26 August 2025

Vets share their thoughts about fireworks and horses

When horses are negatively affected by fireworks, the results can sometimes be serious and this can have an effect not just horse owners, but vets as well. Redwings worked with XLVets, a network of independent veterinary practices, to run a short survey in November 2024 on how fireworks can affect equine vets.

Fifteen equine and mixed XLVets practices complete the survey and shared some of their experience and feelings around the impact of fireworks on horses.

The findings are now available in a short report (PDF 375 KB). One notable statistic was that all 15 respondents felt that horse owning clients do enough to protect their horses from the potential impact of fireworks. This suggests that raising awareness of the issue of fireworks with horse owners and providing more advice on keeping horses safe has limited ability to reduce the incidence of distress and adverse outcomes related to fireworks.

Other key insights from the survey include:

Twelve practices (80%) provided services related to fireworks in the two weeks between 30th October and 12th November 2024. This includes responding to requests for advice from owners (60%), prescribing and administering sedation (33%) and treating injuries or illness sustained due to distress caused by fireworks (53%).
Almost three-quarters of respondents said they were concerned about the impact of fireworks on animals and their owners.
More than half said they always prepare for an increased workload during the fireworks season while a third said fireworks aren’t an issue for their practice.

Some of the survey findings have already contributed to Redwings’ new ‘Protecting Horses from Fireworks’ evidence-based report. The document highlights the challenges horse owners face when trying to keep their horses safe and is shared here as part of our Keep Horses In Mind fireworks campaign.

With thanks to XLVets for their collaboration on this study.