Chloe Drever
The welfare of horses is a concern to all equestrians in Orkney at this time because of their need for exercise to prevent a condition which can be fatal.
Horse enthusiasts in Orkney are in a dilemma over whether to ride their horses or not. Their first option is not to ride so as not to put undue strain on the NHS in the event of an accident occurring. However, without exercise horses can become obese which then would lead to laminitis, which can be fatal. Up to 7% of horses and ponies die annually due to this debilitating condition.
Their second option is to ride, but be more careful than normal. This can be done through risk assessing their own personal situations, such as rider ability and horse behaviour. However, some situations are outwith their control: other road users can be disrespectful of the horses flight instinct by not slowing down to pass them safely. This is a concern to all horse riders in Orkney.
Diane Walker explained: “People must be sure that they are in control of their horses and only ride if safe to do so. We must not put the NHS under more anymore stress. You may feel due to the welfare of your horse that he/she may need exercised to keep them fit and health. This would be advised if safe to do so.”
Horse enthusiasts have not had this problem before in Orkney, so life is strange in these hard times. Riders do not think that horse riding will be affected in the future after this pandemic, as it is believed this dilemma will not be a problem once restrictions are lifted.
