A recreation farm in the Halifax-area is asking its neighbours to not use fireworks in their backyard, or if they do, to give them a heads up to avoid scaring their animals.
Canada Day is right around the corner.
Brian Hatfield, the owner of Hatfield Farm in Hammonds Plains, tells our newsroom even a small display is enough to spook the herd of horses they have, and they are worried someone is going to get seriously hurt.
“A horse runs. I mean, runs. When you have a horse that weighs 1,600 to 2,000 lbs… when they get out to the road, when they hit your car, they’re going to kill you,” says Hatfield.
“When you hit a horse, and especially a large, draft horse, you’re going to die. It’s going to go right through your whole car. The horse is going to be dead. But the family inside the car, they’re going to be dead.”
He made a plea on social media for those who are nearby to not do a display at all after two nights of fireworks they were not prepared for, set the animals off.
“Thursday night we had fireworks, only a small display, but it was big enough to set the herd. When you have 12 horses running out of control, we’re out in the field trying to calm them down,” says Hatfield.
It happened again, Friday.
“My wife and I got in the car; we went looking for them just so we could educate these people. Couldn’t find anybody where they were coming from. Was looking for a party in a backyard. It’s not cool at all,” adds Hatfield.
More popular
Fireworks have become more popular in recent years, Hatfield says, as more people buy real estate and homes.
“They’re more available at so many places and we’re being surrounded by city, ” says Hatfield.
“It’s a problem. We wouldn’t be talking about it if it wasn’t a problem.”
Safety
Fire safety is also a concern for Hatfield who doesn’t allow them at their venue when people get married.
“We allow them in the wintertime, but fireworks are dangerous as far as for a forest.”
Precautions
If they know fireworks are coming, Hatfield says, they take precautions by taking their horses inside for the night.
“Turn up the radio in the barn, get them prepared for it. Some music,” says Hatfield
He says he likes fireworks as much as the next guy and understands that people just want to have fun, but not in their backyard, if possible.
“We want people to have fireworks, but in a select place, with the municipality, with the pros doing them.”
