In Pursuit of Knowledge

I am always interested in learning more about most things.  Not everything, mind you.  Sewing: not really.  Cooking: not high on the list.  Physics of riding: absolutely. 

So my veterinary clinic offered a free seminar tonight on emergency management.  The topper was that they were also catering dinner.  OK, sign me up.  I would have just come for the lecture!

The beginning of the lecture just went over basic vital signs for the horse and knowing what is normal for that particular horse.  We discussed what that practice felt was imperative to have in a veterinary first aid kit and two things I think many people don't have: stethoscope & some kind of clotting agent. 

Now, I do have a stethoscope, but I will admit, it is a really expensive one.  As in, holy buckets expensive and I think I would cry if I left it at the barn, but I suppose there is little reason not to invest in a $20 one to leave with my emergency equipment.  In addition, people should be used to listening to the horse's gut sounds and know what sounds normal for that horse.

The clotting agent I never particularly thought about.  My husband was in the military and I remember him bringing it up one or twice, but I finally realized that yes, horses are stupid and it may indeed be advantageous to have something on hand.

So if you are interested, this vet suggested getting either the sponge or the gauze form of QuikClot.  There are also granule forms, but if he said that if granules are placed in a wound that it is typically hard to remove and cannot be sutured later.

The other major thing that stuck with me tonight is the discussion on how to safely work with a horse that is down, whether injured, cast, stuck on ice, arthritic, or even foaling.  Feet matter.  Probably shouldn't be standing on the side with the feet, wrapping anything around the feet which would involve putting one's very expensive head down near the feet to handle, or basically anything to do with the feet side of the horse.

He also impressed on that standing directly in front of the horse's head while down seems to be a natural thing, however, when that horse gets up, they can often run driven by flight or flight and then that person standing there has just been mowed down in a spectacular fashion.

So there you go.  Just quick commentary tonight on a lecture I heard tonight.  There was obviously more of course, but in between eating chips who knows what else I actually retained.  ;)