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| My obnoxiously loud co-worker |
That said, even though my barn is still open, I've made the decision to voluntarily stop going. Yes, it's hard, but nothing that I do for Connor is essential, and I can't trick my brain into thinking that it is. Riding is not essential. Even keeping him legged up isn't essential, he can have a letdown period and will be fine.
It's true that no one will arrest me or stop me from going to the barn, especially since my barn is still open to boarders. But it's also true that as much as I want everyone around me to be a f****** adult and obey the lockdown rules so this thing ends as soon as possible, I need to also do the same.
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| Cannot say being away from this snoot is going to be easy |
I am lucky. I have a barn staff that I trust wholeheartedly. I have a horse that gets a full day of turnout, every day. I have a hardy pony who is the same regardless of if he gets ridden 7 days a week or no days a week. My farrier is completely self-sufficient and does Connor in the crossties. We just got shots, coggins, chiro, and teeth done in the last two months. And CrossFit provides me just as much of a mental reset as riding does, so I can't even say I'll be psychologically hurting, even if emotionally being away from him is hard.
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| My garage has been preparing for the coronavirus for YEARS |
I'm not posting this to guilt trip any of you for visiting the barn. If your barn staff isn't as attentive as mine, or your horse doesn't have a turnout option unless you visit him, that's a lot more essential than my "show up to feed him a peppermint, ride him, feed him another peppermint and go home" routine.
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| My trainer sent me this photo of Connor happy, healthy and appropriately unblanketed for the weather today, and it made me so happy. |
We are all in different situations. In my barn, there are people that come to my barn who support elderly relatives, who have relatives that have recently had cancer, who have other types of immuno-compromised relatives. And not to mention, we'd really be up a creek if my trainer or her assistant came down with it. One less person coming to the barn is one less opportunity to pass this bullshit virus onto those people. And frankly, if I did get it and they asked me where I had been as part of contact tracing, I would be embarrassed as hell to say I continued my very non-essential barn trips during the lockdown. So, I stop.
I don't anticipate I'll stay away entirely - maybe once every couple weeks or a month, depending on how long this goes on. And it's not easy. But it's the right thing to do.
How's everyone else holding up with this?
My barn has no direction on this (that I'm aware of) at this point. ZB is definitely 100% fine without me out there and I have no concerns about her care. I am trying to limit exposure as much as possible right now and my job definitely has me out and about already, so for the next bit, I'm probably not going to the barn.
ReplyDeleteBut.
In a week or so, depending how things develop and if we get more clarity on the local situation and instructions, I'll re-evaluate.
It's definitely something that needs continual re-evaluation. Here, we have documented community spread, so it only makes sense to stay home, but it could be totally different where you are.
DeleteI'm in the same boat as you. I've voluntarily stopped going to the barn as of last Thursday. It's been too wet to ride, so my trainers are more than capable of putting Mo on the walker, or turning him out when it does dry up. I'd much rather pay them a little extra right now than add to the risk that they could sick. Cosmo will be fine with 2 weeks - 2 months off. He's done it before, he always comes back happy to work, but he's happy to be temporarily retired.
ReplyDeleteWe have not gotten any info from the barn (it's new, semi-private, owners don't know much) about any precautions they are taking. I do have 2 people partial leasing him, and I left it up to them if they still want to go out to the barn. So there is a change Mo will still get ridden once it dries up (it's been too wet to ride for 2+ weeks now).
It's hard, but I want to follow the rules I hope everyone else should be. We'll see how long I can hold out.
It sounds like you really are in the same situation as I am, except because of turnout I'm not paying extra for things like the walker. That's how I feel too - I need to follow the rules I want everyone else to follow.
DeleteGood for you! Where I board is tiny and private. I am self boarding and do 'essential' care, but I still want to follow the spirit of the rules as much as I can. The barn owner has been doing a lot for us so right now I just go to the barn late every evening for about 15 minutes with my gloves and giant container of lysol wipes and try not to touch anything I don't have to :)
ReplyDeleteI feed grain and vitamins and give all the horses a quick check over and an extra flake of hay/water top up if they need it. Other than that and early morning hiking when the local trails are deserted I've been at home for 10 days now, getting all the necessities delivered. Honestly I'd rather just stay home. I really REALLY do not want to make anyone sick.
I feel the same way, I am not nearly as concerned about myself getting sick as causing someone else to get sick, especially someone who is more immuno-compromised than I am.
DeleteWhat a tough place to be and a tough decision to make. Currently, my boys live at home and I'm eternally grateful for that, so I don't have to make these kind of decisions. I'd thought back to my last two board situations during this time and honestly one of them I could've not gone to the barn and my horses would have been fine & totally taken care of, and I probably would have stayed away. The other one was a sketchier situation and was largely self-care other than BO throwing hay and watering them. It definitely made me feel for the people having to make those decisions because my decision would've been very different depending on where I was. I hope people can follow the rules and do what they're supposed to so life can begin to return to some level of normalcy soon. <3
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I'm hoping. If my decision to stay home even though no one is "making me" can do even a bit to stop the spread of this thing, and maybe show season can start earlier (yes it's a big ask out of one person's decision but I need hope ok!) then all this will be worth it.
DeleteYour posts have been spot on and gave me a lot of food for thought. I had the luxury of moving my horse home a week ago from his winter boarding situation. Even though I was required to pay for board through the end of April (it's in the contract and timed for when the horses in Florida come home), I thought it was important for reducing the exposure for everyone. I agree with Jen–one less person at the barn makes a difference. Even though I can't ride because there's still snow on the ground (mid/end of April is usually when we start), it's the right decision for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad it helped, and I really think you made the right decision bringing him home. I'd so much rather have mine in my backyard and be unable to ride than to be completely away from him like I am.
DeleteOur barn closed yesterday - pretty much the only barn in Denver to do so. If I were in your barn situation, I'd be happy to not go out, but as it stands - I'm incredibly upset. The barn I'm at is basically run by the trainers who run lessons/training out of the barn. They decided a couple of days ago that everyone but them, the barn manager, and the barn workers shouldn't be allowed at the barn. What does that mean for all of the horses? Well, horses in training will be worked regularly because the trainers still get to go out. The other horses (including Gavin) will get the basic care they got before (fed,watered, stall cleaned, turn out for 2 hours a day). That means for who knows how long Gavin will be in an INDOOR box stall for 22 hours a day. His box stall/turnout situation was only acceptable with me before because my friends were able to go turn him out extra when they were there and I was able to go ride him regularly. I am incredibly upset that the horses not in training are going to suffer because of this and the one's in training will do just fine. You know who benefits? The trainers! Because a ton of people are now forced into purchasing training packages with them just to get their horses outside. Rant over.
ReplyDeleteI took a long time to reply to this because I wanted to think about it. I agree it's a shitty situation, and I think the trainers should offer an in-between price for extra turnout but not training. They should get paid for the extra work they'll have to do in exercising more horses, but it doesn't need to be training rides/training time, and it should be discounted appropriately. Ultimately they have to protect themselves, as people that don't get paid sick time and as people that are more or less solely responsible for keeping those horses alive.
DeleteOur barn is of course on limited visitation now except for staff. Boarders are welcome but on schedule and you have to let them know ahead of time. Remus will be fine (I am going there today to drop off his smartpaks and check in with them). Since they have stopped doing lessons for now I need to find out if i have to pay full board this month or not (I hope not Remus is half the cost of feeding those tbredss there) and figure out if i bring him home or not. But Remus is like Connor. He will survive if I dont get there. UGH it is a horrible time when we need our horses more than ever. Since no one in TN has gotten the memo TO STAY HOME UNLESS NECESSARY I am trying to stay home as much as possible. Today i am venturing out then coming right home. UGH stay safe!!
ReplyDeleteYou stay safe too! The lesson thing is hard. I'm going to continue to pay for my lessons and training rides as usual because I know my trainer needs to stay afloat, but not everyone is in that position what with hours/jobs being cut. You gotta do what you gotta do.
DeleteGood for you. I know it sucks an awful lot but I'm glad to read this. <3
ReplyDeleteAnd frankly, if I did get it and they asked me where I had been as part of contact tracing, I would be embarrassed as hell to say I continued my very non-essential barn trips during the lockdown. So, I stop.
This has been a compelling argument for me personally. How would I feel in 3 or 6 months if we all start getting tested for antibodies to find out I did have it at some point and was asymptomatic? I keep running the math through my head of how many days it's been since I _______ like that's somehow proof that things will be okay.
Yeah, I just keep thinking, you're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem. And you can do all kids of mental gymnastics to justify being the problem, especially when it comes to horses, but in the end, you are still the problem. Sorry if that comes across as judgmental, but the statistics are increasingly grim around any central gathering point for humans.
DeleteIf I was in your situation I would probably not go to the barn either. I am not and unfortunately the only person that I trust with caring for my horse right now is my friend M. We both are continuing to help each other out and are continuing to be open communication with each other.
ReplyDeleteThat's good. Like I said, you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.
DeleteWe have at least one boarder who chose to continue their spring trip to Asia and upon return was mandated by their employer to self-quarantine for 14 days. This person spent that time at the barn riding despite sharing a tack room with several boarders, myself included, and nonchalantly chatting about how we're all going to get it but it won't be a big deal for them because they are young so they are not worried about it. That was my last day at the barn. That's dangerous and irresponsible behavior but because the only thing I have control of in the situation is my own behavior- I dropped off a month of supplements, some emergency care equipment, and I haven't been back. I had already stopped riding because my horse is green and I didn't feel like it was worth the risk. Lucky to be in a full-care boarding situation where I trust the owners/staff but hella jealous of your grass because my horse's turnout is entirely cannon-deep mud.
ReplyDeleteWow that's AWFUL! And so selfish. They sound young to me, at least, I hope they're young, if it's an adult making that decision oh man. I can't believe yours isn't closed, but I think you made the right decision regardless.
DeleteThat's great of you to have made that choice and to have the opportunity to be able to leave him in such great care! You're home gym is amazing too, I'm jealous! Our garage is full of cars.
ReplyDeleteI know that is a really tough decision, but you're right, if there are at-risk folks there, it's just not worth the guilt. I know I am very lucky the guys are at home right now, but if it makes you feel better, that's been no picnic either, because Echo decided he wanted to be sick too. I am working on writing it up, he's starting to feel better now, but last week sucked a lot!!
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