Fireworks and Horses: How to Keep Your Horse Safe on Bonfire Night and New Year's

Fireworks and horses: why this week matters

Fireworks and horses are a risky mix because a horse is a flight animal: a sudden bang and flash tells it to run first and think later. Most problems can be prevented with a few days of planning, a calm routine on the night and a careful check the next morning.

In the UK, Bonfire Night falls on Thursday, November 5, 2026, and private displays often spill over the nearby weekend. Two horse-welfare campaigns are in the news this week.

• Scottish SPCA: the charity is calling for a UK-wide ban on the private sale and use of fireworks, with professionally organised displays still allowed. In its survey of 1,625 members, more than 98% backed a full ban on private sale and use in Scotland and agreed fireworks should be limited to professionally organised displays.
• Redwings Horse Sanctuary: its 'Go Low' appeal asks anyone buying fireworks to choose quieter, low-noise ones. Redwings has lost three of its own rescued residents to fireworks over the years.

Whatever happens with the law, the night itself is up to you. The same plan works for New Year's Eve, the Fourth of July and any local festival with fireworks.

Why horses react so strongly to fireworks

Horses survived as prey animals by running from anything sudden. Fireworks hit every trigger at once.

• Noise with no warning. Bangs come at random, so a horse can't settle into the sound the way it does with steady traffic.
• Flashes and smells. Bright bursts at night, smoke and the smell of burning all add to the alarm.
• Stuff falling from the sky. Rocket sticks and burnt casings can land in fields, troughs and even on stable roofs.
• Nowhere to run. A horse trying to flee inside a paddock can keep running until it is hurt or exhausted.

The Scottish SPCA notes that some horses injure themselves trying to flee, while others hide or stop eating and drinking. The stress can carry on after the noise stops, which is why the morning-after check matters.

Horses vary a lot. Some barely lift their heads, while others panic every year, so plan around the horse you actually have.

Before the night: your prep checklist

Start a few days out, not on the night itself.

Find out what's happening nearby

• Check local listings, community pages and council notices for organised displays.
• Talk to neighbours, especially anyone you know plans a back-garden party. Ask for a heads-up on timing and whether they would aim fireworks away from your field.
• A friendly note or poster helps. Redwings' campaign materials are designed for sharing with neighbours.

Make the yard and field safer

• Walk the fence line. Fix loose rails, broken wire and weak gates, and make sure electric fencing is actually live.
• Remove hazards a frightened horse could hit: protruding nails, sharp edges, loose tools and slippery spots.
• Cut fire risk: clear loose hay and straw, keep the muck heap away from buildings, and have a hose or extinguisher ready.
• Check ID. Make sure your horse's microchip and passport details are up to date, and consider a tag on the headcollar with your phone number.

Field or stable?

This is the question owners ask most. There is no single right answer: choose what your horse is used to and feels safest in.

A horse that normally lives out may be more stressed by being shut in for the first time on fireworks night. If you plan to stable a horse that usually lives out, practise for a few nights beforehand.

Talk to your vet early

If your horse has panicked before, talk to your vet well ahead of time about whether anything could help. Don't leave it until the afternoon of the display.

For the longer term, gradual sound desensitisation, starting very quietly and building up over weeks, can help some horses. Our guide to desensitising a horse walks through the steps.

During the fireworks: keep it boring

The goal is a normal evening with as little extra drama as possible.

1. Stick to the routine. Feed and check at the usual times, and keep companions together.
2. Give plenty of hay. Chewing keeps horses busy and calmer. In a stable, feed it on the floor instead of in a haynet a panicking horse could tangle in.
3. Add steady background sound. A radio near the stables helps soften sudden bangs.
4. Stay calm and stay nearby. Horses pick up on tension. If you share a yard, set up a rota so someone checks the horses through the evening.
5. Don't ride or hand-walk. Leave riding for daylight on any night fireworks are likely, and avoid leading horses between field and stable while fireworks are going off.
6. Don't go in with a panicking horse. Watch from a safe place outside the stable or paddock. If a horse gets loose, you won't stop it by stepping in front of it.

If your horse does get out, call for help and see our guide on how to catch a loose horse. Phone the police if the horse is on or near a road.

After the fireworks: the morning-after check

Don't skip this, even if the night seemed quiet.

Check every paddock for debris

• Walk each field, the yard and around water troughs. Pick up rocket sticks, casings and anything burnt.
• Pay attention to corners near neighbours' gardens and the side facing the wind.
• Check troughs and hay for contamination. If in doubt, empty and refill the water.

Check your horse

• Look over legs, chest and head for cuts, swelling or heat, and check how the horse moves.
• Watch eating, drinking and droppings over the next day. A stressed horse may go off its feed.
• If you see signs of colic, a wound that worries you or lameness, call your vet. Our colic signs guide and first aid kit checklist are worth a look before the night.

In the UK, you can report fireworks incidents involving horses to the British Horse Society, which helps build the evidence charities use in their campaigns.

Beyond Bonfire Night: New Year's Eve, July 4 and festivals

The checklist above works for any fireworks night. Mark the big ones on your barn calendar now.

• UK: Bonfire Night weekend, Diwali, and New Year's Eve, which is Hogmanay in Scotland.
• US and Canada: New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July, plus Canada Day.
• Latin America and Spain: Christmas, New Year's Eve and local saints' day festivals, many with rockets.

New Year's Eve fireworks are often private and come at random through the night, so the 'stay calm, keep companions, check in the morning' plan matters even more. You can find more on everyday routines in our care guide and general safety pages.

What to watch next

• The UK rules. A UK Government consultation on fireworks closed on October 7. The Scottish SPCA is urging supporters to contact their MPs about a UK-wide ban and their MSPs about stronger protections in Scotland. Watch for the government's response.
• Quieter fireworks. Redwings says low-noise options have improved, and its 'Go Low' hub helps buyers choose them.
• Your own plan. After Thursday, jot down how your horse coped and what you'd change. That note is your head start for New Year's Eve.

Seen something useful at your yard? Share it with other owners in our community.