Plan Ahead For Bonfire Night
The Horse Trust is advising horse owners to start planning for Bonfire Night, which takes place on 5 November.Some horses can be frightened by the loud sounds made by fireworks, and this can lead to injury. At The Horse Trust's Home of Rest for Horses, staff are on site 24 hours a day to keep an eye on the horses living at the sanctuary over the Bonfire Night weekend.
"Fortunately none of our residents have an issue with fireworks. As many of them are old, they have become accustomed to the loud noise of fireworks over the years and we make sure we keep to a routine to minimise stress," said Liane Crowther, Welfare and Education Officer at The Horse Trust. "However, if you have a horse that gets upset, it's worth making plans for the weekend around Bonfire Night to minimise stress and the risk of injury to your horse."
The Horse Trust has prepared the following tips for keeping your horse safe on firework night:
* Find out when local displays are being held - find out when local
firework displays are being held so you can be at the yard or field when fireworks are set off to check the horse is ok. If possible, speak to organisers of local events so they know horses are kept nearby; they may be able to set fireworks off away from the field or stable. If your horse gets particularly distressed, stay with him until after the fireworks have finished to check that he settles down again and hasn't injured himself.
* Keep to your normal routine - keeping your horse to his usual routine
will help minimise stress. For example, if your horse is normally stabled overnight, he is likely to find that less stressful. There are pros and cons to keeping your horse in a stable or in a field - some horses react better to being stabled, while others cope better if they are left in the field.
* If stabling your horse, check the stable for sharp objects - some
people recommend stabling a horse to stop him bolting round the field.
However, if your horse isn't used to being stabled, shutting him in a dark, confined space with loud noises going on can be frightening and the horse can injure himself within the stable. If you leave your horse in the stable, make sure there are no sharp projections that your horse could injure himself on.
* If leaving your horse in a field, check fencing is ok and remove any
objects that could cause injury - some horses cope with fireworks better if they are left out in the field, possibly because they do not feel trapped and can flee the frightening noise. If leaving your horse in the field, make sure that fencing is well maintained and there are no objects in the field that the horse could hurt itself on. The horse is likely to panic less if it has company, so try not to leave your horse in the field on his own.
* If your horse gets very upset, speak to your vet about sedation - if
your horse gets particularly distressed by fireworks, speak to your vet about the possibility of sedating your horse. Make sure you speak to your vet in advance of the event so that you have time to make the necessary arrangements.
* Check for dead fireworks after local events - if fireworks are set off
near to your yard, check that no dead fireworks have landed near the stable or in the field, as these could cause injury to your horse.
For more advice on horse ownership, such as tips on buying a horse, information on equine health issues and suggestions of how to care for old horses, visit the Advice section of The Horse Trust website (http://www.horsetrust.org.uk/horse-advice/).
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