Monthly Archives: July 2023

I slept all day today. The entire past week was spent keeping our Sanctuary horses safe from the fireworks that culminated in last night’s Fourth of July “Celebration”. It felt like a week of trauma for the horses, for us and for our rescued dog who stayed inside the house, but still felt the ill effects of the nearby “bombing”. Each year the fireworks have gotten louder and last night I wondered about the decibels inflicted upon those close to the explosions. We felt the shock waves even inside buildings. It was a nightmare.

Twice a year (the 4^th of July and New Year’s Eve) this abomination is allowed that terrifies animals, disrupts wildlife and assaults Veterans with PTSD. I cannot wrap my head around the advice that was posted on social media to “take your animals somewhere that does not allow fireworks”. That we could somehow gather up dogs, horses, cats and leave our homes for however long the barrage of flying fire missiles and earth shaking explosions lasted is surely a joke.

And during this period of weather warnings: Fire Weather; Excessive Heat; Dangerous Dry Conditions, the fact that fireworks were even allowed this year boggles the mind.

And this is nothing new. In the 1980’s I wrote an article for the newspaper about the misery of fireworks for animal owners. I interviewed a firework’s vendor who told me that selling them twice a year was his family’s year’s income. He made his money for the year by selling fireworks for a couple of weeks twice yearly. I’m sorry; I have no sympathy for such a situation. Considering the trauma inflicted by his “profession”, my first thought was “get a real job”.

I spent night after night this year making and feeding strong calming medicines to horses at two stable yards. I played calming music, had every light on at both places and walked from horse to horse giving extra hay and trying to soothe them, hour after hour. With pharmaceuticals for back-up (they all have side effects) in case of real panic, the monetary cost was substantial and there was always the danger of injury if trying to handle a panicked horse.

I know our neighbors are decent people. I realize they are simply ignorant of the chaos they inflict. But that doesn’t help me when I watch our 30 year old, blind mare (who was dumped in the desert to die and we rescued her) walk circle after circle nickering in fear.

A couple of Benadryl kept our sweet young dog from total panic inside the house and a steady stream of coffee, tea and protein bars kept me awake, alive to manage the situation each night. Why should I have to do this? Why should friends have to put Thunder Shirts on dogs, get tranquilizers from the Veterinarian and leave the TV on loud for their dogs and cats so other people can burn their money in backyard displays of shrieking, flashing and exploding nonsense.

I watched bats, lit by the floodlights, crashing into trees as the loudest explosions hit. I saw the confusion in the horses’ eyes as they cowered or ran in circles. What hell some of them went through. I say “some”, because we have several horses who are not frightened by the “celebrating”. They helped calm the terrified ones.

All of this baffles me because communities present large, professionally handled fireworks displays that anyone can attend. Backyard fireworks, to me, are akin to having “backyard Rock Festivals” or “backyard Motocross” and even those would be limited in duration! And they would be quieter!

Most people are drawn to horses. They are elegant beings who possess gentleness coupled with great size and strength. They can be dangerous to the inexperienced person; the inexperienced person can be dangerous to them.

When a horse lives in the neighborhood, he is a magnet to many. If you find yourself wanting to visit a horse that is not yours, ask his owner for permission to see him and never visit if the owner is not there.

You should never feed a horse you do not own. Horses have complicated digestive systems. They cannot vomit and they choke easily. If you think the grass clippings from your lawnmower would make a tasty treat for a horse, pony or donkey – stop and think again. Grass clippings are so fine that one mouthful could choke a horse to death. If the mown grass has been sitting for several hours in the heat, it will have become rancid and will likely cause a potentially fatal digestive disturbance called colic.

Horses love carrots and apples. Both contain sugars that are dangerous for a horse with metabolic issues (linked to insulin resistance). Letting a horse bite off pieces of a whole carrot from your hand could teach him to bite a finger off of someone else. Horses cannot see what is held by their mouths, they cannot tell the difference between a carrot and a finger until they taste it!

A whole apple offered to a horse can be grabbed and swallowed, which will choke him so quickly that he cannot be saved.

People foods can be toxic to horses. Any gas producing vegetables like cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc. will cause colic. Chocolate is dangerous as are many weeds that grow along ditches. To pull plants growing nearby and hand to a horse might poison him or they could have been sprayed with chemicals!

Even appropriate horse food can be detrimental if a horse is not accustomed to it. It takes 10 days to gradually change a horse’s diet; so to suddenly give him unfamiliar hay or grain can be damaging.

Going into a pen or field with a horse you do know puts you at risk. Horses are prey animals who react quickly when frightened and, while they will turn and run away (the flight instinct); they often kick out defensively as they flee. If a horse lands a kick on a person, the sheer force of it can break bones or worse! And flimsy footwear puts you at risk of severe foot injury should you get stepped upon.

A horse’s owner can take you in to meet their equine and her presence reassures that horse. Should the horse become worried, she will recognize that and keep you (and her horse) safe. Each horse has individual mannerisms and levels of tolerance that can only be perceived by their person.

Consideration and awareness can make you an advocate of horses. That neighbor with the beautiful mare will be grateful for your thoughtfulness in asking permission to pet, visit or feed her horse. And if she declines, know that it is just to protect her horse. They are complicated and fragile creatures.