to expect neighbours of the field where my animals live, to warn me about sodding fireworks?

[Sparrowlegs248]

Just that really. 5Horses and some cows. Broken fencing, traumatised panicky animals. Not sure about injuries as too dark to tell. Had i been told that these particular morons neighbours were having fireworks i could have moved animals and administered sedatives. But no. No warning. From an elderly couple too. Annoyed isn't the word.

People started letting off fireworks next to our horses' field well over a week ago. Not much you can do to plan around that. And no they didn't let us know.
I lost my old pony because he was so traumatised by fireworks that I had to have him put down. That didn't occur on the 5th either, but several days after.
Yes you expect them on the 5th, but unfortunately not many people seem to stick to that date so it's hard for animal owners. Are they expected to keep their animals sedated for the best part of a fortnight just so they can be the 'responsible' ones? Is it really too much to ask that people who look out of their window at a field full of animals every day of the year should spare them a thought when they plan their celebrations? and not be so flippin' selfish and thoughtless

YANBU

What will you do next year OP. If you get no note, will you assume no fireworks, or will you take precautions just in case?

This is the only country I've lived in that allows people to have fireworks. Personally, I would love to see them banned.

When you know you live next to livestock, then surely you know you will be causing distress?

tbh OP if there are any injuries and damage to property, I would invoice them for vets' bills and repairs, and consider sueing them if they don't pay up.

lessmissabs, how would you prove it was fireworks from a specific house that were to blame?

I will attempt to plan for other peoples random acts of stupidity in future.

How about you plan for a date in the UK diary that has been around for more years than you have been alive instead?

fairenuff now that fireworks have have been had i will ask them in preparation. I will ask them when i see them in the mornibg if they can let me know next time.

nancy only one house with fireworks. Only three houses anywhere near.

Thank you all for your opinions. I'm going back to check they are all still contained.

Not sure how sound fencing could be broken, even by badly spooked livestock.

Ineedanewone... pretty easily?

I understand that some people don't understand this... but what the OP has experienced just isn't the done thing in the working countryside. fireworks aren't generally expected/anticipated without notice for the very reasons OP has identified. its just common courtesy. If you live in urban areas with lots of people around you you do get desensitised to noise. Living in the countryside you get used to silence and any unexpected noise can be quite scary unit your brain clicks in and works out it is firework season.

Blimey, some of you have no idea. A horse can weigh half a ton, of course it can take down most wooden fencing if in a blind panic. And can also stake itself on broken bits - really it doesn't bear thinking about.
I've lived in the countryside most of my life. Even 20 years ago there were far less fireworks set off around us, and if anyone planned to do it they would warn us, and be considerate. Now people are so self-centered it's unbelieveable. Not only do they let off firework displays year round (To celebrate what? The opening of an envelope??) but they think nothing of pointing them at fields with livestock in. And don't get me started on the illegal and very loud fireworks that idiots get my hands on. A friend of mine lost her elderly pony because one of them was set off in the middle of the day - he was so scared he ran straight into a fence, tangled himself, had a heart attack and died. And she watched it happen.
Even if anyone thinks that somehow owners of livestock should somehow manage to control their animals' fear when it sounds as if WW3 is starting around them... Check out the fires that happen in barns of hay every year caused by inconsiderately aimed rockets.
While we're on the subject of things involving fire... please avoid chinese lanterns of any description at any time. Lethal.

at the idea that if a fence is stock proof then it stands to reason it could withstand an entire herd of cattle stampeeding at it at the same time.

saying that we have welsh badger face sheep and herdwicks and therefore auntomatic reasoning as far as we are concerned is that NOTHING can ever be 100% stockproof no matter how hard you try.

Ineed

Fencing gets smashed like you wouldn't believe. I had mine put in with the wooden posts sunk in by JCB . 3 rail solid post and rail , with separate four feet high two strand mains electric fencing as an extra internal safeguard. All of which my large hay monster went straight through when a visiting Chinook flew overhead at a particularly low altitude . They're strong enough when they're calm . Add panic to a half ton of weight travelling at between 20 and 30mph , and very little will withstand that .

Nancy75 lessmissabs, how would you prove it was fireworks from a specific house that were to blame?

You wouldn't. Houses are not legal persons and cannot be sued. You could attempt to prove the owners of the house were liable by seeking out evidence, such as questioning them, or trying to find physical evidence. Not really my field as I'm neither a p.i. nor the OP who will be able to see in person what possible evidence there may be around, but she could also act as a witness if she saw the fireworks emanate from the neighbour's property, as could anyone else who saw it. In this case, there are only 3 houses in the vicinity so I don't think witness evidence would be too hard to obtain.

If the horse is 32 years old surely he's seen fireworks before and is a bit bored of them now?

What you mean like horses have seen plastic bags loads of times before and don't get scared of them! Like not many humans in this country haven't been hurt by spiders yet are still disproportionately petrified!

Like we've seen people shouting BOO and not been surprised or shocked.

When people get scared, most peoples first thought is to get the hell out of there and think later. Horses are prey animals and the instinct is to blindly run.

Whilst I'd expect fireworks on and close to the night, fireworks go on for weeks and at random times. One of my cats loves them, the other 2 pan unix every time despite having seen it all before.

*panic

But the thread isn't about people letting off fireworks all year round, it is about fireworks being let off on firerwork night and whether that is reasonably foreseeable to livestock owners.
No court in the land would uphold her complaint!

chrome100 - you dont know very uch about animals do you?

I think it would be reasonable to anticipate fireworks on fireworks night tbh. Even in the country. Even from an elderly couple (heaven forbid).

As I said before, I've been a country-dweller all my life. What I think is really sad is that in the "old days" people lived in the countryside recognising that there were times when they needed to respect the animals and environment around them. Time was it would be extremely unusual to have a problem like this. Seriously, if you lived next to livestock you wouldn't let fireworks off in your garden, because there was respect for the animals and their owners. I think I'm talking about having consideration and a sense of responsibility.
Now people are more interested in doing what they think they are "entitled" to than caring for the things that attracted them to living there in the first place. How nice to look out of the window and look a the sheep, horses, cows etc... 364 days of the year. So why would you knowingly scare the shit out of them and put them in danger on one day? People are ignorant and entitled. This is why I find them actually in the field feeding animals (it's not a fucking petting zoo!), or exercising their dogs loose around the livestock - and not even picking up the shit. Or tramping into my stable yard with their children and a box of bloody sugar lumps... If you enjoy the countryside and the animals then why not have some respect?

Rant!

The thread is about whether i am stupid to expect a couple, who have never to my knowledge had fireworks in 7 yrs, and who live directly next to a field with cattle and horses in, and who see my once or twice a day, to say 'oh we will be having fireworks tonight at about 7pm' or something.

I never suggested i would sue them. As it is this morning, i have some fencing to fix, some cattle to move and some leg wounds and swelling to deal with. (doesn't look too serious thankfully)

The town/country divide is alive and well!

Rant away tuppence i was bloody livid by the time i got home last night. DH didn't know what had hit him!

You're right Nottoalotta. My question would be - who in their right mind would let off fireworks next to a field with livestock in? I actually think that there are some circumstances where a note shouldn't be needed because anyone with half a brain wouldn't do it.
People are NOT entitled to just do as they please with no consideration for others around them. They might be able to do it legally, but what's happened to common sense and consideration? If you live in the countryside it can be wonderful, but I think it brings some responsibilities as well.
Every year animals are injured and die as a result of fireworks being let off inconsiderately, pregnant animals abort. When someone lets off their rockets next to a field of animals, then hears and sees the chaos, but still carries on... how can they live with themselves?

It took one very loud, illegal banger to kill my friend's old pony. I was there, it was so loud that I jumped, it echoed around the valley. I don't think they'll ever have fireworks again after facing her in floods of tears and shaking with grief on their doorstep. They declined the invite to come and see his body.