Are people riding?

[PeterNatt]

Take a read of this:

https://groomwithabroom.wordpress.c...F0L4K7eZJWPZKxV6l6Grgd3LaoSJnnfo83v525zNDL8bU

 

[stormox]

Take a read of this:

https://groomwithabroom.wordpress.c...F0L4K7eZJWPZKxV6l6Grgd3LaoSJnnfo83v525zNDL8bU

But that includes professional jockeys who regularly break bones, etc. It isnt your average person on their own horse who just hacks and schools - and it also doesnt take into account how many people are partaking of each sport.
Taking myself for example- I have had plenty of falls in the past 50 years, mostly horse falls and bucked or reared off. But its a very small % of how many times I have ridden. And none of them has resulted in an A and E visit.

 

[HBB]

Take a read of this:

https://groomwithabroom.wordpress.c...F0L4K7eZJWPZKxV6l6Grgd3LaoSJnnfo83v525zNDL8bU

It's just someone's opinion at the end of the day and not official Government guidelines or advice.

Statistics can also be manipulated depending on what outcome you are looking for or not. Looking at the summarised data chart maybe females should give up horses due to the extremely high % that are injured and end up in A & E?

As for people going out cycling just now, it is probably more safer in these circumstances as the volume of traffic on the roads has been greatly reduced?

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Mim’s ridden education is on hold as, despite being an absolute saint, she’s just four and things do happen.

I’m currently walking her in-hand as she does get bored in the field and then likes to play with the old boy, who is ancient and only just field sound.

Pony is question mark for me. I don’t want to lead two in hand because I feel that is too much of a risk. But, pony is looking exceptionally “well” despite being on effectively no grass and no feed - and the grass explosion is looming.

This evening I walked Mim for 30 min and did 20 min of trot work with pony but I ideally don’t want to ride. COVID-19 concerns aside, pony is 13hh so my feet are on the ground. I genuinely don’t know which is riskier. Pony is straightforward and a schoolmaster but horses are horses...

FYI, private land and private land to walk on. And I work for a Trust that manages 4 acute hospitals so I have seen the increase in A&E and trauma attendances due to holiday mentality this week - not planning to contribute.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Take a read of this:

https://groomwithabroom.wordpress.c...F0L4K7eZJWPZKxV6l6Grgd3LaoSJnnfo83v525zNDL8bU

Interesting and sort of proves the point that statistically it’s a pretty safe sport. I also wonder if they include injuries involving horses but not falls. I know four people kicked in the face two of which lost an eye. One was hand-grazing a horse that had been on box rest the others happened in the field either getting horses in or checking on them. Another person I know lost a thumb when a horse pulled back, the outer fibre of the rope which was damaged caught around it.

 

[Abi90]

My friend was out hacking her horse today, who is being rehabbed, and she saw a police car and they just waved and said hello

 

[Upthecreek]

The statistics are interesting, but surely irrelevant in the current situation of national crisis/state of emergency? The chances of something happening or not don’t really matter. At the current time it is what happens if the worst happens that is important.

For example if I ride, fall off and injure myself in ‘normal times’ the main risks are either that I will die or if the injury is serious I won’t be able to look after my family or go to work. If I ride, fall off and injure myself at the moment the risks are those previously mentioned and in addition that I could put those that come to my aid at risk of catching Coronavirus from me if I am a carrier, I am at risk of catching it from them, I don’t get treatment I need in hospital because NHS doesn’t have capacity, I catch Coronavirus whilst in hospital or pass to someone else, my family can’t visit me in hospital etc etc.

And yes cyclists have accidents too. Mainly from being hit by cars, which there are lots less of on the road at the moment. Horses have a mind of their own, bicycles do not.

 

[canteron]

Upthecreek you have a point .... normally I have a good support system - but if I fell off atm and couldn’t look after my horses and dogs I am not sure that they would be able / want to travel to look after my lot ?

 

[Aoife 2020]

Yes I am still riding but in all honesty these is going to go on for a long time. If I completely stopped riding I could end up stopping riding for the next 3 months the Irish/ uk governments are just going to keep on extending the lockdown . My horse is not the type of horse that you could just leave out of work for a few months. She needs to be worked or she will get fat .

I think there will more accidents we handling a fresh horse than actually riding. This is just my opinion so please don’t hate on me for saying this. It’s up to person if they want to ride or not . People just need to use the common sense.I now some people can’t since there yard is closed .

 

[Mule]

I think people have to use their common sense. Ride if you feel comfortable doing it but leave the riskier stuff off for a while.

 

[pansymouse]

I bit the bullet and rode on Saturday; it was lovely to have a proper dose of fresh air. I've decided to ride a bit less and more steadily than usual but it does us both good to get out for a while. On non-riding days I've taken up human hacking i.e. going for a walk but I need to see the farrier as I'm a bit footy.

 

[ycbm]

I bit the bullet and rode on Saturday; it was lovely to have a proper dose of fresh air. I've decided to ride a bit less and more steadily than usual but it does us both good to get out for a while. On non-riding days I've taken up human hacking i.e. going for a walk but I need to see the farrier as I'm a bit footy.

Sugar and iodine on your soles.

And cut out the chocolate.

.

 

[Carrottom]

I bit the bullet and rode on Saturday; it was lovely to have a proper dose of fresh air. I've decided to ride a bit less and more steadily than usual but it does us both good to get out for a while. On non-riding days I've taken up human hacking i.e. going for a walk but I need to see the farrier as I'm a bit footy.

Watch out for plantar fasciitis, a sudden increase in walking can cause it ?

 

[Tiddlypom]

My human farrier is not allowed to work during the current restrictions. Luckily, in the 18 months that I’ve been seeing she has improved my foot balance so much that I am managing to self trim quite well.

 

[Dyllymoo]

Watch out for plantar fasciitis, a sudden increase in walking can cause it ?

I had this recently and it was agony I have to say. There are little slip on sock type things from Boots that were amazing in helping me. They cost £30 but for, and the relief was instant.

I've not ridden... but I lunged yesterday and he was such a sweetie (didn't expect anything else really) and we just had a bit of fun (even though it was blowing a gale). I am going to have a potter in the school tonight, I would prefer to hack but YO has said just in the arena for now so that's what we will do. I will ride, long rein and do some in hand things a couple of times a week. His brain needs activity as much as he needs it to keep weight off.

 

[Tiddlypom]

It better bloody be! There's some hills in the middle somewhere too, just not at either end!

Here you go

Coronavirus: Triathlete defends 200-mile lockdown ride https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-52095047

 

[ester]

I mean, he seems like he might be fairly fit.....

 

[Tiddlypom]

Took him 9 hours... Yes, fairly fit, I think .

TP, who went out for a 10.2 mile tootle on her bike along the lanes earlier today. I squeaked in within the allotted hour in 57 mins.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I know a few cyclists who have taken to their turbo trainers to reduce their accident risk. Plus several runners who have cut back the length if their long runs and are generally sticking closer to home. So other sportspeople are not necessarily carrying on as normal anyway.

 

[On the Hoof]

Well I have just made a personal decision not to ride, two years ago the pony spooked massively in walk in the school and I ended up in hospital for 10 days and having to have a 9 hour operation - not fun, so I thought .....it couldnt happen again could it...... mmmm yes knowing my luck, so on that basis its walks in hand and lunging only for the foreseable.

 

[Wagtail]

I am still riding but only in the arena and at walk and trot. I am riding a lot less frequently and trying to take fewer risks, for example, my mare can be very challenging at times, and today when the other horses started galloping around in the wind next to the arena I cut my session short, where as normally, I would have ridden through it.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

DP has been lame with a bruised sole so I’m not riding him and although I could ride B his sharer wants to keep him going. She is working full time and home schooling two teenagers and is enjoying getting into the school three times a week.

 

[Tihamandturkey]

I was riding (yard only) but have decided not to now until lockdown ends for 2 reasons:

1) I came off my mare tonight after she did a massive spook/spin/shoot forward - luckily I slid off gracefully (according to my friend ?)

We have now been asked to go to yard separately (only 4 liveries) & I never ride on my own so have decided going forward I will lunge/free school only.

 

[dogatemysalad]

My horse and I are joined at the hip. It would be very strange not to ride after all these years. He's a good horse, brave and honest, so I don't feel day to day riding is risky for us. The only thing that bothers me at the moment, is riding past houses of bored kids who might feel miserable by imagining how much fun they'd have zooming on him through the woods, so I'm only accessing roads without houses at the moment.
I feel so sorry for children being couped up at home during the lockdown.

 

[scruffyponies]

My horse and I are joined at the hip. It would be very strange not to ride after all these years. He's a good horse, brave and honest, so I don't feel day to day riding is risky for us. The only thing that bothers me at the moment, is riding past houses of bored kids who might feel miserable by imagining how much fun they'd have zooming on him through the woods, so I'm only accessing roads without houses at the moment.
I feel so sorry for children being couped up at home during the lockdown.

Same here, although it works both ways. For some kids just seeing a horse would be the highlight of their day. You're more likely to annoy bitter adults TBH.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Same here, although it works both ways. For some kids just seeing a horse would be the highlight of their day. You're more likely to annoy bitter adults TBH.

I think what you say is true. The children out walking with a parent have waved enthusiastically in recent days, but all the same, I'd hate to be oblivious to the feelings of a child stuck in a stressful home.
In pre virus times, a couple of local hacking routes pass through some very impoverished housing estates and it's always been these areas where both kids and adults greet us with the most generosity. For once, I'm looking forward to the days when my horse has to dodge footballs, bikes and the happy shrieking of kids playing outdoors with their friends.

 

[Ceriann]

I rode out this morning (I have debated everybody angle with myself and OH and at least for now will hack out and school - nothing too exciting). Saw one car and one walker (where I live is very rural). I did this before work, which at the moment is mad. I’m not a key worker but a solicitor for a business that is providing key workers. One of our key topics at the minute is the impact of CV on domestic violence situations. We are already seeing flare ups and will see more. The impact of Cv is so much greater than the infected (which I’m not underestimating in any way) - we should all look to be as kind and supportive of each other as we can be so we get through this with the least amount of damage.

 

[JenTaz]

I am still riding, and will continue to do so until the government say that it is not allowed, for me personally my horse is such a good doer and is 17 who has spent the last 7 months off work to get used to being barefoot as due to his arthiritis he can no longer be shod. For him its a welfare issue to keep him moving, his arthiritis affects him less if he's in work and its better for his feet, and to be perfectly blunt if he isn't kept in work laminitis is a possibility, which would more than likely see him put to sleep this year. I am only hacking out on land owned by the farmer where i keep my horse, so no road work.

I've had a lot of critisism from people about me still riding, and they get told the same answer "I broke 3 bones in my foot getting off the couch the last time I ever worked from home, going passed previous falls off my horse, I am much safer riding than I am getting of the couch"

I think it all really comes down to using some common sense, knowing your horse and stick to routes you and your horse know well if your hacking out.

 

[Griffin]

I am still riding. My mare is a very good doer and I can't just leave her in a field to get fat. She is much safer to ride then lunge, so I will continue to ride until the government tell me I can't. We're being sensible and sticking to walk and trot in the arena and walking on short, very local hacks.
I do understand a the arguments for not riding but she is very safe to ride. In addition, the worst injury she has caused me was actually when I was handling her on the ground and she spooked, something she very rarely does when ridden.

 

[NiceNeverNaughty]

well.... after everything i posted I am riding.

My younger pony is turned away and my child isn't getting to ride at the moment. I am however riding my 16.1hh 17 year old schoolmaster, just schooling on the flat or a potter along our track from home.
I was going nuts in all honesty and the final straw was when i fell backwards at the weekend over a 3" fence post that was lying on the ground. I managed to land on it lengthways *ahem* and badly bruise my tail and seat bones!!! Now THAT stopped me riding for a couple of days I can tell you!!