Trying and buying during lockdown

[Foxinthechickencoop]

Hello
We had arranged to try a pony out for my daughter on Saturday. This was arranged before lockdown was announced. We are u sure whether this is still permitted. It’s in a local areas for us, so a shortish car journey. But it’s on a private yard at someone’s house.
Can anyone enlighten us on whether this is permitted please?
it seems that the journey and travelling are fine. It’s the meeting on the private property that is the issue.

 

[BatHorse]

I don't believe you can. The government guidance is that you avoid non essential journeys, and cannot meet people who are not in your support bubble on private property

 

[Arzada]

You can socialise/exercise with/meet with one person at a time who is not in your support bubble. You can meet with different people. In public spaces only. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-nat...#where-and-when-you-can-meet-in-larger-groups

 

[stormox]

So if they brought the pony out on the road to you, itd be ok?

 

[MereChristmas]

Sorry, I don’t think it is allowed.
https://www.bhs.org.uk/advice-and-i...-and-owners-lockdown-2#Viewing-buying-selling

 

[HollyWoozle]

New legislation with details on what counts as a good enough reason to leave home: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/pdfs/uksi_20201200_en.pdf

 

[Tiddlypom]

Sorry, I don’t think it is allowed.
https://www.bhs.org.uk/advice-and-i...-and-owners-lockdown-2#Viewing-buying-selling

That covers it, and it is the latest and current advice for England.

Viewing, buying and selling horses
During lockdown, viewing horses or collecting a newly purchased horse would not be deemed as essential travel as the new restriction from 5 November, in England, require people to stay at home except for specific purposes.

 

[Polos Mum]

There's several things to consider

1) what's legal - probably viewing on road OK
2) what's guidance - BHS has no authority but their guidance is clear - NO
3) what you might get caught doing - given the number of parties and big gatherings the police are struggling with I can't imagine they'd catch you
4) what is morally right given people are dying and livelihoods being wrecked

 

[MereChristmas]

Just for general information, a link to British Equestrian
https://www.britishequestrian.org.u...aBFyj9BUhb70cF07stKjEKV8z4T9xi5ToWT57TUUn4Rbg

 

[kidsandponies]

I have been wondering this too. We haven’t actually arranged a viewing but this week saw a couple that were worth enquiring after. I haven’t because knew lockdown was coming again and we wouldn’t be in a position to view if first discussions went well. To be honest I am surprised at just how many are coming onto the market this week, it’s called Sod’s law I guess.

 

[SO1]

May be classed as a business meeting?

 

[AmyMay]

May be classed as a business meeting?

Or you could be testing your eyesight and balance ?

Wonders what people don’t understand..... ??‍

 

[doodle]

I’m not in England so probably shouldn’t comment but it is really annoying me how people, (including the first lockdown) and I’m not meaning op, are trying to bend the rules to fit in whatever it is they want to do. The rules are pretty clear. So don’t do non essential things. Not really hard to understand.

 

[L&M]

I’m not in England so probably shouldn’t comment but it is really annoying me how people, (including the first lockdown) and I’m not meaning op, are trying to bend the rules to fit in whatever it is they want to do. The rules are pretty clear. So don’t do non essential things. Not really hard to understand.

Totally agree.....

 

[Merry neddy man]

It may be non essential to some but very essential to others, BHS says you should not go to view a horse as it's not "essential travel". But livestock auctions that sell horses are allowed to continue so how do you get there if its un essential travel and what do you do with the horse you have bought? Very contradictory information.

 

[doodle]

You have just cemented my point!

A private sale for a new private/family horse. Essential? If people just buckle down it may be over in a month. If people don’t then it will just be extended and extended again.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Yet during the last lockdown, several new horses arrived at the yard, some due to their yards being really locked down and owners not allowed up at all.

 

[doodle]

I think it is totally different having to move your horse as it was locked down and you couldn’t see your horse, but buying a new horse is not essential.

 

[Caol Ila]

Apply common sense. Make sure that you're outside and that tack, etc., gets a wee spray of dettol before you try horse, and then another one after you finish riding. And don't kiss the seller.

The trouble with parsing out "essential" vs."not essential" is that it unfolds into a disaster, because that can totally change depending on circumstances. What if you've lost your livelihood due to all the mishegoss, and you have to sell the horse, quickly, as you can't afford to keep it? Not even for another month. If you're self-employed with no family or significant other support, that could be you, because this government's support of self-employed and freelancers has been shight. Or it could be you if your company went bust before Dishy Rishy announced the extension of furlough today. Maybe you thought you were crawling out of the hole with the easing of restrictions, but now you've realised the hole has no end in sight.

Then having potential buyers looking at your horse becomes pretty essential, doesn't it?

 

[The Jokers Girl]

I think it is totally different having to move your horse as it was locked down and you couldn’t see your horse, but buying a new horse is not essential.

It might be essential for the seller though, if they are one of the poor beggers who have lost their jobs, struggling to pay basic bills etc. Keeping my horse costs me over 600pcm. If I lost my job, although unlikely, I'd have to sell asap

 

[Trouper]

I'm normally a pretty law-abiding person but I must admit these blanket Covid restrictions are testing my civic duty to its limits. I know I can go to a supermarket but I won't because my age is a risk and there is an alternative and safer way to shop for food. However, on this lockdown, I can apparently let my cleaner into my house for 3 hours with no censure. Where is the logic?? I could go on.....

I think if you have the viewing arranged then I would be asking the seller if they were happy for it to go ahead and take it from there. You might have to wait for a vetting but I haven't studied what vets are allowed to do this time.

Increasingly, I will risk assess for myself from now on. I was not one to go rushing off to the pub or jetting off on holiday when restrictions eased last time because it seemed self-evident to me what would happen. Responsible behaviour will get us through this - not harmful lockdowns.

Rant over.

 

[Antw23uk]

Oh for gods sake just go and view the pony. Take some masks, wipes and gloves with you if you are paranoid and keep your distance from the seller. Honestly the worlds gone blooming mad!!! Rant over!

Im going to view a horse today, im not going to sit on the sellers lap and lick his face! (not planning to anyway but you never know)

 

[maya2008]

Not for one minute do I believe this will end in Dec. We have children at school still with no social distancing. We have playgrounds open. It only took TWO months after schools and universities re-opened for us to be in lockdown again. If we come out in Dec, it will be locked down again in Jan/Feb. We are all in this for the long haul, so the rules for everyone to follow need to be sustainable over many many months. Horses need to be moved on, for a variety of reasons. If no sales, what happens to all the horses currently at dealers’ yards? What happens when people run out of money or to horses that are repeatedly without the money from sharers or on full livery their owners can not afford, or...?

 

[MereChristmas]

Not for one minute do I believe this will end in Dec. We have children at school still with no social distancing. We have playgrounds open. It only took TWO months after schools and universities re-opened for us to be in lockdown again. If we come out in Dec, it will be locked down again in Jan/Feb. We are all in this for the long haul, so the rules for everyone to follow need to be sustainable over many many months. Horses need to be moved on, for a variety of reasons. If no sales, what happens to all the horses currently at dealers’ yards? What happens when people run out of money or to horses that are repeatedly without the money from sharers or on full livery their owners can not afford, or...?

Stating it the simplest of terms, I think the dilemma has always been the balance between health and safety or jobs.

 

[luckyoldme]

If you are really desperate to get your daughter a pony I suppose it would be quite easy to convince yourself that this is an essential journey.
Its very unlikely that anyone would challenge you or that anything would be done.
If you want to stick strictly by the rules I would say it would be hard to convince most people that buying a pony is essential.

 

[Spottyappy]

I’m not a law breaker,normally.
I went to another county in the last lockdown to view a mare. I brought her straight back with us, to save 2 trips. vetting wasn’t possible at that time, but I don’t generally vet anyway.
No one stopped us, or asked us about the reason we were in a Horsebox, on the m25.
Had we got stopped, I was quite happy to say the horse urgently needed a new home,and my mental health was suffering without having one. Both of which were true.
Am not suggesting you break the law, of course.

 

[doodle]

So just because you probably won’t get stopped and you have a good excuse made up in your head it makes breaking the rules ok?

 

[Merry neddy man]

My neighbour can meet1 person from another household in the great outdoors and go for a 5 mile walk with social distancing, but he can't meet that same person in the carpark of a golf club and bash some golf balls about while on a 5 mile walk round a golf course while social distancing, lots of odd rules

 

[Littlewills]

So just because you probably won’t get stopped and you have a good excuse made up in your head it makes breaking the rules ok?

No, but when last month the government was subsidising cheap meals to get everyone to eat out, it makes a mockery of lock down now. I dont go anywhere other than the yard and supermarket. No one is social distancing in supermarkets and haven't been for months now. Its far more dangerous to buy food than it is to view a pony outside with suitable precautions in place. Id have no issues at all going to view.

 

[Antw23uk]

So just because you probably won’t get stopped and you have a good excuse made up in your head it makes breaking the rules ok?

Yes 100%. But if you arent happy with that lock yourself away and shield for the rest of your life. We'll be in and out of this lockdown malarky for a long time, i wont be putting my life on hold thats for sure. Life has to go on.