Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

So how are you all doing at this time?

  • 07-04-2020 4:06pm
    #1
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,338 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I think we'd all agree in saying that these are pretty surreal times, and ones that the current generation has not had to deal with. Yes, we had foot&mouth 20 years ago, but 'normal' life for most wasn't impacted. Yet COVID-19 is impacting everyone, regardless of age, gender, status or nationality.

    And this means when we'd all be getting ready for and competing in the numerous competitions that are held at this time, and preparing for a busy summer, we're all at home with no real end in sight....

    So, how are you doing? Are you able to get out on the horse/pony every day? Are they close by or are they in a livery yard? Are you able to visit them if they are?

    What are you doing to pass the time?


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 193 ✭✭isaos


    What are you doing to pass the time?[/QUOTE]

    Yes pretty surreal.. I'm among the lucky ones, confined at home with my horses and donkeys... Home office overlooking the fields...
    And I was so lucky to get myself an arena end of last summer, and a track going around the fields! meaning I don't even need to move.

    Add to that today's gorgeous weather and you have the most perfectly enjoyable confinement.

    :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,546 ✭✭✭Ave Sodalis


    No horses for me! The yard owner has a bad chest (years of heavy smoking), and his sister/carer also has chest problems and severe asthma so I don't want to chance it. My dog passed away in November so bar the tortoise which barely counts, I have no interactions with animals and it's probably what's going to drive me stir-crazy faster than anything else. I'm half tempted to buy an electric fence, fence off the garden and bring the miniature up in the back of my little Fiesta but that would be a terrible idea.



    As for things to do, up until now, I was juggling working, studying a postgrad, and volunteering at the yard so this is the first time in years that I've actually got free time and I'm thoroughly enjoying that.


    isaos wrote: »
    Add to that today's gorgeous weather and you have the most perfectly enjoyable confinement.

    smile.png


    It's been overcast and raining here all day :p


    Hope yer all keeping safe!


  • Registered Users Posts: 604 ✭✭✭TheFarrier


    I’ve been enjoying a break for the last ten days but started back doing a few sets again yesterday. Probably do a bit more again next week.
    I can’t believe the amount of people gathering at livery yards.
    It’s like the summer holidays. Kids everywhere charging around on ponies


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,466 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    The yard where my cob lives isn't doing lessons etc.
    Being one of the ones "with underlying health conditions," I'm more or less locked down in any case. The cob is " a good doer" so apparently is sort of locked down himself as he needs to "flatten the curve." I had various injuries last March/April and again Dec-March so he is living the life!


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,338 Mod ✭✭✭✭convert


    Hope everyone is still doing ok and that you managed to enjoy the lovely weather we've been having, even if you weren't able to spend it with your 4-legged friends!

    It must be difficult for livery yards to have so many people around, especially, as you say, it's like the summer holidays with kids not being at school and people working from home!


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 7,546 ✭✭✭Ave Sodalis


    Finally sat on a horse yesterday, for the first time in months (I was going to the yard but didn't have time to ride for a few weeks before lockdown). It's the longest I have ever been away from horses since I started, and by default, the longest I have ever been out of the saddle.

    I am a bit sore today. I didn't realise the flap that covers the stirrup bars dug in so much! My knees don't know what hit them. My core forgot it existed. I was even a bit surprised when I sat up in the saddle and I was facing forwards :P

    Of course, my being away for so long meant the cheeky cob that I sat on decided to "forget" who I was, and spent the entire session taking the mick. And my being away for so long meant my reactions to him weren't as fast as they should have been. I spent most of the session in an argument, but it was still good to get back into a saddle. They're my source of sanity. I don't know how accurate it is, but I tested my stress levels on Friday using Samsung Health and they were up touching the red (very high). Today, it's down at the blue (very low).


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,466 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    I'm back since we went to 5km. I'm lucky in that there are very few children with ponies in our yard- it's one family and they ride later in the day than I do.I've been riding alone for the most part, which gets a bit boring at times, so am looking forward to riding club lessons starting again this week.


  • Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 74,773 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    Completed the purchase of stables on 50 acres just before lockdown (down in the Sunny South East). (Currently have 4 (or is it 5!) horses/ponies in livery in 2 different yards in Fingal)

    Stable roof partly blew off at the new place early March which required urgent repairs and was a "good" reason to travel down. Everything else has been held in abeyance, but the kids have been able to get out at the current stables for the past 2-3 weeks, keeping them and the horses occupied

    Hopefully can now get the house sorted and move in a couple of months or so, then can start the real planning!


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,546 ✭✭✭Ave Sodalis


    Beasty wrote:
    Completed the purchase of stables on 50 acres just before lockdown (down in the Sunny South East). (Currently have 4 (or is it 5!) horses/ponies in livery in 2 different yards in Fingal)


    Oh the very best of luck with that!


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,338 Mod ✭✭✭✭convert


    Have (m)any of you being back out at events yet? What have you done? And how did you get on? A d how did you find the new regulations? Are ppl adhering to them? Are there any changes that you think should be kept (like changing the structure of events that you go directly through all the phases, for example)? Am seeing lots of (full) horse boxes on the roads these days, so hopefully you've been able to make the most of the events that have been held.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement