27 November 2024

Survey suggests 97% of horse owners want fireworks change

A survey of horse owners at Your Horse Live found 97% of those questioned want more regulations restricting the use of fireworks.

One hundred and seventy-nine people completed the online survey, conducted by Redwings, during the three-day event at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire earlier this month.

Eighty-one percent said they are worried about the effects of fireworks on their horse, and owners whose horses had been affected by fireworks reported experiences such as their horse being nervous and agitated (65%); injury or illness (21%); escape (8%) and even death (4%).

We launched our brand-new campaign in October, asking people to ‘Keep Horses In Mind’ when they’re deciding whether to use fireworks and choosing which type, as lower-noise options become more widely available. Three of our own horses have died in incidents related to fireworks in the past.

See more stats from our survey here. (PDF 1.4 MB)

Infographic showing our firework survey results

Statistics from the Redwings survey into fireworks and horses

'I've never had a worse experience than this 5th November'

We co-hosted an awareness-raising drop-in event for MPs in Westminster on 30th October, alongside other members of the Fireworks Working Group, where MPs pledged their support for changes to legislation, and we were also part of a group of charities who supported campaigner Julie Doorne to deliver a petition of over a million signatures calling for tighter regulations of fireworks to Number 10 Downing Street on 5th November.

Visitors to the Redwings stand at Your Horse Live were invited to complete an online survey during the event, which ran from 8th – 10th November. 56% reported that fireworks are frequently let off close to their horse/s and 92% said they thought low-noise fireworks and alternatives to them would benefit horse welfare.

Since then we have received several calls and emails from people whose horses have been negatively impacted by fireworks. Michelle from Whiston, Merseyside* got in touch after her horse was so frightened that he injured her, resulting in her needing surgery. She said: “We've had our cob for 16 years and I've never had a worse experience than this 5th November.

“I was constantly watching the camera in his stable to check he was okay as there were a lot of fireworks going off, and at around 8.30pm I noticed he was very stressed and spinning around so I went to the stable with my partner. When we arrived, there were adults on the cemetery car park right behind his stable letting off very loud fireworks, and he was so stressed that he reared up and landed his front hooves on the stable door and onto my left hand.

“Luckily my partner managed to push him down, and he wasn’t hurt, but my middle finger was very badly cut so I had to go straight to hospital. My whole hand was swollen, and I had to go to trauma plastics for them to treat the tendon damage and a fracture to my finger.

“I called the police the next day, but they said that the people setting the fireworks off hadn’t broken the law.”

Members of the Fireworks Working Group gather in a group pose.

The Fireworks Working Group pictured at the MPs Reception in November

A parliamentary debate on restrictions on the sale of fireworks has been scheduled for Monday 9th December at 4.30pm and we are asking people who share our concerns to contact their MP and ask them to get involved.

Redwings Campaigns and Policy Manager Helen Whitelegg said: “We are aware of so many awful and avoidable instances of horses being frightened, hurt, escaped and even killed as a result of the use of fireworks this autumn and change is long overdue.

“Horses die and are injured every year because of fireworks, and the people who love them – like Michelle – can also be very distressed and even injured as a result.

“Redwings has put together a template letter to help people to contact their MP to ask them to get involved in the conversation around this important issue as more opportunities arise in the coming weeks."

Download the letter and find your MP's details here.