Air display!!!!!!!

[Kazzie]

A Eurofighter Typhoon willl be displaying really close to my yard on Saturday.

I've been offered alternative fields and transport - not all of my customers are willing to take it.

Has anyone else had experience of this type?

A Eurofighter Typhoon willl be displaying for 10 minutes over the playing fields in a private school opposite the yard. I don't know what the likely impact will be on the horses.

Not only that, there will be a fly past by the red arrows, a spitfire display, tethered hot air baloon rides, fireworks, etc, etc, all day till 11.00pm or longer.

I know I've got a problem in that William won't load what the hell do I do??????

What would you do?????? I wish I'd been given a reasonable amount of notice!

 

[Daffy Dilly]

Have you got big fields in good condition that they could run around in? ie free of holes/ruts?

Assuming you run a livery yard, it's worth talking to clients to see what they want to do, as every horse is different.

Personally I would leave Daffy in the field - normally he only snorts at this sort of thing, but even if he did run around a bit, he looks very impressive.

 

[chev]

We have trainee fighter pilots taking off and landing close by all the time. We live close to an RAF base; planes (Tornado type planes) are constantly flying overhead (some very low too). We also have Red Arrows, Spitfires and all sorts visiting (not to mention helicopters; RAF, Coastguard, Police and the Air Ambulance!) and none of the horses around here care.

To be honest, none of our horses have ever been bothered. Even horses we've bought in who haven't had the pleasure of RAF planes hurtling overhead before have actually appeared quite happy with the whole thing. One or two sometimes start the first time it happens but generally speaking, they ignore them.

 

[Kazzie]

Yes, I do run a yard but I've never been fronted with the air display. Its an unkown for me. I must admit.

My fields are big - over 2 acres per 2 horses. So no problems there.

I just want other people's experiences I guess. I'm feeling a bit on the line - if you know what I mean.... I'm, about to fry if this goes wrong!!!!!!!!

I sincerely hope not of course as my own beloved horse are involved up to their necks. Dexter is on box rest and William had a very bad experience loading/unloading and is unlikely to comply.

I just hope we can get those who want to go out and those who don't I hope will be fine.

I don't have a problem with the charity in which the day is held by the way as my partner gave in excess of £60,000 to the cause.

 

[Afellpony]

Falcon's good with things like that as well. Perhaps they practised in or arouudn the Fells when he lived there. In fact, he doesn't bat an eyelid when they fly over his field.​

 

[Kazzie]

Yes, thanks... but what if the horses (as those on my yard) aren't used to such things.

We have a small private airfield in the adjoining fields, but nothing like what is planned.

I guess, if I'm honest, I'm afraid. I know what happened when a hunt went by without due warning! Trev nearly lost his thumb - the guys at the specialst unit at the Queen Victoria saved it but I don't want to experience that again.

I'm only afraid of the horses when their afaid !!!!!
and they've lost the plot completely

 

[Afellpony]

Hopefully everything will be ok. I've got a worse problem with mine though, he's awful in traffic. What are yours like when it thunders?​

 

[Libbyo]

Hi Karen.

Missed you.

We have the chinock helicopers low flying around us as well as other helicopers and light planes. 99% of the time all is OK, but occasionally a chinock comes so low we can see the pilots and crew. On those occaions I have seen the turned out horses in the fields go a bit loopy. It lasdts for the few seconds they are over us and no longer.

I would make sure no one is riding or hacking out from your yard during the flight time window and some extra time on eiother side and allow your liveries the opotunity to take the option to vacate for the afternoon if it is offered.

What sort of time is it as we are quite close to you, they could just fly over us one way or annother!

 

[jenb]

Typhoons are very, very, very noisy!

I would definitely agree with the no riding rule, if the horse's aren't used to it it could be really dangerous to be out riding with all that going on.

Do you ever get fast jets flying over? Are your horses used to any sort of air traffic at all?

If not, I would say move the ones you can. If you can't move them all, make sure you leave enough behind so that they have company - preferably the type of company who is likely to be sensible, not skitty youngsters!

My horse is stabled only a few miles from RAF Waddington, we also have RAF Cranwell, RAF Scampton and RAF Coningsby within about 20 mile radius, so we get air traffic of various types every single day. We also have RAF Waddington International Airshow coming up and will have everything from fast jets, helicopters, transporters, Red Arrows, pleasure planes - the lot! For two full days too. Our horses are so used to air traffic they don't even look up, unless we get a very low helicopter from time to time, and then they just watch it.

You could ask the organisers to let the pilots know that there are horses on your premises, and ask them not to fly directly overhead. If they get a couple of days notice they should be able to do this.

TBH, it's the typhoon, hot air balloons and fireworks which would worry me the most if the horses aren't used to air traffic. If you do have any left on the yard, could you ask your vet to give you some ACP? Might be well worth giving some as a preventative if the vet agrees.

 

[KT C]

Might be an idea to speak to your vet if you have any horses that are particularly nervous/spooky with loud noises, but mine copes fine with low flying jets passing overhead, shooting in the woods behind the field, and he was out overnight on fireworks night last year - I was paranoid about this, and drove down to the field to find him quite happily munching away - got a strange look from him, like "what are you doing here at this time?!?"

My vet actually reckoned that it's sometimes better for horses to be left out when there are fireworks, etc going off, as sometimes the noise can sound louder indoors - think it depends on the type of roof on your stables?? You have to judge yourself if you have a particularly spooky type I think though and just go with your instincts. There are bound to be a couple of "been there, seen it" types on the yard, and if they are relatively calm, that should help the others