Often times when an owner calls me with a problem, they have already tried various methods and remedies to fix the problem on their own.  Horse owners are resourceful and have an often extensive network for advice and supplies. Sometimes this is good and sometimes this is bad.  An owner should chose carefully who they get advice from and not try to listen to everyone. The internet can be a pitfall as there is no policing of what is written and the author can sound as if they are knowledgeable but you really have no way of knowing. It is best to find a friend or trainer that you can trust and has been successful in the horse business a long time. Many miracle cures touted by people today only seem to work because even if you do nothing a lot of conditions will get better on their own with no intervention.  Many old time remedies were used because there was nothing else available and newer products may be better.  However, there are many that have stood the test of time and any improvements attempted would only add to the expense. A good relationship with your veterinarian, trainer or knowledgeable friend can help sort these out.
A common problem I see with owner treatment is inappropriate use of medications. In particular are antibiotics, phenylbutazone (bute) and Banamine (flunixin meglamine).  Penicillin is the most abused and misused drug out there and this is why there is so much drug resistant bacteria out there.  Because it is over the counter, any one can get it, read the bottle and give it themselves.  The problem with that is the dosage given on the bottle is no longer used and is way too low.  Also, owners tend to give it only once a day because so and so said that was all that was needed.  Add to that, owners will commonly give penicillin only three days and then quit once the horse looks better.  Penicillin MUST be given twice daily and for at LEAST five days.  There is no such thing as a single penicillin shot that will last for three days in horses. This only works in cattle.  Never give an antibiotic for less than five days unless your veterinarian tells you to do so.  All you are doing is killing off the weaker bacteria and leaving the strong ones to survive. Now you may say that you have done this many time and have had no trouble just giving penicillin once daily for three days.  Remember my statement that many conditions can be taken care of by the horse's own immune system with no intervention on your part.  Also, always remember to check for blood before injecting every time and if this horse moves while injecting.  I get at least one call a year from an owner having a horse that reacted because of getting penicillin in the blood stream, usually fatal.
It amazes me how many owners have large bottle of banamine on hand and don't know that you only need to give 5cc for 90% of colic's.  If you give 10cc of banamine right off the bat it can mask a serious situation such as an impaction for many hours.  I have even seen some owners give 20 and 30cc over the course of a day before calling me out at night.  By then the horse is very sick and the owner will say that the horse got better with each shot then would relapse.  To this I will say that the horse was not better, you were only hiding the symptoms. I strongly recommend give only 5-6cc, if this amount does not stop the colic within 30-45 minutes then you veterinarian needs to treat the horse.  Think of it as a diagnostic tool.  If he gets better with 5cc then he wasn't that sick and you can worry less and it is cheaper too.
     Bute is commonly overused because owners think of it as aspirin and almost everyone keeps bute around.  A rule of thumb is that if the horse is not better within three days of stall rest and 2 grams of bute for a 1000lb horse once a day, then it needs to be seen by a veterinarian and/or a farrier.  Never give more than 2 grams of bute in a day without consulting with your veterinarian as it can cause stomach and kidney problems.  Be mindful of horses that are less than 1000lb and dose accordingly and when in doubt, give less and not more.  Never take bute for yourself as it can cause bone marrow shutdown.