Any fireworks and horses stories to tell?

Question

I went to see fireworks with my grandchildren...and was worried about my horses, since some of the neighbors put on their own displays. We got home and found them sound asleep in their run-in shed, thank goodness. I'd watched during the day everytime they heard the neighbor's fireworks go off, and they seemed to ignore it. But last year they were pretty upset, so we didn't know what to expect. I just wonder how your horses did with it this year?

Answer 1

Yesterday I had one go through the fence after getting spooked by not fireworks but a hot air balloon that went over the field.

We have an outfitter in a nearby township that does excursions and others have had this problem too with the balloons. One farm had their stallion  go through the fence. Unfortunately he got out into the road and was hit by a truck and killed. Mine went into the neighbors corn for most of the day...My neighbor is not feeling too neighborly at the moment.

Answer 2

i can say ive been thrown when i was riding a green broke colt and some idiot was lighting off firecrackers, and it wasn't even near fourth of july

Answer 3

My horses are gun broke and used to a lot of commotion, so they were fine.  I did check on them a couple of times though.

Some people were down at the bridge by my place shooting them off last night.  I suppose I should finish my coffee and grab a trash bag and clean up.  I don't mind if town people want to shoot their fireworks off around here, I'd just wish they'd CLEAN UP THEIR OWN TRASH afterwords!

Answer 4

Most of my horses don't care, but I have one that will run to the back side of the farm and not come to the barn until the next day. Its not the noise its the flashes that bother them. I live way out in the sticks so its only our fireworks we have to worry about. When I start to getting a horse gunbroke I use firecrackers. Its much safer and easier than starting off with a .22 when you are by yourself.

Answer 5

Mine did fine, the dogs barked like crazy.  I think the horses were more curious why we were all out there.  They probably though breakfast was early. LOL

Answer 6

I'm living in a new place -- a semi-rural/suburban neighborhood where some people have horses, but most don't.  So we were SURROUNDED by fireworks, all of them illegal.  My horses were really nervous, but when I went out and sat with them, they would calm down a few degrees. Because I was being eaten alive by mosquitoes, I didn't stay with them the whole night, but went out in intervals to calm them and check on them.  Overall, all went well, but I kept wishing for the police to show up -- those fireworks went on well after midnight!

Also, the chickens were all huddled inside the coop.

Answer 7

It seems my horses were not phased.  

The trailer park across the field didn't put on their normal automatic weapon display (which terrifies my guys) and no firework displays close enough for them to see (too busy with their heads down in the grass).

MAYBE our vicious electric storms have finally desensitized them!  I'd love that!

hmmm...good question for me to ask!!!  

*running to the ASK button*

Answer 8

My horses were fine. My family wasn't even at my house doing fireworks so they weren't bothered. But even then, they probably wouldn't freak at them anyway. I'm glad your horses were fine.

Answer 9

Well all the horses at the farm just perk their eyes when they hear them and are in their stall or pasture, but I was riding on the third and someone set off firecrakers next door and the horse just tossed his head and snorted. Then a seconed pack went off and he kept doing good then all of a sudden (about a min or so after the last pack had went off he did a crow-hop spun around and took off. He want have way around the ring then just stopped. He was fine the rest of the lesson. BTW I stayed on when he spooked too. yay me

Answer 10

I sedated my horses and sat with them during the night, not inside but outside, played the radio and watched the displays from a distance and kept an eye on the horses too.

Answer 11

the new horse on my yard got put in the field for the first time. he got spooked by the fire works and jumped out the field. luckly there was some people there who caught him and phoned someone who new the owner and nobody was hurt