caretaker an increased level of comfort when dealing with the inevitable emergencies and injuries of their equine companions. The knowledge of what to do and what not to do will help you to make more informed decisions about the needs of your horse and it will also allow for a better level of communication between you and your veterinarian.
Another purpose of this manual is to give horse owners an idea of available products and their uses. It also gives brief instructions on the various wrap applications and their uses. It is meant to companion and educate equine owners on how to correctly use the various types of wrap materials available to them in the event they ever need them.
It is not the intention of the author to provide veterinary advice or to cause individuals to think that this manual will preclude the need for veterinary services. It will not. Your veterinarian should be called to treat all serious injuries in a timely manner and should, at the very least, be consulted over the phone for any questionable situation.
Another thing to remember is that for descriptive purposes and for continuity of that description there are "degrees" of lameness associated with horses that are limping. The degrees are labeled one through five, with one indicating "slightly lame or off", two, three and four are gradually worsening levels of lameness and five indicates that the horse is "non weight bearing" on that particular limb. Describing your horse's lameness to your veterinarian in this manner will quickly help them assess the situation when you are describing things to them over the phone.
There are many things not covered in this manual. There is not enough time in a day or room on a page to cover everything. That is why veterinarians go to school for 8-10 years to gain a better grasp of all that is out there. I have purposefully left out anything to do with injectable medications, syringes and needles. If your veterinarian needs you to use these items then he will instruct you on how to do so properly.
Ultimately, you know your horse best and it is my hope that with the help of this manual you will be able to increase the satisfaction you get from your relationship with your equine companion.
SAFETY NOTE: It would be wise to remember that when a horse is "under the weather" they are no different from a person. They do not feel good and may want to be left alone in their misery or if the injury/sickness is serious enough, they may be in complete self-defense and protect mode, wishing to avoid more pain of any kind, real or perceived. With this in mind (and approximately a half a ton or more of muscle on the side of the 'opposition'), no matter how kind and loving your horse may normally be it is always better to approach the issue with two handlers. The first handler holds the animal (and twitches it if absolutely necessary) and the second person does the "dirty work". Since the holder "controls" the animals head, they also control the body position of the animal. The holder should always be on the same side of the animal as the caretaker or veterinarian.
This should increase the level of safety under which the caretaker or veterinarian is working when done correctly (if the animal is severely agitated, effort should be made to calm the animal down before beginning/continuing to work on it). Correct handling means that the holder stays on the same side of the horse as the veterinarian or your partner and, only when necessary, maneuvers the horse to keep both people safe. When a stethoscope is in use, the handler should not talk to, scratch or pet the animal, because the noise created causes reverberation in the stethoscope and distorts all sound, making it harder to hear abnormalities.
When taking the temperature stand to either side of the rear of the horse, push the tail away from you, spit on the business end of the thermometer to lubricate it (or dip in KY jelly) and insert it into the rectum of the animal in question. Gently angle the thermometer such that the business end comes into contact with the interior wall of the rectum approximately 2 inches in. This will give you the most accurate reading possible by mitigating accidentally taking the temperature of any feces that may be present. If you are using a glass thermometer don't forget to shake it down before using it or you may get an inaccurate reading (especially if it came out of the car on a hot summer day...).
You should also wait approximately 3 minutes before removing a glass thermometer from the rectum and reading to give it enough time to record your animal's temperature. Finally, with a glass thermometer, get one that you can tie a string to the end of and then tie a clothespin or alligator clip to the other end of the string. When you are taking a horses temperature, clip the clothespin/alligator clip to a chunk of tail hair. In the event the thermometer disappears into the "inner sanctum", you will be able to retrieve it.
Another option, and my personal preference, is to purchase a digital thermometer and stand there for the short time it takes to beep at you. Remember to be very careful. Even animals conditioned to this intrusion are not particularly fond of it and may take offense. It will pay off in spades for you if you familiarize your horse with this procedure by practicing taking their temperature before you ever really need to take it.