How are you?

Concentrating on the good bits....
We are OK.
There are few vehicles passing and very little farm tractor activity. There were many walkers last week going up the steep bridleway by us but the number has dropped drastically. We are seeing only the regulars now. I think the others have decided it is too much hard work. Neighbours have offered help if we need it.

I usually go to the gym twice a week so I have set up make shift gym in the corner of the lounge and am trying to do my routine daily. I want to be in a reasonable condition for the future.

We have Facetimed our grand children even if their attention span is very short. I have phoned Mum almost daily and various friends regularly. We have agreed to keep in touch via phone, email and Facebook

OH has been put on furlough from tomorrow. This is not as bad as it may sound as he works part time and we are both over 65. He is a competent DIY person and has various projects lined up. He walks the dog daily.

I have my horse at home alone ( various special reasons) so although I won’t hack out and haven’t a school or suitable I have decided to spend handling time with her most mornings. She was very ill disciplined when I bought her and has learnt a lot. She was particularly horrid about having her feet picked up and doing that is difficult for me. I have occasional vertigo and need to pull myself up slowly if I need to bend down. Today I managed albeit slowly to pick up each foot and brush out her pastern feathers a little.
Thank you Mike my farrier for teaching her.

I think perhaps at the end of this I will have a tidy garden and a spotless house for the first time ever.
 
I'm so sorry for all of you who are finding this tough *hugs*

The bit I am finding hardest is the fact that I am home alone and miles away from my family. My two housemates have both gone to stay with family during the lockdown, but I didn't want to leave the horses, and am definitely feeling "isolated".

But I am definitely luckier than some. I can still see my two retired ponies as I am their primary carer and they are on a private yard anyway. And after discussions with my share horse's owner we have decided that I will do the am checks 2x per week (again, private yard with only her four horses) as that a) helps her out by giving her a break and b) means that I can ride while I'm there. I appreciate that not everyone agrees with people riding during the lockdown, but I went this morning and honestly I feel a billion times better than I did before and much more able to cope with with the thought of months of isolation.
 
I am not sure if I will be able to survive three months of this. So far, the yard is allowing us to see our horses, but I live in constant fear of that changing, due to shifts in BHS guidelines, government guidelines, or liveries not behaving well enough with the social distancing stuff. It seems inevitable that they will ban us. And my horse is 26. She needs the exercise. She can't be turned away because of fencewalking. Three months is a long time for an old horse. So... I don't know. Take up drinking two cases of beer a day until it ends so I'm too zotzed to know what's going on? And I might not have a horse anyway by the end of it, so f**ck it.
 
Caol Ila said:
I am not sure if I will be able to survive three months of this. So far, the yard is allowing us to see our horses, but I live in constant fear of that changing, due to shifts in BHS guidelines, government guidelines, or liveries not behaving well enough with the social distancing stuff. It seems inevitable that they will ban us. And my horse is 26. She needs the exercise. She can't be turned away because of fencewalking. Three months is a long time for an old horse. So... I don't know. Take up drinking two cases of beer a day until it ends so I'm too zotzed to know what's going on? And I might not have a horse anyway by the end of it, so f**ck it.
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I am so sorry and agree with so much of your post.

My mare is younger than yours but she can't just be left in a field due to the risk of her developing laminitis. At the moment, I can go up every day but I am living in fear that this will change. I need to give her regular exercise and she is much worse to lunge than ride (I end up waterskiing lunging whereas to ride she is generally very sensible).

I live on my own and I am now working from home, I had one of my cats put down recently. I am not really enjoying anything but my horse at the moment.

I hope things improve for you Caol Ila
 
Caol Ila said:
I am not sure if I will be able to survive three months of this. So far, the yard is allowing us to see our horses, but I live in constant fear of that changing, due to shifts in BHS guidelines, government guidelines, or liveries not behaving well enough with the social distancing stuff. It seems inevitable that they will ban us. And my horse is 26. She needs the exercise. She can't be turned away because of fencewalking. Three months is a long time for an old horse. So... I don't know. Take up drinking two cases of beer a day until it ends so I'm too zotzed to know what's going on? And I might not have a horse anyway by the end of it, so f**ck it.
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I totally understand how you are feeling, the tricky ones are a worry at the best of times. I am very thankful to have the ability to bring mine home if/when the yards close to owners because otherwise I'd be feeling very similar :(
 
Caol Ila said:
I am not sure if I will be able to survive three months of this. So far, the yard is allowing us to see our horses, but I live in constant fear of that changing, due to shifts in BHS guidelines, government guidelines, or liveries not behaving well enough with the social distancing stuff. It seems inevitable that they will ban us. And my horse is 26. She needs the exercise. She can't be turned away because of fencewalking. Three months is a long time for an old horse. So... I don't know. Take up drinking two cases of beer a day until it ends so I'm too zotzed to know what's going on? And I might not have a horse anyway by the end of it, so f**ck it.
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There was something on FB last night about one local yard having a silly person walking their horse down the lane in hand at 8pm at night, could hardly been seen, no hi viz when the rules on that yard which every one else is adhering to specifically say one hour per horse, no riding. Although it doesn't say no leading down the lane in the dark, seriously, does this really need spelling out?? How come people do things now there are rules in place that they wouldn't normally do??

These are the type of people who put the whole 'one hour a day to see your horse' thing at risk for those who abide by the rules so they can see their beloved horses. The YO had been so patient and accommodating but they can only do so much!
 
Struggling
My non-horsey life is a set of carefully selected activities to maintain some semblance of even keel. Unfortunately some of those fell over before covid so I wasn't able to enter the current situation from a particularly helpful spot.
I never thought I would ever say that maybe, right now I'd like to live with someone.
GP advice is to use all the meds I need and we will deal with the fall out of that sometime later. She trusts me more with stuff than I probably would. It's made even trickier than my normal crises I think because there is genuinely nothing I can think of that anyone could do to help.

Sorry to read about your mum cmcc :(

HP I think I missed the thread about doodles hock injury :(.

I am glad at least that at the moment I don't have any animals that need careful management that is going to be tricky to achieve. Frank needs management but is on mum's doorstep and we can graze as we want.
 
So sorry for your loss @CMcC xx
I’m bored. I’ve always considered myself to be totally horsey, but the reality is that I enjoy so much more than horses!

I love shopping. I love going out for coffees. I love calling in on friends, having drinks nights and pizza nights at various friends houses, mini parties, catch-ups. If I’m not working or at the yard, I’m out and about. If I don’t know what to do that day, I tend to jump in the car and just head to the motorway to see where I feel like going.

I had a sudden realisation this morning, after trying to decide for ages if I wanted to join BD and affiliate. I don’t. I love competing, but unaffiliated suits me. I can take or leave it. I couldn’t care less about regionals, or trying to reach championship shows. I’ve done all that in the past, albeit jumping and showing. My little coloured mare isn’t going to worry the pro’s, she’s never going to be at the top end of the line-up... that doesn’t mean she’s not perfect to me, but I don’t want to even put her in a position where she is compared to horses that she can never be, or where I can potentially feel disappointed. I just want to train at home to make her the best I know she can be, go out to Farm rides for a blast, go to the beach and do a bit of unaffiliated dressage to keep us on the right track.

I’m also going to allow myself to do more of the other things I enjoy, once this is all over, even if it means (god forbid!) that I ask a friend to finish the girls off occasionally. I never give myself a break. I often turn down opportunities because the thought of stepping outside my little horse bubble seems too much trouble to contemplate.
Life’s too short and, dare I say it, there is a world outside of horses!
 
Struggling I miss the routine I have always had something to do now I have nothing to do . I am very bord as a result I am seriously considering getting my bicycle out. I am also worrying that my yard is going to close because A staff member said we are very lucky to still be open . I am loving the distraction of taking care of my horse and just spending time with with her.
 
I’m feeling super lucky and counting my blessings, even if I’m a wee bit scared. I live alone with my animals. I don’t live in a crowded favela or township or slum or refugee camp, I have the luxury of being able to live in isolation. I have clean water comes out of my taps, I have electricity. I have open outdoor space and fresh air, birds singing. Although my heart and lungs make me relatively high risk if I catch it, my mental health was strong going in and I’m a solitary person anyway so I’m in a good place to deal with it. But I’ve been in a much darker place mentally before and don’t know how I would have coped with it back then, so anyone having a tough time has all my sympathy and whatever support I can offer. If I do die of the virus it won’t be a tragedy, I’ve had a great life but the world won’t miss me, i’m not special. As long as someone takes care of my animals I can be at peace with it (the loss of friends and family would feel very different).
 
I'm so sorry to everyone that is struggling. One day at a time. X

Up until a few months ago if this had happened I'd have been in bits. But I've got the horses at home now and am feeling very fortunate in my lot and my timing. I'm also entirely happy with not going out or seeing anyone. But I do have MrPF... I'm not syre how being more actually alone would be.

So yeah. I thought I was doing ok. But MrPF came back from getting the shopping and touched a door handle before he washed his hands and I just started crying. So perhaps I'm not as ok as I thought?

I'm missing working the horses and the stress relief of that but have been waiting all winter for it anyway so can wait a bit longer.

My other concern is that I have reasonably low level agoraphobia and an inclination towards OCD behaviours that are potentially going to blossom and take hold as this goes on. I'm having to fight the urge to wash my hands twice in a row quite hard already. So I'm keeping an eye on that. ?

I'm focussing on the good bits as much as possible. I think reframing is an important skill to cultivate right now.

Take care everyone. Keep talking. X
 
ester said:
Struggling
My non-horsey life is a set of carefully selected activities to maintain some semblance of even keel. Unfortunately some of those fell over before covid so I wasn't able to enter the current situation from a particularly helpful spot.
I never thought I would ever say that maybe, right now I'd like to live with someone.
GP advice is to use all the meds I need and we will deal with the fall out of that sometime later. She trusts me more with stuff than I probably would. It's made even trickier than my normal crises I think because there is genuinely nothing I can think of that anyone could do to help.

Sorry to read about your mum cmcc :(

HP I think I missed the thread about doodles hock injury :(.

I am glad at least that at the moment I don't have any animals that need careful management that is going to be tricky to achieve. Frank needs management but is on mum's doorstep and we can graze as we want.
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It was the pus dancing vibes injury, re-occurred two weeks last Thursday and we don't seem to be able to get on top of it :(.

Hold in there xx
 
spacefaer said:
I work on finding silver linings in everything - might be annoying for some but is my coping mechanism. So I look at the good bits - if I dwelt on the not-so good bits (can't even write "bad" bits) then it would be too pants to contemplate.
So, I work on the positives.....
Not a lot has changed here in my day to day life - managed to get two turned away on their summer field the day before lockdown, so less mucking out and hay consumption. The other three are still at home at the moment, hacking quietly round the lanes - it's amazing to hack with no traffic, just local dog walkers and a couple of mums with pushchairs. The cyclists seems to have found somewhere else to go, thank God, and the visiting walkers must have decided to stay in their own areas after the excitement of the first weekend when everyone seemed to think they were on holiday - the joys of living in a tourist area.
OH will be home for the foreseeable which is weird at this time of year, as he has normally gone to work from now until September - makes for a very peaceful summer for me and is taking a bit of adjusting to - he is full of energy for the longstanding jobs he wants to complete....
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I love this! I try to do this too, and yes, it annoys some because they think I‘m trivialising or burying my head in the sand, but I am absolutely not. I feel the weight of other people’s predicaments very strongly, I keep up with current affairs and I know what is going on all over the world in this terrible time.

However, I have a husband prone to doom and gloom and two young kids who could be easily spooked, and 10 animals that need me, so I feel this responsibility to be the up beat person in the household. I look for positives, and here are mine, maybe they will help others stay sane:
- spring is here, lambs in fields, grass growing, horses turned out
- roads are blissfully empty for bike and pony riding. (And yes, I am still riding, safely, using my common sense and not taking risks)
- no rushing about meeting deadlines
- plenty of time with kids
- no guilt about watching telly during the day
- time to read
- yard, fields and garden quite tidy...house, not so much...who cares!
- time to clean tack (although haven’t yet!)
- I’m noticing the beauty in my immediate surroundings
- I‘m not feeling guilty that I don’t do enough exciting things with the kids, they seem to like not being rushed about here there and everywhere.
- every meal is as a family sitting at the kitchen table
- I haven’t killed my husband yet, in fact, he’s quite fun to be around!
- I have time to sit and read papers, and then have interesting debates with the family instead of finding nothing to talk about apart from horses.
- saving stacks of money
- my daughter has nailed her sitting trot on the lunge
- the dogs have never been happier because they are getting nice long walks and we are around all day
- I have time to do baking with the kids, which they absolutely love
- watching Malory Towers with my daughter
- watching Friday Night Dinner with my son, crying with laughter
- son (very shy) has bonded with a boy in his class he was a bit worried about over their daily XBox sessions, who knew it could be a good thing!
- the young horse on schooling livery is coming on loads because YO is not off Eventing twice a week, hahaha.

Every cloud eh!
 
I am really struggling, myself and my partner are still working as we are classed as Key workers - but not in the NHS so we get all the risks but can't even get in to the local supermarkets when they have stuff as we are not NHS or old and by the time my shift finishes their is virtually nothing left.

I am getting pretty fed up with the bashing on here, as whilst I enjoy debate and others opinions and POV's a couple have turned to bullying, zealot style behaviour, which is wholly uncalled for and makes you want to walk away from this site, but then their are many on here that are of a great support.

I am working very long and stressful hours, and trying to keep 3 households with enough food etc, the two sets of elderly parents are worrying me as their budgets for food are gone by the mid part of the week, so I am having to subsidise them as well as i cannot get the own brands, currently you cannot get most brands round my way.
 
Well I have a cough and a slightly raised temperature, chest feels tight, a bit breathless. ? Feel tired too so I'm basically doing nothing and just resting. I go out to see the ponies once a day for a bit of fresh air but otherwise husband is doing them, despite refusing to accept the possibility that I have the virus. Could be anything apparently.

We are not speaking and I'm feeling pretty fed up to be honest.

Good news is that the stronger inhaler I've been prescribed is really helping.

Had a wobble yesterday when I looked at the Easter eggs we've bought for the older kids and realised this will be the first Easter that we won't be together. Feels like nothing will ever be normal again.

I do feel incredibly fortunate to have the ponies at home. Think I would be struggling a lot more if I couldn't see them every day.
 
Last Saturday I wasn't in a great place, I have to say. I'd read a lot of judgy stuff on social media and it culminated in someone on my yard sharing the latest BHS statement advising no riding only hours after I found out my old cat (living with a relative as it was unfair to move her) had passed away. I've only been pootling round the block on my slower than grass growing cob, but felt rather judged again. I've struggled with depression and anxiety for decades and a gentle hack really helps my stress levels. I'm also a runner and after spending the whole winter training, the Spring marathons have all been cancelled, so I tried to make a positive and signed up for a virtual 26.2 to raise money for charity. Cue stories in my running groups about runners being abused, spat at, heckled and told to get indoors. All very unpleasant. I'll be doing the marathon on the treadmill, which will be 4 x as hard.

On Sunday I was angry that I'd essentially lost Saturday being emotional and pulled myself together. I went for a pootle round the woods and loved it. I have to say, I'm really enjoying social isolation, as I'm more anxious in company. I've finally got round to starting milk deliveries from a local farm. I ventured into Waitrose - first time in a supermarket for nearly 3 weeks and the last trip made me VERY angry (absolutely empty shelves). This time I got everything we and my FIL need and staff were lovely. I made sure I thanked them all. The cat is LOVING having me work from home as she's very attached to me (it's mutual). Chickens are getting more time free ranging, too. Incredibly lucky that yard is essentially operating as normal. I'm just taking care to disinfect and wear gloves all the time. We are naturally staggered, but as a home worker, I'm choosing to go later in the morning. House still a tip, though. Haven't reached that stage, yet. Only real worry is that we have a water leak in the bathroom walls and plumber has gone radio silent. We understand if he doesn't want to chance it, but due to the leak, a pump is constantly working and I'm worried it'll all break down (including boiler), plus the paint is falling off the affected walls and laminate flooring is starting to bubble. Still, at least it's not raining!!!
 
Struggling and feeling guilty for doing so having just read this thread ??

I can still go and see the horses, though, which is appreciated. The animals are keeping me going.
But it could be worse, it could be a lot worse, so I'm just going to focus on being grateful for the positives. :)))

I wish really I could do something to help those of you having a shitty time of it, though :( will certainly be thinking of you all and crossing my fingers things improve for everyone asap
 
Should I speak with my vet about putting the horse down? Looking at the data from France and Italy, there does not seem to be evidence of their lockdowns (which came in before ours) working. This could go on for more than six months, or a year. How can I maintain an old horse like this for six months or more?
 
I don't want to write about the things that I'm finding difficult but I can share my coping strategies and if they help anyone, then that's great. We all have worries at the moment, if it's something I can sort then I do it, if it;' something I can't sort and most worries come into this category, I allow myself a time to worry then make myself do something that takes my mind off it. I find structure and routine a huge help as does exercise. For me the greatest help is trying to fine joy in something/anything everyday, giving myself something to look forward to, honestly it can be something really mundane as a couple of pieces of chocolate or opening a bottle of wine or making something nice to eat ! I'm currently training my friendly robin to eat from from my hand and I am speaking to friends on the phone rather than texting or messaging. Just put Zoom on my phone, get me, so I can do some chats! This will end but I don't think about "the end" I try to make every day as good as it can be. I guess when you get into your 70's it might be the last but I wish I'd done this when I was younger, I'd have been so much happier. I am sad for those of you who are struggling, life can be very tough and I can see how my post could be seriously irritating but I hope not. x
 
Caol Ila said:
Should I speak with my vet about putting the horse down? Looking at the data from France and Italy, there does not seem to be evidence of their lockdowns (which came in before ours) working. This could go on for more than six months, or a year. How can I maintain an old horse like this for six months or more?
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I would advise not to be too hasty in this. You are sensible to think about it, but you don't want to make a decision that you may regret. Can you talk to YO about what additional measures can be taken for your horse in the event of a full lockdown? I am sure that they will do all they can to help. And in the event that YO just restricts visits I am sure that other liveries who have uncomplicated horses would gladly give their allotted time up to allow someone with a genuine welfare need to go. Maybe open the dialogue with YO now, you might find that they have already thought of some solutions to keep your horse safe in the event that you cannot go.
 
Caol Ila said:
Should I speak with my vet about putting the horse down? Looking at the data from France and Italy, there does not seem to be evidence of their lockdowns (which came in before ours) working. This could go on for more than six months, or a year. How can I maintain an old horse like this for six months or more?
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I'm sorry you are having to think this way.

A horse that has been kindly and considerably put to sleep can never suffer, and you will never need to worry about them again, you will know they are at peace.

You are right, this isn't going to end quickly. If it is right for you and your own state of mind, and your horse has limited time left whatever happens then yes, speak to your vet.



.
 
The horse is 100% healthy by any standards, just with some arthritis that is very controllable (at the moment) with exercise, but if she gets six months on essentially box rest because she can't be turned away?
 
Caol Ila said:
The horse is 100% healthy by any standards, just with some arthritis that is very controllable (at the moment) with exercise, but if she gets six months on essentially box rest because she can't be turned away?
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Too many what ifs at the moment . I wouldn't be making any hasty decisions for a horse that's still as fit and well as yours. Be different if she was retired or crocked. Jmho.
 
I agree. We don't know much about how it's going to play out yet. Personally wouldnt make any decisions yet. I think it's worth thinking about but as of now she is still ok and being managed. One day at a time. With some contingency plans considered if it makes you feel more in control.
 
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