Emergency!: The Active Horseman's Book of Emergency Care [Hardcover]

I have quite a few "Horse" books. Many of them are medical references but give very little practical advice. This is the one book that gives practical, concise information on what to do specifically in emergencies. It is thoughtful and easily read. It is the best book I have ever read for actually useful information concerning medical problems with horses. It walks a great line between making sure that you understand that vets are still required, but that if you are somewhere you can't get to a vet, what to do. The author has a wonderful sense of humor and a no-nonsense approach. I highly recommend it to any horse owner. Keep this book in your trailer at all times!!

THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK FOR ANY HORSEMAN TO HAVE. THERE IS ALOT OF VALUABLE INFORMATION REGUARDING OTC AND PRESCRIPTION DUGS AND HOW YOU CAN CARRY THEM. ALSO THERE IS RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR HORSE SHOWS SUCH AS AHSA. THESE YOU NEED TO KNOW. WHAT DRUGS YOU CAN COMPETE ON AND WHICH ONES NOT. THIS BOOK ALSO STATES THE LAW ABOUT THE DRUGS YOU ARE CARRYING. DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD BE FINED$250,000.00 AND GO TO PRISON FOR 25 TO LIFE ON SOME DRUGS! THIS BOOK TELLS YOU ALL ABOUT IT. MOST VETS. DON'T TELL YOU THE LAW BUT SHE IS WONDERFUL. PLUSE SHE GIVES YOU STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR HORSES WHEN THERE IS NO VET AROUND. THIS COULD MEAN SAVING YOUR HORSE!!!! I ADVISE EVERYONE TO READ THIS BOOK AND EVEN BETTER BUY IT AND KEEP IT ON HAND. I DID AND IT WAS WORTH EVERY MINUTE I READ IT. NOW I AM GOING TO BUY IT FOR MYSELF TO HAVE ON HAND. I AM GOING TO BUY 2 COPIES. ONE FOR HOME AND ONE FOR THE TRUCK WHEN HAULING. AS I STATED EARLIER THERE IS MAJOR VALUEABLE INFO IN THIS BOOK THAT IS A MUST KNOW. THE LAW ABOUT MED. FOR ANIMALS!!!!!!!! MUST READ IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!!!!!!

This book was very much what my wife and I were looking for. My wife has years of horse experience but that doesn't mean she knows exactly the very best practices to follow in every emergency.

The book is organized by emergency and then details the situation, what you should be looking for, what different symptoms mean, what a Vet would do, what is important to the vet and then what you should do since you are not a vet. This is great because the focus is on full understanding and not making any mistakes that might make the situation worse and setting things up so when you do get to a vet (remember these are genuine emergencies) the vet will be best able to deal with it and have the best chance for a successful outcome. This includes things like the important information and proper terminology you are going to need to tell the vet on the phone. Things to look at and take note of before time passes or you start tending the problem so you can relate that to the vet as well.

The week I ordered this book our horse stepped on a nail and embedded it in his hoof. We didn't have the book yet so my wife and the folks at the barn where she stables her horse dealt with it as best they knew how. Luckily they did know the best way to handle things and everything turned out great.

They had a chance to have lots of interaction with the Vet about the incident and when the book arrived we looked at the section on stepping on something. Sure enough it was clear the book would have helped a good deal. It explained what our vet would have done and the vet had already confirmed the good and not so good that they had done as they dealt with it and it matched up exactly with what Dr. Hayes said in her book.

It make us feel a lot better that we will be able to deal with Emergencies properly should they occur. At least we will be able to deal with them in the very best way to help ensure a good outcome when we do get to the vet.

We found this book because Karen Hayes has a great horse medicine and horse keeping podcast on her personal website (http://www.integralhorse.com/). She gives great sensible advice on all aspects of horse keeping and horse health. After listening to a few dozen of those podcasts it became pretty clear she was a vet we could trust and buying her book was a no brianer. Listen for yourself and then see what I mean, I bet you will end up buying a few of her books. Even if you don't you probably can't help but learn a few things from her podcasts no matter how experienced you are.

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