Ireland have now been put into lockdown for another 6 weeks due to Covid 19.
There is a lot of confusion with this new modified lockdown where schools are still open and school aged children can take part in outdoor sports training. However, adults even elite sports people are not allowed. Horse racing, greyhound racing is still continuing yet showjumping, dressage etc is suspended until further notice. The members of these sports are being ignored. Most horse professionals don’t have a side job, they need to be able to get horses to shows to keep owners and to keep progressing and gaining points, money etc. As well as this they need to train, the amateur category of the sport are the ones who help keep the sport going. They need to be able to train so they are able to support the local venues when shows run. Show centres don’t have many ways to gain income. Its solely from running shows, hiring the arenas, running clinics etc. Yet now they are only able to cater for a handful of people, school aged children only.
When shows were running, the majority stuck to the rules, people kept their distance, people wore masks when needed, times where adhered to and everyone did their part to keep the sport going. This kept show centres in business, this helped peoples mental health and kept peoples livelihoods on track. There really isn’t anything much safer than going to a showjumping or dressage competition, you’re mainly outside, warm ups always have limited people, when you’re on a horse you wouldn’t dream of going closer than 2m to another horse. At the end of the day if u get two horses that don’t know each other too close, they could start a fight. All horse people know this and that’s why horse people find it easy to keep to the 2m rule and social distance. You are never close to anyone in the ring, usually on your own. Really you’re probably safer going to a horse event than you are going to the supermarket.
I for one am rather confused that you can have people in schools, tonnes of children, teachers etc. Yet us equestrians can’t even go for a lesson or continue to compete. Especially considering Northern Ireland are in lockdown and shows are going ahead there. But as athletes there sadly isn’t anything we can do other than keep working hard at home and that’s what I’m doing. I know no matter what we do, nothing will change. Covid is serious and we just have to follow the rules. Although we are in lockdown I’ve got loads of things planned that I’m going to do. For example, I want to get Didi back jumping how she was before her holiday, we are going to do a flatwork bootcamp and focus on my riding, I’m going to do lots of baking, my mum and I are spending quality time together, going on dog walks, playing cards, board games etc. There is so much that can be done but also we are taking this time to slow down, have a lie in, spread things out during the day and actually take time to just sit and relax, watch some Netflix and have some down time.
Things to do during lockdown:
· Set yourself some training goals with your horses to keep you focused
· Spend time with your horses just chilling, take the time away from shows to bond and have some relaxing time and fun
· Each day, plan what you are going to do, or just write some things to get done, it really helps having some structure
· Try some new things, get creative. (bake something nice, draw, make something, go running, go for a walk, find some board games etc)
· Use this time to spend time with whoever you are living with, have fun, laugh, talk
· Eat nice food, make your favourite dishes, enjoy it and maybe try something new
· Organise all your horsey things, tack room clear out, sell stuff online that you don’t use anymore
· Facetime and chat to friends and family you can’t see, we are so lucky to have the internet and modern technology
· Start a blog or just a journal for yourself
· Everyday write down 2 or 3 things you are grateful for, this helps you look at the positives rather than the negatives and makes you appreciate what you have
There is so much to do but one thing I recommend is keeping some sort of structure as well as setting goals. Where do you want to be when we are out of lockdown, what things do you want to do, what do you need to do to get there. What do you and your horse need to be doing to improve that dressage score or get a clear round. Take this as a blessing in disguise and either use it to completely wind down and have a break or use it to work even harder and come out the other side better and stronger, ready for those competitions.
Just a reminder to anyone who needs it, we've been in lockdown before, we came out the other side and we got ack to shows. We will do the same again! Here is Didi absolutely flying it at our last show before lockdown 2.0.
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