livery yards allowing owners on during lockdown

[racebuddy]

as per thread really , i have been very lucky as even through first lockdown as allowed down as normal to do horses ,ride ect , some people werent so lucky and again we have hit a second lockdown again and i know of some yards that have said owners are not allowed down or even just once ? betweeen stupid hours ie 1 and 3 forgetting that some people do have to work as key workers , i ubnderstand the reasons why because of yard owners ect but its very harsh in some circumstances and some people wouildntt have the money to suddenly pay full livery prices for horses that would normally be on diy livery xx

 

[ew0855]

Home yard only allowing 1 hour visits at set times 3 times a week - and as I work shifts I can't do the same times every week, even if I take the 7am slot, so was looking at 4 weeks with effectively no riding.

Seeing a horse isn't the biggest issue faced by people at the moment, and I'm sadly too aware of that.
Happy to wear mask/wash hands/wipe off kit/limit riding time/take turns so not sharing schools etc.
Yard owners are completely, 100% entitled to set whatever rules they feel they need to (especially if somebody in the family is higher risk).
I choose to not go to the yard pre first lock down as before we had established community spread I was potentially higher risk than the general public.

However I'm spending more on livery than my morgage. The law allows me to care for and exercise my horse. Nearly my entire disposiable income goes on pony and me quitting as I can't see him does not help the equestrian economy - nor keep me sane. No magic is going to occur in the next 4 weeks which will then remove the risk.

We've moved to another yard till early Dec where I can exercise him myself on my days off.

 

[Bernster]

I think this time around yard owners are a bit more comfortable and prepared with how to make it work. I moved a couple of weeks ago and currently there no restrictions as it’s a small yard and she trusts us to be sensible and take the appropriate precautions. Hallelujah for being treated like an adult again!

 

[Wishfilly]

Lockdown in general is far less strict this time around- I'm not aware of any yards putting on restrictions in the local area, although I know last time a lot did.

We are currently carrying on as normal, just trying to minimise the number of people coming to the yard, especially at busy times.

I think it is tough though, because people are making sacrifices, and I think this lockdown is a bit too light touch and may not give us the significant reduction in cases that we need to get through the winter.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

We have hour slots am and pm, with an extra 30 minutes to ride by arrangement. Seems a bit crazy (although I’m incredibly grateful they haven’t closed the yard and gone full livery) given we’ve all been up whenever for the past few months, plus one of us is NHS frontline, I’m a teacher, another is a caretaker at a college, so we’re unable to work from home and associate with loads of others daily!

 

[maya2008]

Yard local to us hasn’t restricted this time, although they closed doors last time. Different time of year, kids still in school...

We are on our own, only difference I am noticing is that there are lots more cars on the roads leading to the woods which makes it more dangerous to hack (but we have no school so dayglo and teaching the kids to stick pony on verge at the first sign of car noise in the distance it is!).

 

[ecb89]

My yard was locked down last time, as restrictions were eased we were given slots.
This time it is operating as normal and I am so grateful!

 

[spotty_pony]

I'm at a private yard and we don't have any restrictions luckily - I have got 3 of my own plus one on livery with me to do so I am quite lucky I can take as much time as I need. Moving house at the end of the month though and lucky that the horses will be moving there too so can't wait for that.

 

[bubblensqueak]

the yard im at will potentially be quite big, with lots of un occupied new stables, but for now, its very small, and we all stay to our selves, ponies on individual turnout, so no one touches the same gate, and we've all got out own bays so no contact at all, i worked out the only thing we all touch is the tap, so we are very lucky we are well suited to the pandemic, and nothing has changed, however during the first lockdown at our old yard, i didnt see my horse from early march (we weren't allowed down BEFORE lockdown started) till september, she never lifted her restrictions.

 

[maya2008]

the yard im at will potentially be quite big, with lots of un occupied new stables, but for now, its very small, and we all stay to our selves, ponies on individual turnout, so no one touches the same gate, and we've all got out own bays so no contact at all, i worked out the only thing we all touch is the tap, so we are very lucky we are well suited to the pandemic, and nothing has changed, however during the first lockdown at our old yard, i didnt see my horse from early march (we weren't allowed down BEFORE lockdown started) till september, she never lifted her restrictions.

Wow, has she got any liveries left?

 

[Auslander]

I've just asked my liveries to be sensible - one person at a time in the tackroom/feedroom/stables/other enclosed areas, keep their distance, and observe the hygiene protocol that I put in place during the last lockdown. Anyone who wants to be alone up at the yard needs to let everyone know, and pick a time slot that doesn't interfere with evening stables - unless they want to put everything to bed (I rather like it when someone goes for that option!)

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Different country but still in "Lockdown Light"

We wear masks at the yard except for when riding. Only 2 people in the tack room at once. Groom and tack up outside when possible. Don't linger.
Ride and exercise horses outside as much as possible. One on one lessons allowed outside. Should only be hacking with one other person.

Oddly enough they (the country/state/riding federation) put tighter restrictions on indoor school usage this lockdown in comparison to the first lockdown and this one is the "light" one.

Our numbers continue to climb because quite honestly, they've targeted the wrong areas and aren't enforcing where they should.

 

[bubblensqueak]

Wow, has she got any liveries left?

haha yes surprisingly she does! just the one left, her little partner in crime who i have a sneaky suspicion was allowed to see her horse during her very very extended lockdown period. there used to be four but now just one left.

 

[SO1]

This time round the yard is open as normal, most of the liveries have been wfh since March now and not party animals, have not left the country and don't have school age children.

It is not a massive yard and as it is primarily part livery people don't need to be there for hours doing jobs they come for a ride and then go home.

I feel very lucky.