'Firework Week' for all horse owners is never an easy week; do we leave our horses out in their fields or bring them into their stables? How can we best keep them safe?
Either option can be dangerous. A frightened horse galloping round a field, in the dark, at night, or a horse spinning and pacing round an enclosed wooden or concrete stable - either option can result in accidents.
I've learnt over the years that
the more you know your horse the more you can make wise decisions. There's never a fail proof call, but knowing our horses well, does help us to make the right choice in the given situation.
For me, it starts with preparation and planning. Having in stock some V- Calm from James Hart mixed into feeds ten days before fireworks are set off, and Valerian Essential Oil in my coat pocket, are my two key 'MUST haves'... until now!
In the past I would augment Valerian with a dose of "ME"; standing with my herd in their stables to keep them calm. In previous years I've stood with my herd in the field for hours watching fireworks in the distance at times calming them by talking to them, if they became upset and had a dash about.
This year, I found some additional 'calming tools' namely - music, breathing and the art of communication!
I joined Essy and Solar in their field, with two neighbouring geldings in the adjoining field. There had already been a few 'explosives bangs' close by so they were all bunched together and must have had a run around as there was snorting and heavy breathing going on.
I had head collars over my arm, but I also knew it would be dangerous to even think about holding onto my two if they got scared, for one reason if I had to let go, and they went charging off round the field at full pace, their fear and panic would be worse with a lead rope swinging wildly at their side.
I stood in between my two, Solar on my right, Essy on my left, and for one hour we stood still breathing in and out deeply - simple belly breathing and thinking relaxing thoughts while watching the clouds sweeping past the moon overhead.
The sky was splattered with stars, the moon brightly lighting up one
section of the field until each moment the clouds enveloped it. Nobody moved save to change which hind leg was resting.
It felt magical, and I felt very honoured to be under the stars with them in their space. Very humbling.
On my I phone I played a Reiki healing track. It's a musical track that lasts an hour interspersed with the sound of Tingsha bells signalling time to change Rieki position. Although we were not working with Reiki, it felt like the right choice to add calm and peace to the field and myself.
I wasn't really sure what to expect but all four horses responded very quickly. Their breathing deepened and heads lowered. For an hour no body moved.
At 7pm when the fireworks kicked off in full display mode, what happened next was quite bizarre.
I had been talking to Solar Sue (the more strong minded of my two who tends to take charge) explaining over and over that tonight I was in charge. That tonight she could trust me and I'd keep her and Essy safe.
As the bangs and bombs blew up over the tree tops in front of us, my two peeled off like the Red Arrows; Solar to the right and Essy to the left. As they turned away, in total synchronicity, they then just as suddenly both turned back round and came to stand behind me. They re-positioned themselves right behind my back. Heads down, calm.
There the three of us stood for another half an hour. Did they believe that I was actually in charge? Did they feel safe standing behind me?
As with most firework displays the norm is that the biggest bangs tend to occur at the end of the show. At the exact moment I guessed it was 'over' I spoke aloud and told my two 'that was it'. As if by magic, they both turned and walked off side by side and began eating grass, peacefully as if they'd understood.
For over an hour and a half grazing had not been on their agenda, now it was.
I walked back up to the yard (frozen and stiff from standing still for 2 hours) and joined the Yard Manager who had responsibly been keeping company to our 3 mares who we had stabled next to each other. I couldn't hold back from saying
"don't let anyone ever say horses and humans can't communicate' and recounted the behaviour of my two and the whole experience.
The two geldings in the field next to us had responded beautifully to the communal breathing and music absorption, but when the firework bangs kicked off they got upset. Spinning about at the side of the fence close to us, kicking out at each other and snorting like 'billyeo'!
I'm sure that if my little herd and I hadn't been standing so calmly at the fence side, the two geldings would have galloped off full pace, in panic. Fortunately they stuck close by to the little sanctum we had created.
Because they stayed close by they settled down quickly once my two walked off to graze and I could devote my attention to the geldings. I was also glad I had a few polo mints in my pockets to help get them to re-focus back on me.
To conclude on the evening:-
It was a night of treasured closeness to my horses.
A night were I felt so proud of the choices they made.
A night where it was glorious to spend quality time together
doing nothing but sharing a space, breath and relaxation.
What a shame Firework night comes round only once a year!
