Horse owners furious after fireworks cause 'blind panic', gruesome leg injuries

Warning: Graphic image below

A furious Auckland resident has shared graphic images of a horse she says was injured when it ran through a fence after it was spooked by fireworks last night.

Julie Wijlens of Kumeu said she had given out flyers to all her neighbours before fireworks went on sale, asking them to give her a couple of hours warning if they were going to let them off before or after Guy Fawkes so she could prepare the horses.

But she said she wasn’t prepared last night.

“Without warning I heard really loud explosions at about 8.15 last night and immediately rushed outside to check on the horses,” Ms Wijlens said.

“Unless they don’t check the post, they got my warning."

Ms Wijlens leases some of her land for horses to graze on and said one of the six, Mako, had broken free of the wire fenced paddock, spooked by the fireworks.

“Mako was running around. Both of his legs had been degloved where his skin had been ripped off by the fence and one leg was worse than the other,” she said.

“People are inconsiderate, they don’t give a damn."

Ms Wijlens said she immediately called Mako’s owner, Ella Williams, to let her know.

“Horses sometimes die because of this. It’s just sad that people let fireworks off inconsiderately,” said Ms Williams.

Ms Wijlens said Mako was not in a good way today.

“He was extremely poor. He can hardly move and once the adrenalin wears off he’s going to feel a lot of pain,” said Ms Wijlens.

“He can hardly walk. We are going to have to keep him confined for two weeks. It could take six months before he is fully healed.

“It’s around $800 worth of damage, not including bandages and recovery ointments."

Ms Wijlens said if she had more warning, she would have been able to move the horses to somewhere further away from the noise, and make sure they are comfortable.

“I usually sit with them and calm them down - that’s what I did on Guy Fawkes."

Ms Wijlens said she hasn’t had any problems like this in the seven years she’s lived on the property, but doesn't think fireworks should be available for public sale. 

“Ban the boom. It’s all about animals we have to fight for those who cannot speak,” said Ms Wijlens.

Another woman, who lives just over an hour away in Kaiwaka, said her horse was also injured last night, spooked by a neighbour letting off fireworks. 

Latisha George said her horse Theo ran into the fence and ripped the side of his hoof and heel off.

Ms George she said she usually sits with her horses on Guy Fawkes, but with a six-week-old baby she can't sit with them all the time. 

"He was freaked out, running around. They get into a blind panic. 

"Idiots in rural areas don't understand and don't care," said Ms George.

By Samantha Worthington