Mask policy not being enforced at barn.Wwyd? *Updated*

[173north]

I can’t figure out how to quote you, @enjoytheride! Masks are now required in the indoor, but we’re all riding there because it’s cold/windy.

I don’t know if, scientifically, one unmasked rider with asymptomatic covid could infect another in a 90x200 indoor in the span of an hour, even if that indoor is not well ventilated. Honestly - probably not. But we have 3 trainers on property who spend all day in that ring, and 40 horses, so maybe the aerosols could accumulate over the course of the day if multiple clients (or trainers, or staff) were sick. It is stuffy enough in there that the mirrors will fog up on busy days.

In truth, the science of it doesn’t really matter to me. What matters to me is that the trainers have agreed this is their preference and what makes them feel safe at work, so I am happy to oblige them. It’s not that big a deal for me to wear a mask for my 40 min hack, and it’s worth it for my trainer’s peace of mind and sense of safety.

[skydy]

Oh, horrors! She could be “fired” by the person she is paying for lessons and who apparently doesn’t care about health department directives during a pandemic.

I’m sure the OP can find someone to teach her and take her money, whom will also care if their students live or die, or spread the virus as an asymptomatic carrier.

[skydy]

@OverandOnward

@skydy

There are other masks available to the general public.

[/Quote]Right, whatever works.

Locally Kn95’s are not hard to come by. Not sure why the shortage elsewhere. But the others are fine for the general public, of course.
[/quote]

You’re “not sure why the shortage elsewhere”. Really?

[TheJenners]

As someone who has actually been reading along, I noticed she is with a coach, who is not the BO and who does apparently care for the regs. It’s the BO and staff and a boarder who apparently don’t. My assumption is she can be told to not come back to the property if she narcs, effectively firing her from the lesson program. Yes fire, this board has repeatedly used the term “fire” for what a professional can do to a client.

And you used “whom” incorrectly.

[skydy]

@TheJenners

As someone who has actually been reading along, I noticed she is with a coach, who is not the BO and who does apparently care for the regs. It’s the BO and staff and a boarder who apparently don’t. My assumption is she can be told to not come back to the property if she narcs, effectively firing her from the lesson program. Yes fire, this board has repeatedly used the term “fire” for what a professional can do to a client.

And you used “whom” incorrectly.

I’m sure I did.Sorry that I offended you with my lousy grammar.

The point was, why would she care if she was “fired” by anyone when they don’t care about her health or life? By someone who doesn’t give a damn? Not a very big deal really. I’m sure she will be welcomed elsewhere .

[trubandloki]

@173north

I can’t figure out how to quote you

To quote you have options, all of which you can find in the FAQ thread on the technical help forum.
Here is the thread.

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The easiest way to quote is to just highlight the text you want to quote and a grey box will show above it that says quote. Pick that box and the text you highlighted will appear in the reply box as a quote. Here is a screen shot of me quoting your post so you know what it looks like.

@skydy

The point was, why would she care if she was “fired” by anyone when they don’t care about her health or life? By someone who doesn’t give a damn? Not a very big deal really.

Um… you are making quite a few assumptions about the OP. I think telling the OP that they might be asked to not come back if they report the barn is a good thing in case the OP had not thought of that consequence.
Only the OP can weigh the positives of this barn versus the negatives of this barn.

[skydy]

@trubandloki

@173north

I can’t figure out how to quote you

To quote you have options, all of which you can find in the FAQ thread on the technical help forum.
Here is the thread.
FAQ -- Tips for Using the Site

The easiest way to quote is to just highlight the text you want to quote and a grey box will show above it that says quote. Pick that box and the text you highlighted will appear in the reply box as a quote. Here is a screen shot of me quoting your post so you know what it looks like.

@skydy

The point was, why would she care if she was “fired” by anyone when they don’t care about her health or life? By someone who doesn’t give a damn? Not a very big deal really.

Um… you are making quite a few assumptions about the OP. I think telling the OP that they might be asked to not come back if they report the barn is a good thing in case the OP had not thought of that consequence.
Only the OP can weigh the positives of this barn versus the negatives of this barn.

The OP seems intelligent enough to understand this. She is concerned about unmasked people in a pandemic, when there is a mask rule in her state. More of a life and death matter than a concern that if she insists that her health is taken seriously she may be “fired” by her instructor.
I am having difficulty with the quote function as well. I think it’s just a matter of getting used to the new system.

[touchstone]

@Equkelly

go to a barn with similar standards to yours. Do not go to a barn with standards less than yours and then attempt to get them to raise them to meet yours.

I think this is an overall good policy. But the OP said there is an existing barn rule about mask wearing. So her request is really more about enforcement of an existing policy than asking for a policy change. If she doesn’t feel safe, and it is a rule, I see no downside in politely asking for some help. The alternative is leaving anyway.

Regardless of what your personal views are of various rules, it is so frustrating to see people who think the rules just don’t apply to them and try to get away with stuff. If the barn rule is that customers should wear masks, then customers should wear masks. They can go maskless during their other outdoor activities where such rules are not in place.

I realize this does not mean the BO is going to enforce the rule, especially since the noncompliant customers are probably the kind fo people who are difficult to deal with and don’t listen to instructions on any number of issues. But I don’t think it’s inappropriate to point out that you have observed this behavior and express a view that it makes you a little uncomfortable.

[JustTheTicket]

@Foxglove

I wore my mask and when anyone came within 10 or 15 feet of me (mounted or not) I said loudly: “I would feel dreadful if you caught COVID because of me --my daughter is exposed daily!” --my daughter is exposed daily (she’s an RN on the COVID front lines) but she doesn’t live near me and doesn’t come home least she infect me or her father.

I’m sorry, but if someone said to me, essentially “ I’m a non symptomatic COVID carrier and I’m proudly out in public doing this very non essential task and infecting the world!” I would straight up lose my shit on you. Don’t say things like that. That’s incredibly stupid.

[rothmpp]

@Foxglove

when I am at a place (mainly competitions this summer when people were supposed to mask and distance and not all did) I wore my mask and when anyone came within 10 or 15 feet of me (mounted or not) I said loudly: “I would feel dreadful if you caught COVID because of me --my daughter is exposed daily!” --my daughter is exposed daily (she’s an RN on the COVID front lines) but she doesn’t live near me and doesn’t come home least she infect me or her father.

I know you were trying to make a point - but without knowing you and whether your daughter lived with you - had you said that around me at a show (which is a completely unnecessary luxury, especially during a pandemic), I’d likely complain to you and show management that you were potentially exposing everyone else at the competition grounds when you had a known, substantial, daily risk of exposure.

I feel a bit like this is crying wolf, and it is things like this that wear down people’s diligence when it comes to following safety protocols.

OP - you’re going to have to decide what your level of comfort is for the lack of mask enforcement among the staff. I’m assuming that the staff has a say in whether they wear a mask or not.

[Foxglove]

@JustTheTicket --my post was poorly worded. The competitions I attended last spring and summer were held in extremely rural areas as they involve contestants shooting targets off horses. The states where I competed, at that time, had minimal COVID restrictions on masks, gatherings, and numbers. Due to the remote location, everyone camped who attended over the four day competition --and clearly, everything was outside.

I did not want to be in proximity of anyone. There is excellent distance between competitors, as we all carry our gear and weapons on our horses --no one can or does get too close to anyone else. Therefore, social distance is followed during the competition hours. My concern was camping --people tend to migrate to other’s camps, pull up a chair, and share horse stories. All good in normal times —but not what I wanted to do.

So I spread the word that DD was a COVID front line worker. It worked for me --I didn’t have to ask people to put on masks around me, or to keep their distance. I wore my mask always, and kept my distance. Others did too --around me --but I did see other competitors at group campfires that were way too close for my comfort.

As to the choice to attend a competition when one might have been exposed --as soon as one goes out of ones house, one might be exposed. I had the shoer here yesterday --I wore a mask, and kept my distance. He’d been to eight barns before me. He doesn’t wear a mask. Am I now to quarantine for 14 days?

Much of the decisions we make as individuals about how we proceed during these difficult times are subject to other’s opinions. My doctor is going home for Thanksgiving. Her choice, but not the one our family has made --we are doing ZOOM.

Oh, one other thought --again, sorry I didn’t explain better —

[Foxglove]

@rothmpp: see reply above yours for clarification. Again the OP asked what “I” would do --I wouldn’t try to control the world --I don’t confront people who are not distancing or using masks. I am protecting my own health, I hope. Some might choose to not leave home or go to stables --that’s a choice —I am continuing to fox hunt (again, a choice) and in the summer, I shoot. I can see on social media that some are, some are not. Wondering if you think everyone who has a child, spouse, family member who is a front line COVID worker should be isolating . . . I suppose some do --and had show management spoken to me, I would have told them the kid doesn’t live with me —and then I’d ask why there wasn’t a box for me to check on the entry form that said, “Do you have a close relative who works in a field where he/she might be exposed to COVID?” I have heard of no one asking anyone that.

[OverandOnward]

After reading all this – especially the reminder that BO’s don’t usually adjust to the wishes of lesson customers, and the risk that OP could be asked to leave, or maybe just no longer given those extra rides …

OP, I think your decision is fairly simple at this point. Either stay with the barn as is, or go to another barn with more enforcement. Or take a break from riding for about 6 months, as suggested. Once you can get a vaccine it won’t be an issue for you.

Depending on the situation, how many common touch points, and if you are riding outside or in an indoor, you may be able to practice sufficient barn safety to protect yourself. And also avoid infecting anyone else (hopefully that doesn’t come up). Of course that may be a bit harder if, as a lesson student, you are using barn stuff handled by other people.

You could follow some of the ideas posting in this thread for initiating a conversation with the BO. The question is if you want to do that. I’m guessing the answer is “no”, or you wouldn’t be posting the question here on COTH. You would have already done it instead.

If you are not interested in taking a chance on a contest of wills with the BO (that’s what it comes down to if you aren’t willing to accept a negative answer), and you don’t want to cut ties with the barn, just wait it out until the day after Inauguration Day. The expectation is that at that moment these decisions are likely to be made for us. You can duck the conversation and let the incoming POTUS have that conversation instead.

[Mimisdad]

Hysterical people are going to do hysterical things.

It’s just what it is.

I’m in a “mask mandate” state (strictest in the country) and if you actually READ the mask mandate, you don’t have to wear masks outside if you can avoid being within 6’ of them.

[AltersAreUs]

@Mimisdad

I’m in a “mask mandate” state (strictest in the country) and if you actually READ the mask mandate, you don’t have to wear masks outside if you can avoid being within 6’ of them.

Probably not the strictest in the country then since Massachusetts just turned on the “whenever you are out in public wear a mask, even if you’re alone in a field” because people apparently couldn’t tell what 6’ was and therefore just ignored the original “mask or distance” mandate.

[MHM]

@AltersAreUs

Probably not the strictest in the country then since Massachusetts just turned on the “whenever you are out in public wear a mask, even if you’re alone in a field” because people apparently couldn’t tell what 6’ was and therefore just ignored the original “mask or distance” mandate.

Somewhat like USEF, which had a similarly reasonable mask policy in place for shows. When lots of people ignored it, they had to make the policy much more strict.

OP, sorry you’re in this situation. You’ve gotten lots of good input here. I don’t think there’s any harm in politely bringing up the subject with the powers that be at your barn. If there is no change after that, you may need to decide whether to change barns or take a break for a bit. Sorry to think it might come down to that choice for you.

[CindyCRNA]

Been there…

[Bristol_Bay]

I recently rode at a barn whose client clique was apparently very comfortable with one another and often wore no masks. Outdoors, of course. But even though the COVID rule was one person at a time in the tack room and feed room, they seldom observed it. It was really awkward for me being new to the barn wearing a mask all the time, trying to be sociable. Early on, it happened twice that people came in the tack room while I was inside, and acted all offended when I objected.

Another time I was making up my horse’s bucket in the feed room, and two people walked in. I just ran out speechless. Trying to stay safe was horrible—I felt like an outcast and was ostracized by a few. And you’re masked, so you can’t soften the situation with a smile. There were a few people as careful as I was, and it was such a relief to have those few friends there. The trainer mentioned moving my stuff out of the feed room to avoid conflict. God forbid actually reminding everyone of the actual rules.

I ended up leaving because of having to retire my horse. Otherwise, I probably would have toughed it out. Now among the clique at that barn someone’s SO has tested positive for COVID and both of them are quarantined. With the current surge in cases, especially where I live, I’m sure everyone there has upped their safety game. There’s no joy in feeling vindicated, though, because they probably all still think I’m an oversensitive weirdo.

But honestly, you can’t win. Just leave.

[Sunny_s_Mom]

Gardenhorse I was thinking the same thing. Working and sweating outside in a mask is just miserable.

[mmeqcenter]

Just saying, I know people that wear masks to clean stalls just because of the idea of breathing in poop particles. They’ve worn them all year long, for years. It’s really not all that difficult. Sure, it’s not the most comfortable thing in the world, but cleaning stalls when it’s 90F outside isn’t all that awesome to begin with.