What would you do

[Missmac]

We have lived out in the wilderness for years but 2 months ago we moved into the middle of a village. Charlie has a field right next to the house which is on a small new build estate.

Because we lived out of the way Charlie has never experienced fireworks at close range before and I am a bit worried about tomorrow night.

I have to work so I wont be there but my Dad has said he will 'babysit' him

Stabling isnt an option so would you give him a couple of clicks of sedative, or just leave him as he is??

He is a fairly sensible boy and not a great deal fazes him but as this will be his first bonfire night near people im starting to stress that it might. he is also recovering from a serious tendon injury so I could do without him going on a mad one.

Thanks for any opinions/advice.x

 

[soulfull]

I think I would sedate him purely because of the tendon injury, as its better to be safe than sorry and it won't hurt

 

[Squeak]

I second soulfull

 

[Louby]

Mmmm difficult one. I used sedalin when my horse was first turned out after fracturing his leg and his adrenalin took over and it didnt work. However, friend has a horse that is stabled at night and is bad with fireworks. As long as she gives sedalin before 'the event' he is out of it. My worry with doping him in the field is him doing himself an injury because hes 'half with it??'

 

[Puppy]

I'd leave him be. IME most horses are nowhere near as worried about fireworks as their owners are

 

[Ravenwood]

QR: Funny little story:-

My horses lived down the lane and one night the lady who lives there phoned me up late at night to say that the Hotel were having a firework display (not November - it was a celebration) and they hadn't bothered to warn us. I raced down to the field to find the horses transfixed and thoroughly admiring the display - they weren't fazed at all

In fact they were just standing still watching as if it was a completely natural phenomena!

 

[kickandshout]

sedating can be a good idea but having read a vets opinion it said something along the lines of . . .
the animal doesn't react as badly with sedative as it would without because it cant but it doesn't mean its any less scared.

but hey it works for some.

 

[hellybelly6]

Yep my horse likes watching fireworks too. He searches the sky for them!

It depends on the horse though, for the first time, I would be inclined to give a calmer of some kind, esp with a tendon injury, just to be on the safe side.