ester
Not slacking multitasking
The once a day is potentially a bit problematic for care?
Are people riding?
- Thread starter doodle
- Start date
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
I’m reading it as one of the visits should count as your once-a-day exercise allowance, not that only one visit a day is allowed.
So you shouldn’t say, go twice a day to attend to your horses then make a third trip out for exercise.
So you shouldn’t say, go twice a day to attend to your horses then make a third trip out for exercise.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
that might have been a issue from me trying to multitask.
be positive
Well-Known Member
That is how I am reading it and is the same as I told my liveries previously, they can come once a day to exercise and do any care but not twice, I am doing everything they really require so do not want them here unless they are exercising, while that is allowed they can continue to ride sensibly and I am not limiting the time as I don't see what difference it makes if they are here for 30 mins or 2 hours, in fact I think I would prefer less 2 hour visits than numerous 30 min ones, one came this morning, rode then spent an hour trimming, grooming and had a nice stress free morning away from her day job, which for those fortunate enough to be able to I don't want to stop unless it is essential.
Wheels
Well-Known Member
shadeofshyness
Well-Known Member
'You may leave your house to exercise once a day and you should combine this with leaving your house to provide care for your horse or livestock.'
I'm taking to mean: 'Don't do an extra outing for exercise on top of outings for horse care'.
I'm taking to mean: 'Don't do an extra outing for exercise on top of outings for horse care'.
RHM
Well-Known Member
This is difficult when you can’t take the dogs to the yard. At the moment I am walking the dogs and then going to the yard to exercise my horse. I presume then under these guidelines this will not be allowed? I have never wanted the horses at home more in my life!
rara007
Well-Known Member
The new BEF statement has me ‘out’. I’d given him the week off anyway to let him down a little as he’s very all dressed up nowhere to go condition wise, but was going to drive tomorrow in the sun. I’ll long rein for the foreseeable instead 
doodle
Well-Known Member
BEF now saying no riding.
joosie
Well-Known Member
We're on lockdown here in NZ (I mean actual lockdown, not the wishy-washy Boris version!) and have been officially told that the "no non-essential travel" rule includes going out to do sports and outdoor pursuits. If you met a roadblock or got stopped by the police and said you were going to ride your horse, you'd be fined on the spot and told to go home!
Sussexbythesea
Well-Known Member
The Government guidance is still not clear as people on here are interpreting it differently. In addition it’s not really workable for DIYers depending on how you interpret it.
As far as I’m concerned any other “guidance” by the BHS or BEF is irrelevant and unenforceable. Frankly so is the Government Guidance as it’s open to wide interpretation.
As far as I’m concerned any other “guidance” by the BHS or BEF is irrelevant and unenforceable. Frankly so is the Government Guidance as it’s open to wide interpretation.
Abi90
Well-Known Member
To be honest. Whilst I am not riding because I can’t go to the yard, the BEF have no actual authority on this and don’t have access to the full facts and figures that the government do. Like perhaps, statistic of how many A&E trips are caused by horse riding vs DIY in the home.
People should be guided by more or less impartial government guidelines, where they have all the facts rather than probably the decision made on conscience by another organisation not in possession of all the facts.
oldie48
Well-Known Member
I was hoping to keep Rose ticking over but have decided not to. She's a mare that needs to be kept firmly in her box and after Thursday's antics I've decided it's not worth the risk.
canteron
Well-Known Member
Well, I decided to lunge my horse today - my sweet polite horse ran off farting and bucking (little sh*t) and almost broke my finger. now have a badly bruised sore and useless left hand - Can’t work out whether it would have been safer to ride - or would I have hit the deck???
AUB
Well-Known Member
I’m still riding, as we are allowed to do that in Denmark and not advised otherwise by the national riding association, only to keep a safe distance to others, avoid indoor arenas if possible and not gather more than 10 people at the yard (keeping a rota).
HashRouge
Well-Known Member
It's tricky isn't it? The BEF are definitely advising no riding now and based on wider government advice, it sounds like travelling to ride is out. Their advice makes it sound as though only travelling to provide essential care (which riding isn't) is okay. That said, they haven't explicitly said "no riding" so it is a little open to interpretation.
I know a lot has been said about how people shouldn't be doing anything that might burden the NHS etc etc - but from a moral standpoint I would see nothing wrong with riding a sensible, well-behaved horse that you know well, in a sensible way. So schooling on the flat, or hacking round fields, or out and about if you have access to decent hacking. I don't really see any of this as being high risk - are people really so much more likely to fall off sensible ponies doing sensible activities than someone is to come off their bike for example? What I don't think is okay is doing high risk activities - I wouldn't be jumping or doing lots of galloping about or riding on busy roads.
Where I think it gets tricky is the government's advice to avoid non-essential travel. Their guidelines seem to imply the exercise we do should be exercise that we can do directly from out homes. For most of us, riding sadly does not fit into that category! For that reason, if I was travelling to see my horse and wanted to ride, I think that I would be inclined to ride in the school or the field. I suspect that if people ride in a less visible way, the activity is less likely to be banned outright!
I can completely understand the desire to keep riding. I'm going stir crazy because I can't ride my share horse and the weather is glorious! But I simply can't justify it - he is not kept anywhere near my own two ponies, and I am not his primary carer. I messaged his owner last night just to confirm I wouldn't be riding for the foreseeable. It's annoying though - I left my hat there last time I rode, so I can't even get on my Welsh for a pootle round the field!
I know a lot has been said about how people shouldn't be doing anything that might burden the NHS etc etc - but from a moral standpoint I would see nothing wrong with riding a sensible, well-behaved horse that you know well, in a sensible way. So schooling on the flat, or hacking round fields, or out and about if you have access to decent hacking. I don't really see any of this as being high risk - are people really so much more likely to fall off sensible ponies doing sensible activities than someone is to come off their bike for example? What I don't think is okay is doing high risk activities - I wouldn't be jumping or doing lots of galloping about or riding on busy roads.
Where I think it gets tricky is the government's advice to avoid non-essential travel. Their guidelines seem to imply the exercise we do should be exercise that we can do directly from out homes. For most of us, riding sadly does not fit into that category! For that reason, if I was travelling to see my horse and wanted to ride, I think that I would be inclined to ride in the school or the field. I suspect that if people ride in a less visible way, the activity is less likely to be banned outright!
I can completely understand the desire to keep riding. I'm going stir crazy because I can't ride my share horse and the weather is glorious! But I simply can't justify it - he is not kept anywhere near my own two ponies, and I am not his primary carer. I messaged his owner last night just to confirm I wouldn't be riding for the foreseeable. It's annoying though - I left my hat there last time I rode, so I can't even get on my Welsh for a pootle round the field!
Sussexbythesea
Well-Known Member
I don’t travel to my horses to ride I travel there twice a day to look after them. I would travel there twice a day whether I rode or not. We have direct access to off road hacking bar from about 200m but it’s all owned by the country estate on which I keep my horse. I’m only walking and trotting on the main tracks and whilst there are always things that can go wrong I always plan my rides to reduce any risk of accidents happening regardless of whether or not there is a pandemic. I don’t like falling off full stop.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Plenty of people cycling on the roads, and the government has said straight out that cycling is kosher. I am far safer on my horse in an arena than a cyclist on a main road. Or in London, lol!
ester
Not slacking multitasking
TBF cycling has been amazing this week, barely any traffic.
Apart from the numnut who thought that purposely reversing into a cyclist was a great idea right now (not me but a guy cycling in front of me, typically didn't have my camera on me).
Apart from the numnut who thought that purposely reversing into a cyclist was a great idea right now (not me but a guy cycling in front of me, typically didn't have my camera on me).
SOS
Well-Known Member
It’s not whether your riding is statistically safer than DIY or cycling it’s that it is a risky activity (no matter what you say, it’s sitting on an animal) . If we all take the approach ‘oh well it’s less dangerous than this’ then we might as well all continue our everyday activities and sports. We should be minimising risk to absolutely necessary activities only.
Cycling may be statistically more dangerous but perhaps that is because there are more cyclists? A few years ago the Labrador was cited the most likely dog to bite you in the UK - not because labradors are particularly aggressive but because the “facts” said there were X amount of Labrador bites and only Y amount of other dog bites. Therefore Labs look more dangerous, however by percentage only a very small amount of the Labrador breed bit people In comparison to many other breeds.
Also it’s not social distancing whilst riding that’s the problem, yes that’s very easy. Its the poor sod that comes to rescue when you’ve broken down on the way to ride your horse as a non essential journey, it’s the increased traffic through fuel stations and I’d even go as far as saying not riding should reduce injuries in horses too, therefore not needing your vet to come out and put themselves at risk. Not to mention countless others.
Sick of this ‘I’m alright Jack’ attitude and how people don’t feel them personally leaving the house more than once a day is a problem. If everyone thinks that it doubles or triples the journeys out! It’s just as bad as the people last weekend thinking that their family trip to the beach wouldn’t affect anyone. You will lead to a much heavier handed lock down where riding won’t even be debatable.
The guidelines don’t explicitly state don’t ride but they also don’t explicitly state don’t go bungee jumping. Riding your horse is NOT essential, professionals are accepting this and reducing their activities, why can’t leisure riders see it too?!
Cycling may be statistically more dangerous but perhaps that is because there are more cyclists? A few years ago the Labrador was cited the most likely dog to bite you in the UK - not because labradors are particularly aggressive but because the “facts” said there were X amount of Labrador bites and only Y amount of other dog bites. Therefore Labs look more dangerous, however by percentage only a very small amount of the Labrador breed bit people In comparison to many other breeds.
Also it’s not social distancing whilst riding that’s the problem, yes that’s very easy. Its the poor sod that comes to rescue when you’ve broken down on the way to ride your horse as a non essential journey, it’s the increased traffic through fuel stations and I’d even go as far as saying not riding should reduce injuries in horses too, therefore not needing your vet to come out and put themselves at risk. Not to mention countless others.
Sick of this ‘I’m alright Jack’ attitude and how people don’t feel them personally leaving the house more than once a day is a problem. If everyone thinks that it doubles or triples the journeys out! It’s just as bad as the people last weekend thinking that their family trip to the beach wouldn’t affect anyone. You will lead to a much heavier handed lock down where riding won’t even be debatable.
The guidelines don’t explicitly state don’t ride but they also don’t explicitly state don’t go bungee jumping. Riding your horse is NOT essential, professionals are accepting this and reducing their activities, why can’t leisure riders see it too?!
J&S
Well-Known Member
My grand daughter in NZ phoned me the other night to tell me her mum had just bought her her first very own horse............. but, as you say Joosie, they are now on lock down. Luckily horse is being looked after by old family friend so no qualms there, but imagine the frustration of a 14 yr old not being able to go see new horse! I thought she was being remarkably philosophical about it.
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littleshetland
Well-Known Member
Well I can't ride atm because the horse has gone a bit nuts (spring), he's only supposed to walk with minimal trotting (vets advice atm) and when I rode him last tuesday, I dismounted, put my hat on the ground, forgot it was there, and then reversed over it with the car......so I give up for now, which is probably for the best.
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
It’s not question of what others do ,of course the government has atm no right in law to stop people cycling .
It make no sense to say others are doing this so I am doing that .
You make an individual judgment , based on what you see as your responsibility to the collective good at this time .
Sussexbythesea
Well-Known Member
Nobody’s going to the yard just to ride though. As I said above I will drive the 5 miles there and back twice a day regardless so the breaking down argument is totally irrelevant.
DabDab
Ah mud, splendid
It is part of the individual judgement call though - I believe that I am less likely to sustain an injury doing the same type of exercise as I do every day, than if I randomly started cycling or yoga or knife throwing.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
how about knife throwing from a bike while putting one leg over your head, DD.. i feel you are not trying hard enough tbh.
DabDab
Ah mud, splendid
?? the scary thing is that I bet there are YouTube how to videos....
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
found 2/3 quite easily, I hadn't considered a motorbike to be easier than a push bike, if you're putting a leg behind your head then arguably it would simplify things.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
You could cycle it instead?
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
If I cycled the 8 mile round trip to my yard there would have to be a squadron of pigs in tutus flying past ...... I'm very limited to mobility apart from pottering slowly now, and with no physical appointments or treatment im not going to improve anytime soon, sadly. In the car I can at least take dog to yard to self exercise and can also weekly shop on way back too