Covid-19 Update for Agistment, Riding & Coaches

The safety of our members and our community is paramount to Equestrian South Australia. Therefore, following our general update on Covid-19 issued earlier, we would also like to update everyone with essential information regarding caring for your horses and coaching during this unprecedented time, with consultation from the ORSR. (Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing)

Please note that this information is current as of  31st March 2020 and is subject to change when new information is announced from the government.

Agistment Facilities

• If you own or operate an agistment, you may continue to operate your facility and treat and care for the animals on your agistment and maintain the facility. 
• For agistment facilities with multiple horses, the facility must implement a roster system to ensure social distancing requirements can be maintained 
• If you agist a horse at a property, you may continue to treat and care for your horse, INCLUDING exercising, ensuring you maintain proper physical distancing and hygiene practices. Please note, you should contact your agistment facility who may have enacted specific rules related to their facility. Equally, members may consider spelling their horse(s) at this time. 
• If you are caring for your horse directly, only ride your horse within the boundaries of the property where it is kept. If you do choose to ride, take the necessary precautions to ensure your health and safety. 
• Vets and other professional services (e.g. farriers) are permitted to attend whenever required while adhering to social distancing and hygiene requirements. 

Travelling to care for your horse(s)

• Travel to care for your animals, including horses, is allowed. This includes providing your animals with food, water and anything else to meet your animal welfare responsibilities, including exercising. 
• If you must leave your house to attend to your horse, take all necessary health measures, and comply with all the latest restrictions imposed by the government.
• Only use grooming kit and tack which belongs to you, and do not share equipment with other people. 
• For horses kept at a facility where feed or equipment may be stored centrally, please maintain a good personal hygiene practice and ensure common contact surfaces such as door handles are cleaned thoroughly and regularly.

Horse riding - am I allowed to ride my horse?

Yes we encourage you to still ride your horse for your wellbeing and your horses. If you do choose to ride, take the necessary precautions to ensure your health and safety. Keep it local; keep it low risk. Short distance floating/travel is currently approved. The use of outdoor arena's is currently approved.

Coaching

For many equestrians, their livelihood thrives by coaching. While the general recommendation is to stay and work from home where possible, the South Australia State Government has also stated that people may travel for their work if they are not able to remotely. Coaching can only take place at private facilities, including agistment facilities. However, it's to be conducted following the one person per 4 square metre regulations, consistent with social distancing and personal hygiene regulations. Coaches can use their own property facilities for instructing or can travel to other private properties to continue working, again being consistant with the social distancing and personal hygiene regulations. The use of outdoor arena's are currently approved for riding and coaching purposes.   

Lastly, we would also like to note that the office of the Hon. David Littleproud MP, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, said that the Federal Government considers the role of veterinarians essential to the agricultural sector and therefore to our nation's food security but also in protecting companion animals and our nation's wildlife, and has not put any restrictions on veterinarians other than the practice of social distancing and hygiene practices during this crisis.