Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

Are you worried about coronavirus & livery?

53 replies

Ponyta123 · 05/03/2020 18:41

Sorry to bring up the dreaded word on here...

Just stressing a bit that if we were all made to isolate or lock down, what would become of ponies on livery? Grass liveries would be ok. But what about those who are stabled, with fields unsuitable to stay out in 24/7?

OP posts:
mumontherun14 · 23/03/2020 09:03

To complicate things on our yard we also have strangles! So horses have all been isolating for past 2 weeks & infected ones out in field. No fields can be used at the moment & were about to get blood tests done by vet next week when one case popped up last week putting us back two weeks again! My daughter mainly does diy livery but I’ve been helping her there is no clear plan yet at the yard but thin there needs to be one soon & infection control already good due to the strangles. Our horse ok he’s had it before so hopefully won’t get it again & most of horses who’ve had it now recovering. Xxx

Fivefourthree · 23/03/2020 09:18

Oh shit @mumontherun14 that's all you need!
I hope it clears up soon with fully recovered horses Flowers

BusterTheBulldog · 23/03/2020 20:07

Anyone else bricking it about tonight’s announcement? Mine are on a farm, no yard owner / suitable care giver - hoping considered essential!

spydie · 23/03/2020 21:11

@BusterTheBulldog yep me! Similar situation, only mine are at a private field/yard that we have to ourselves. So no one on site, I have to go twice a day....

Pleasedontdothat · 23/03/2020 21:16

BHS issuing guidance tomorrow morning according to their Facebook page

Fivefourthree · 23/03/2020 21:25

It's got to be essential

BusterTheBulldog · 23/03/2020 22:18

Fingers crossed everyone! Also assuming it has to be essential.

islandislandisland · 23/03/2020 22:22

It hadn't ever occurred to me it wouldn't be allowed to be honest. If I don't go my horse doesn't have water and will die- I don't think we're at the stage where we're abandoning livestock like that just yet. I am planning to keep my horses passport in my car in case I get stopped but I think it's very unlikely there's the police capacity to stop cars.

If you're allowed to run round a park once a day you can care for your animals!

MaidofKent78 · 23/03/2020 22:24

I run or cycle to my yard so will use my daily exercise. My husband will do the other end of the day and bring in and will run there. Both of us will carry my mare's passport.

EmmaC78 · 23/03/2020 22:28

I agree - it must be seen as essential. I share a field with two others so think we will share the checking duties but when it is my turn I will be going up as normal.

Are people planning on continuing to ride as normal?

puppymouse · 23/03/2020 22:44

Waiting to hear if our yard manager will ban liveries attending during the week. We are DIY at weekends so think we can all use the exercise rule. I have stopped riding to hack. But I walk him on the lead with the dog each day and then school in the arena.

Moanranger · 23/03/2020 23:21

Our livery yard has now been closed. I am going up tomorrow to drop off feed & supplements, but then reckon I won’t see him again for 10+ weeks.

Polkadotties · 24/03/2020 00:24

My livery yard has also closed. No idea when I’ll see him again

Vanhi · 24/03/2020 06:44

Oh no, to those of you who won't see them. I'm sure they will be fine but they are my source of sanity more than anything. Sending you strength.

For now, I'm using it as my essential daily exercise as I cycle to the yard. Good idea about the passport. I have a photo of my boy's on my phone.

I'm glad the weather is good - here's hoping for more turnout. I'm not sure about riding. I'm in an isolated area but it's not essential and I'd probably go on my own, meaning another potential burden on the NHS if anything happens. I'll be happy to do groundwork I think.

Songofsixpence · 24/03/2020 08:54

Oh no, horrible that you can’t see them. I’m sure they’ll be fine. My DD has some pretty serious mental health issues and her horses and riding are her haven so I’m not looking forward to her not being able to see them

Our yard is DIY only, there is no staff and the YO is not massively horsey so we’re going to have to go up every day. Ours are in at night at the moment. Grass is coming through but even if we chucked them out 24/7 we’d have to go up and hay their field. Fortunately it’s dried out and YO has been able to roll it. We’ve got an oldie who needs medication every day.

We’ve had a rota for the last week or so to ensure there’s only 1 of us in a barn at a time, all communal tools have been removed, hand washing facilities in the car park, etc

I’m having a slight panic - our oldie sees a dentist every 2 months as she has an extra tooth and the vet has stopped all routine/non-emergency calls so I’m hoping our dentist will be able to come out

DD has been riding - flatwork only in the school wearing her body protector. She’s just done a season with the bloodhounds and had signed up to do a local endurance ride and the local scurry so pony is super fit and used to being ridden every day, so that’s going to be fun

BHS is making an announcement later so we’ll have to see what they say

BusterTheBulldog · 24/03/2020 09:30

Sorry to hear that polkadotties and moanranger I really feel for you both Sad

Anyone know what farriers are doing? Mine will be ok for a few weeks longer so not contacted mine yet.

Great idea of taking photos of passports!

Songofsixpence · 24/03/2020 10:22

BHS statement - www.bhs.org.uk/our-charity/press-centre/news/2020/march/2403-covid19

We have a farrier appointment for tomorrow - he’s messaged to say he’s still working at present

historyrocks · 24/03/2020 12:26

This is very unclearit seems to be putting responsibility in the YO hands at precisely the time when people could use some clarity. The government seems to be dealing with many different issues, yet animal welfareand particularly horses--doesn't seem to be addressed.

I very much feel for everyone locked away from their horses. I hope it's not for too long.

I'm assuming that no lessons (including private lessons) will be cancelled--although this is still not clear from the BHS.

MsGee · 24/03/2020 13:56

We can't go to our yard. Both DD and I have been in tears. Like Song, my DD has mental health issues and her pony is her lifeline. I love him so much I can't believe it.

(for anyone who remembers I was the novice-ish mum with a green-ish new pony about 15 months ago - we got through it and I learned everything I could, and he is now amazing).

We are defying the wrath of mumsnet and driving the 5 minutes to him today to walk past his field (and may fall over the gate and fence to give him a hug).

Fivefourthree · 24/03/2020 14:24

MsGee, I think that definitely counts as exercise!
It's a funny old world where people on MN are being castigated for asking if they can nip 5 mins up the road to mow mum's lawn, yet many workers are being told by their bosses that they must go to work even in non essential jobs. And posters are saying that's OK because the prime minister still wants people to go to work.
The message is so loud and clear to stay at home in some quarters, and then in other, far more dangerous situations, it's ok to go out. You can see why people are so confused.
I think people need to be thinking hard about how they can assist this whole thing rather than looking for loopholes, but as some of us on this thread can go to our horses because we are sole carers, it seems reasonable to pop to field and see your pony, with all the hygiene rules applying.

OldSpeclkledHen · 24/03/2020 16:09

@BusterTheBulldog we had farrier this morning, he's still working!

IMO I'd class it as welfare issue if horses couldn't be attended by farrier

Plus, as self employed, they are not yet supported by the Government 🙄

leckford · 24/03/2020 16:17

Of course they cannot order you to let your horses die!

Mine is on a very nice yard and will now be out in our nice weather and in at night. The extremely talented rider who lives and works on the yard will school mine for me a couple of times a week.

The ar** morons who went off all over the place and decamped to their holiday homes have caused this.

BusterTheBulldog · 24/03/2020 16:30

Thanks oldspeclkledhen literally just got a text from mine saying emergency / vet call outs only as they worry about the accident risk. Mine should be ok to manage for a while.

mumontherun14 · 24/03/2020 17:38

We've been told limited yard visits only. Feeding mucking out and lunging only for exercise no riding. Keeping 2m apart from others at all time and our bio security high anyway due to the strangles. They have put a small amount out in a clear isolated field for 24hr turnout at owners request to limit visits but we have kept our boy in till we get all clear from the strangles so still need to do the daily visit. Think vet will only come out in emergency.

NewYearNewTwatName · 24/03/2020 19:04

I'm on a large DIY yard, they have to be stabled over night in winter. YM not very proactive they just copied and pasted the BHS guidelines I posted on FB.

But we are all sensible, apart from my next door nieghbour who keeps walking past me quite normally (so about a foot) to use the tap. Angry

it was weird today as I'm also off work and DC are home, so felt the effect of lock down. But went to bring him in tonight and the yard was normal. a farrier was just leaving as I arrived. people around but all keeping there distances(bar neighbour and tap incidents) it felt surreal in comparison to the outside world and news.

I won't be riding as he is retired anyway.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.

Swipe left for the next trending thread