Firework night worries

TJ&Ozzie

TJ&Ozzie

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 September 2011
Messages
279
Location
Colchester, Essex
Visit site
Hi all,

With fireworks night looming I am having flash backs of last years horrific experience. My poor boys were petrified and broke just about every bit of fencing I owned. We live on the outskirts of a village and the primary school put on a huge display every year. It lasts about 20-25 min and is full on.
I really want to do something to help my horses through it this year and am after any advice I can get. Their stables face the display and I am wary of leaving them out incase we get a repeat of last year so I really don't know what to do for them.

I have seen adverts in magazines for global herbs Fireworx but does it work? There are other instant calmers out there but do they work and is that really the best thing to do for them?

Thanks in advance :)
 
My general theory is that if they are going to seriously panic, they are less likely to do damage to themselves out rather than in. Mine really aren't fussed by fireworks, even big public displays, but if I did need a calmer I'd use valerian. In your shoes, I'd buy a box of fireworks & let a few off at a safe distance everyday before & during feeding. So they associate them with 'dinners here' rather than panic by bonfire night.
 
What about getting one of those CDs that play firework noises and play that getting louder and louder while they are in there stables eating? They use them to de sensitise dogs to fireworks
 
I'm really worried about it too :-(

Some of ours will already be in at night by then but we usually leave the youngsters out, i really don't know what's best.

I like your idea Littlelegs, might have to try that :-)
 
Personally I'd bring them in.

I've only had a horse out once when there were fireworks close by, but they were in a field that was at the bottom of the farm, low and sheltered, and so they weren't bothered.

However in more exposed fields it would have been a different story.

So for me in is safe. Lights on. Hang around the yard - and I bet the horses will be fine.

Out, and you run the risk of damage - as last year.
 
Personally I bring in too , all lights on as many radios as I can at full blast and park cars facing the stables with the headlights on as it makes it very hard for them to see the fireworks. I leave the cars engines running as it more background noise .
You could ask the vet about sedation but personally I think a sedated horse panicing might be worse and if you have top doors on the stables removeing everything from the stables and shutting the top doors is another option ( I don't do this with mine as I have never had much of an issue if I do all the above.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I really like the idea of car headlights, I could do this for a few nights before hand so its not an unusual thing for them. I really would rather not sedate them if I can help it. I have no power in my stables so cant leave lights on sadly. I have radios I can put on though.
 
Goldenstar said:
Personally I bring in too , all lights on as many radios as I can at full blast and park cars facing the stables with the headlights on as it makes it very hard for them to see the fireworks. I leave the cars engines running as it more background noise .
You could ask the vet about sedation but personally I think a sedated horse panicing might be worse and if you have top doors on the stables removeing everything from the stables and shutting the top doors is another option ( I don't do this with mine as I have never had much of an issue if I do all the above.
Click to expand...

Good idea about the car's headlights, whack on all the radios full volume in the cars too, that racket ought to help drown out the fireworks!
 
Yeh. hopefully the lights will work. My husband has some flood lights so I could run a lead from the house and have those pointing at the stables too. I worry about them trying to jump out but with the fireworks in front of them hopefully they will stand at the back rather than try and go over the top.
 
Hi global herbs are generally very good, I'd definately get some. The trouble is we don't just have a fireworks night anymore, people feel the need to fire them off weeks before and afterwards!
I'm worried this year, the old chap that owns the yard I rent has a party every year, I can see it from my house but not the horses, I've now got a 2 yr old cob and I have no idea what he'l be like, and il also have a newborn baby, hopefully she won't mind them but I won't be able to check on the horses myself.
 
We're planning on bringing ours in as usual and they staying with them until late. (Leo is new to me so I dont know what he's like with fireworks) planning on getting a takeaway and making an evening of it! lol! but I'm a bit concerned with the other nights surrounding fireworks night as people dont always just do it on the 5th! :(
 
This is a problem now with them all going off all the time. My main concern is the big proffesional display in our village. I am tempted to get some global herbs stuff and trickle it into them a week or so before to take the edge of the whole firework "season" as it now appears to be. My 2 are both well into their 20's now and one has a grade 4 heart murmor! So any un due stress isn't welcome!
 
I guess that rather than worry, why not use the next 3 weeks as a 'desensitising' time, and try and get them as comfortable as possible with loud noises, bright lights, etc, etc. If you can get them confident for fireworks night it will have benefits for their overall confidence in other areas as well.

So maybe, just maybe start the floodlights, music, etc now, add in a bit of banging, etc next week and build up from there. No reason why a dustbin lid banging or cap gun going off can't signifiy 'food' by the time you get to fireworks!! Doing strange things such as sitting in your car with lights on a music blaring can all help ...... anything you can utilise do, think police horse training!!!

Good luck.
 
Don't suppose you can find an old hand to borrow (horse) to calm them down?

I used to worry about fireworks, but mine will be doing battle proms next year so will be next to prom music, cannons and fireworks

New horses generally get penned with the old hands, who either watch fireworks or carry on eating. The only time horses panic is if they get on the run and there is no lead horse to calm them down.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top