That is literally all I came here to say â¤ï¸ She’s so ridiculously perfect and I’m so, so happy to be riding again after 8 weeks of barn closures 😃
Yaaay!
What an awesome post! I’m so happy for you. Can’t wait to see my pony in a few short weeks.
Yay! So happy for you! My boys are with me. Can’t imagine what it would be like if someone said I couldn’t visit them… For all of you that were denied time with your horses during this mess, I hope it strengthens the bond you have with your animals. Hug, groom, ride until it hurts to smile!
5 Likes
Love reading threads like this <3
3 Likes
Aww… that’s so wonderful! I hope she is pleased with you, too. I think they do miss the attention that comes with being in work.
2 Likes
I know mine do. If I’ve been out-of-town I hear it from them from the moment they hear me drive in the driveway (my horses are kept at home). Love what you ride and ride what you love. There’s nothing better 
4 Likes
I’m so glad you are able to go back out. With my situation I didn’t have to step back from the barn and can only imagine how challenging it has been for many COTH members.
I’m sure she was happy to see you and settle back into a routine.
Aww <3
Wonderful!! <3
1 Like
Luckily mine was in full training for the whole 8 weeks so she’s had plenty of work and attention. She definitely missed my face rubs and treats though 
2 Likes
I was locked out of the barn for 6 weeks. It was so depressing. When I retired, I never went through the doldrums people usually experience because I had somewhere to go every single day. Suddenly I knew how hard it was to not have a plan for the day.
I actually moved my horse because of the lockout and am much happier (and have more lesson money) at the new place. Riding again felt so good! It’s like I found the missing piece.
I couldn’t afford full training, so my horse more or less had that time off. He’s just now regaining muscle and topline, losing the last of his winter coat and shining up.
I love my horse, too.
1 Like
I love and miss my horses. 
The retired ones are at my house and they have been loving extra attention. And I know pro rides have been good for the ones at my trainer’s. I’m waiting for confidence things are actually improving here before I start going out. My trainer’s place is small with few people (not ritzy enough to call a boutique training program, but that type of size), and my trainer is a bigger germophobe than I am, so I think everyone else is going out, and probably all safe.
Tack room and feed room are my biggest concerns, because there are people working in more risky areas (head of lab and respiratory at a hospital, for example), and I haven’t seen any studies or expert summaries which indicate anything other than guessing what works now. Risk of exposure is pretty low, but chances of my mom who I care for not surviving if she gets this are quite high as she is in at least four high risk categories, and I can’t justify that risk. Knowing more about the properties in air in a closed space without airflow will help me decide that risk is negligible IF it turns out to be what they hypothesize it is, since I would go early morning and no one is hanging out in closed spaces beyond going in to get their stuff.
Most of the barns around here have closed tack and feed rooms to boarders, and are asking them to keep tack and equipment in their car. It’s a good compromise I think.
1 Like
I haven’t been able to get up and see my baby. Hopefully Friday. We are still required to make an appointment so I can’t just go when I have a chance.
He and I are semi-retired so I will be happy to just give and get some hugs.
Between my back injury in January and the virus lockdown my younger horse had three months off. I’ve started riding him again in the last couple of weeks and he’s been impressing me so much. He’s normally a bit of a drama king, but he’s been so good at self control and being dependable. I love my horse too!
My older horse is a rock star normally and he’s been super about being a therapy horse while my back was in the early stages of recovery. I absolutely adore him. :love-struck:
1 Like
Yes our barn is on a strict schedule / appointment system too. I think that will stay in place for the foreseeable future
So totaly understand OP.
We were away from our horses for 8 weeks, ( we are all on a schedule of 90 minutes at the barn maintaining physical distancing and with spay bottles of Javel Water every 20 feet in the barn to use on door handles, commonly used items: broom, shovel et all).
Mme Mare was a bit shy the first few days then and still now 3 weeks later is very vocal when I walk in and she hears my voice I get all kinds of nickering and requests for face and ear rubs. As for the riding well we have had our ups and down, trying to get fitter and putting the buttons back on. But the smile never leaves my face for the whole time I am there and a few hours after that.
These are lovely posts.
Stay safe.
1 Like
I get nickers now too! And today we celebrated her 23rd birthday
1 Like
Felt like I needed to update this post - it’s over. Our barn owner found Caprice down in her stall with colic at 7am yesterday morning. Our vet arrived before 8 and got her vitals stabilized quickly, but she blew through the pain meds within 15 minutes. By 9 she was on a trailer to the university hospital and arrived at 10:30. At noon we said goodbye.
Surgical prognosis was terrible, and it’s not something I would put a 23-year-old horse though, even with a better prognosis. She had a wonderful life and deserved a peaceful, comfortable end. The vet clinic waived their COVID restrictions for compassionate reasons and we were allowed inside to spend some time in the stall with her and say goodbye.
I never imagined I’d have the chance to own a high quality, highly-trained horse like her, and certainly not one as sweet and patient and tolerant as her. I know I will never have such an opportunity again. We were together for only a year - and it was a stupid year between my broken foot, months of Covid lockdowns, and so many other things. But even with all that it was a wonderful year. I learned so much from her, achieved my goal of riding at Third Level in front of an FEI judge, and rediscovered my joy in riding.
45 Likes
