Napa Open Space District- Parks Are Open

As of May 4, According to Napa County Regional Parks and Open Space District, all of their parks are open. If you visit, please follow proper their park safety guidelines.

You Can Help Us Keep the Parks Open & Safe:

We love you all & are fortunate to have trails and parks open for use, but some parks are getting heavy use on peak days and we need your help to manage crowds so that we don’t have to close these parks.

    • Please moderate use of popular parks like Moore Creek Park, Oat Hill Mine Trail and Skyline Wilderness Park and visit at off peak hours if possible. Help us keep crowds at a manageable level so that we can keep parks open.

    • Robert Louis Stevenson Park does not have adequate parking for the number of users that we’ve been seeing. Please avoid RLS State Park for the time being and choose alternate trails if you need to get out to a park.

    • If parking lots and trailheads become too crowded, we will have to close these parking lots and/or parks. Help us keep crowds small by choosing lesser used trails and parks near your home. Now is the perfect time to explore a new trail when you get outside, explore your neighborhood, or get outside during non-peak hours when you can.

    • Need park & trail suggestions? Our full trail map is here, and we’ve assembled a list of easy hike suggestions here. Note: Many of the trails/parks listed on the interactive map are not managed by NOSD. Please be sure to check the websites of the managing agency/organization for each trail or park before you head out. For the full list of NOSD parks, please click here.

California Govenor Clarifies Types of Outdoor Activities Allowed During Shelter-in-Place: Includes Horseback Riding

Californians can walk, run, hike and bike in their local neighborhoods as long as they continue to practice social distancing of 6 feet. This means avoiding crowded trails & parking lots.

State Parks, campgrounds, museums, and visitor centers have been closed to help slow the spread of the virus. A list of all closures can be found at www.parks.ca.gov/flattenthecurve.

It’s okay to go outside to go for a walk, to exercise, and participate in healthy activities as long as you maintain a safe physical distance of six feet and gather only with members of your household. Below is a non-exhaustive list of those outdoor recreational activities.

  • Athletics

  • Badminton (singles)

  • Throwing a baseball/softball

  • BMX biking

  • Canoeing (singles)

  • Crabbing

  • Cycling

  • Exploring rock pools

  • Gardening (not in groups)

  • Golf (singles, walking – no cart)

  • Hiking (trails/paths allowing distancing)

  • Horse riding (singles)

  • Jogging and running

  • Kite boarding and kite surfing

  • Meditation

  • Outdoor photography

  • Picnics (with your stay-home household members only)

  • Quad biking

  • Rock climbing

  • Roller skating and roller blading

  • Rowing (singles)

  • Scootering (not in groups)

  • Skateboarding (not in groups)

  • Soft martial arts: tai chi, chi kung (not in groups)

  • Table tennis (singles)

  • Throw and catch an American mini-football, frisbee or frisbee golf (not in groups)

  • Trail running

  • Trampolining

  • Tree climbing

  • Volleyball (singles)

  • Walk the dog

  • Wash the car

  • Watch the sunrise or sunset

  • Yoga

Learn more

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.

 

Equestrian Aid Foundation COVID-19 Relief Application

Equestrian Aid Foundation COVID-19 Relief Application

Relief grants will provide financial assistance to equestrian professionals and industry service providers who are experiencing unexpected financial crisis due to the negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation is prioritizing assistance to those who have lost their primary/only income as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant amount will support a one-time payment of $500 (per household) to assist with basic living expenses.

The grant application is open only to equestrian professionals and industry service providers. Applicants must be citizens or legal residents of the United States.

***Your personal information will be kept strictly confidential. It will not be disclosed outside of the Equestrian Aid Foundation applicant review committee. EAF will maintain the same standard of confidentiality it extends to traditional grant applicants to COVID-19 relief grant applicants.***

APPLY NOW

*** The COVID-19 Emergency Grant window is temporarily closed. Please leave your contact information and we will notify you as soon as it repoens ***

 

EAF will prioritize assistance to equestrian professionals and industry service providers who have lost their primary or only income as a direct result of COVID-19.

Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Make Progress on Your Goals

Strider has created a great post to help riders stay connected and engaged while sheltering in place.

Here are some highlights:

Now many of us know what stall rest feels like, right?

Shelter-in-place orders and forced closures of equestrian facilities nationwide mean significantly less barn time for some.

While there is no substitute for spending time with your horse, the team at STRIDER™ has some creative ways for you to feel connected to your equestrian community and keep making progress on your goals while you’re confined to your home.

#LearnFromTheBest
Check out training insights and helpful exercises from one of your favorite clinicians.

Stay Connected
Watch webinars and digital meetups where you can participate and ask your own questions,

Review Past Rides & Plan Ahead
Write down things you’ve gotten better at, and where there’s still some work to do. First and foremost though, be kind to yourself- nobody’s perfect.

Give Thanks
Check in on barn managers, working students, and trainers who are toughing it out providing the best care to your four-legged friends. 

Read more

IF YOU NEED TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE CARING FOR YOUR HORSE

If, as a horse owner, you have come upon a temporary situation in which you would like to keep your horse, but need assistance in the interim, the United Horse Coalition has created a listing of Safety Net Programs and other Resources to help you get back up on your feet.  These programs can help temporarily in the form of hay and feed, veterinary assistance, gelding clinics, training, help with behavior issues, and more.

Learn more.

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.

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