Special

THE QUARTER HORSE IS AN AMERICAN BREED THAT EXCELS AT SPRINTING SHORT DISTANCES.

Linda with her two Quarter Horses, Ellie on the left and Daisy on the right.

Equestrian life and getting through the Pandemic

by SUSAN HARMON

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS been challenging and after months of being away from our horses we are beginning to see the state and local municipalities reopening to a new normal. Many horse owners have been separated from their horses due to restrictions at the barns and stay at home orders that made seeing their horses impossible. Horse owners, riders and farm visitors enjoy their horses and activities, so this separation has been difficult.

Locally, my friend Linda Shambaugh shared with me how she and her husband Bob have been dealing with the limited time with their horses. Their horse boarding facility was closed for nearly 2 months but prior to the pandemic they were going to the barn almost daily to see their 3 Quarter horses. She shared that “this was quite a tremendous and heartbreaking turn of events and a new and bitter lifestyle for us.” Pre pandemic, Linda and Bob led an active lifestyle in the horse community and participated in many horse shows, trail rides and equestrian events located in multiple states. To suddenly put all this adventure to a halt was a big adjustment for them and their horses.

This story is perhaps more common than we may think as horse owners, boarding facilities and equestrian centers have had to make major adjustments due to the pandemic. We realize that we are not the only ones who are missing our horses and our equestrian activities. It is a saving grace for us to have the dedication of the barn owners caring for our horses to do the good job that they do and to help keep us connected with our horses by sharing pictures and video when possible. But still, it does not take the place of being near our horse and breathing in that familiar smell that lulls us into comfort after a tough day. We may find ourselves missing that gentle nudge from the velvet nose and hearing the all too familiar whinny as we walk to the stall or near the pasture. Those feelings are engrained in our memory and make us wish for those days.

Linda Shambaugh with her horse Ellie.

Horses do so much for us. They help us make sense of our lives and give us mental escape from challenging times, but when we cannot be there in person, it is important to take care of ourselves. Finding ways to manage stress by staying connected and being engaged in our new normalcy is critical as we continue to move forward. Most importantly, know you are not alone and though it will take time, we will be able to enjoy our future equestrian activities with much less restriction.