How should a bee sting be treated at the barn?
A few simple steps may lessen the pain and severity of a bee sting, for either horse or rider. 1. First, remove the bee’s stinger immediately. The longer the stinger remains in the flesh, the worse the result will be. Look for a dark dot in the sore area. This is the stinger. Use a clean hoof pick, a shedding blade or even the edge of a plastic credit card to scrape the stinger out. In a pinch, a fingernail may do the trick. Do not squeeze the stinger to remove it, as this may actually squirt more bee venom into the area. 2. Apply a cold compress or ice pack to the bee-stung area for 10 to 20 minutes. Cold-hosing is also effective. 3. Make a tenderizing treatment for the bee sting. Add a single teaspoon of meat tenderizer to four teaspoons of cool water. Gently pat this mixture directly onto the bee-stung area. Rinse thoroughly. (A roll-on antiperspirant may also work, if it contains aluminum chlorohydrate. In fact, a roll-on antiperspirant is a smart addition to any equestrian’s tack
