First, an important reminder for all of us in Area VII: Area VII tends to be a gracious and supportive group of people. Especially in today’s world, it is important to be supportive and kind. What’s right for one person may not be the best thing for another. But just because something isn’t right for you doesn’t mean it’s not ok for someone else.
The wildfires that started a week and a half ago have resulted in so much trauma for everyone. The fires – and the dangerous air quality they have generated – have impacted everyone in the PNW to some extent. Many have lost their homes, belongings, loved ones, livestock or family pets. Others evacuated and may still be evacuated along with their animals
From a health standpoint, we have all been impacted at some level by the smoke and unhealthy air - some worse than others, depending on where we live.
The air quality throughout our region is all over the board, from off the charts hazardous to not too bad or ok. It all depends on where you live. If you live in an area where your horse has been exposed to unhealthy or hazardous air, work with your vet to determine what you should and should not do. If you need to give your horse a longer rest before returning to work, follow your vet’s advice and scratch any events or clinics you’ve entered. We’ve all had to scratch at the last minute because it was the right thing to do for our horse, this may be another one of those times. And if the best choice for you is to scratch – do so. Don’t obsess about the lost entry fee. Your horse’s health is more important. The organizer probably has significant expenses that still have to be covered. If they can afford to give you a partial refund, they usually will.
Be aware that not everyone may be in the same situation. Other people and their horses may not have been impacted to the same extent as you and they may be ready and able to compete. Maybe their horses will only need a relatively short time off and haven’t been exposed high or dangerous levels of unhealthy air.
There are a number of competitions on the calendar in the next few weeks across many disciplines. These organizers have worked very hard in what has already been a terribly difficult year to provide competitions with the appropriate COVID protocols for those who are willing and able to compete. They cannot change their dates. They have invested tens of thousands of dollars. They are being as generous as possible regarding late entries and scratches. But they simply may not be able to afford to provide full (if any) refunds. Believe me they are not “making” any money off of your cancelled entry! And – if they are providing you with a refund of any amount, please consider donating it – either back to the event or to one of the many worthy organizations helping horses and people during these awful wildfires.
For some people, the right decision will be to scratch and give their horses time off. For others, maybe they need to give their horses some time off but they’re not competing at such a high level that they won’t be ready to compete – maybe a little slower or at a lower level. It’s different for everyone. But for those who are willing and able to compete or clinic – please thank the organizers for providing you with these opportunities. We need them. And for those choosing to scratch because it’s the right thing to do for your horse, be thankful for what you have and what the future holds.