How To Put A Foot Poultice On A Horse

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If you own a horse it is more than likely you will have to put on a foot poultice at some time. Perhaps your horse got an abscess, or trod on a nail.

Learning to apply a poultice is something every equestrian should know how to do. The following is a cheap and hard wearing method.

You will need to change it once a day, twice if there is a lot of pus draining from the foot.

What You Need:

Hoof pick with brush
Small nail brush
Old towel
Scissors
Duct Tape
Animal Lintex (poultice)
Gauze bandage
Diaper (size 4 usually works well)
Vet wrap

Instructions:

1. Make a 40cm x 40cm duct tape square by tearing 40cm strips of duct tape and overlapping them, sticky side up, until the square is 40cm wide. Repeat the process but this time you will put the strips going the other direction (perpendicular) on top of the previous layer, also sticky side up.

2. Removed all dirt from the hoof using the hoof pick and hoof pick brush

3. Then use warm water and the nail brush to scrub the area until it is clean, use a towel to dry the hoof.

4. Cut the poultice to size and apply it to the foot. (Animal Lintex needs dampening with hot water first.

5. Wrap the gauze bandage around the hoof covering the poultice. This will hold the poultice pad in place.

6. Place the diaper over the foot and secure in place using the diaper sticky tabs.

7. Place the centre of the duct tape square over the bottom of the foot. You have two choices here. You can either smooth the sides over the sides of the hoof wall, OR, you can cut from the corners of the duct tape into the hoof and then smooth one part over the sides of the hoof wall, and then the other part over the top of that.

The second way only makes for a neater finish and is not essential if you are not comfortable doing this. If you need to you can also top up duct tape on the hoof.