Helping Your Horses Through Firework Night

As we enter the start of November whilst lots are looking forward to firework night, there are many horse and animal owners who dread it every year. It is very difficult (i.e impossible) to get an animal to understand that there is nothing to be afraid of when they hear the sound of fireworks. But is there anything we can do to help our horses get through this time of year?

Plan ahead. One of the most frustrating things about firework night and managing animals is that it’s not just one night you need to prepare for – often it spans about 10 days. Whilst you cant plan for every eventuality you can find out what evenings the main displays near your stables are happening. You could also speak to neighbours or post on the local FB page to see if anyone could kindly inform you of planned fireworks in the area. That way you can prep ahead as to how you and your yard mates are going to work together to create the best set up for your horses over this time period.

It is important to think about what is specifically best for your horse on firework night in regards to their surroundings. If your horse mostly lives out but you want them to be in their stables when fireworks are nearby then don’t just bring them in on those evenings. Make sure they come in every day for a little while beforehand so they can get used to this routine and find the stable a calm environment to be. Changing a horses routine at the same time the fireworks will be going off will only increase your horse’s stress levels. On the days you are expecting nearby displays make sure you bring your horses in in plenty of time so you don’t put yourself in danger leading a horse from the field. Of course if you think your horse is safer out make sure the field and surroundings are as safe as can be and your horse has plenty of food for distraction, as well as other horses for company.

Some horses may be comforted by calming music to help drown out the bangs of the fireworks. Classic FM often do something for animals on firework night! A radio on the yard could be a handy addition during this time. I have also heard that some horse owners leave the stable lights on to try and help lesson the flashes in the sky from fireworks. If you predict that your horse may become stressed the likelihood is that they will also become a little sweaty. Rug them with this in mind to try and keep them comfortable. It is a good idea to ensure you horse is distracted so don’t forget the extra hay. Horses often eat more during stressful times (me too!) so plenty of forage will be best for their digestive system.

Do you stay with your horse or not during Firework night? This is always a bit of a debate with us equestrians! Now I totally understand why people want to be there to comfort their horse. However I feel that if you’re hovering around the yard and feeling anxious yourself this could make your horse worse. This tends to be me so I try not to do this! I try to make sure my horse is as safe as possible and keep things normal. A stable camera can be a good solution so you can monitor from home or sit just outside of sight in your car in case of emergency. If you cant be close by then a late night check shortly after the fireworks have finished is most definitely a good idea.

Let’s talk calmers and sedation. Always a hot topic in the equestrian community. There are a variety of calmers on the market and it can be tempting to put your horse on one of these over the firework season. However I would strongly advise you to check that this calmer suits your horse by trialling it first at another time. Calmers are trial and error and as with everything what suits one horse might not suit another. If you know there is something that eases your horses anxiety then most definitely use it to lesson their stress. The other option is to speak to your vets about the possibility of sedating your horse. Sedalin is a option that must be given before your horse starts to feel stressed in order for it to work. Your vets will be able to guide you through the options and correct dosage for your horse.

Whilst of course we all want to have a good time on Firework night, we also want to ensure our animals are safe. Equestrian charity Redwings have started a petition asking the government to reduce the maximum noise level for fireworks from 120 decibels to 90 decibels. Every year sadly fireworks continue to cause distress and sometimes death of horses so please follow this link to sign the petition.

We wish you and all your animals a safe Bonfire Night and if you have any more tips that have worked well for your horses (or other animals) do let us know and we can add to our blog.