While COVID19 has put a stop to many everyday activities, those who have horses still have to go to the stables every day to make sure that their animal is cared for. If you keep your horse at a communal stable with lots of different people using the facilities, you may be concerned about increasing your exposure to COVID19 during these uncertain times. Thankfully, there are several things that you can do to keep yourself safe and make sure that your horse is still cared for.
Personal Protective Equipment:
When you are around other people, investing in some personal protective equipment like a face covering can be very useful for reducing not only your risk of COVID19 but also that of the others around you. Your stables may already have rules in place regarding wearing face coverings in any communal or public areas in order to keep everybody safe. This Dala Horse face covering is a really cute idea for wearing to the stables and since it’s washable, you can use it over and over again.
Social Distancing:
Treat going to the stables just as you would go to any other public places wherever you can by trying to keep your distance from other people as much as possible. Ideally, you should try to stay at least six feet apart from others so make an effort to give everybody their space and collaborate during busier times of the day like turn-out time in the morning so that you can avoid a crowd.
Hygiene:
While it’s hard not to get dirty while mucking out and doing other outdoor jobs at the stables, it’s a wise idea to keep your hands as clean as possible to reduce the transmission of COVID19. This is especially true if you have to touch anything that is touched by most other people at the stables like gate latches or tack room doors. A travel-sized bottle of hand sanitizer that can be kept in your pocket is a great idea, and you should allocate a little more time to each visit to the stables to do some extra cleaning of these high-frequented areas.
Keep Track of People:
Some horse owners don’t have the time to do everything themselves and if you pay the stables to do some jobs like feeding, mucking out, and grooming your horse for you then it’s worth asking who is doing these jobs. If possible, allowing fewer people access to your horse is well worth it since while it is rare, COVID19 can be transmitted through animal fur. You should know who has access to your horse at any time and be aware of the situation for staff members who have experienced any COVID19 symptoms or have had to self-isolate. If your horse is cared for by several different grooms or stable employees, then you might want to take extra measures to protect yourself like wearing
gloves that are taken off and washed straight away.
If you have a horse, staying at home all the time due to COVID19 is impossible because you need to go to the stables. Keep these tips in mind to protect yourself and your family from the pandemic.
