Can people hack with friends during COVID 19?

[stormox]

Its much clearer here in Ireland, we are not allowed to go outside more than 2km from our own house for any reason, including excersise - walk ride cycle whatever- , unless we are doing essential shopping or animal care. So I can ride up to 2km, but I cannot drive to anywhere with my horse in the trailer to ride. Livery yards are nearly all only full livery here so the yards are all completely shut and liveries aren't allowed to see their horses.

 

[Tiddlypom]

There's far too much going on out there and too much else to worry about, than this darned to ride/not to ride debate.

This is a forum for horsey people, so the ride/not ride debate is likely to feature highly in people’s minds as we all navigate our way through responsible life in corona world. It doesn’t mean that we don’t also look at the wider issues and help out in our local communities, too.

Similarly the sailing bods (plus any number of other sports) are debating how/whether to continue with their usual activities.

 

[Muddywellies]

This is a forum for horsey people, so the ride/not ride debate is likely to feature highly in people’s minds as we all navigate our way through responsible life in corona world. It doesn’t mean that we don’t also look at the wider issues and help out in our local communities, too.

Similarly the sailing bods (plus any number of other sports) are debating how/whether to continue with their usual activities.

The subject has been absolutely exhausted now, which is my point. Everyone has a different opinion on the matter.

 

[Upthecreek]

The subject has been absolutely exhausted now, which is my point. Everyone has a different opinion on the matter.

But it’s not down to society to have an opinion. The measures introduced by government are not advice or guidance, if they were they would not be enforceable.

“Every person in the UK must comply with these new measures, which came into effect on Monday 23rd March. The relevant authorities, including the police, have been given the powers to enforce them - including through fines and dispersing gatherings.”

This is not a ride or no ride debate. After almost 3 weeks of lockdown there is apparently still confusion on what you can and can’t do and this should concern everyone.

 

[canteron]

T

Just out of curiosity, what are opinions on multiple riders in the school?

https://apple.news/APVSmzOkzTtiTxNyoUfUoow

This answers the question - you are ok if no one coughs ? but, if this clip is true, supermarket shopping is a good deal more dangerous than even eventing (or trampolining !!)

 

[ester]

Not all of the guidance is enforceable by the law they produced though. That's the trouble with rushed law.

 

[Scotsbadboy]

If I had a horse right now I would be hacking a couple of times a week as usual. I have my own land and stables at home though with off road hacking on my doorstep so i rarely see anyone anyway other than the odd dog walker but i see them now on my 'once a day exercise' instruction when im walking my dog anyway. We say hello and keep our distance. My friend is adamant people shouldnt be hacking but in my situation, where i live, where i keep my horse, i just dont see the problem!

 

[ycbm]

Its much clearer here in Ireland, we are not allowed to go outside more than 2km from our own house for any reason, including excersise - walk ride cycle whatever- , unless we are doing essential shopping or animal care. So I can ride up to 2km, but I cannot drive to anywhere with my horse in the trailer to ride. Livery yards are nearly all only full livery here so the yards are all completely shut and liveries aren't allowed to see their horses.

I can't reach a shop within 2 km, what's happening to people like me in Ireland?

 

[ester]

then it's 'essential shopping'

 

[Bojingles]

But if you're riding in your daily exercise quota, what's the difference between that and going for a walk where you pass a number of people 2m away?

The difference is that, statistically, horse riding is a high-risk activity. If we all carry on riding it's inevitable that some of us are going to end up calling on the emergency services. For that reason alone, just stay at home!

 

[stormox]

I can't reach a shop within 2 km, what's happening to people like me in Ireland?

That would count as essential shopping

 

[ycbm]

The difference is that, statistically, horse riding is a high-risk activity.

I'm a broken record lately.

No, it's not. The statistics for horse accidents include anything related to handling a horse from the floor and all the amateur and professional injuries from racing and eventing.

Riding a horse you know well in an area you know well us probably a lot safer than staying home and climbing on anything to do some DIY and having a kid on a pony safer than if it's on a trampoline in the garden.

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

The quickest way to end the crisis would be for us all to go and snog everyone in sight.



.

Well I'm bored and cv resistant if you're looking for volunteers ?

 

[ycbm]

Well I'm bored and cv resistant if you're looking for volunteers ?

Lovely offer but I'm probably immune already ?

 

[w1bbler]

Just for a bit of a laugh on the whole how safe is riding thing. A local riding instructor, who has chosen not to ride, has posted on facebook that she has torn her Achilles tendon whilst doing housework ??

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

Lovely offer but I'm probably immune already ?

No probs ! Wonder if Brad would be interested ……..?

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

Just for a bit of a laugh on the whole how safe is riding thing. A local riding instructor, who has chosen not to ride, has posted on facebook that she has torn her Achilles tendon whilst doing housework ??

The hidden dangers of housework has been my excuse for years ! When I was expecting my first child I told Mr Farside that cleaning baths during pregnancy was consider a major risk to expectant mothers . He did it for two pregnancies , bless him. In my defence I really hate cleaning the bath - so much so I even considered having a third child .

 

[Tarragon]

The hidden dangers of housework has been my excuse for years ! When I was expecting my first child I told Mr Farside that cleaning baths during pregnancy was consider a major risk to expectant mothers . He did it for two pregnancies , bless him. In my defence I really hate cleaning the bath - so much so I even considered having a third child .

Not quite the same but I ended up doing the nappies (washable ones) for my 3 children while my OH did my tax return. The laugh is that the nappy era came to an end

 

[sport horse]

The BHS and BEF have requested that people do not ride during the lockdown to minimise the risk of accidents and thus the strain on the NHS.

No, riding has not been banned but we have been asked.

There is a most awful case of a lady out hacking last weekend who was possibly hit by a car. Tragically, the horse is dead and so is she. My sympathies to the family.

Near me, in the last few days some people hacked out around the block on quiet horses. One horse got a bit fractious and bucked. Kicked one of the other riders and broke their ankle. Hospsital care required.

We have been asked not to ride - why can people not understand that the equine community needs to stand together and do just what we have been asked?

 

[Duckanasteroidiscoming]

If I had a horse right now I would be hacking a couple of times a week as usual. I have my own land and stables at home though with off road hacking on my doorstep so i rarely see anyone anyway other than the odd dog walker but i see them now on my 'once a day exercise' instruction when im walking my dog anyway. We say hello and keep our distance. My friend is adamant people shouldnt be hacking but in my situation, where i live, where i keep my horse, i just dont see the problem!

This is my situation. We live on the edge of a huge open access forest where, even before CV, you could be out for a couple of hours and not see anyone else. I know how incredibly lucky we are as life under lockdown is not massively different.

The question of riding, or any other activity, unless not permitted under the law, should be each individual's choice after weighing up the risks, the pros and the cons of their own situation. In my case I am continuing to hack and school my mare. She's on restricted turn out (5 hours a day) because of the spring grass and needs regular work otherwise she gains weight at an alarming speed, plus she was very poorly last summer so I need to keep her immune system strong, which means keeping her physically fit. I will absolutely not risk her health after so very nearly losing her last year.

For some horses time out now in the field and a break from riding won't do them any harm at all. I do wonder if the owner's of those horses will have to make a different choice when we do this lockdown all over again in the autumn/winter when there is little or no field turnout available? For me the decision would then be different as I have no restriction on winter turnout and no worries that time of year about excess grass and my mare getting fat, so I'd probably choose not to ride or ride less frequently. The decision has to be up to the individual as everyone's situation is different and TBH I'm surprised at the BHS and BEF's blanket request. British Cycling is encouraging people to get out on their bikes, and bike shops have remained open to cater for the increased demand. I wonder if the difference is actually nothing to do with risk but that everyone can ride their bikes from their front doors, whereas the majority of horse owners have to travel to get to their horses, so it is the travel and congregating at livery yards that is the risk not the activity itself.

 

[Leandy]

Cycling and dog walking are both actively encouraged..... It would, in my view, not be logical therefore to regard riding differently. Ultimately though, we should all make our own decisions as supported by law and (not entirely consistent) guidance. Riding activities have been significantly scaled back to the lowest risk end of the spectrum. When the rates of obesity, heart disease and deep vein thrombosis soar due to sitting around all day, I think we may wish we had kept moving more.

 

[Leandy]

I wonder if the difference is actually nothing to do with risk but that everyone can ride their bikes from their front doors, whereas the majority of horse owners have to travel to get to their horses, so it is the travel and congregating at livery yards that is the risk not the activity itself.

I agree with this actually, as well as the directives to close many leisure businesses, resulting in riding schools and centres needing to close their doors. Unfortunately this means that some can continue to ride and spend time with their horses and others probably can't depending on their circumstances. Which is why there is no one answer to the ride or not to ride question. We have however digressed from the OP's original question.

 

[Upthecreek]

I think we can safely say from this and other relevant threads over the past few weeks that we differ in opinion on this forum on the question of whether or not it is appropriate to be riding at the moment. However there is currently no restriction in place that prevents you from riding, provided you can honestly say you aren’t travelling unnecessarily to do it, you are doing it alone or with members of your household and you are making every effort to minimise the time spent away from home.

The question on this thread was can people hack with friends during covid 19, to which the answer is no you can’t. There isn’t much point people criticising others for riding or those riding justifying their reasons for doing so. People can make their own choice on this because the government has not yet said that it’s not permitted.

 

[angrybird1]

The BHS and BEF have requested that people do not ride during the lockdown to minimise the risk of accidents and thus the strain on the NHS.

No, riding has not been banned but we have been asked.

There is a most awful case of a lady out hacking last weekend who was possibly hit by a car. Tragically, the horse is dead and so is she. My sympathies to the family.

Near me, in the last few days some people hacked out around the block on quiet horses. One horse got a bit fractious and bucked. Kicked one of the other riders and broke their ankle. Hospsital care required.

We have been asked not to ride - why can people not understand that the equine community needs to stand together and do just what we have been asked?

To me it's quite clear. I know at this time of year it's a struggle to keep weight down but there ways round that. In my view we should not be riding but each to their own. Personally the risk of having to go in hospital is enough to put me off. Far too high chance of picking up the virus in there.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

The BHS and BEF have requested that people do not ride during the lockdown to minimise the risk of accidents and thus the strain on the NHS.

No, riding has not been banned but we have been asked.

There is a most awful case of a lady out hacking last weekend who was possibly hit by a car. Tragically, the horse is dead and so is she. My sympathies to the family.

Near me, in the last few days some people hacked out around the block on quiet horses. One horse got a bit fractious and bucked. Kicked one of the other riders and broke their ankle. Hospsital care required.

We have been asked not to ride - why can people not understand that the equine community needs to stand together and do just what we have been asked?

The BEF has asked people not to ride, not so with the BHS unless there has been an update today?
The IOM has put out a release regarding activities that are permitted there, which has been shared by the BHS today, which says it is ok to ride your horse but not on the public highway, so only on own land or on direct hacking.

 

[Bojingles]

I'm a broken record lately.

No, it's not. The statistics for horse accidents include anything related to handling a horse from the floor and all the amateur and professional injuries from racing and eventing.

Riding a horse you know well in an area you know well us probably a lot safer than staying home and climbing on anything to do some DIY and having a kid on a pony safer than if it's on a trampoline in the garden.

*Sigh* If you say so, know-all. Let me put it another way then. The risk of someone having any kind of horse-related accident is higher if we ride than if we don't. Surely you can't dispute that in your inimitable way?

 

[Duckanasteroidiscoming]

*Sigh* If you say so, know-all. Let me put it another way then. The risk of someone having any kind of horse-related accident is higher if we ride than if we don't. Surely you can't dispute that in your inimitable way?

The same argument applies to lunging v not lunging. Or working in hand v not doing anything at all with our horses. Or riding your bike v sitting on the sofa. In fact, being slightly ridiculous, it's safer to sleep downstairs than upstairs as there are more injuries caused by people falling downstairs than to people who live in bungalows.

 

[Winters100]

I'm a broken record lately.

No, it's not. The statistics for horse accidents include anything related to handling a horse from the floor and all the amateur and professional injuries from racing and eventing.

Riding a horse you know well in an area you know well us probably a lot safer than staying home and climbing on anything to do some DIY and having a kid on a pony safer than if it's on a trampoline in the garden.

Yes, they probably do. But the thing is that, except for the handful of cases which would be true welfare issues without being ridden, it is still unnecessary time outside of the house. And of course if one does not ride one is not forced to climb on things for DIY or jump on a trampoline, there are many much safer activities

 

[Muddywellies]

The difference is that, statistically, horse riding is a high-risk activity. If we all carry on riding it's inevitable that some of us are going to end up calling on the emergency services. For that reason alone, just stay at home!

So is bike riding. The world and his dog are all out on bikes - it's like Amsterdam at the moment!

 

[Bexx]

I'm following my yard owners rules at the minute and will do until we are categorically told not to ride. Her rules are:
1 rider per school
Only 2 people on the yard at any time
Wash hands regularly and disinfect appropriately
Wear gloves
No jumping
Hacking alone if you feel safe to do so on your horse
No hacking together