Manitoba Horse Council

> The Manitoba Horse Council office is closed to personal visitors until further notice, however John Savard and Linda Hazelwood can be reached by phone and email during normal business hours.

> Update September 28, 2020

You will have heard that Winnipeg Metro region which includes various outlying towns and villages in now in Covid-19 Code Orange Status. Sport Manitoba advises that they have received direction from the Province that at this time, the maximum occupancy of 10 people indoors and outdoors and the wearing of masks does not apply to those actively engaging in athletic or fitness activities.

Equestrian facilities should continue to allow atendance on their premises with regard to size and social distance allocations. It is of critical importance that all Provincial Sport Organizations and members continue to follow their Return to Play plans and protocols with emphasis on the fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19:

• Stay home if you feel sick
• Wash/sanitize your hands, cover your cough and physically distance when you are with people outside your household
• If you cannot physically distance, you should wear a mask to help reduce your risk 
• Reduce the number of close contacts outside your household, and avoid closed-in or crowded spaces

An updated MHC Return to Operations document is in final production and will be sent to all equestrian facilities on our contact list very shortly. Please continue to manage the number of people on your property, with sign-in sheets, health attestations and contact tracing information.

The updated document will be on the Competition page of this site.

We cannot stress strongly enough that the rules of conduct for activity and competition are mandated by the provincial government and they apply to all, regardless of affiliation. No one should think that because they are not members of MHC, that the rules don’t apply; they do. Furthermore, they’re not rules, they are laws -in the form of amendments to the Public Health Act of Manitoba. These requirements may be amended, but will remain in place for as long as the provincial government deems the measures necessary. Manitoba is the only province to have taken this approach and, therefore, have absolved themselves of any responsibility.

Even if your equestrian activity is not linked to MHC, we encourage you to read and use the Return to Play/Return to Competition protocols as they are the guidelines approved by the Province of Manitoba, and are the standard to which your activity will be held.

> All businesses and venues are required to continue following physical distancing and stringent cleaning practices to protect both employees and customers. Changes in reopening schedules are at gov.mb.ca/covid19/protection

Please note that provincial guidelines may be amended from time to time and it is the hosting facility/event organizer's responsibility to be aware of any changes. Please look at the gov.mb.ca website link above if you are unsure.