I am convinced that Horse Sport Ireland’s (HSI) protocol for the early resumption of equine competition will work.

I say this for two main reasons – firstly our love of the horse and secondly the already rigid discipline adhered to within the sport.

To say that you cannot have sport without an audience does not ring true in the case of equestrianism because it is not the applause of the crowd that drives it forward but rather the union of human and horse.

Love of the horse

All consideration about whether or not equestrian sport can soon resume must take account of the position of the horse in all riding activity. It is not just a matter of picking up a ball, golf bag or racket, but rather of bringing a trained living being along with you. The horse’s progression from novice to fully fledged participant should not be a stop-start affair, but rather a steady rhythm through which they reach their maximum potential.

As the protocol rightly states: “Horses need to compete at least once a month to keep a routine and maintain competition fitness.”

So long as that need can be fulfilled without endangering our attempted eradication of Covid–19 then in the interest of horse welfare, competition should indeed resume. And that brings me to the point about discipline.

Rules

The one announcement over the public address at a jumping, eventing or dressage competition that any rider dreads most is: “Would rider x please come to the judges’ box.”

Without hesitation the rider quickly arrives to hear what they might have done wrong and what the consequences could be. The current Covid-19 restrictions have added an extra layer of regulations that must be adhered to at any event and I have no doubt at all that it will be as strictly applied as the normal rules of competition.

The safety officers and arena stewards have in the past played crucial roles in the application of rules. Now a new official to be known as the compliance officer is to be added. That should give further assurance that the running of a training or light competition event will be safe.

As the HSI protocol states: “The role of a COVID-19 compliance officer is to monitor activities to ensure social distancing and hygiene rules are being maintained in order to protect health and reduce the spread of Covid–19.”

I would not like to be the person called to the judge’s box at the behest of the compliance officer for any infringement of the rules clearly laid out in HSI’s Covid-19 protocol.