Dr. Kellon's Guide to First Aid for Horses 2nd Edition (2005) Plastic Comb – September 30, 2005

I have browsed through many, many veterinary and emergency type horse books. Some big, some small, some immensely detailed, some laid out well. But when I found this and flicked through the Quick Look, I knew I found something that would fit in with what I was looking for. I only own one horse, but I really care about him. I've attended a horse first aid seminar and have a great first aid kit, but something was always saying to me in the back of my mind, that in an emergency situation I could either panic or forget everything I'd learnt. So I wanted something that had a quick and easy index to understand, I wanted something set out in sections so that I could quickly browse through to what I needed, especially if no one topic covered the specific problem. I also didn't want some hard-cover book or paperback because they get damaged easily and sometimes aren't easy to quickly flip through, so I wanted something on a binding system where I could flip the book back on itself and not worry about pages closing if I had to lie it on the ground. You're probably wondering when I'm getting to the review!The whole point is this book has everything I wanted; the binding, the color-coordinated sections, color photographs and case studies, quick and easy to understand directions to look after your horse and address the issues while the vet is on the way. The index is fantastic, the cover is a great plastic/laminate type material that won't get soiled easily and the pages flip like a breeze. It covers all the major (and minor) injuries that could happen to a horse, whether out in the paddock or in a float. The color-coordinated sections is to me a brilliant feature, as I can just look at the spine of the book and flip the the color I want immediately. It is small enough that it fits in my first aid kit without taking up masses of room, yet it is long enough that it covers nearly everything a horse owner would want while awaiting a vet. It is so well-written that a 12yo kid could read and understand what they have to do, but so that an adult still feels like they have the necessary information they need. I really believe that this is THE book to put in your first aid kit - it is extreme value for money.

This is the emergency guide we've been looking for as the long term owners/keepers of 3 quarter horses. The pictures help us visually know what we're confronting with our horses. The essential "first aid" to be given, tells us what we can do, what we shouldn't do, and relay the critical information to our vet when we call. Our vet is over-burdened, as all large animal vets are, and giving him the correct information/description helps him know how soon he needs to come. We can also tell him how our horse is responding to the "first aid" we've given and whether he wants us to do anything additional. The size and spiral binding makes it easy for us to keep this reference at the barn, where we need it. We're also reading through this guide now, which helps us decide what to read further about in other resources, such as the Merk Manual of Veterinary Medicine.

I've had an older copy of this book in my trailer's first aid kit for years, and it has been very helpful. It is not a complete veterinary reference -- it is for first aid and emergencies, and is excellent for that. It's very well organized, with color coding to help you easily flip to the right section when you're on the verge of the panic. Each section is very straightforward and concise, and is keyed toward letting you know what needs to be done immediately, and whether to call out the veterinarian or not. The spiral binding makes it easy to leave it open to the correct page, for easier handling.My older copy was finally getting moisture damaged, and I knew I needed to replace it. I bought a few extra copies to give to horsey friends as gifts.

We just purchased our first horse and wouldn't you know she got at abscess in her hoof within the first two months. While we did employ a vet to take care of her we believed we needed to know the basics and a bit more to make sure we were prepared whenever anything else happened. This book was extremely helpful and taught us more than the basics. A great book for all horse owners.

I don't ride anymore I am 75. I love to see the girls at the barn ride. I gave this as a gift, they love horse and this book has lots of information in it. I like helping other learn to ride better.

This is a must have for every horses person. Small but packed with tons of great information. Simple to read and fits in the back of your jeans pocket. I never go anywhere without it! Shipping was fast! Would buy from seller again!

All the info you'll ever need in any bad horse situation.

The best first aid book out there. Easy to find information when you need it. Full of good advice. You can't go wrong with this book!