Update: I am not going to haul out for the lesson but my vet got back to me and assured me that I would be fine hauling out for a lesson as long as I am careful and not going to barns that are under quarantine. BUT anyway I have already told Sally I wasn’t coming but I am glad he let me know this.
I am not a worrywart really. But I didn’t even realize New Bolton had a horse diagnosed with EHV-1/EHM let alone that horse was euthanized and now the facility is under quarantine. My barn owner texted me yesterday telling me all this and saying she would like me to talk to my vet about hauling out to lessons not only for Remus’s sake but for the other horses at the barn. I get it, I understand it, but I also don’t want to freak out and panic. Right? I know this is serious but did it have to happen THIS week? And I feel so sad for anyone whose horse was already at New Bolton for something else and now is stuck in this quarantine too.
If I cancel my lesson on Saturday, I will have to pay for the lesson no matter. Sally flies up for the lessons and her policy is once you have set a lesson with her, if you can’t come, it is up to you to fill it or you owe her the money. I respect that totally.
But I wanted to go to you all to find what you would do? My current thoughts yesterday were to go ahead and do the lesson this weekend. Haul in, unload, ride, then load Remus into the trailer and take him home. We are not allowed to go through the barn at Kealani so Remus is not going to be up against any horses or in a stall or anything like that. I know it is airborne etc. I have read up on it and know how contagious this shit is so I was prepared to be safe.
As of right now I am really the only one at my barn actively hauling out (saying that I haven’t hauled for a few weeks due to being sick). So I feel like the barn is looking at me as one, since everyone else that boards there pretty much closes up shop with the winter (they pull shoes and pretty much hop on bareback when they can if that). The rest of the boarders are retired so it is not a hot bed of activity in the winter at all.
So I am the only one who actually seems to have lessons right now or is hauling anywhere. And that shows with the three pointed texts I got last night before 10 pm from boarders at my barn. NO one wants me to go. I emailed Sally to ask her too and she said whatever I decide (she would ride) but wait to hear from my vet and she understands if I cancel. I don’t want to get anyone else’s horse sick and don’t want Remus getting sick. But I just don’t enjoy being bullied a bit about my decisions by other people. It took me a while to fall asleep last night I was so upset. I like these people a lot but I feel like they are definitely painting me the bad guy. They seem to THINK I will go no matter what. And that makes me irked too. They also seem to think I can’t make the decision on my own (which makes me feel stupid, maybe I am, since I am asking all you).
I did email my vet to ask his opinion and suggestions. So I hope he gets back to me soon but until then, what would you do? Some of you are local too so I am looking forward to everyone’s thoughts!!
I am now thinking I won’t go just to keep peace at the barn. I hope they figure this out and that doesn’t become widespread. It would suck for horses to get sick AND also to not be able to go anywhere now that the weather is finally turning nicer. I know if I dont go I can still go ride but UGH riding by myself in the ring is BORING. Anyway that is my whiny post of the week. Thanks for reading, I just needed to vent a tiny bit. At least it is FRIDAY NOW!
Happy Friday all! Go forth and be horsey if you can (and are allowed to haul anywhere)! And be safe!
Fat Buckskin in a Little Suit 
Following just to see the comments.
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I’m a little stressed about this too. Less in the hauling part, but in the relying on New Bolton part (and Unionville Equine) for colic emergencies. With Batty having been admitted to New Bolton for 3-4 night stay (blocked from memory) for impaction colic and have had many other impaction colics and relied on vet attention, this scares me. I love living 15 minutes from New Bolton because I can use them if needed for around the clock treatment. I don’t want to need to, but I can. I’ve been worrying for days if my boys have been drinking enough as the trough levels have NOT been dropping enough. But, they’re also getting LOTS of water in they’re food. If I need to admit, I can always admit to Unionville, but… I know they’re accepting emergencies, but… still scares me.
Now, Ranger’s barn is still showing and acting normal despite New Bolton’s quarantine. Since Batty hasn’t been ridden since December, I don’t have to worry too much about him since he’s going no where right now. But, it’s still in the back of my mind…
Really unhelpful comments….
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never unhelpful!! thanks for commenting and yes the scary part is that your ER is basically shut down (I mean you could go to Unionville and you could go to NB but….) Good to know about Ranger’s barn thanks!!
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It really freaks me out… Let me know what the vet suggests! Hopefully I don’t need to do anything. But I like having an emergency plan. I chose to admit to New Bolton last time because I’d hate to take him to Unionville and then have to pay a second emergency admit to NB…
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havent heard from him but will email you when i do! Hopefully Batty is drinking lots! this warmer weather might help?? Remus only likes drinking inside lately. Brat. So he gets in and drinks his two buckets down. SIGH. HORSES 🙂
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this is such a tricky question. i saw that announcement about new bolton and immediately got a little nervous and queasy. plus one of my barn mates is also planning on going to the sally lesson this weekend.
i just texted her suggesting she get in touch with her vet to discuss the risks as well, and that if she does choose to go she be extra careful just as you described above. i did not straight up recommend that she do not go, but…. maybe i would feel better if she didn’t.
if it were me wanting to go tho? i’d be equally torn. esp knowing that money is paid no matter what. like. the likelihood is not high that you’ll pick this bug up, esp considering there’s only the one known case. but then again, the bug itself is so scary…. like when isabel and i brought the equine flu home to our barn from a show and got the whole thing shut down with a quarantine, that really sucked…. but it was the flu. it wasn’t a big scary deal. nobody died, ya know? just a huge inconvenience.
idk. honestly i’m not sure what i’d do. i’m not gonna bully my barn mate if she chooses to go. tho i kinda wish she wasn’t going. then again i’m still planning on travel this weekend too, tho i’m going west instead of north east…. idk. it’s a tricky situation. good luck whatever you choose!
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i am not going but thanks for your thought out reply. It really just helps hearing from others you know?? And yes it is scary no matter what it is, when horses get sick. We had a whole barn have to be tested for neurological things at a barn i was at a few years (one horse died and 3 were effected by it) but we never found out what it was. So that was scary to go thru. Its just not worth it I agree. and I honestly knew i would come to that decision but needed time to think things over!! Thanks again!
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so a brief update after i talked to my barn mate. she reached out to her vet (well respected through the region) who said that there did not appear to be any higher risk to this particular travel vs any other and did not advise her to cancel. he also shared that the horse originated from a different location (which you already know).
obviously that doesn’t necessarily mean there *isn’t* risk, or that horses in the area of new bolton might not have come and gone from the facility for more routine work prior to the quarantine being enforced. idk. it’s a crappy situation whenever there’s an outbreak anywhere. scary stuff.
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Yes i chose to cancel for other reasons as well but I think my vet is going to tell me the same thing. Plus Kealani (is that where you friend is going to ride with Sally) is VERY strict on horses in the areas that I feel comfortable with them. But I decided one lesson wasnt worth all the hassle from the others so cancelled. It is fine. But thanks for updating!!
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I’m not from the area so I don’t fully understand the implications / geography of this. I will just say that if there’s a chance of picking up EHV-1, I would exercise extreme caution. We had an outbreak in my area recently and a whole barn was quarantined for 6-8 weeks, and at least one horse died. Shows were canceled, and when we did travel we brought bleach solution to scrub down every inch of the stalls before we put our horses in. It’s not a fun thing to deals with. Missing one lesson might be worth it when weight against the potential effects of a more widespread outbreak. That said, again, I don’t fully grasp the geography of where you’re going vs. the quarantined facility, and I’m sure you’ll do the best thing for your horse!
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Thank you for your reply! It is good to hear first hand how it all happened at a barn! (Not good you know what I meant!) I am not hauling out. I decided to pass but I can totally see the risk and understand it is scary as shit so decided not to do so. Not because of being bullied (tho more of that happened today). Thanks again!! It helps to hear other people’s experiences that must have been scary! We are about 20 minutes from NB.
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It’s really too bad that people are bullying you about it. I think it’s great to have thoughtful discussion but only if people can figure out how to remain calm and respectful when fear and emotions run high. Good on you for making your own thoughtful decision.
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I know it only happened because they are all truly scared and worried. It is all fine. Just wish it had been handled a wee bit differently 🙂 LOL! Thanks!!
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Hmm. I may be of no help, either. But I absolutely get where you’re coming from. It does feel like they want to bully you into staying home, but then also trying to lay on the guilt because they just KNOW that you’ll go anyway. I think for me, I’d take the other people out of the equation and concentrate on you and your vet. I’d absolutely be torn, but then it does depend on how expensive your lessons are/potentially what you’ve budgeted for the month and/or how worried you are about Remus. If you can’t really afford to lose that lesson, then perhaps go. For me, personally, I would probably end closer to the side of not going. Amber is hardly ever sick and I hauled her places around Texas even when they were only 3 weeks over their Strangles cases and she’s never shown any sign of ever getting it. But I know in my current situation with both horses at home, Whisper’s immune system isn’t as iron as Amber’s. She’s more liable to get sick because she worries a lot more which dampens her immune system. I guess if I’m the one potentially getting others sick, I’d feel worse about it than if others left and potentially brought it back because Amber probably wouldn’t get sick. Er, does that make ANY sense at all? lol
I haven’t had much experience at all with quarantine – living in the desert isn’t the environment those things tend to flourish. But these things are scary. It takes a lot of thought. I hope I helped at least a bit lol.
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yes i think the fact it is airborne is the scariest thing. No need to rub noses or anything. I wish i lived in the desert right now 🙂 HA HA HA Thanks your comments are always helpfu! 🙂 Have a great weekend!!
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True lol. And you’re welcome! I saw shortly after I posted my reply that you decided not to go. I hope you still get in a good ride, tho!
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You’ve already had great replies. If only add that while I think it is the responsibility of the BO to make the call on travelling for those boarding with them and think it was appropriate for her to contact you the way she did, I don’t agree with the other boarders trying to bully you.
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Yes I am not upset with my barn owner and in fact texted her separately thanking her for her professionalism and for keeping me informed. Thanks!!
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What a double edged sword. Not cool of your barnmates to send messages like that, though. You all are in different situations with different goals. I’m not sure of the proximity between NB/Remus/Kealani Farms, and if everything were close together, I might make a different decision, but if it was Trainer B coming in from Florida only one time a month, I would go. Now if Trainer B were home and we were still doing weekly lessons, I’d pass. So not sure if/how that helps, but you’ll make the right choice 🙂
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They are all pretty close by. I chose to not go so now just to see how it all blows over. If this becomes an epidemic I will be happy I stayed home. If it doesnt and i am out a bit of money it will be worth it. JUST IT IS GOING TO BE WARM PEOPLE OMG. 🙂 HA HA HA thanks for your input. Sally is lovely and totally understands so thank god for that i can see her thinking i am a FLAKE. UGH
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Ugh, that sounds like a good plan. I hope it blows over quickly!
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That’s a tough call, but I tend to be super careful about such things. I admit, years ago a group of us were trailering to Acadia National Park together to ride for a four day weekend, when one of the girls had an outbreak of strangles at her barn (she was the only one in the group that boarded there). She wasn’t going to tell any of us and just come along anyway, and I was PISSED when I found out the day before we were set to leave. I basically told her no, she wasn’t going with us because not only would she be exposing our personal horses, but also all the horses at the Park stable, both privately owned like ours plus the draft horses that pull the wagons through the trails for visitors. It just wasn’t OK with me at all. Why risk the exposure? I thought it was super negligent of her as her barn was under quarantine. Plus at the time I had an elderly horse at home, so she would have been exposed as well when I returned home. I can see both sides, but like I said, I tend to be overly cautious. 😦
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YES i know it is scary and yes i would have been P’OD TOO about that too!! WOW they were under quarantine and she was still going? Ballsy much? HA! thanks for your input! I do appreciate it!!
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I know you were not going to be anywhere near any quarantined barns, just something to consider since not everyone else is careful! You just never know what the OTHER person is going to do and possibly end up putting you at risk. 😦
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