Helping Your Horse Stay Safe & Sane During Fireworks (storms or other things that go boom)

• Do extra riding or groundwork with your horse before the festivities start. Exercise can help him eliminate excess energy so he is not as reactive later.
• Keep your horses in the area that they feel most secure.
Be sure they are with their horse friends so the quieter horses can help keep the herd calm.
• Turn on a fan or radio to help drown out the sudden noises.
• Supplements can also help keep them from getting too worked up. I’ve found Rescue Remedy to be a good one to add to their water several hours before the festivities start. For any horse that lives alone, it can also be helpful to use a pheromone product like Confidence Eq to simulate the feeling of safety that comes from being with a herd.
• Make sure your horse has access to forage. When they get stressed out digestive issues can become a big problem. Having hay in their belly will help keep stomach acid at bay and keep things moving through their tract smoothly.
• If your horse is extremely sound sensitive you could try using ear plugs for them or consider consulting your veterinarian for an anti-anxiety medication to help keep them calm.
• Make sure your horse has the freedom to move around. Tying them up might seem like a good way to keep them safe but it will actually make them feel trapped which makes everything that much scarier.
• Another handy practice is to pair the loud noises with positive things. For example, every time there is a boom your horse gets a slice of apple or piece of carrot pretty soon they will start to realize noises mean good things are coming not scary things.