Livery yards being closed, banned from seeing our horses

[chaps89]

That's awful. In her shoes I would move my horse of able to do so (I know it's not always an option).

Apparently there has been alot of favouritism been shown in how time slots have been divvied up as well.
I'm certainly glad I'm not there any more, I'm not sure on her plans but I don't think anyone could blame her for going

 

[SO1]

I am the only one on the yard in the evenings at the moment and I normally ride at 8pm. I am hoping that equine welfare will be a reason to travel and the yard will let me come and ride - he does need regular exercise for health reasons due to the risk of getting obese and also he needs to be kept strong and fit as he had a suspensory injury earlier this year.

I can pay someone to come and ride him but that person does not work at the yard every day.

In my case riding is not just for fun and there are some days when the weather is lousy that it not much fun but I have to get on and do it for welfare reasons.

 

[fredflop]

Apparently there has been alot of favouritism been shown in how time slots have been divvied up as well.
I'm certainly glad I'm not there any more, I'm not sure on her plans but I don't think anyone could blame her for going

in the last lockdown there was “reverse snobbery” at my yard. YO had said riding was permitted, with some rules in place. Obviously diy had to turn up every day to look after their horses. Some of the diy’ers read this that only people on diy were entitled to ride their horse and anyone on full livery was banned from the yard

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Apparently there has been alot of favouritism been shown in how time slots have been divvied up as well.
I'm certainly glad I'm not there any more, I'm not sure on her plans but I don't think anyone could blame her for going

We've been told we have to have timeslots of an hour. But try to avoid between 4-7pm. Well anyone who lives in the real world tends to work full time and that's the time they get there after work. So it can't be helped. I feel moreworried about lockdown than I do of getting corona virus. I will be continuing to travel to work as my work is classed as essential thank goodness. I just hope they don't decide to shut work as my job is not transferrable to home.

 

[HashRouge]

This seems really over the top.
If it's safe for you to attend to your horse on Weds it will be safe on Thursday. Not allowing anyone even in the fields is just ridiculous. This virus isn't radio active or anything. There's cautious and there's ridiculous.

I think it's absolutely bonkers and a massive over-reaction by the yard.

 

[Goldenstar]

For those of you on DIY I think yard owners will be much more likely to get a system going that allows you to provide care for you own horses.
It’s winter this time a lot more work .
I sympathise with you all it must be awful to contemplate people not used to providing care for a whole yard taking it on at this time of year .

 

[JennBags]

This seems really over the top.
If it's safe for you to attend to your horse on Weds it will be safe on Thursday. Not allowing anyone even in the fields is just ridiculous. This virus isn't radio active or anything. There's cautious and there's ridiculous.

It's not about it not being safe, it's about STOPPING the virus spreading. Apart from the fact that the person you quoted first posted back at the beginning of the first lockdown and not now ?

I think it's absolutely bonkers and a massive over-reaction by the yard.

Each yard has to assess their own covid risks, if they don't do a proper risk assessment they won't be insured.

 

[MrsMozart]

Still allowed to care for horses.

And riding is being counted as exercise, so long as you don't do anything that would require NHS services. No competing. No travelling except for vet treatment.

That's my understanding from reading the rules yesterday.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Still allowed to care for horses.

And riding is being counted as exercise, so long as you don't do anything that would require NHS services. No competing. No travelling except for vet treatment.

That's my understanding from reading the rules yesterday.

Where are these rules? I'd like to read them and compare them with the rules we'll have to follow.

 

[MrsMozart]

Where are these rules? I'd like to read them and compare them with the rules we'll have to follow.

On the .Gov site. I'll hunt them out later.

 

[SO1]

Now mask wearing is accepted as a way of reducing risks and most people are used to wearing them perhaps asking liveries to wear masks when not riding may allow people to be able tend to their horses.

Giving those in high risk categories time slots so they can have a time at the yard when no-one else is there to reduce the risk.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Now mask wearing is accepted as a way of reducing risks and most people are used to wearing them perhaps asking liveries to wear masks when not riding may allow people to be able tend to their horses.

Giving those in high risk categories time slots so they can have a time at the yard when no-one else is there to reduce the risk.

We've been wearing masks for a week or two now at the yard. You can remove them while riding, but otherwise wear them. Only 2 people in the tack room at once, a limit to number of riders in the indoor school, and just try to do everything outside as much as possible (grooming, riding, cleaning tack, etc.).

A livery did ask when the least busiest time would be as she is a nurse and would prefer to avoid as many interactions outside of work as possible. YO told her when less busy times are, and it worked out.

All of these measures are doable. Sometimes it gets a bit busy, but we've been managing.

 

[NinjaPony]

This time round I’m totally DIY on a working sheep farm so will be carrying on as usual. My lot are next to each other and all my stuff is in my own spare stable so no need to interact with anyone else or their horses!

 

[Goldenstar]

Are those of you in yards with indoor schools going to be able to use them ?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

We haven’t yet been given slots. I’m waiting to see what happens. We’re likely to hear last minute.

 

[Equine_Dream]

This seems really over the top.
If it's safe for you to attend to your horse on Weds it will be safe on Thursday. Not allowing anyone even in the fields is just ridiculous. This virus isn't radio active or anything. There's cautious and there's ridiculous.

By way of an update, unsurprisingly this idea didn't last long. YO relented and agreed we could attend the yard once daily to check horses, and we each had a specific 1 hour timeslot. We were not allowed to ride which I found very difficult as I suffer with mental health issues which were already escalated by the lockdown. Not being able to ride was the icing on the cake, but unfortunately YO followed bhs guidelines to the letter.
We are in Wales and currently mid way through the firebreak lockdown, and thankfully YO has relaxed a great deal since the first lockdown. I went for a lovely hack yesterday and horses were already coming in at night so we've continued to attend the 2x daily to see to them, but sticking to social distancing and sanitising hands regularly.

 

[cindars]

Only two on our yard. Owner lives there as does her elderly mum. Three ponies have lived out all summer and still are. I usually go up once a day check them over do water and poo pick. Don't even see owner. Other livery has elderly parents and a grandchild she looks after. It worked first time round and it's my daily exercise bike there and back.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Our yard life was only restricted to no riding for three/four weeks at the beginning then it was relaxed. Most folk are only up to attend to their horses. I just go up, see to my boy, ride if I’m riding and go home, I don’t socialise much and our guys are at a dead end annex of the barn and we have our own door so once at the stables I don’t have to go near anyone.

There are 28 horses in the yard so we are used to having to stagger riding times etc and in the winter many don’t ride during the week just the weekends so is that do ride can do outdoors no bother

 

[sarahann1]

I ended up moving yards in the end, I couldn’t risk not being able to see my horse for weeks on end again.

The yard I moved to had time slots, we’ve been told we won’t go back to them, we’ve just been asked to be extra careful.

 

[ecb89]

My full livery yard are currently waiting to see what the BHS say.

 

[greenbean10]

My full livery yard is continuing with business as usual but we are all generally very careful and ride at separate times anyway.

Possibly an unpopular opinion but I think it's absolutely bonkers that people were being told not to ride by their yard owners and pretty disgraceful of the BHS to encourage it.

 

[Griffin]

My full livery yard is continuing with business as usual but we are all generally very careful and ride at separate times anyway.

Possibly an unpopular opinion but I think it's absolutely bonkers that people were being told not to ride by their yard owners and pretty disgraceful of the BHS to encourage it.

I totally agree with you. In my job, I am in contact with up to a hundred students a day with no social distancing, I am fairly certain this is a lot more hazardous to my health (and therefore more problematic for the NHS) than doing flatwork for twenty minutes in an outdoor school.

I think it is fairly easy to reduce the risks at a livery yard e.g. asking people not to share tools, sanitising surfaces, handwashing areas, encouraging the wearing of masks in communal areas.

I think that for many owners, seeing their horse is a bit of normality and very important for their mental health. Plus, I know that if I suddenly stopped seeing my mare for weeks on end, she would miss me nearly as much as I would miss her.

 

[Sossigpoker]

By way of an update, unsurprisingly this idea didn't last long. YO relented and agreed we could attend the yard once daily to check horses, and we each had a specific 1 hour timeslot. We were not allowed to ride which I found very difficult as I suffer with mental health issues which were already escalated by the lockdown. Not being able to ride was the icing on the cake, but unfortunately YO followed bhs guidelines to the letter.
We are in Wales and currently mid way through the firebreak lockdown, and thankfully YO has relaxed a great deal since the first lockdown. I went for a lovely hack yesterday and horses were already coming in at night so we've continued to attend the 2x daily to see to them, but sticking to social distancing and sanitising hands regularly.

I don't see how it's up to the yard owner to tell you if you can ride your horse or not?
I would be moving most likely. There is being sensible and careful and there's being over the top. Mind you, my yard only has a couple of liveries so not very busy at best of times.

 

[Equine_Dream]

I don't see how it's up to the yard owner to tell you if you can ride your horse or not?
I would be moving most likely. There is being sensible and careful and there's being over the top. Mind you, my yard only has a couple of liveries so not very busy at best of times.

It was extremely difficult as usually the yard is lovely and my horses are also very happy and settled. But if being told when I may or may not ride my own horses had continued, then I was prepared to look at moving them to a different yard. Luckily things are much better now.

 

[SO1]

We have been told business as usual this time round. Make sure wash hands and don't linger. She said horse need exercise and people need to come for their mental health. It is quite a small yard and most liveries wfh now and not been having parties socialising.

 

[Shysmum]

I'm very lucky to have my own land and stables here in France. I appreciate how very lucky I am, I have mental health problems which is why we moved here in the first place. My ponies are my routine, and mean the world to me, even if we are not allowed to ride during lockdown.

The change of routine must for many owners have a devastating effect. It would for me.

 

[Fred66]

I don't see how it's up to the yard owner to tell you if you can ride your horse or not?
I would be moving most likely. There is being sensible and careful and there's being over the top. Mind you, my yard only has a couple of liveries so not very busy at best of times.

The yard owners that closed yards in the first shutdown did so based upon the guidance at the time. To blame them for doing what was at the time legally required of them seems to be rather unfair.

 

[Equine_Dream]

The yard owners that closed yards in the first shutdown did so based upon the guidance at the time. To blame them for doing what was at the time legally required of them seems to be rather unfair.

Buuuuut the government never actually said we couldn't ride. The BHS issued guidance but there was no legal requirement for it to be followed.

In fairness I think a lot of people panicked at first. After all this was unprecedented, and happened very quickly. No one really knew what to do so acted in whatever way they thought best.

I don't think the same panicked approach will happen this time. It certainly hasn't here in Wales (where we can happily ride our horses but under no circumstances are you allowed to purchase a pair of knickers ??‍).

 

[hopscotch bandit]

I'm very lucky to have my own land and stables here in France. I appreciate how very lucky I am, I have mental health problems which is why we moved here in the first place. My ponies are my routine, and mean the world to me, even if we are not allowed to ride during lockdown.

The change of routine must for many owners have a devastating effect. It would for me.

My partner and I have both said as a result of lockdown and how stressful it waa the first time around we will be thinking about moving one day to a place with three or four acres so we can do our own thing. We'd thought about it before Corona virus, but now its definetley on.our radar for the future.

Having an hour timeslot was horrendous as my horse was rehabbed at the time which took up 10m of my precious hour but was essential for the eventual terrific outcome. The whole thing was made worse by the fact that although i followed the rules that were in place on the yard to the book others did not which caused by terrible frustration and huge upset as others were permitted to drag their hour out to two or three hours. The unfairness of it all had a lasting impact on my mental health so I am dreading it again and feel as long as people socially distance and use a mask away from their stable this shoud work.

 

[bouncing_ball]

Are those of you in yards with indoor schools going to be able to use them ?

I think government re classified indoor schools as outdoor spaces a few months ago, so if can ride in an outdoor arena an indoor will be ok