Horses and fireworks!

[Baggybreeches]

I just thought I would share my experiences of our bonfire/fireworks. I keep my horses at home in stables we have a 1 acre grass paddock and a sand menage. I have Touchy 11yr old chestnut IDx mare and Sov 8yr old dark bay ex racehorse. So last night the OH had built a bonfire at the top end of our property so as to not scare the horses it was about 75 yards away from the stables. We lit the bonfire and had our tea (chilli con carne) al fresco by the fire, the OH remembered he had been given some fireworks, so he set up a launcher and set one off. Touchy stopped eating her haynet and stood head over the stable door to have a look, Sov carried on eating, next one goes up Touchy watches it go up and has no reaction (not even ears twitch) when it bangs, Sov carries on eating! Anyway the carried on for the 6 rockets we had and then we watched the fire burn down and went back through the stables and gave them leftover bread and spuds. Now I am not saying that horses don't get stressed by fireworks because I have had horses that do, but do you think some people over react to stuff that horses aren't that bothered about?

 

[samp]

I tied Lot's up on the yard last night and she was mesmerised watching all the fireworks in the distance - never seen her so quiet

 

[Lynz25]

We have a large fireworks display about 500 - 800m away from the base of the horses field. They tend to jump when the first one goes off but then the 3 of them just stand and watch afterwards

 

[riotgirl]

My girly is usually ok, but last night got hit by a discarded casing fro a firework (I think so anyway, there were 4 of them in the field this morning). Physically she was ok as they are just cardboard and a bit of wood but she was scared stiff.

Cue 20 minutes of mad galloping around the field and then a very sweaty and hot horse refusing to leave my side! I sat in the field on a deckchair reading my book out loud to the horse to calm her and having a cup of tea. Mum and neighbours now think I am a bit odd!

Horse none the worse this morning, but is a bit stiff as unused to doing so much running about!

 

[lisan]

None of the horses down our block seem particuarly bothered by them this weekend. May was a bit twitchy, but eating ok. Jess was riding her gorgeous stallion in the outdoor at 6.30 last night with loads going off nearby and he did'nt bat an eylid!

 

[claire1976]

Having had my mare stabled in a rural area for the last 6 years its never bothered us. However,I moved her to my new field in August which is right behind a large housing estate. I was having kittens last night worrying about her and ponio so decided to drive up at 8pm to check on her. Well they were all stood quite happily watching them, despite lots of debris in the field this morning they are none the worse for it.
Still hate fireworks though!!

 

[Maesfen]

I've been fetching my lot in the last few nights and they have been terribly bored by the whole thing - including Twiggy and the youngsters who I were most worried about! Just shows you can't always judge a book by the cover! As it was so nice last night I think they were more p*********d off that they weren't out grazing than worried about the bangs about.

 

[Murphs_Mum]

I was riding in the school last night when villagers started letting them off - Murphy watched most of them not even jumping but got a bit panicked by the fizzy crackly ones so had to give up!

 

[bellaboo]

My foal was led down in the field asleep!!!!!!

 

[JaneSteventon]

Have been worrying all week. Horses in a field in rural area. My stables about two miles away which is where they were last year. Was going to take them back on Sunday for the night but on Saturday hubbie drove past and said they were letting of fireworks on nearby common and horses completely unconcerned. Deceided to leave them where they where and stay with them. Drove up last night at about 5.30 cursing fireworks to find that I may as well have took them to a big firework display. Noise from surrounding villages and towns at least five miles away was incredibly loud and coming from all directions, including nearby common. Horses who can both be stressheads completly unconcerned grazing peacefully. Had pleasant evening sat with my horses watching the fireworks all around us.

 

[MagicMelon]

I think its better to be over-wary than not! Put my very woosy boy in the yard while 'troublemaker' and 'wind-everyone-up" where in the stables. Woosy boy decided the bangs and pretty patterns in the sky where WAY to scary and popped through the wooden fence! Found him VERY quiet (ie. VERY scared!) at top of field MILES away from the others. Weirdo.