Lummen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On New Year’s Eve, Lummen Equitom staff care for 150 horses, using music and extra supervision. Surgeon Mathieu Foucaud warns that fireworks, banned in several Limburg towns, cause panic and injuries.
As VRT News reported, New Year’s Eve brings celebrations and fireworks across the country. They mentioned that at Equitom in Lummen, the night is different. Staff remain on duty to handle emergencies.
The clinic cares for around 150 horses. Loud noises can scare them and cause accidents.
“Horses are flight animals,”
says surgeon Mathieu Foucaud.
“Sudden sounds can make them panic. They may run into walls or bump into each other and get hurt.”
How is Equitom protecting 150 horses from fireworks stress in Limburg?
Officials mentioned that fireworks also affect horses’ health. Stress can cause stomach problems and ulcers. Equitom staff work to calm the horses. They stay close and handle them carefully to reduce fear.
“We put on classical music to distract them, and the proximity of people calms them down.”
Mathieu Foucaud
Equitom has taken extra safety measures in the stables for New Year’s Eve.
“We close the windows, that goes without saying, but we also play classical music to distract them. We also deploy extra staff to be with the horses. If something does happen, they can be calmed down. Being around people calms them down.”
Officials mentioned that horses left in pastures overnight are at the highest risk. A startled horse may run at high speed and injure itself or others. Staff check fences, secure the stables, and watch the animals closely throughout the night. The clinic has issued a stark warning, urging the public to refrain entirely from setting off fireworks near horses tonight, citing serious risks to the animals’ health and safety.
“They might jump against a pole, for example, and get injured,”
Foucaud explains.
In Limburg, local authorities have banned fireworks in many towns. This year, Diepenbeek, Bilzen-Hoeselt, and Houthalen-Helchteren introduced the ban. In Hechtel-Eksel, Beringen, and Tessenderlo-Ham, even possessing fireworks is prohibited. Officials say the rules are meant to reduce accidents and stress for both animals and residents.
Belgium is changing the way it regulates fireworks to provide increased safety and protection for animals, including horses and other domesticated animals. In 2019, legislation was passed in Flanders that prohibited the use of any type of fireworks within the province unless a local municipality allowed for such an action through a special permit or approval.
Additionally, several municipalities allowed the firing of aerial fireworks on New Year’s Eve; however, following an increase in reported cases of animals fleeing or becoming discontinued by abandoning puppies and kittens at animal shelters, the Flemish Parliament recommended that all municipalities ban aerial fireworks on New Year’s Eve, and this continued through January of 2024 with approximately half of all Flemish municipalities allowing the use of aerial fireworks with several conditions imposed. The issue continues to be debated within Flanders.
