At least six humans were injured and rushed to the hospital after chaos erupted at a rodeo event at Rancho El Eden in Gaston, South Carolina, on April 18, when a horse stampede—reportedly triggered by fireworks—sent animals and attendees scrambling in every direction.
This was not a freak accident. It’s another flashing red warning about what happens when explosive fireworks are combined with events that exploit highly sensitive animals like horses.
A Predictable—and Preventable—Disaster
What unfolded in South Carolina shows how quickly things can spiral into a full-blown crisis when humans force animals into stressful conditions amid jeering, raucous crowds, sudden loud noises, and overwhelming commotion.
Horses are wired to react instantly to sudden noise and potential danger. For these easily startled animals, fireworks can trigger full-scale panic. In a rodeo-like environment, where animals are already confined, stressed, and forced into unfamiliar situations, that panic can explode into stampedes in seconds, putting both humans and our fellow animals in danger.
Drop the Lasso, Learn a Lesson
Rodeos aren’t entertainment, they’re just cruel. Horses are social, intelligent animals who form strong bonds with their herd members. They want to move freely, graze, and live in peace.
Rodeos and other similar events treat animals like props, thrusting them into situations that stress and terrify them.
Fireworks only intensify that fear. Fireworks are dangerous and deeply unsettling for many individuals, including veterans with PTSD, survivors of mass shootings, and others who experience trauma triggered by sudden explosive sounds. Dogs, cats, and other animals also panic at loud, unpredictable blasts, attempting to flee what they perceive as immediate danger. Dogs have been known to crash through windows and then run through their neighborhoods. Sometimes, they end up lost or are hit by cars.
Say ‘No’ to Rodeos
Rodeos are built on forcing animals into frightening, painful, and completely unnatural conditions. Humans may zap horses with electric “hot shots” to push them out of chutes, and spur them aggressively to trigger bucking responses.
Incidents like this recent one are not isolated. In 2024, at the Riding on Faith Rodeo Summer Series in Bandera, Texas, two men were reportedly injured while riding bulls. According to local news outlets, one of the riders—who was thrown from a bull and then stepped on—later died from his injuries.
While humans choose to participate in these events, animals do not have that choice. Many bulls used in rodeos have also sustained catastrophic injuries, including broken backs and necks, and some have reportedly suffered heart attacks or aneurysms under the extreme physical and psychological stress of competition.
What You Can Do to Help Prevent Incidents Like This
If a rodeo or similar event comes to your town, don’t stay silent. You can take action by contacting local authorities to express your concerns, writing letters to event sponsors urging them to stop supporting animal exploitation, leafleting at the gate to inform attendees about what really happens behind the scenes, or organizing a demonstration to raise awareness. Contact PETA for help.
One of the most impactful choices you can make is simple: Never attend any event that uses animals for entertainment. These industries only continue because patrons show up, buy tickets, and normalize the suffering involved.
Beyond rodeos, it’s important to speak up about fireworks as well. Share information with friends, family, and your community about why fireworks are cruel and dangerous.
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