Livery yards being closed, banned from seeing our horses

Ok lots of pseudoscience here... flattening the curve will not shorten the epidemic it will lengthen it. But it will enable the NHS to deal with the numbers - if 5000 get sick every day they’ll probably cope or thereabouts if 50000 get sick they won’t. This means we need the 50000 (or whatever) people to get sick over a longer period of time... thus flattening the curve and extending the epidemic in time. But avoiding AVOIDABLE deaths ... not deaths but avoidable ones. At the moment there is no exit strategy which is why the government waited as long as it could to impose lock down... thus shortening the time we are cooped up for... thus increasing the chance that people might put up with it. They are feeding us ‘3 weeks’ to see how it goes cos saying 12 weeks will pretty much ensure non compliance but 3 weeks is nothing in the light of this epidemic. As someone who will likely have to make the choice of who gets a ventilator or not I’d really rather there were enough to go round ... I think seeing mass graves of people who died avoidably but for the lack of an itu bed will be pretty dire for anyone’s mental health. So please stay at home - avoid everyone you don’t live with and help my and my colleagues mental health by not making us make such decisions .
 
Last edited:
My concern is no longer about the possibility of not being able to see my horse for 6 months or more of lockdown but that they will take away the opportunity to have outdoor exercise. The thought of being stuck indoors indoors for 24 hours a day on my own for months on end, makes me feel glad just to be able to leave the house for an hour for a run.

If that comes to that even if going to the yard counts as horse care, riding would come under outdoor exercise so would be banned?
 
SO1 said:
My concern is no longer about the possibility of not being able to see my horse for 6 months or more of lockdown but that they will take away the opportunity to have outdoor exercise. The thought of being stuck indoors indoors for 24 hours a day on my own for months on end, makes me feel glad just to be able to leave the house for an hour for a run.

If that comes to that even if going to the yard counts as horse care, riding would come under outdoor exercise so would be banned?
Click to expand...

If they go along the route of France you cannot go to your horse unless it is kept somewhere with no one to provide basic care. Doesn't matter if all they can do is give hay and water as I understand. My friend there keeps her horse 30 m from her door, but because the yard is manned it is prohibited. And in several countries you may not walk your dog other than to take it outside to do its business within a very short distance from your door. But I think if the vast majority show that they will keep to the spirit of the regulations it won't get to that.
 
Winters100 said:
If they go along the route of France you cannot go to your horse unless it is kept somewhere with no one to provide basic care. Doesn't matter if all they can do is give hay and water as I understand. My friend there keeps her horse 30 m from her door, but because the yard is manned it is prohibited. And in several countries you may not walk your dog other than to take it outside to do its business within a very short distance from your door. But I think if the vast majority show that they will keep to the spirit of the regulations it won't get to that.
Click to expand...

I hope it won’t come to that but today people have still been coming to two beauty spots very near where I live. They were questioned by the security guards and turned away but some had travelled from London (over two hours drive), Southampton, Salisbury as well as more local (but still around half an hours drive). Some were abusive and I believe their car registration numbers are being passed to the police.
 
Winters100 said:
If they go along the route of France you cannot go to your horse unless it is kept somewhere with no one to provide basic care. Doesn't matter if all they can do is give hay and water as I understand. My friend there keeps her horse 30 m from her door, but because the yard is manned it is prohibited. And in several countries you may not walk your dog other than to take it outside to do its business within a very short distance from your door. But I think if the vast majority show that they will keep to the spirit of the regulations it won't get to that.
Click to expand...

I believe the situation in France is different with much more structured horse care. There are many more variants on DIY part and assisted here. For example I have no cover on bank holidays and weekends not because I choose that option but because it is not available. If I don't go up, I would have to get another livery to do mine as a favour which is fine in an emergency but not over a period of time. Plus that livery would have to travel to the yard. And then how do you police that and check who really needs to provides essential care and who doesn't.
 
Upthecreek said:
I hope it won’t come to that but today people have still been coming to two beauty spots very near where I live. They were questioned by the security guards and turned away but some had travelled from London (over two hours drive), Southampton, Salisbury as well as more local (but still around half an hours drive). Some were abusive and I believe their car registration numbers are being passed to the police.
Click to expand...

Wow:( What is wrong with people? How is this difficult to understand?
 
criso said:
I believe the situation in France is different with much more structured horse care. There are many more variants on DIY part and assisted here. For example I have no cover on bank holidays and weekends not because I choose that option but because it is not available. If I don't go up, I would have to get another livery to do mine as a favour which is fine in an emergency but not over a period of time. Plus that livery would have to travel to the yard. And then how do you police that and check who really needs to provides essential care and who doesn't.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is a very good point. I am in Poland and I have never heard of a yard offering DIY, and I believe that it is the same in France. All yards here are 'full care', but including only the carousel rather than lunging or riding.
 
I saw a lot of cyclists today near the yard who judging by the confused looks and checking of maps on phone were not local. Much busier than usual for a day without an organised ride. It's a interesting question with bikes as I assume that if you are a fit and experienced cyclist, you can get quite far from home just on average ride but they could end up quite far out of their area.
 
I think we have a very big problem now that Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, the person giving people the instruction to stay at home, has been caught out for going to her second home over an hours drive from her primary residence the last two weekends. How does she have a shred of credibility now?

I have never seen anything quite so cringe worthy as the press conference where she fessed up and apologised ? And Nicola Sturgeon says she still has her job because her advice is so valuable - the woman can’t even follow her own advice! I’m sure because of her actions many people in Scotland will be wondering why the hell they should stay at home.
 
I know quite a few people who normally cycle to work, obviously not at the moment as they are working from home, but one of them told me 40km is an easy cycle for people who do it regularly and he does when he goes on cycling holidays with no problem at all. I expect people are getting bored being indoors and not being able to visit family and friends and just doing what they can do which for people is outdoor exercise. I would never normally go on three hour walk but as I am not going to yard at the weekends I did today, it was actually not busy possibly because I went at lunch time. Running after work is more busy but that is probably because everyone who would normally go to a gym or play team sports or any sport really is now running to try and keep fit.


criso said:
I saw a lot of cyclists today near the yard who judging by the confused looks and checking of maps on phone were not local. Much busier than usual for a day without an organised ride. It's a interesting question with bikes as I assume that if you are a fit and experienced cyclist, you can get quite far from home just on average ride but they could end up quite far out of their area.
Click to expand...
 
[/QUOTE]
Winters100 said:
Wow:( What is wrong with people? How is this difficult to understand?
Click to expand...

yesterday or the day before there was a head nurse talking about the 2 nurses who had died that day and asking people to stay home. It was very emotive and one would have thought surely it would have got the message home but apparently not.
I totally fail to understand why people cannot realise key workers and the NHS staff have to go into this each day but, for the most part, all these others have to do is sit on the sofa and play video games.
 


yesterday or the day before there was a head nurse talking about the 2 nurses who had died that day and asking people to stay home. It was very emotive and one would have thought surely it would have got the message home but apparently not.
I totally fail to understand why people cannot realise key workers and the NHS staff have to go into this each day but, for the most part, all these others have to do is sit on the sofa and play video games.[/QUOTE]

Totally agree. But I would add (while being aware that this is an unpopular view) that we cannot view ourselves as somehow exempt as horse owners. My firm opinion is that anyone who is doing more than visiting their horses to provide essential basic care as quickly as possible is not acting within the spirit of the instructions which are to stay home as much as possible. We may think that there is no risk, but everyone riding a bicycle or visiting a national park probably thinks the same. Of course if horses are DIY or 'special needs' then it will be necessary to visit, but as you correctly say, if hearing of 2 nurses dying does not convince people to stay home and let the yards take care of their horses where possible then I am not sure what will.
 


yesterday or the day before there was a head nurse talking about the 2 nurses who had died that day and asking people to stay home. It was very emotive and one would have thought surely it would have got the message home but apparently not.
I totally fail to understand why people cannot realise key workers and the NHS staff have to go into this each day but, for the most part, all these others have to do is sit on the sofa and play video games.[/QUOTE]

Because for a lot of people who live in unpleasant or less than ideal circumstances the potential consequences are not worse than the lives they have right now

It's easy for us to judge if we live in nice houses with a bedroom each and a spacious shared communal area such a space a lounge. But if you live 5 or 8 or 12 to a room, or if you have no hope for the future, or live with an abuser the unknown of a virus is less scary than the present
 
I think non compliance is due to perceived risk. Most people are selfish, they don't really care that much if some stranger dies. They do care about risks to themselves, young healthy adults believe that they are at low risk of being killed by the virus so less likely to change their habits. People in rural areas feel they are safe as they don't come in contact with many people so they continue as normal.

Unless people feel their life or their immediate family is in danger then it is very difficult to get them to change their habits.

I also think some activities like sunbathing in groups are more young people activities. I went for a walk today & the only people I saw sunbathing/loitering not respecting social distancing were young adults.

I do feel sorry for people who have to work in construction sites & shops or other places where social distancing is difficult who do not have PPE.

The heathcare workers who have died may not have been infected at work as patients & colleagues may not have been their only contacts over the last 2/3weeks or before the lockdown. Family members who could be aysymptomatic could have passed on the virus. The schools have not been shut that long. Hopefully now more places are shut & people are staying at home more the death & infection rate will drop.

Frumpoon said:
yesterday or the day before there was a head nurse talking about the 2 nurses who had died that day and asking people to stay home. It was very emotive and one would have thought surely it would have got the message home but apparently not.
I totally fail to understand why people cannot realise key workers and the NHS staff have to go into this each day but, for the most part, all these others have to do is sit on the sofa and play video games.
Click to expand...

Because for a lot of people who live in unpleasant or less than ideal circumstances the potential consequences are not worse than the lives they have right now

It's easy for us to judge if we live in nice houses with a bedroom each and a spacious shared communal area such a space a lounge. But if you live 5 or 8 or 12 to a room, or if you have no hope for the future, or live with an abuser the unknown of a virus is less scary than the present[/QUOTE]
 
criso said:
I saw a lot of cyclists today near the yard who judging by the confused looks and checking of maps on phone were not local. Much busier than usual for a day without an organised ride. It's a interesting question with bikes as I assume that if you are a fit and experienced cyclist, you can get quite far from home just on average ride but they could end up quite far out of their area.
Click to expand...

That'll be me sometimes, I am a bit too used to 'following the group' which is actually quite nice without having to worry about where you are going. But it means I am using the saved tracks on viewranger to check I am going the right way,, particularly if I have gone over the A14 :D ! I'm a middling fit average cyclist so 25 miles would be a usual weekend ride, doing nearer 50 in the summer.

Given that we aren't group riding which took up most of last year I have also dusted off the mountain bike so I can cycle the byways so I check those on the map too.

I do purposely try to go at times when I think it will be quieter though and have come across very few people given the population numbers. went out on the road bike about 5.30 as was getting jobs done and everyone else had done their exercise for the day by then :)
 
ester said:
I'm a middling fit average cyclist so 25 miles would be a usual weekend ride, doing nearer 50 in the summer.
Click to expand...

That's what I was pondering. That sort of mileage would easily get someone in London out into Herts. If you drove to have a walk or walk your dogs in that area, it's been decided that is unacceptable but on a bike you could easily be doing that.

That's not a criticism, I'm just musing.
 
Last edited:
Oh absolutely, I'm mostly limited by seatbone conditioning, 70 was my max last year, with cake stops ;). I wasn't really doing more than the 16 mile round trip to work and back this time last year so you can get up to significant distance relatively quickly.
Its part of the reason for taking the other bike out, I put more effort in over a shorter distance, not least because it's probably 3x the weight!
 
Upthecreek said:
I hope it won’t come to that but today people have still been coming to two beauty spots very near where I live. They were questioned by the security guards and turned away but some had travelled from London (over two hours drive), Southampton, Salisbury as well as more local (but still around half an hours drive). Some were abusive and I believe their car registration numbers are being passed to the police.
Click to expand...

stonehenge and Avebury by any chance?
 
One of my friends on my yard did his weekly half-hour visit to his horse in the field over the weekend, and found a total stranger wandering out of the yard. When he confronted her, she said that she'd been following the 'footpath' and it just ended on the yard, so what was she to do??? The 'footpath' is the yard's farm ride, the entrance to which is behind a gate, with every indication that it's private property and no indication that it's a public foothpath.

Considering even the horses' owners aren't allowed onto the yard proper, he gave her an absolute blasting.

I appreciate that people are going stir crazy stuck at home (god knows, I am - just look at my shaved head for proof!) but some people are so entirely lacking in common sense that I think enforcement may have to be the way to go.
 
My friends were out in one of our fields yesterday doing general maintanence for about an hour and witnessed 8 different sets of people that they’d never seen before using the footpath, getting lost and then wandering into one of the paddocks. Friend confronted one man, who was actually really nice she said, but told him that before he’d touched the mini gate to get through the field where the path is, 7 other sets of people had touched it in the last hour. He said he genuinely hadn’t considered that at all.
 
Amymay said:
I think, ideally, in the current circumstances- no ?
Click to expand...
I doubt the getting lost was deliberate, and if you are having to walk from home when you're not used to it, then you're more likely to get lost. You get blasted if you drive to places you know, so you walk locally where you might not know the routes and get blasted for getting lost. No-win situation for some isn't it.
 
JennBags said:
So people aren't allowed to get lost or go somewhere they've not been before? FFS.
Click to expand...
No not really. If they get lost someone may have to be sent to find them, and unless they know the area well, going somehere they have never been before makes the chances of being lost greater.
I am always astounded that people set off somewhere with no food or drink, no descent footwear and expect the countryside to be like a park, with a flat walking surface and farms are not places of work.
Then if they have food and drink they drop the rubbish, never take it home, and leave faeces, not dog, dogs don't usually wipe their bums with tissues paper, on the track. Yes on the footpath. Ugh.
 
JennBags said:
I doubt the getting lost was deliberate, and if you are having to walk from home when you're not used to it, then you're more likely to get lost. You get blasted if you drive to places you know, so you walk locally where you might not know the routes and get blasted for getting lost. No-win situation for some isn't it.
Click to expand...

No, not really. The advice is to be out for the minimum amount of time that is absolutely necessary for exercise. Nobody sets out to get lost (except maybe my PIL but OH has them on a short leash right now). But, if you are wandering aimlessly through the countryside with no idea where you are going, it indicates that you are probably further from home than you should be. An hour’s walk shouldn’t take you further from home than a couple of miles.

And as for cyclists going miles and miles, just get a turbo trainer FFS. I cycle, and I’ve got one on order precisely because I don’t want to be ’that cyclist’ that everyone on social media is currently getting in a froth over.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top