[Eeyore]

Hello,  I have 2 lovely cobs, we've been together 17 years and are my life.  Since moving to our new house 2 years ago, we have had problems with neighbours having fireworks.  2 Christmas's ago my next door neighbour had fireworks for 3 hours each night and 2 nights running.  The stress made my gelding get colic (for the fist time in his life).  Since then, any fireworks or anything that makes him stressed or anxious and even depressed he gets poorly and stops eating.  He has now been diagnosed with Kidney failure and Cushings.  We have stables and are stabled at nigh in the winter but the stables don't protect them from the noise or seeing the fireworks. 

I am sorry for the long story and I know this is a very long shot, but I wondered if there is anyone who would be able to rent us a field and inside stables for the duration of November through to January - till the fireworks season is over?  They are lovely horses, mare and gelding.  I am very happy to pay and can provide references.  The only other person I know on this site is my friend Claire from Brucklay Pygmy Goats.

I live near Cornhill  Ideally I don't want to have to travel the horses very far (due to stressing / exciting them with the journey). 

If you know of someone that could help or recommend someone, I'd be soo greatful if you could provide me with details.  If you would like more info etc, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Thanks for reading my post. x

[devonlady]

Good luck with your search. Surely that amount of fireworks going off each night constitutes a noise nuisance! Get your own back by getting a few cockerels for summer mornings!!

[sabrina]

I get this too. Last year I had to stay with Dolly until 2am. They started their firework party just after 9pm when I thought it was safe to leave the ponies and turn off the radio. Dolly was bouncing off the walls. What about a calmer.

[Eeyore]

Thank you both for taking the time to read my post and reply.  We did get a calmer from our vet, but we don't know when the fireworks are going to be or who will have them, especially around bonfire night as people seem to have them on different days (not just the 5th Nov).  My neighbour that had them for 3 hours 2 nights in a row was family visiting my neighbour - so a cockerel wouldn't make me feel better.  I pleaded with my neighbour to ask her family not to have them but she wasn't bothered. 


The horses have never been ok with fireworks, but up until we moved here they have never been ill because of them.  Now my gelding is poorly, we can't a ford for him to get stressed.  I am so worried we will loose him. x

[SallyintNorth]

Feeling for you.   

The horses which live in the fields around my mum's place were terrified by unexpected fireworks nearby, broke out of their paddock, got on the road.  One ended up dead.   

We need legislation.  Loud and big fireworks should require a license, part of which would be a requirement to give proper notice.  Perhaps even needing permission to be specifically granted apart from certain days in the year, and certain venues.

[harmony]

Apart from November the 5th and New Years Eve I don't think you can let fireworks off after 10pm at night. I don't know about Scotland.


We get them here and actually none of my horses are bothered luckily but if they are really loud or go on too long IMO I go round and give them a b*ll*cking.  I once rang the police as one cottage were letting them off on a right of way and the police told me about the time limit.


I would go round and ask them to come and help you with your frightened horse and maybe if they can see the effect they might take heed.

[harmony]

https://www.gov.uk/fireworks-the-law

[Hevxxx99]

Bloody Hell! Find a local livery or retirement yard?

I suggest you ring the police every time you get fireworks outside the specified periods. It sounds completely unacceptable for everyone in the vicinity and clearly dangerous for nearby animals. My horses wouldn't be very bothered but my dogs would be utterly traumatised!

[Eeyore]

Thanks everyone for replying and telling me your experiences.  Scarlet.Dragon, you've gone through a horrendous time - your poor horse.  Animals being traumatised and, much worse, ending up dead as a result is heartbreaking. 


I am aware of the legislation as I used work for Trading Standards, who are the department that license the sale of fireworks.  I wish they would only be sold to licensed displays only.  After all, on the 5th Nov people that let off fireworks are celebrating an act of terrorism!  A house in my village last year had fireworks at new year and the sound they made was like a sonic boom or a bomb going off - they had loads of them.  So even if I could get them inside and they couldn't see the fireworks and with a loud radio, the noise these made was unbelievable - my house shook!


My neighbour's family that let off the fireworks did let me know, but there isn't much I can do with 10 mins notice and just on the other side of my house. 


I have just ordered Zylkene as I know it works really well on my dog and it's natural so fingers crossed this will help.  I am going to ask my local farmer if he has a barn or somewhere quite that I can keep them for a few months.  My field could do with a rest too.


Have you all tried asking a local farmer if they have somewhere quieter for you horses?  It breaks my heart all these lovely animals are being traumatised and injured due to fireworks.


Something has to be done.  I don't suppose writing to our local councillor telling them about what fireworks have done to our pets would help.  Maybe the more people that did complain and put pen to paper would help?


Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply to my post, it means a lot to know I'm not alone, although I wish in some ways I was, as I don't want anyone else or their horses to go through this every year. x

[devonlady]

I have been thinking about your poor horse and into my mind came ear muffs You can get them for racehorses that get upset at the noise of horses (hopefully!) behind them. A bit of extra muffling may be needed but that, combined with a close shut loose box may do the trick!
Hevxxx99, my dogs love fireworks and will ask to go outside to watch and listen. I've only ever had one that was mildly bothered and he would go under the kitchen table and shiver gently!

[Eeyore]

Hi Devonlady, thanks for replying. 


I have tried the earmuffs before.  I put one of those ear muff /fringes that show jumpers wear, on them both and I made little bags of cotton wool in tights and put them in their ears then put the muff/fringe thing on them.  It didn't help much because I think it made them anxious (probably felt it from me).  I don't think it would work here as the fireworks my neighbours had last new year were so loud I could feel the bang in my old cottage which has 2ft thick stone walls.


Thank you very much for taking the time to reply and offer suggestions of help, it is so lovely to be part of a community that cares greatly for the welfare of our pets. x

[Eeyore]

Oh Scarlet.Dragon, you're having a horrendous time.  Are you able to move?  I know we shouldn't let people get to us, but this must be terrifying and so worrying for you and wearing you out physically and mentally!  I hope things get better soon for you and your babies. x

[devonlady]

How did your old dears get on last night, Eeyore? It was like the Blitz here though, thankfully, my dogs seem to enjoy the fireworks, paws on the window sill, watching!
Wouldn't it be lovely to live with no neighbours within sound or sight!!

[sabrina]

I had the same as last year. The B & B did not start their firework party till after 9pm. This year I gave Dolly a calmer . All ponies were inside with the building doors shut. We had the telly turned up a bit for the dogs which helped. the village are having theirs this coming weekend but I am hoping not to hear much of that as we are 2 miles away.

[Eeyore]

Thank you devonlady for asking how my oldies got on.  Scarlet.Dragon, the weather did not stop them here. One neighbouring property had a few fireworks - enough to get them spooked and run around the field.  Then a property that has never had any before had a proper professional display - at 10.30pm, 3 hours after the first ones.  So it was a long night. 


We did the same as you Sabrina and bought a calmer - I tried to give them it a couple of days before and only a small amount so that they would get used to the taste.  But my poorly gelding wouldn't eat it and since then he won't eat much.  He is massively sensitive now - really lost trust in most things.  Even this horrible weather makes him very depressed (which I completely understand).   They have been living out since he was poorly in the summer and they have access to their stables from the field if they want.  We put the radio on (volume not too loud) and since then my gelding won't stay in his stable.  So we couldn't put them in with the radio on during the fireworks. 


I just pray that the sale of fireworks to the public is stopped and only licensed displays can have them.  Apparently they have had this law in Northern Ireland for years.