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

[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.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

The barn manager at my previous barn cleaned stalls in a cloth mask year 'round by choice (this was pre-COVID) because she was very sensitive to dust and mold. At the beginning of the pandemic in my state (when there was a shortage of PPE for healthcare workers), I saw her post on Facebook she was yelled at by someone in a grocery store parking lot for wearing a mask and hoarding them from healthcare providers. But she just had lots of cloth masks, because she’d always worn them.

Regarding the OP–sadly, I have a feeling that the barn simply doesn’t want to upset the workers, because it’s so difficult to find even semi-competent help to work with horses (and pay is often very low, which is another issue). If the OP is in New England, that’s magnified in the winter, which means dealing with frozen buckets, manure, and all of the other joys of the season, including snow. It doesn’t make ignoring the law right, of course, but it may be difficult to pressure things to change.

[Bristol_Bay]

@Bristol_Bay

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.

Quoting myself with an update: I just moved back to this barn with a new horse. There are signs on all the tack and feed rooms now that say NO ENTRY WITHOUT MASK, ONE PERSON AT A TIME. That has always been a rule but I seemed to be the only person who cared about it. Two of the people I had uncomfortable conflicts with over that issue early on have been so welcoming and friendly to me. So maybe the new consciousness means I’m forgiven for my rough start there.

[mmeqcenter]

Great update, I hope everyone stays following the rules!

I wonder if OP has had the same luck?

[alternate_universe]

@mmeqcenter

I wonder if OP has had the same luck?

Mask wearing has improved overall across clients. I’m not sure if this is due to a combination of Trainer reminding them, recently implemented stricter guidelines from our governor, or both. My state as a whole is not improving and the county in which myself and Trainer live in is do particularly poorly. This isn’t going away any time soon.

[OverandOnward]

It could also be that during the interim, they had an official communication, or a brush with the possibility, of some mandated quarantines from contact tracing. And were told about heavy fines if the quarantines aren’t honored.

If someone turns up on contact tracing but was wearing a mask at the time, they often do not have to quarantine. If they weren’t wearing a mask, they have to quarantine.

And maybe they were told about consequences if someone is caught lying about it. It’s hard to make a lot of people stay on board with a lie.

[MHM]

Or maybe they actually knew someone who got sick, which made them realize it was a serious issue. If they had not already figured that out by, you know, turning on the news in the past year.

Regardless, if they are doing better with the masks at the OP’s barn, that’s a good thing.

[endlessclimb]

The mask is only to protect those around you, no? So why would someone who turned up on contact tracing care whether or not they were wearing a mask?

The infected is the one they should be worried about.

[alternate_universe]

I believe research has shown that wearing a mask has some effect in preventing the wearer from breathing in COVID droplets should a maskless infected person expose them. It’s certainly not 100% effective, but any barrier is better than nothing.

[alternate_universe]

Further update: The mother and daughter I mentioned in the OP continue to be maskless. It just blows my mind. She works in healthcare. Her spouse is considered at-risk. The family was at the barn recently and the father/husband was masked but neither the mother or daughter were. WTF?!

[Posting_Trot]

Actually, masks do protect the wearer as well as those around the wearer.
Quote from a recent New York Times article:
" A well-fitted mask protects the wearer. Dr. Marr and her colleagues tested cloth masks for how well they protected others (outward protection) as well as the wearer (inward protection). Although masks are most efficient at filtering outgoing germs, they do stop incoming germs at nearly the same rate in most cases, the researchers found. Masks that did a poor job protecting the wearer were those made of stiffer materials and those worn loosely and with gaps around the edges."

NY Times: “Masks offer Covid Protection” November 24, 2020

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Alas, won’t help your problem, but just as point of commiseration I’ve noticed the same thing (i.e., people in healthcare often being the most lax about masking up in social situations outside of their workplace). It doesn’t make it right, of course!

[MHM]

@alternate_universe

Further update: The mother and daughter I mentioned in the OP continue to be maskless. It just blows my mind. She works in healthcare. Her spouse is considered at-risk. The family was at the barn recently and the father/husband was masked but neither the mother or daughter were. WTF?!

Unreal. But they are certainly not alone in their stupidity. There have been several stories on the news lately about people in the medical profession who lost their jobs or their licenses or both due to their lack of observation of mask policies.

I hate to say it, but it seems like a lot of the time, the most effective reason for a business to enforce the mask policy is pure economics. If they are going to lose money because customers are afraid to come on their property, whether it is a grocery store or a barn, the business owner might be more strict about mask enforcement.

[oreo_mom]

I’m so sorry tor those of you living in constant fear. It must be horrible

[hoopoe]

I dont live in fear, I live in compassion and consideration

[Jackie_Cochran]

I don’t “live in fear” of the maskless people at the barns I ride at. Every time I confirm my ride I ask if anyone has been sick. The lady at the big stable cheerfully tells me, the last two turned out not to be Covid-19 but it was safer for me to stay away.

At the big barn I am usually the only person wearing a mask. Taping the top of my mask to prevent my glasses from fogging up also serves quite well to prevent my mask from falling down from my nose, and it also means I don’t have to mess with my mask at the barn. I wear gloves in the barn, stay mostly near the big entry, and I make sure to use the hand sanitizer.

So far so good.

In January I think my husband brought home Covid-19 (big show with Chinese buyers.) It was truly miserable, I actually was too sick to take one lesson. We hit the homeopathic combination remedies I have and one worked pretty well. I was worried I might be getting pneumonia one day but I was able to cough the stuff up enough out of the lowest lobes of my lungs.

I’m still not going to be stupid. I am elderly and I’m on an immune suppressant so I limit my exposure. From what I’ve read viral loads have a good deal to do with the severity of the illness so I am keeping my viral load as low as possible.

Because I NEED to ride to keep walking well enough with my MS. This year has been the pits but at least I’m still walking.