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Fireworks displays can be dazzling for people, but they can be terrifying for horses.
On the Saturday prior to All Hallows Eve in Southeast Kelowna, there were fireworks and the result was havoc and destruction at a nearby horse farm.
"The fireworks started, almost overhead," said Shona Harrison. "Heirloom (the horse) just spooked."
The mare went into fright and flight mode along with the two other horses on the property.
"She took off with the halter still on and they headed straight, all three of them kind of got up the momentum, and they headed straight down to the hay field and went through the fence."
Even after she was able to corral them, they remained in a state of panic.
"Just pacing back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Wouldn't eat. Just couldn't calm down at all."
One of the horses suffered a small cut on one of her hind legs, and the fence needed repairs, but Harrison fears it could have been worse.
Gillian Friesen had a similar experience on New Year's Eve with her horse.
"He got so scared that he ran around the field and he hacked up his leg," said Friesen.
Janice Posnikoff is an equine veterinarian, and she said these kinds of outcomes after fireworks happen quite frequently.
"The major things that we end up dealing with are lacerations, cuts, those sorts of things," she said. But that's not all.
"Psychologically we end up with more jittery horses, harder to handle horses because it's an anxiety thing for them for sure," said Posnikoff.
"For me the worst case scenario is a horse busting through a fence, getting on a road and someone hitting it."
Tickets have been issued to the property owners for violating bylaws related to both fireworks and noise.
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