Covid-19 Resources

Prepare for Evacuation in COVID-- Steps to Keep Animals and People Safe

The Halter Project has “…gathered "best guidance" information from emergency managers to help you focus on your needs and how to plan for them. Take time to think through your evacuation plans and edit them to adapt to the COVID restrictions in your area…

There's no way to sugar-coat this: these are challenging times. We are our own best resources. We can do this - working together. Reach out to neighbors, your riding club or dog-walking group. Find out which members of your book club have pets! If you can be a resource, contact your local animal shelter or Humane Society, or COPE group or CART (Community Animal Response Team).”

Read the Guidance. Get Prepared.

The Chronicle of the Horse: A Pandemic Is The Perfect Time To Make An Estate Plan

Excerpt from The Chronicle of the Horse:

“These aren’t normal times, you may have noticed, as you’ve scanned aisles at grocery stores completely bereft of paper products or cleaning supplies. The facility where you board your horse might be closed to all but essential personnel. If you keep horses at home, you’ve probably stockpiled some extra feed and are spraying down doorknobs and stall latches with disinfectant. Your farrier or veterinarian might be showing up wearing a mask.

Things are serious, and the coronavirus is likely to be a shadow hanging over our daily lives for months to come.

If, like most horse people, you’ve been trained (or learned through unfortunate experience) to prepare for the unexpected, your mind has probably already gone there: What if I get sick? Who will take care of the horses? What if I die? What will happen to them?

Although it shouldn’t necessarily take a global pandemic to spur these thoughts, here we are. And if you’re suddenly realizing how unprepared you are, you’re not alone. A study by Merrill Lynch published in 2019 found that only 55 percent of Americans age 55 or over have a will, and the percentages decrease for younger age groups.

But, legal experts say, it’s not too late to do something about it. In fact, now is the time to act precisely because things are so serious and uncertain.”

Read the full article

Photo by Mollie Bailey

Receive a FREE US Equestrian Fan Membership Including Access to Discounted Insurance

EMERGENCY RELIEF: $20 USEF Fan Memberships with Access to Health and Insurance Benefits 

Join the joy of horse sports! Whether you are ready for your first riding lesson, are a lifelong horse lover, or anywhere in between, there are many great benefits designed just for you.

As a fan member you will receive free access to: US Equestrian’s new Learning Center with video lessons from many of the top professionals in equestrian sports, USEF Network, US Equestrian Magazine, Equestrian Weekly newsletter, MemberPerks, SafeSport Training and much more.

For members who do not participate in USEF Licensed Competitions as horse owner, rider, driver, vaulter, lessee, trainer, coach, handler, longeur, agent, competition manager, competition secretary, licensed officials, or USEF committee members.

Member Benefits

Join as a Fan Member today and Use Promo Code: RELIEF

US Equestrian Releases COVID-19 Competition Toolkit

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian has released its Licensed Competitions COVID-19 Toolkit that features the USEF Action Plan, outlining mandatory requirements and recommended best practices for competition organizers and participants as equestrian competitions prepare to resume on June 1, 2020, dependent on federal, state, and local regulations and restrictions. 

Ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of participants and their horses is a paramount priority for US Equestrian. The COVID-19 Competition Action Plan includes key resources and guidelines to ensure competition organizers, exhibitors, and additional stakeholders are able to accurately assess and mitigate risk when at a competition venue. 

The requirements and recommendations included in the COVID-19 Action Plan are effective immediately, and will remain in place until further notice; however, the document may be subject to modifications as guidance from the federal government and public health officials is adjusted or updated. In addition, once USEF receives notification of the FEI’s Guidelines, an amended document with updates to the current protocol will be issued.

In addition to the Action Plan, the Toolkit provides several resources and tools for use by both organizers and participants to assess the current situations in their respective states, mitigate virus transmission and spread, and assist in the management of risks associated with COVID-19.

US Equestrian will continue to monitor developments, while actively referencing and reviewing updates from the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as regularly consult with members and competition organizers as we navigate through our “new normal” together. 

Click here to view the Licensed Competition COVID-19 Toolkit. 
 

•For questions regarding Competitions, please contact Katlynn Sacco at ksacco@usef.org•For questions regarding Compliance, please contact Debbie Saliling at dsaliling@usef.org•General comment or feedback regarding the USEF Action Plan or the Toolkit can be directed to feedback@usef.org.

Create an Emergency Plan for Your Horse's Care During a Pandemic - Here is a Template

The Ontario Animal Health Network created a valuable guide to make a plan, should you need help from others to care for your horse. Read their incredibly helpful and informative guide, download their Horse Care Plan template, update it with your information and share it with your barn helpers and caregivers.

Recommended instructions for care should include:

  • Feed instructions for grain/concentrate

  • Feed instructions for forage (e.g. hay/hay cubes)

  • Instructions for providing water

  • Feed instructions for supplements

  • Instructions for medications

  • Instructions for bedding

  • Instructions for exercise

  • Instructions for individual horses

  • Important contact numbers should be provided

Get started!

Budgeting the Cost of Keeping a Horse

Now more than ever, it is important to manage your expenses. Use The Horse.com’s chart to create your own budget for major horse care items (such as hay and feed). Update with your local information since costs vary by region.

People often say it’s not buying a horse that’s expensive—it’s everything that comes after. From building fences to selecting a truck and trailer, horse ownership is a lifestyle choice for many of us. Estimating an average cost for that lifestyle is a bit tricky, because pricing for major horse care items (such as hay and feed) varies by region. The following is a template to help create a horse-keeping budget.

Download the template

How to Give or Get Help as a Horse Owner During COVID-19

What to do if you need help feeding your horses after a COVID-19-related job loss, and how to help others if you don’t, according to TheHorse.com.

Know exactly what it costs to feed your horses. If you don’t have a budget already, create one (find a form to use here and an article about tips and tricks here). Figure out how far your emergency fund will get you in the event of a financial crisis. If you don’t have an emergency fund, begin setting aside money now. Know where you can easily trim your horse budget so you can keep meeting your horse’s nutrient requirements (find some suggestions here). It will also help you know your specific needs if you end up seeking help later.

How to Help:

If your employment hasn’t been impacted by the COVID-19 situation, there are some things you can do to prepare for worst-case scenarios and to help other horse owners and their horses

Help other horse owners who might be struggling right now. You can donate to The American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Foundation for The Horse—health disasters are included in its “Disaster Relief” description.

Learn more

Create an Advance Directive for Your Pets

Thanks to Angel Paw Print, you can learn the facts about creating an Advance Directive for your animals.

  • Learn the difference between a Living Will and an Advance Directive

  • Determine what will happen to your pet if something happens to you

  • Make a plan, should your pet outlive you

Learn more

Link to forms

Halter Project COVID-19 Resources

Halter Project has put together a valuable COVID-19 Resource Page. View it here.

The HALTER Project is a grass-roots program with a vision: To help animals in emergencies and disasters by supporting efforts of communities and agencies to train and prepare for a ready response to, and the care of, animals in everyday emergencies and large-scale disasters.

HALTER Project works to:

  • Support first responders by providing sponsored trainings, scholarships, and equipment grants for Animal Technical Rescue.

  • Inspire animal owners and communities to be emergency and disaster-ready and able to help others, by providing free Community Outreach and education programs, resources, and materials.

  • Advocate for legislation to provide and ensure sustainable resources at local and state levels to protect animals in disasters.

 

Sonoma County Warm Line for Emotional and Mental Health Support

Beginning on Thursday April 23, a local warm line will be available to support community experiencing emotional stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The warm line is available to any County resident experiencing emotional side effects of the pandemic and/or the shelter in place order, or knows somebody who is.

“All of us in Sonoma County are dealing with unprecedented circumstances in our lives during this pandemic. Many of us need support in coping with these changes,” says Supervisor Susan Gorin, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. “We want to make sure help is available to anyone who needs it. There is someone you can talk to right now.”

People can call at 707.565.2652. This free and private warm line is available seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Service in Spanish is also available as well as telephone interpretation for other languages.

Sonoma County Emergency Preparedness Information - COVID-19

Helpful Links from SoCoEmergency.org:

County of Sonoma Warm Line

Call (707) 565-2652 for free and private support if you or someone you know is experiencing emotional stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Available 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

HALTER Project Offers Help for Pets and Animals During COVID-19

Help for Pets and Animals During COVID-19

If your agency or NGO is providing client food delivery or pickups, HALTER Project can help coordinate delivery of pet food and supplies to your service location.

If you have clients with specific animal food and/or care needs, HALTER Project will help find the resources to provide them.

If you serve clients who may have pets in need of vet care, HALTER Project can help connect them with bio-safe and appropriate professional pet transportation resources to take their pet to the vet.

HALTER Project is collecting resource information for animal healthcare and other support resources in the North Bay. If you are offering animal care services, food and/or food supply delivery, or other critical assistance, please send HALTER Project your detailed information and contacts rescue@halterfund.org

Click HERE for HALTER's list of local, national, and global resources and information

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Spring 2024