Giving medication to horses can be one of the more frustrating aspects of equine care, especially if your horse is clever, suspicious, or simply not a fan of being handled. Whether it’s tablets, pastes, powders, or injections, every horse owner eventually finds themselves in the “how on earth do I get this into you?” situation.
This guide offers practical, vet-approved tips to make administering medication safer, easier, and more humane, for both you and your horse.
General Tips Before You Start
- Stay calm and confident. Horses are incredibly sensitive to our mood. A relaxed, matter-of-fact approach is more effective than fussing or apologising.
- Be consistent. Administer at the same time each day if it's a course of treatment.
- Use food motivation. Whenever possible, associate medication with a positive experience.
- Involve a second person. If safe and available, having someone to hold the horse can help.
- Reward afterwards. A treat, scratch, or praise goes a long way toward cooperation next time.
Mixing with Feed
- Crush tablets or mix powders into a small amount of soaked feed, apple sauce, molasses, or mashed banana.
- Use strong-smelling feeds like mint chaff, molasses mix, or apple pulp to mask taste.
- Always ensure the horse eats the full dose- not all medications are palatable.
Using a Syringe (for liquids or pastes)
- Use a long, soft-tipped syringe.
- Stand at the side of the head- not in front, for safety.
- Gently place your thumb in the corner of the lips to open the mouth.
- Insert the syringe over the tongue, toward the back of the throat, and depress quickly.
- MediBit has been designed to specifically help avoid paste being expelled during application. The patented geometry of MediBit dispenses the worming paste onto the back of the tongue, behind the bit bar in an area that promotes swallowing, this encourages a higher proportion of the paste to be swallowed and can therefore do its work in the horse's gut. MediBit has been designed to accept syringes of up to 30ml for administering liquid medication or mineral supplements.
- Conventional bit shape. Familiar and calming for horses.
- Angled side entry. Positions and holds the syringe towards the rear of the tongue.
- Unique syringe adapter. Accepts all syringe sizes up to 30 ml.
- Tough and durable.
When to Contact Your Vet
Call your vet if:
- Your horse refuses medication for more than 24 hours.
- The condition is not improving.
- You miss a dose of essential medication.
- Your horse has an adverse reaction (diarrhoea, hives, colic, etc.)
Never try to "double dose" to compensate for a missed one, always check first.
Final Thoughts from VetMedi
Administering medication to horses doesn't have to be a daily battle. With the right tools, a bit of creativity, and a calm approach, even the trickiest patient can learn to accept their treatment.
If you’re struggling with any part of your horse’s medication routine, speak to your vet or pharmacy team, we’re here to help with practical advice and alternative solutions
