“Be Prepared” is a good motto for scouts and for horse owners.

I don’t travel with my horses very often, so a recent trek to an out-of-town clinic sent me rummaging through my first aid box – a 20-gallon plastic tote – for the necessities. I chose many of the obvious items – vetwrap, thermometer and stethoscope, iodine.

But as I have expanded my knowledge to beyond traditional veterinary first aid, I have come to rely on a number of less obvious items for the care and comfort of my equine companions and myself. My three “don’t leave home without it” items (whether or not I’m traveling with horses) are the following:

Bach Rescue Remedy
A blend of five of the 38 Bach flower essence remedies made with spring water infused with wild flowers, Rescue Remedy is great for diffusing stress, anxiety and any type of emotional upset in your horse and youself. This could include stress from travel or competition, fear in new situations or anxiety from illness or injury.

I carry a “treatment bottle” of Rescue Remedy in my vehicle at all times and have used it many times for people and animals under stresses ranging from injury to performance anxiety. Go to this page and scroll down to read how to create your own treatment bottle of RR.

For your traditional first aid kit, you’ll want to gather a number of items – bandaging materials, wound care substances and some basic meds. Here’s a good, comprehensive list for you to consider. For an excellent source on all kinds of first aid issues, try this site from Equisearch, the publishers of Equus, Practical Horseman and other horse-related magazines Photo by Alana Harrison courtesy of EquiSearch.com

Follow this link for more flower essences you might find useful when working with horses and other animals.

Lavender Essential Oil
One of the most versatile of the essential oils, lavender is in my vehicle at all times in a traveling essential oil kit, on my bedside table and in my luggage when I’m on a trip. In a word, lavender is the master soother. It takes the edge off stress and fear, lessens insomnia, takes the sting out of a superficial burn or sting, eases the soreness of a strain, sprain, spasm or pulled muscle and prevents or lessens bruising. Its scent is pleasant and relaxing to most people and animals and it is gentle enough to use undiluted on all but the most sensitive skin.

Here are some additional essential oils you might want to have on hand for your horse and yourself.

Arnica Montana Homeopathic Remedy
Arnica is my first line of treatment for any trauma, horse or human. In my experience, it has a truly amazing ability to reduce swelling, soreness and bruising in the bodies of horses, dogs, cats and me! It’s an all-purpose anti-inflammatory with no gastric side effects and can be given after surgery, before and after strenuous work and to help relieve arthritis pain. Truly a great addition to your first aid kit.

For a few other remedies to keep in your homeopathic first aid kit, use this link.