Keeping your horse safe during bonfire night

Bonfire night is fast approaching and firework displays are beginning.  It can be a distressing time for horses and a stressful time for owners if you don’t know how best to keep your animals safe; preparation is key.

Keeping the horse to their normal routine, with their usual friends is important. By ensuring they are in the same routine, you will be minimising the amount of distressing situations for them. If your horse is stabled overnight usually, it is best to keep it this way. Some horses will react better if they are kept in the fields – it’s entirely down to the horses preferences, and you’ll know best how to cope with this. Some owners choose to stable their horses, but if this isn’t something your horse is used to, they will probably react to this in a negative way. Most horses cope better left out in the field, as they do not feel trapped and have space to run. It is a good idea to ensure there aren’t any objects in the field or stables which could injure your horse if it becomes frightened. Check to make sure all fencing is secure. Make sure the stables are safe and warm, and that they have food and water available to them, to keep the horses as comfortable as possible during this difficult time.

If you’re unsure of how your horse will react to the noise, stay with them, as your presence should calm them. As previously mentioned, keeping them as calm as possible is of utmost importance. Your horse may seem relaxed, but keep checking them to be sure. Be sure not to ride your horse under any circumstances when you think fireworks may be set off.

It’s recommended that you do your research, to find out when fireworks will be set off. Make sure you’re near the fields to check how your horses have reacted. This will give you an idea of how to react in the future. If your horse does get very distressed, stay with them until after the display has finished, to ensure they stay as calm as possible and don’t injure themselves.