building that basic first aid kit

["Lisa Lyttle (EPA)" <Lisa.Lyttle@ericsson.com.au>]

Title: building that basic first aid kit

Ok,

my brat (read beautiful arabian mare) has come down with a cold:-(.  So its Vitamin C injection time and feed supplements.

Which brings me to - building a first aid kit - there are sooo many products out there, and I've only just bought her in July last year after 10 years of not owning my own horse.  My family are farmers, so my background is more, good feed, minimal intervention, and if it is a high maintenance animal, sell it or shoot it (farmers are sooo practical*g*).  Selling and shooting aren't part of the equation for me with my mare though (rest assured, i was being tongue in cheek).

However I'm finding the transition to keeping her a boarding facility where I feel people are a little too keen on spending a fortune, as the more the spend the better it must be, a little bit of a culture shock.  Where do I start?  Thermometres?  heartbeats???  When do I call the vet?

some good practical advice would be fantastic.

Lisa