Barnyard Remedies

Throughout the years, I have had the great privilege of coming into contact with old horsemen and their home remedies for various equine maladies. I've put together some of them and will add more to future blogs as I discover where I put all of them.

Abscesses and Open Wounds

The very best and cheapest way to treat an abscess or an open wound is sugar. Sugar is a natural antiseptic, it breaks down the cell walls of bacteria, killing it. Honey and salt work the same way, but honey is expensive and salt can sometimes burn the skin and hair follicles.

For an abscess mix sugar and water, draw into a syringe and squirt it directly into the hole. If you feel the need to 'plug' the hole, use a mix of petroleum jelly and sugar.

For open wounds, my own spin on the subject is: if the wound looks like hamburger, put 'ketsup' on it. This particular recipe doesn't work for burgers, though, it is a mix of sugar and iodine- the consistency of ketsup. Slather liberally on the wound, wrap/dress it and replace the dressing every other day. [Harold Ault uses disposable diapers for dressing, another neat tip.] When the wound heals, there will be no trace of injury.

I have personally avoided many hundreds of dollars in vet bills with sugar and iodine. Sometimes it takes guts to treat a wound yourself, but after the first time, you won't hesitate to reach for the sugar. If, however, you are in any doubt, call your vet. And speaking of the vet, it is always a good idea to ask for an extra tube of Bute and Banamine to have on hand with an understanding of how and when to use them. Then store them next to the sugar and iodine.

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

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