| We all hate it when our horse gets sick, and I know | | | | grabbing a roll may be a bit more difficult - |
| I truly dread having to give injections and | | | | persevere, as it makes life so much easier when |
| vaccinations to the horses here at Ebony Park, so I | | | | administering the injection! |
| thought I would outline the simple steps on how to | | | | Insert the needle into the horses neck next to |
| give an intramuscular (IM) injection to your horse. | | | | where you have taken the neck roll. Again, because |
| Hopefully this will make you more comfortable the | | | | the friesian skin is so thick, and the muscles in their |
| next time your horse need vaccinating or injecting | | | | neck so thick, be careful to insert the needle quickly |
| with a substance such as penicillin (yuk!). | | | | and effectively - if your horse tenses his neck, you |
| First - make sure the horse is being held by | | | | may bend the needle and have to start with a fresh |
| someone, or is tied up securely (you will generally | | | | one (I always like to carry a spare needle in my |
| need both of your hands!) Then choose which side | | | | pocket in case I drop the one I am using, or it gets |
| of the neck you are going to inject on (if I have to | | | | bent). Be careful as friesians are very powerful |
| give injections over a couple of days, I make sure I | | | | horses - they could knock you over very easily if |
| change sides each time to make sure I am not | | | | they don't like needles, and they can also throw their |
| re-injecting onto a sore spot!). Ensure the area where | | | | heads up very high so that you may not be able to |
| you are injecting is clear - no neck rugs or that long | | | | reach them as they have such high head carriage! |
| black friesian mane in the way - if the mane is not | | | | However, they are generally not a problem as they |
| plaited up, I use a big bulldog clamp and clip it up out | | | | are such quiet horses - just ensure you make the |
| of the way! It is also a good idea to swab the area | | | | experience as enjoyable as possible - and remember |
| with alcohol or disinfectant to make sure that the | | | | that Friesians are like the labradors of the horse |
| area is clean - you can also just use water if you | | | | world - they LOVE food!! |
| have no other cleaning substances available. | | | | Before pushing down the plunger to deliver the |
| A rule of thumb I use as to where to give IM | | | | injection, draw back on the plunger to ensure that |
| injections is to go one hand width in from the | | | | you have not hit a vein accidentally. If no blood |
| shoulder, and one hand width down from the mane - | | | | comes through that you can see (and the syringe will |
| this creates a triangle in which to insert the needle. | | | | feel like pulling against a vacuum, as there is nothing |
| Once you have determined the injection site, take a | | | | to draw up), then you can depress the plunger to |
| big roll of skin with the hand that you are not using | | | | give the injection. If blood comes back through the |
| to inject (this hand is generally closer to the horses | | | | syringe (you will see it) when you draw back, take it |
| head, when standing side-on, unless you are | | | | out and start again! This is especially important for |
| swapping sides for multiple injections) next to where | | | | penicillin injections (if injected into the vein it can be |
| you are going to stick the needle. This ensures that | | | | deadly!) If you are at all concerned that the horse |
| you will move with the horses if he moves, that he | | | | has moved and you have hit a vein, or it is a large |
| cannot see the needle when you inject him (because | | | | volume of fluid that you are injecting, pull back on |
| your hand is in the way), and this also deadens the | | | | the plunger after some of injection has been given to |
| pain of the needle going into his skin, because all he | | | | check again. |
| can feel is you grabbing a big roll of skin! Friesian skin | | | | I hope this helps calm everyone down the next time |
| is thicker in general than other breed of horse, so | | | | you have to inject your horse! |