How to Get a Horse to Take Medication

Talk to the horse's vet about the medication it is getting. If the medicine is in pill form, find out if it is okay to dissolve the pill or crush it into a powder; this is very important because it is easiest to give a horse its medication in those forms. If not, ask the best way for the pills to administered. Also ask if it is okay to give the medication at meal time or with food. Most equine medicines are fine with food, but there are a few exceptions so it is important to find out first.

Crush the required dose of pills into a powder. Only prepare one dosage at a time, right before administering the medication. Use a pill crusher, mortar and pestle, or coffee grinder to make the pills into a powder. Whatever you use for this purpose, do not use it for anything other than medicine, and clean it thoroughly after every use. Some people prefer to dissolve the pills in a small amount of hot water, creating a paste.

Mix the medication in with a carrier, such as applesauce, baby food, molasses, or yogurt. This will mask the taste of the medication, and make it easier to feed the horse.

Determine whether the horse can be fed the food directly into its grain or sweet feed, or whether it needs to be given the medication directly. Some horses are very picky, and will not eat their food if they sense it has been doctored. Many will pick around the medication, leaving it behind. Mix a small amount of the medicine mixture into a handful of the horse's grain, and see if it will eat it. If so, mix the rest of the medicine mixture into the rest of the horse's meal. Monitor the food carefully to make sure the horse eats all of the medicine.

If the horse balks at eating the medication when mixed with its food, or if the person administering the medication prefers this method, use a syringe to inject the substance directly into the back of the horse's mouth. Use an irrigation syringe with a catheter tip, or use an empty deworming syringe that has been thoroughly cleaned out. After mixing the crushed or dissolved pills with a carrier, insert it into the syringe. Some medications may already be in paste or liquid form, and can be administered the same way. Next, insert the tip of the syringe into the corner of the horse's mouth, and squirt the substance toward the back of his tongue. Immediately lift the horse's jaw up so its head is elevated, and wait until he swallows; this is important so the horse does not spit out the medication.