COVID-19 Prevention for Equestrians
Are you scared about the COVID-19 outbreak? So am I! We are all scared about the possibility of a forced quarantine. As a horse owner, I’m very concerned about not being able to properly feed my horse or exercise him – honestly, due to Gali’s colic problems, this terrifies me! This is why I’ve decided to write this blog post which includes a few precautions that equestrians should consider to avoid coronavirus. Please note that I’m not a doctor, I’ve just adapted these from the World Health Organization’s recommendations.
- Stay Home: If your trainer and/or groom can take care of your horse, then don’t go to the barn. I know you will miss your pony but imagine that you, your trainer and your horse’s groom all get sick at the same time…who will take care of your horse?
- Be as quick as you can doing your barn chores and then go home.
- Don’t spend time with your barn friends: I know, I know, we all love chatting but trust me, getting infected is easier than you think. You might think there’s no way you and your friends are sick but you might be sick without showing any symptoms and you can’t be sure that your friends and the people they are in contact with aren’t sick.
- Wash your hands with water and soap as much as you can: Before riding, after riding, after mucking stalls, after grooming your horse, etc. Please don’t forget this step, it is one of the most important.
- Don’t touch your face: especially your mouth and eyes.
- If there are many riders at your barn, divide them into groups to make sure you aren’t all going to the barn at the same time.
- Clean your tack room and common areas often.
- Practice good sneeze and cough hygiene.
- Install hand sanitizers at in gates.
- Make sure people aren’t going to the barn just for fun. Only grooms and owners/professionals should be allowed.
- If you think someone is sick, please tell that person she shouldn’t be at the barn. Tell that person to follow the right procedure.
Please take care. We must be responsible, not only to protect ourselves but also because our horses need us!
Stay safe!
Carolina ♥