Newsdate: Wed 23 October 2013 – 8:00 am
Location: LEXINGTON, Kentucky

It’s not just children who dress up in costumes for Halloween. In Kentucky, horses do, too! On Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2:00 pm, the Kentucky Horse Park will present its annual Halloween Show where park horses and their riders are likely to show up in just about anything from a scary headless horseman, cranky wicked witch, swashbuckling pirates, genie with a bottle, Phantom of the Opera – it’s different every year.

Protecting your horse from Halloween spooks

For well-trained horses that are used to people, crowds, and excitement, all may be well, but for other horses, Halloween is a spooky time that may cause the horse to also spook.
© 2013 by Toby Ord

Halloween is a festive  time with costumes, tricks and treats, and revelry for young and old. For well-trained horses that are used to people, crowds, and excitement, all may be well, but for other horses, Halloween is a spooky time that may cause the horse to also spook.

Caring horse owners will want to make sure that horses are protected from activities that might frighten them and cause them to spook which can lead to injuries to Halloween revelers and the horse.

The following tips are suggested and recommended by animal shelters and veterinarians designed to keep horses and other pets safe on Halloween.

1. Trick or treaters can cause loud and excessive noise and frighten your horse, especially if it is exposed to general traffic going through the area, so put your horse in a barn or sheltered area where it is insulated from Halloween activities. With many people visiting the area in strange attire, even a normally calm horse may spook.
2. If you plan on joining the trick or treat revelers on your horse, make sure that it is trained to accept unusual noises along with abrupt movements of costumed people who may appear threatening, especially as darkness approaches and strange lights appear carried by trick or treaters.
3. Decorating for Halloween is fun and colorful, but be careful with lit pumpkins and candles. if they are on walkways or near paths that horses will be on, they could either spook the horse or the horse might knock them over and start a fire. This is especially dangerous if they are near hay, the barn or stable area where a fire could quickly get out of control.
4. If you are going to dress up your horse for Halloween, avoid costumes held in place by rubber bands, which can be uncomfortable and cause skin irritation or injury.
5. If your horse wears a costume, make sure it won't cause your horse to trip. Also make sure it won't block the horse's vision. Do not force your horse to wear a costume if it demonstrates discomfort with the idea.
6. Make sure that your horse is secure during the Halloween festivities. Pranksters sometimes let horses and other animals out, just for the fun of it. Others have been known to tease, abduct, and torture unprotected animals under cover of Halloween darkness..