30 Dec 2016

Safe and Happy New Year with Horses and Ponies!

Even the most sensible horses and ponies can be frightened by fireworks. By being proactive in planning for fireworks you can make the annual celebration less
stressful for you and your horse.

We have put together some information wishing to help you coping with fireworks:

• Whenever possible, tell neighbours and local firework display organisers that there are horses nearby, so they can set the fireworks off in the opposite direction and well away from them.

• Your horse will cope best in it´s familiar environment and in its normal routine, with any companions, people or animals, to make it feel secure.

• If your horse is in the stable, try to make sure that there is nothing that could cause potential injury such as protruding nails and strings.

• If you decide to leave your horse out in the field, check the fencing, gates and that there are no foreign objects lying around.

• If you leave your horse in the care of another person, leave clear instructions and contact details for both you and your vet in case of problems. Don´t leave your horse with an unexperienced person or children.

• If you know your horse will be stressed or frightened you can talk to your vet about sedation, or maybe even consider moving your horse for the night.

• Play music on a radio positioned outside the stable. That can mask sudden noise, distract attention and be soothing.

• Keep calm yourself, keep positive and act normal; horses sense unease and stress in a person and this may make things worse.

• Be aware of your own safety; a startled horse can be dangerous.

• Don´t risk riding when you think fireworks might be set off.

AFTERWORDS: If there has been a display near your stable, yard or field, check the area for bits of used firework and put anything that could be dangerous to your horse in the bin.

Source: British Horse Society