Unless it’s climate-controlled, your tack room is not the best place to store your horse’s medications long-term. You may want to keep small quantities on hand at the barn for ready use, but pills, pastes and liquids are adversely affected by environmental extremes. Here are three reasons why storing medications at the barn is a bad idea:

1. Temperature and humidity fluctuations in barns can alter the composition of medications. Liquid and paste medications may become clouded or separate as they freeze and thaw, but pills and powders may be affected with no outward signs.

Click here to learn more about the different types of NSAIDs

2. Medications that have gone through multiple or extreme fluctuations may no longer be safe or effective.

3. Expiration dates are determined by testing after storage in optimal conditions, so those may no longer be valid.

To read more about how to ensure your horse’s medications are stored properly, click here.

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