Horse Pasture Next to Gun Club

Anonymous sent a question on your post “Exposing Your Horse to Gunfire – Part III”,....”I am in need of advice. I live in the country but my home is next door to a gun club (and) the pasture is 500 yards from the club. I have not purchased a horse as of yet. But I am getting one. How do I desensitize from the loud noises from the gunfire?”

It’s good of you to think of your horse. I would think that 500 yards away is a decent enough distance for rifle shots, even from big bores, to not scare any horse.

One time I started a horse out on gun fire by taking him closer and closer to a Army rifle range where troops where conducting basic rifle marksmanship. I approached within about 50 yards of the firing line where the crack of the rounds being fired was still pretty mild. My horse was very alert but not really anxious about the noise, so rifle fire at 500 yards may not even concern a horse after he hears it once or twice.

These days when I start a horse on gun fire, I’ll throw some hay in the feeder then I’ll fire black powder blanks into the ground from about 25 yards away. At first they will alert to each shot, but soon ignore the sound and give the feed all their attention. Having the range nearby, you may actually have a training opportunity if you can take your horse towards the sound of gunfire and get him sacked out on that.

I would be more concerned about the principle direction of fire of the gun club or potential ricochets, which would be rare. And, while it is an unalienable American right to own and bear firearms, it is up to the individual to use any firearm in a responsible manner, which is not always the case.

I would also be sure that it would be near impossible for my horse to get out of his pen or corral and end up in the impact area of otherwise down range from the gun club.

I used to manage a large horse stables on a military post next to an airfield where every year an air show was held. Imagine all sorts of aircraft, from the Blue Angels to lumbering cargo aircraft flying over head, to sonic booms and crushing jet engine noises, to low levels approaches to the airfield......all the horses quickly became sacked out and I think it made for better horses.

In fact one day, as an Army Range Rider heading into the Mountains with two other Range Riders to check on the Mule Deer Population, a large cargo helicopter on a training flight saw us and decided to hover over us. Imagine an object the size of a school bus and making a hell of a racket hovering thirty feet above your horse. Being sacked out on all sorts of aircraft made a difference that day.