It's nearly that time of year again...

[AutumnDays]

Not the "C" word! That stupid time of year where people like to use fireworks... what do you guys do with yours when there are displays etc near you? The last few years I've been on a livery yard that has been quite a few miles away from any houses, let alone villages etc, even so they came into the stables (barn style set up), lights and radio left on loud for them. This year, they'll be on land that is right on the edge of a village, no option of bringing in as I don't have stables, and my brain is bringing up all those H&H articles of horses that have run through fencing etc

 

[Jenko109]

Stick to usual routine, personally.

I think bringing in when ours are used to living out, would just exacerbate things, if they are going to be frightened.

 

[Sealine]

If I was aware of an organised display I think I'd want to be with the horses to keep an eye on them if at all possible. It may be worth putting a note through any houses close to or backing on to the field asking them to let you know if they are planning fireworks. Other than that I'd just stick to the normal routine. If feeding hay in the field I'd put it as far away as possible from houses.

 

[SilverLinings]

I have been lucky and never owned a horse that was bothered by fireworks, although they might be startled by the first one or two, and I have always left them turned out. They seem to like to be able to look and see where the noise is coming from so hopefully yours will be fine after they've seen the first one or two.

I would also say that they can injure themselves whether they are in or out, so I wouldn't worry that you can't bring in this year. I have only known two horses injured by fireworks and both were in at the time: one ran blind around the stable for some time (judging by the mess when the owner got there), broke the partition wall and fell. The other had minor burns as a firework landed on the roof of the stables and the owner just got the horses out in time.

If you don't know how they will react then I would try to be there when the fireworks start (seems to be from the 1st November round here) and watch them for half an hour to see if they settle, make sure they have enough hay/grass to keep them busy, and don't leave anything in the field for them to trip over if they do run around (e.g. jumps, hay tubs).

A few years ago I had a field right next door to a very expensive hotel. Several hours before a friend sent me a text to say she'd just heard they were having a professional fireworks display (it was NYE) as they had VIPs staying. The horse I had at the time was good with fireworks but this was just the other side of a wall and I didn't know how big it would be so I traipsed up there at 11:30pm. OMG it was so loud, it was like being in a war zone, you could literally feel the bangs. Even I found it slightly scary as it was overwhelming being that close, and it was unpleasantly loud. The horse stood next to me overjoyed that he was being given a midnight snack of haylage and just watched the fireworks whilst eating. He was a bit tense but didn't do anything, and relaxed within 5mins of them stopping.

 

[AutumnDays]

Brilliant, thanks for your help guys plenty of hay for them and wine for me it is!

 

[SilverLinings]

Brilliant, thanks for your help guys plenty of hay for them and wine for me it is!

I hope it goes well for you and the horses @Esyllt, and that they take no notice of the fireworks at all

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

They will be out as usual (or in if the weather is bad) which is my normal routine but they are at home and we don’t usually get any fireworks that close, if there was any close by they would be in and I would be out there keeping a close eye on them.

 

[SEL]

I tend to go and check about 10pm in the hope that any of the big displays are over.

 

[J_sarahd]

Usually in the same routine but we have an annual fireworks night literally a field away, so they all come in and all the owners/sharers are there to make sure no one gets hurt. We’ve turned it into a bit of a social event.

 

[tda]

Our gang live out, so stay out .

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Ours always stay out in fields next to the village. In past years when I had a stallion his paddock backed onto houses and each year I had to pick up the remains of rockets in that paddock. He was always fine. For the turn of the millennium we knew there would be a lot of fireworks so went and sat in our car alongside the field. When 12 struck the skies lit up and it sounded like the end of the world it was so loud. So bright we could see the sheep and horses. Horses oblivious, the sheep were running. All fine next day. Since then we haven't really worried, it is just the dogs that get upset.

 

[Pedantic]

Every year we email sign this sign that, and ever year the government ignores us, and every year some child gets injured, and every year it's ignored, every year people in 3 metre square garden's light fireworks with minimum distance written on it 25metre, selling explosives to the general public, what could possibly go wrong. NOFA
Ours stay out, main worry is rockets landing in hay barn, happened before, did I say NOFA

 

[AutumnDays]

Thanks for sharing all. I'm hoping they'll be oblivious and I won't need to worry in subsequent years. It's just an unknown at this stage, and after a traumatic year I think I'm on high stress and over think mode. Reassuring to have spoken to you all, much appreciated

 

[Pippity]

As long as mine has hay and horsey company, she's oblivious to most things. She's in an American barn with around twenty horses, and the YO lives on site. I think having lights and radio on would just have her on edge because it's out of the routine and keeping her awake when she'd normally be snoozing.

 

[MNMyShiningStars]

Ours stay out in the normal routine, but on the evening of the towns display we do stay there with them with the stable block lights on. They generally take themselves to the furthest part of the field and just watch them until they are done, but we do have a new herd member this yearand we are not sure how he will be. Plan will still be the same though.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Mine are out overnight most of the time so I tend to just leave them out I'm very lucky neither of my horses are scared of them, we also have a fireworks business unit behind my house and they regularly test them out on the track at the back of my field, so they are really used to them and they do stand there watching them most of the time.

 

[Ratface]

Old Horse likes to poke his head out of his stable back window and watch them, whilst stuffing his face with a monster haynet. He's surrounded by his stable mates in a fairly remote yard and one of the staff members or the YO stays until the noise is over.
Unfortunately, November 5th celebrations seem to go on before and after the actual date. Ditto Diwali and other festivals.
The stable yard dogs hate them and have to be distracted by doggy treats and company as above.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Thankfully mine was never bothered, good job because the field before you got to his belongs to a hospital and they would have a massive display every year, plus there’s a temple up the road where they celebrate Diwali with an awful lot of fireworks. Some owners stayed at the yard both evenings, I think them fussing round actually made the horses more anxious.

 

[AutumnDays]

Ah I'm glad I posted this now, it's been great to hear how many of you just carry on as normal. I guess it's the same as everything else, you only hear the bad and not the good. A much needed boost!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Ah I'm glad I posted this now, it's been great to hear how many of you just carry on as normal. I guess it's the same as everything else, you only hear the bad and not the good. A much needed boost!

In your shoes given this is the first year I would try to find out if anyone locally is having fireworks and monitor your horses reaction to them.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Not the "C" word! That stupid time of year where people like to use fireworks... what do you guys do with yours when there are displays etc near you? The last few years I've been on a livery yard that has been quite a few miles away from any houses, let alone villages etc, even so they came into the stables (barn style set up), lights and radio left on loud for them. This year, they'll be on land that is right on the edge of a village, no option of bringing in as I don't have stables, and my brain is bringing up all those H&H articles of horses that have run through fencing etc

My horses are all in but my mare hates fireworks and panics so I have a black out curtain in front of her window so she cannot see them as this makes her worse

 

[AutumnDays]

In your shoes given this is the first year I would try to find out if anyone locally is having fireworks and monitor your horses reaction to them.

I already know a few people will be having firework parties "whichever night is the driest and most convenient for us all". I don't think it's going to be a one night wonder either from the sounds of that

 

[canteron]

Do you have a small air gun or even metal bin lid? Bang/shoot just before you feed them, escalate the noise if possible beforehand.

Trying to desensitise to loud unexpected noises may help?

They were shooting nearby last week, the horses were disturbed but in retrospect maybe just good training?

 

[Jambarissa]

Mine are usually out until bad weather sets in, there's no way to know what day randoms are going to have their party anyway.

I'm hoping this year will be quieter, they cost hundreds and people say they are feeling poorer.

There's a house with an acre garden and he always has a party and charges his guests (in a nice way, looks like an awesome party) so I'd imagine that ones still on. He does let us know when it'll be and buys the animal friendly fireworks.

Few of our horses seem bothered and the ones that are take comfort from their quiet friends. Only ever seen injuries in stabled horses but they're all different.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

There's a house with an acre garden and he always has a party and charges his guests (in a nice way, looks like an awesome party) so I'd imagine that ones still on. He does let us know when it'll be and buys the animal friendly fireworks.

Wish more people were like him.

 

[monte1]

Ours mostly live out and I would leave them out anyway as at least they can, hopefully, see what is causing the noise and not be shut in stable panicking, having said that, we also have a shoot based at the yard so they are very used to load bangs and also sorts of odd noises, throughout the shoot season.

We are very fortunate that they do not seem bothered by the fireworks and any new arrivals seem to take their cue that it isn't a big deal, thankfully.

 

[Widgeon]

Ours mostly live out and I would leave them out anyway as at least they can, hopefully, see what is causing the noise and not be shut in stable panicking, having said that, we also have a shoot based at the yard so they are very used to load bangs and also sorts of odd noises, throughout the shoot season.

We are very fortunate that they do not seem bothered by the fireworks and any new arrivals seem to take their cue that it isn't a big deal, thankfully.

Ours are exactly the same - they're used to the shoot going through the woods that butt up to their fields, and new horses must take confidence from the long term residents because there never seems to be any fuss at all over fireworks.

The only thing that really would worry me would be if someone was having a display close enough for sticks to be falling in the fields. Doesn't apply to us but that would make me think twice about how to handle it.

 

[Haniki]

We live in a rural area and I gained a horse one year! He had been frightened by fireworks near his own home, broke out of his field and came down the lane so our yard.

 

[PSD]

We have a few local displays near the yard, mine gets a bit unsettled with them but nothing to worry over. He’s stables, we can’t turn out overnight then (change to winter routine end of October) and YO does a night check

 

[AutumnDays]

The mare even though she's the youngest and can go into flighty Arab mode when it suits her, isn't really the one I'm worried about, it's the new lad (the one who is the subject of another thread due to his obsession with her and how his world ends if it looks like she's going somewhere without him ) from what you guys have said and it being a common theme, I'm hoping her not botheredness by bangs etc (lots of desensitizing of very random stuff in initial baby stage, plus we still do but to keep the brain working) will help him her mindset is "ooh what's that?! Can I make it make that noise?! What do you mean I can't play with it? Ok then it's boring now, I'm off".