Well as I write this it seems like only yesterday that I was not taking the threat of the Coronavirus seriously. Perhaps this is due to the fact that we Equestrians are pretty tough and have been known to kick on even when we are very ill. Maybe it’s because I am Irish, and I always believe that no serious epidemics ever affect our small island; whatever lead me to walk around with my head in the clouds, the fact remains that I was wrong!
I remember on one occasion sitting chatting to one of my Swim Mum Pals when she asked me, “What do you think about this Coronavirus all over the news?” I said that I really didn’t know what to think and that I believed that the Media was scare mongering. Wrong again!!!
Yes just a very short time ago, I was in complete denial, in fact when my son came home from school and said that his math teacher had run the numbers and that she felt that the schools would be closed before St. Patrick’s Day for at least two weeks to try to control this virus, I truly believed in my heart of hearts that would not happen!! Yet here we are, the schools have been closed for almost 2 weeks and now that period has been extended until the 19th of April!
How long this pandemic will last is anyone’s guess, I think the powers that be are making decisions day by day trying to gain control of the situation. For you Equestrians in the middle of the Coronavirus/Covid-19 Outbreak, you like me, probably don’t find the social distancing the biggest deal, in fact you probably spend vast amounts of time alone with your dogs and horses. As Equestrians we definitely have had prior Social Distancing Training;-)
Despite that, You may feel a little miserable at the moment, as there are no horse shows and I would say that training sessions or lessons of any kind will grind to a square halt, if you’ll excuse the pun. The Olympics has been cancelled, along with Badminton and many other Top Equestrian Shows and Events around the Globe, all this, in a year when Ireland managed to qualify 3 Equestrian Teams for the Olympics! I know it probably all seems pretty grim, especially since many businesses have gone from Hero to Zero in the matter of a few days due to Lock Down Measures taken by the government.
However, fellow Equestrians these are scary and unprecedented times, and these measures have been taken for our protection. So, Jessica Soley and I have come up with a few rules or simple life hacks which we have begun to live by to help us remain positive in the midst of uncertainty.
- If we had only one piece of advice to offer you, to help protect your future, Social Distancing would be it. The rest of our advice is based on nothing more reliable than our own meandering experience;-) (Sorry Baz Luhrmann we couldn’t resist.)
- Connect with your family, if you are all stuck home together, share meals together, laugh together, play games together. If your family are not close, call them and have a chat! This is your life, live it, and enjoy it to the best of your ability. (NB; Dogs and Horses are family too;-))
- If you are lucky enough to have your horse at home, connect with your horse. Put a plan in place to improve your riding and your horse’s way of going. As Aristotle said “We are what we repeatedly do, Excellence therefore, is not an Act but A Habit!” So in every Equestrian task with your horse strive for excellence and keep improving, so when the shows start again, and they will; you will be a winning team!
- Look on the Bright Side; if you are alive and reading this, that is the bright side! Find something positive to focus on every day! That might be a simple as great cup of coffee, or as wonderful as enjoying a great session with your horse.
- No Box Walking! Put any excess energy into learning a new skill; with a world of knowledge at the touch of your finger tips, you can now turn your home into your personal University. YouTube has a massive knowledge base and you can develop so many skills by watching a video or two a day.
- A good book is not only a way to escape reality, but an opportunity to learn something new. Plus with great digital books and magazines out there, like Irish Sport Horse Magazine, a great read is only the click of your mouse away!
- No Napping when it comes to DIY! Kick on with all those DIY Jobs while you have the extra time, in fact a bit of DIY is just what the Doctor ordered. So paint the barn;-) Mow the lawn and spray the weeds, all important tasks, so use the time to get them done.
- Clear out the tack room, get rid of all the unused and broken pieces of tack and give all the tack a good spring clean.
- You may not be able to get to the hair dresser, but your horse has you to give him a good pampering. So make a day to pull the manes and tails, trim the feathers and give your horse or horses a good groom and have them sparkling.
- No Refusals At The Water!!! Yes that’s right peeps, no refusals at the water, so remember to Wash Your Hands Well and Often, and clear the water obstacle with ease;-)
Well that’s our Top 10 Equestrian Coronavirus/Covid-19 survival tactics, stay safe everyone, be kind and look out for one another and hopefully we will be through this pandemic sooner rather than later. As always,
To your Equestrian Success,
Roma