It is sensible to register a horse or pony with a local equine vet, in case of emergency. The veterinary practise will keep a record of the owner's details and where the horse or pony is kept, and any medical details.

Vaccinations

The horse or pony should be vaccinated against equine 'flu and tetanus. Breeding animals and/or those frequently on the show circuit may also need vaccinating against equine herped.

A vaccination card must be presented at many shows.

If the horse or pony has never been vaccinated will be given an initial vaccination then a booster several weeks later, then six months later, and normally once a year after that.

First-aid kit

A well-stocked equine (and human) first-aid kit should be kept in a place where it is easily accessed. Any used or out-of-date items should be replaced as soon as possible.

The basic items any equine first-aid kit should include are:

• Thermometer (a digital one is more accurate)
• Petroleum jelly (to use as lubrication for thermometer)
• Salt (for saline solution)
• Cotton wool (for cleaning wounds, not dressing them)
• Animalintex/poultice dressing. Even disposable nappies/diapers can be cut and used as a poultice as they draw moisture out of wounds
• Gamgee, to be used as padding underneath bandages
• Sharp, clean scissors, reserved for first aid kit only
• Clean bucket, reserved for first-aid kit only, for washing out wounds
• Clean sponge, reserved for first-aid kit only
• Antiseptic cream, powder, gel or spray
• Bandages - 4x stable bandages, possibly the 'veterinary' type too
• Poultice boot
• Latex/medical gloves, unused
• Clean towel
• Soap and nail brush to scrub your hands
• Your veterinarian's and farrier's telephone and emergency numbers.
• A paper and pencil
• Suitable box/container for all of the above, to keep them clean and tidy.

Worming

All horses and ponies have a worm burden, and therefore treatment should be ongoing throughout the horse or pony's life. It is normal to worm every 8-13 weeks depending on the brand of wormer. A worming programme can be obtained from a local vet.

Wormers come in several forms:

• paste
• gel
• powder
• granules

Powders and granules normally come in a sachet and the wormer is normally mixed in with the horse's feed. The pastes and gels normally come in a plastic syringe which is used to squirt the wormer onto the horse's tongue.

Remove droppings regularly from the horse's field (at least once a week) help to reduce numbers of worms.

There are several different brands of wormer, using different types of active chemical - which in turn kill different types of worm. It is often necessary to use a specific wormer at a certain time of year, to combat a certain worm (for example: redworm, which is normally treated during October and November).

Active chemicals found in different wormers

• Fenbendazole ('Panacur')
• Moxidectin ('Equest')
• Ivermectin ('Eqvalan')
• Praziquantel ('Equitape'/'Equimax')
• Pyrantel ('Strongid-P')
• Membendazole ('Telmin')
• Oxibendazole ('Multiwurma')

Types of worm found in equines

• Lungworm
• Pinworm/seatworm
• Tapeworm
• Redworm -large and small (strongyles)
• 'Bots'

'Ringworm' found in horses is not actually a worm but a contagious skin disease and is normally treated using an anti-fungal wash.

Dental care

The horse or pony must have its teeth checked by a vet or professional qualified dentist at least once a year, as the teeth can wear down and create sharp edges which may cause problems when eating/being ridden. If the teeth are sharp, the vet/dentist will rasp them until they are smooth.

Some horses and ponies object to this procedure and must be sedated.