As horse owners, many of us spend every autumn through to New Year’s Eve with a knot in our stomachs. While others look forward to dark evenings and autumnal celebrations, we are checking fence lines, stocking up on extra hay, working out what radio channel our horse might enjoy, considering calmers and sedatives, and making contingency plans with our vets to help keep our horses safe.
The loud bangs, unpredictable flashes, and stray debris from fireworks are far more than a minor nuisance. They pose a genuine, life-threatening danger to equines, and carry big risk for owners too.
Now, we have a rare, real opportunity to change things.
The UK government has officially launched a 12-week public consultation on fireworks regulations, giving horse owners a direct platform to speak up before the consultation closes on October 8th. Here is why this consultation matters to the equestrian community.
Loud Fireworks = Real Loss
Horses are prey animals with acute hearing, and their nature flight response can kick in when the bangs and crashes of fireworks fill the skies. When horses are frightened, they can cause themselves high damage trying to escape the situation. Horses will run through fences, jump (or try and jump) out of stables and fields, crash into solid objects. These actions can also cause catastrophic injuries.
The statistics surrounding this issue are deeply unsettling:
- Tragic Losses: Data collected by the British Horse Society reveals that at least 28 horses have died in fireworks-related incidents over the last five years, with many more going unrecorded.
- Widespread Impact: In a survey of over 5,000 UK horse owners conducted by Redwings Horse Sanctuary, more than two-thirds reported direct experience of a horse in their care being impacted by fireworks.
- Human Danger: That same Redwings survey found that in 10% of those cases, a handler or owner was also injured by a distressed horse.
- Physical Debris: Beyond the noise and light, firework casings and sharp debris regularly land in paddocks and hay fields, creating hidden hazards long after the noise stops.
Previously, bonfire night used to be a pinch point, but more and more, fireworks are used for every type of celebration, meaning that whilst horse owners can make plans for scheduled events that they know about, when they don’t the impact can be huge.
What the Government Consultation Involves
The government’s proposals include plans to review and strengthen current regulations, specifically looking at reducing the maximum noise level allowed for consumer fireworks sold to the general public.
Redwings Horse Sanctuary has been championing this movement through their Keep Horses in Mind campaign. They have long advocated for reducing the maximum decibel limit for consumer fireworks from 120 decibels down to 90 decibels. Lowering the volume of loud, sudden explosions should significantly reduce panic among horses, livestock, pets, and wildlife while still allowing professional displays to take place safely.
In the Redwings survey, over 95% of horse owners stated they wanted to see tighter fireworks regulation. If you’re one of these people, don’t miss your chance to make your voice heard.
How You Can Take Action Before October 8th
If you want to find out more about this and how you can, potentially, impact the sale of fireworks going forward, all you need to do it…
- Visit the Official Consultation Page: Access the government’s fireworks consultation form online.
- Share Your Experience: You do not have to answer every technical question. Focus on the sections regarding noise limits, animal safety, and your personal experience as an equine owner.
- Use Guidance Resources: Check out the Redwings Horse Sanctuary campaign pages for helpful tips, key points, and survey insights to support your response.