Ear plugs, how much sound is muffled ?

AdorableAlice

AdorableAlice

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Bit of a nightmare coming this evening. Wedding celebrations next door with a firework display. Max 100 yards from the yard.

I am shifting the most sensitive horse out to a friend but will still have 7 to deal with. Barning the 3 youngsters, leaving lights on and they will see nothing but hear it all.

The others will be in pairs in smaller barns, lights on and unable to see much but again will hear it all. All horses will have familiar people with them. It starts at 10pm and I will probably acp around 8.30pm. Never plugged a horse's ears before any thoughts ?
 
Our neighbours son used to love fireworks that banged and made a display every year, they had their own horses inside barn type stables and ours were less than 50yards away in their stables with plenty of hay, they were all fine it was the dogs who were the problem one in particular got really upset and distressed.

Last weekend when I was watching the SJ from Horse guards on TV they talked about the horses all wearing ear protectors to lesson sound of crowds, so it made me think they must work.

Hope everything is OK and the evening is without problems for you.
 
I have never had a problem with horses and fireworks, if they were in certain stables they could actually watch them lol, they seemed to enjoy it :p , Maybe you are reading too much into it?
 
zigzag said:
I have never had a problem with horses and fireworks, if they were in certain stables they could actually watch them lol, they seemed to enjoy it :p , Maybe you are reading too much into it?
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I really really hope so !! I would be totally thrilled if they munched their way through it and the only stressed one was me.
 
Are you talking about the cotton/wool soft type or the hard 'popper' type (used for trotting races)? The poppers muffle most/all sound - very useful when clipping as it's normally the sound that the horses hate.

I've no idea about the cotton/wool ones I'm afraid.
 
I wouldn't want to leave horses unattended with ear plugs but i'm a worry wart! Can you put the radio on in their stables quite loud so they don't hear so many bangs?
 
We have fireworks close to us from time to time. When I know the organised display 100yds away is due I leave him a bit short of food until just before it starts, and then if he is on hay I feed haylage in a very small (trickle) net. He pounds hell out of that net!

I would be more concerned about horses having flapping people near them TBH. I check on mine from time to time but otherwise leave him with it.

I guess there is no problem with ear plugs, but I would not give mine drugs for fireworks. Personal preference though.
 
Thanks guys, they are all settled, no ear plugs, can't touch Ted's ears let alone stuff them with anything.

The grass has been wrapped so no fear of fireworks into hay now. The youngsters are playing the ban at the moment so will be tired in due course.
 
I remember being really worried about fireworks in the past, and it's never been anything to worry at in the end.
One winter years ago I rushed home from work as I knew the field neighbours were having a firework party and BBQ right next door. I was flapping because I couldn't find either of the horses in the pasture and I was up and down. I found them both hanging over the wall close as they could get to the party, watching it all and begging for hot dog buns.
Another time I deliberately locked my horses in a field in a valley where they wouldn't be able to see much horizon (and so fireworks) on bonfire night. I ended up letting them back up to the top field to watch what was going on and they seemed much happier enjoying the sights.


I've only ever looked after one that had a problem with fireworks. She was 20 odd and had been kept in and sedated with the top door shut every bonfire season for many years. I did one night with her like that and frankly it was awful and she was a sweaty nervous wreck, I asked the owner if I could try something different and left her out the next night with my nice babysitter horse and she was right as rain in no time.

I hope it all goes well for you and I'm sure it will :)
 
I hate fireworks and wish they kept them to just professional displays, I'm also a worry wart and usually end up wrapping up and sitting outside the stables if there's any local ones going off and I have to admit all mine past and present have always ended up munching their hay watching them and don't seem bothered at all.
 
None of mine have ever had an issue with fire works.

As to the question of earplugs, a little late now but for future reference. The solid ones work best. They knock out at least 90% of all sound. The sponge ones work great when you want to dull noise to 65-80% but still want the horse to hear something. The wee fleece jobs you get for the show ring I have found just annoyed the horse, more of a muffling of noise rather than a canceling.

I wouldn't worry about leaving them in unattended as such but you do need to hold onto the beast for a few mins once they are in to prevent them from shaking them out and until they get used to them and forget that they are there. Most are connected by a piece of string that wraps onto the headpiece of a bridle or headcollar to keep them safe should they come out.
 
Thanks for all the advice.

We have just been told that the man with the match to light the fireworks decided against it in the end. Being told last night would have been more helpful, but at least common sense prevailed in the end. The standing grass, large herd of cattle and the equine reprobates are all intact.

So the moving of the old mare, the sedation of 6 others, the sitting up with lots of tea and biscuits until 1.30am was unneeded in the end. The band was good though so we had a little dance of our own in the yard. Ted is sulking because he had been promised a sparkler to terrorise Alice with.
 
Bit of a damp squid in the end then? I've never had a problem with the horses and the fireworks and bonfire over the road, they always rang to let me know when they would be and the horses seemed to like watching them. The noise doesn't worry them due to the amount of jets and things that fly over from the three local airbases. More problems with the egits who live out the front and thought it was ok to set them off to fly directly over my hay barn and stables instead of over the field next door, that drew me to get my ladder out and go up over the wall to give them what for to which they said I was spoiling the kids fun, I replied that I'd spoil their fun a whole lot more when the vet bills (had there been any) arrived through their door!!!
 
If you have any problem with ear plugs then change sound shuffle and set it into normal equalizer mode. The sound passes clear in ear plugs and set to be a normal sound mode. You can check the ear plugs flat frequency response in multi meter through high to low indication in meter.
 
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