Trail Emergency! Equine Wounds

By Javier Donatelli, DVM

There are many objects for your horse to hurt himself on during a trail ride: rocks, barbed wire or sharp tree branches, to name just a few. It’s helpful to know what to do while waiting for your veterinarian to arrive if your horse cuts himself while away from home.

Assess the Wound

• Where is the wound located? An open wound over any joint, sensitive blood vessel or on the back part of your horse’s leg from his knee or hock down to the hoof (flexor area) can be very serious. If a joint, tendon or tendon sheath is affected, the injury could cause permanent damage or even be life-threatening.

• Is it bleeding? Wounds may just ooze or bleed profusely. A puncture wound that doesn’t bleed much or at all may be just as dangerous as one that bleeds profusely, because of the risk of tetanus. Your vet may want to give a tetanus booster.

For a bleeding wound, is it from an artery or from a vein? Arterial blood is bright red and pumps out of the wound with the frequency of your horse’s heart. Blood from a vein is distinguished by its dark red color.

• Can you see bone, ligaments or tendons? These structures are usually white in color. Lameness or unconventional movement in a limb or joint may indicate a fracture. Avoid touching the wound more than necessary, to decrease the chance of infection.

What to Do

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, call (or have a friend call) a veterinarian immediately. However, if an artery has been nicked and the wound is spurting blood, you need to control the bleeding first.

This can be achieved by applying direct pressure to the wound using a shirt or other soft material until the vet arrives. If the bleeding cannot be brought under control with pressure, consider applying a tourniquet. A tourniquet can be made with the shirt, belt, a leather stirrup strap, a rein or even a polo bandage.

Before applying a tourniquet, it is important to know how to properly use one, because done incorrectly, it can cause secondary damage. Ideally, a tourniquet should be applied 4 inches above the wound. Tighten it just enough to stop the bleeding. The pressure on the tourniquet should be released for 1–2 minutes every 10 to 15 minutes to allow blood to flow to the rest of the extremity. Do not move your horse; wait for the vet to arrive.

If the wound is serious but not bleeding profusely, clean it with plain water (if available) and cover with a bandage or any clean fabric you might have. Hand-walk your horse to the trailhead or farm and call your veterinarian.

Javier Donatelli, DVM, of Poolesville, Maryland, runs a private equine veterinary practice, Javier Donatelli Equine Veterinarian, LLC. He specializes in lameness, dentistry and general medicine. He has done extensive work for many local horse rescues, and he is an EPIC Business Member. Dr. Donatelli can be reached at javdonatelli@hotmail.com or by phone at (301) 330-5035 (office) or (240) 676-1990 (cell).