How to Heal Pulled Muscles in Horses

Horses are just like people in that they perform physical activities that can pull their muscles. They run, jump over fences, run around barrels, and compete in races. If a horse pulls a muscle, you should take it seriously and do everything you can to help the pulled muscle heal quickly. When the muscle does heal, the horse will be back in perfect health.

Things You'll Need

  • Bute
  • Ice
  • Ziploc freezer bag
  • Stall
  • Linament
  • Personal trainer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Give your horse one tablet of phenylbutazone, also called bute. This product is used more often than aspirin in horses because it lasts 12 hours and helps with pain, fever, inflammation, and swelling. The horse can take one tablet every 12 hours.

    • 2

      Massage the horses leg muscles that were pulled. This can give the horse some immediate comfort. It is not long lasting, but it can help stimulate the muscles so that they heal faster.

    • 3

      Fill a Ziploc freezer bag half way with ice. Place this homemade ice pack on the horses pulled muscle for twenty minutes. Do this once every hour for a couple of hours on the first day. This will bring down any swelling and will numb the horses leg so the pain isn't so bad.

    • 4

      Take your horse over to his stall and keep him there for a few days so he doesn't run on his pulled muscle and make it worse.

    • 5

      Spray Linament on the horse's pulled muscle. It comes in a spray bottle and works almost instantly to relax muscles. It also eases pain and swelling without a strong odor.