Here at WellBeings, we feel strongly that each individual has a responsibility to help curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus by following guidelines and suggestions provided by experts in epidemiology and infectious diseases. While the care of our horses is our #1 priority,
we also care deeply about the health and wellbeing of humans who visit or become part of our community.
To that end, we have developed the protocol below
in an effort to help everyone stay safe.
If for any reason you feel unable to follow this protocol,
we ask that you please refrain from visiting the ranch at this time.
1. ARRIVING AT THE RANCH
• Please do not enter the ranch premises in any of the following
circumstances:
o Symptoms: If you have experienced any of the following symptoms within the last 48 hours: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fever, or chills.
o Test: If you have had a positive COVID-19 test in the last 14 days.
o Contact: If you have had contact with a person known to be infected COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
o Condition: If you have a condition that does not allow you to wear a
mask.
• HAND WASHING: As soon as you arrive at WellBeings, put on your mask, go directly to the feed room, and wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, thoroughly cleaning your nails, etc.
• MASK:
o Each volunteer and visitor should bring their own mask to the ranch.
o If you forgot to bring your mask, please remain in your vehicle while we
bring a disposable mask to you.
o To support the safety of other people at the ranch, everyone on the
premises must wear a mask when they are within 25 feet of another
person.
Exception: When riding or otherwise working with a horse in the ring,
you may choose not to wear a mask, provided you maintain a distance
of at least 10 feet from any other person.
o Lanyard: We are providing each volunteer and visitor with a mask lanyard that will allow you to wear your mask around your neck when you are in an area where you are more than 25 feet from another person. In this way, you can quickly pull your mask into place should someone approach you.
• DISPOSABLE GLOVES: We have provided disposable gloves. We suggest you use them when you need to handle
o Doorknobs,
o Light switches,
o Water spigots,
o Water sprayers,
o Brooms,
o Portable saddle racks,
o Stall door latches,
o Gate latches,
o Other items we would prefer not to have to disinfect multiple times each day.
Alternatively, please spray these surfaces with disinfectant and wipe them down with a paper towel after you handle them.
2. SOCIAL DISTANCING:
• Physical distancing of six (6) feet is required at all times.
• Taking breaks: If you wish to take a break and chat in a group, feel free to
pull out a hay bale and sit a while. We want to build a solid, friendly,
caring community at WellBeings. Please maintain social distance as you do so, though.
3. GROOMING
• Arena “people door”: Leave the “person door” entrance to the arena open
enough that the handle is not necessary to access the arena.
• Equipment: When you are going to groom a horse,
o Thoroughly clean your hands by washing them (in the feed room) for 20 seconds or by using hand sanitizer before you begin.
o Get a grooming bag from the feed room.
o Get a halter and lead from the rack.
• Grooming location: Please groom horses in their stalls.
• Blocker tie: When you finish grooming a particular horse, spray disinfectant on the Blocker tie and wipe it with a paper towel.
• Disinfecting afterward: When you finish grooming, put all the equipment in the tub of disinfectant and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes
o Empty the contents of the bag (brushes, hoof pick, etc.) into the tub of
disinfectant.
o Put the empty grooming bag in the disinfectant too.
o Put the halter and lead in the disinfectant too.
o If you used a pair of grooming gloves, put them in the disinfectant too.
o Once the equipment has soaked for at least 20 minutes, scrub it with a
brush if needed to remove dirt; then rinse it thoroughly and set it on the
drying shelf to dry.
4. CLEANING STALLS
• Arena “people door”: Leave the “person door” entrance to the arena open
enough that the handle is not necessary to access the arena.
• Primary equipment: Use a single manure fork, a single shovel, and a single muck bucket cart throughout the day. When you finish with them, spray them thoroughly with disinfectant solution and wipe them off with a paper towel.
• Gloves: Whenever possible, wear your own work gloves. Unfortunately,
because different people have different preferences when it comes to the fit of gloves, their material, etc, WellBeings is not able to supply these at this time. If you choose to use your own work gloves, though, please disinfect them each day.
• Muck buckets: If you are not wearing your own work gloves, spray the
handles of each muck bucket when you finish filling and moving it.
• Wheelbarrow: Each time you use a wheelbarrow, if you are not wearing your own work gloves, spray the handles of the wheelbarrow as soon as you finish with it.
• Disinfecting when you finish: When you finish cleaning a stall, spray
disinfectant on any parts of the door or other parts of the stall you might have touched with your bare hands; then wipe them down with a paper towel.
5. WORKING WITH THE HORSES
• Using the ring: Only two horse-handler pairs may use the riding ring at a
time.
• Arena “people door”: Leave the “person door” entrance to the arena open
enough that the handle is not necessary to access the arena.
• Horse equipment: Spray and thoroughly wipe down all horse equipment after each use.
6. DAILY DISINFECTION
• Commonly used items are sanitized at least daily.
Please remind others if you see them not complying with any of these protocols.
We are all trying our best, but we also all forget from time to time.
Anyone purposefully not complying with any of these protocols will be asked to leave the premises immediately