Fireworks in field with horses!!

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Delta99

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My lovely neighbours are setting off fireworks in their field - with their 3 ponies in the field!! :eek:

Tried shouting at them but got laughed at. Tried calling the RSPCA but got told they only come out if animals are in 'serious distress' - obviously running round the field in a blind panic does not class as serious distress!

Any other ideas what else I can do??

My horses are safely in their stables but apart from the obvious welfare concerns about the ponies I'm also worried that they might run through the fence into my property. Only had the emergency services out 2 weeks ago to cut one of next door's ponies out of the fence, don't particularly fancy a repeat of that!

(Sorry, I'm really p'd off that people can be so ignorant!!) :mad::mad::mad:
 
How big is the field?

If it's big enough the ponies will just keep away from them, although obviously it's not idea. At the end of the day it's their field and their horses so if they want to take that risk it's up to them. We've had fireworks at home before and the horses were not bothered at all, they just stayed at the bottom of the field (we didn't have the fireworks in the same field but they were in our garden which back onto our field).

And before anyone jumps on me for that, the horses were not bothered and all safety measures where in place!!
 
This is the point I was trying to make in another post, people really are a.....s....s and you cannot allow them to buy explosives and be sensible with them. I am outraged at this and feel really strongly that something must change. Poor horses. I am in and out tonight with mine as going off all around me. Lovely neighbour has let them off just opposite their paddock. I really do think people have got to an all round low.
 
I'm sure they'll keep an eye on the ponies themselves. Having a hooley around the field isn't the end of the world.
Just been to check our herd as the village firework display is next door. Not one of them even bothered to look up.
Horses have sucessfully carried soldiers into battle for hundreds of years, so a few fireworks aren't so bad in comparison.
 
horserider said:
I'm sure they'll keep an eye on the ponies themselves. Having a hooley around the field isn't the end of the world.
Just been to check our herd as the village firework display is next door. Not one of them even bothered to look up.
Horses have sucessfully carried soldiers into battle for hundreds of years, so a few fireworks aren't so bad in comparison.
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Are you having a laugh?!!

Last year 3 horses died in a field, 2 dropped dead from exhaustion after running about panicked for ages and the 3rd one went smack into a telegraph pole and died as a result of that- all caused by fireworks!!

Unfortunately the damn things are not outlawed yet so calling the police wouldn't do anything.
 
horserider said:
Nope. I've seen more horses distressed by storms. Shall we ban them ?
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Are you for real???
Do you really not see the difference between storms and fireworks??? :eek:

Has it occurred to you that fireworks can set your stables on fire, or even your entire field??

Or that the people who are brainless enough to set off fireworks in a field full of horses might also think it's good fun to make a bonfire out of your stables or haybarn??

(and please don't bother pointing out that lightning can do the same, it really is a totally different thing!!)
 
Last year 3 horses died in a field, 2 dropped dead from exhaustion after running about panicked for ages and the 3rd one went smack into a telegraph pole and died as a result of that- all caused by fireworks!!
Click to expand...

I feel sooooo sad that this happened but perhaps one might like to consider that lack of preparation by the owners might be a contributing factor to this tragedy. Not something anyone ever wants to consider but if nothing else we all do have to learn from situations where outcomes like this happen.


Fireworks occur every year and if owners have done nothing at all to prepare their horses for this, or unless the fireworks are unreasonably suddenly near ( as in the same field), then imo they must bear some responsibility for the situation. If one has tried habituation, desensitisation, counter conditioning etc .... and saught the assistance of professionals to assist if one is not proficient in this .... then it becomes a case of managing the environment and becoming proactive and making surrounding properties aware and asking them to notify of events. Then we can have sedation or distraction etc ready and we can be there to support the horses.

IF all that has been done and then totally unexpected fireworks are let off and situations like the above occur at other times of the year then of course the owners of said horses can be certain that they have done everything possible to prevent the situation occurring.


If we have it in our power to prevent such things occur then we owe it to our horses to do our utmost to do so rather than just hope that other people will change because their actions / behaviour affects some horses.
 
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By the sound of your post it sounds like they're really frightened - hopefully they'll get as far as they can from them and calm down eventually rather than get more worked up. How horrible (and potentially dangerous!) for them! And to be laughed at by your neighbours too?!
Don't think there's anything you can do unfortunately, as they're their horses and their fireworks and I dont think the police can do anything either. How big is the field? Have they put any hay out as a distraction or anything? Poor things.
 
horserider said:
I'm sure they'll keep an eye on the ponies themselves. Having a hooley around the field isn't the end of the world.
Just been to check our herd as the village firework display is next door. Not one of them even bothered to look up.
Horses have sucessfully carried soldiers into battle for hundreds of years, so a few fireworks aren't so bad in comparison.
Click to expand...

Not everyones horses cope as well as yours.
And having a hooley around in a field due to fireworks can be the end of the world if the horse damages themselves seriously.
 
horserider said:
I'm sure they'll keep an eye on the ponies themselves. Having a hooley around the field isn't the end of the world.
Just been to check our herd as the village firework display is next door. Not one of them even bothered to look up.
Horses have sucessfully carried soldiers into battle for hundreds of years, so a few fireworks aren't so bad in comparison.
Click to expand...


I agree with this.
When my neighbours had a big display earlier this year, all my horses did was stand and watch.
The more people panic and make a fuss the more the animals will.

As for horses being killed by exhausting themselves galloping from fireworks, I find that very hard to believe. They would have to be galloping for a very long time before they dropped dead.

I do admit to hating fireworks and think they should be banned for all but organised displays.
 
Foxhunter49 said:
I agree with this.
When my neighbours had a big display earlier this year, all my horses did was stand and watch.
The more people panic and make a fuss the more the animals will.

As for horses being killed by exhausting themselves galloping from fireworks, I find that very hard to believe. They would have to be galloping for a very long time before they dropped dead.

I do admit to hating fireworks and think they should be banned for all but organised displays.
Click to expand...

Have to agree
 
tazzle said:
I feel sooooo sad that this happened but perhaps one might like to consider that lack of preparation by the owners might be a contributing factor to this tragedy. Not something anyone ever wants to consider but if nothing else we all do have to learn from situations where outcomes like this happen.


Fireworks occur every year and if owners have done nothing at all to prepare their horses for this, or unless the fireworks are unreasonably suddenly near ( as in the same field), then imo they must bear some responsibility for the situation. If one has tried habituation, desensitisation, counter conditioning etc .... and saught the assistance of professionals to assist if one is not proficient in this .... then it becomes a case of managing the environment and becoming proactive and making surrounding properties aware and asking them to notify of events. Then we can have sedation or distraction etc ready and we can be there to support the horses.

IF all that has been done and then totally unexpected fireworks are let off and situations like the above occur at other times of the year then of course the owners of said horses can be certain that they have done everything possible to prevent the situation occurring.


If we have it in our power to prevent such things occur then we owe it to our horses to do our utmost to do so rather than just hope that other people will change because their actions / behaviour affects some horses.
Click to expand...
Good post :)
 
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