News from Warwick 16th September

While we were talking to Heath Ryan yesterday he suggested we spoke to his “hard working and enthusiast groom, Alishya Hill”, still at Warwick. So today we caught up with her.

Eighteen year old Alishya, explained that she started to work for Heath ten months ago and her first ever event was at the now infamous ODE at the Ranch at Maitland on the 18th and 19th of August.

“That weekend we took nine horses to the Ranch including my horse, there were 200 horses there and from what I have heard very few got EI and none of the horses we took have been sick. The DPI vet rang us a couple of days after the event, as they did to everyone there, and they came out and checked our horses."

“When you work for Heath you work 6 days and get the seventh off so I did not go to Warwick. When I went to work on the Monday, Heath said the situation at Warwick looks more serious than we had thought, and he needed me to go to Queensland. So that is what I did straight away and I have been here ever since. Until a few days ago Eric and I have been looking after Heath’s five horses and two others, but now that they are all well Eric has gone back to Lochinvar. Eric could not leave here and go straight back due to bio-security, so Rozzie picked him up and they had to stop for 48 hours on their way home."

“I start the day at 6.30 am, feeding and watering my horses, then take their temps. for the vets, remove all their rugs, as it is very warm here during the day now and then put them all out in the day yards. Our yards are way over the back so it takes me an hour to put them all out and give them hay and water out there. After this I have breakfast then clean out the boxes/night yards."

“As there are three EFA instructors in lockdown, the EFA has organised for us to do our Intro and Level 1 Instructors certificates while we are here. I am doing my Intro Level with my assessment on Monday and then hopefully I can go onto my Level 1. We have classes every second day for two hours starting at 10.30 am. It has been really good."

“After class I try and get some lunch then it is time to start to bring them all back in again. As there are 250 horses and 188 yards we need to share some of them, so our horses have to come in so others can go out."

“All our horses are well now and I keep asking the vets when they can start light work but they are unsure. They have told us one weeks rest for every day they have a temperature, but they emphasize that this disease can do a lot of damage to the horses lungs and respiratory system."

“We keep hearing lots of things about when we can leave, like the 29th of September, the 2nd of October and the 31st of October, but nothing official. Then there is also the problem that we may be able to leave Morgan Park but not Queensland. However, there is a compulsory meeting tonight, so hopefully all is revealed. They have not started taking nasal swaps or blood here yet. I will not be going home until the horses do, as I seem to know what is going on and have it under control."

“I am sleeping in Heaths truck in a swag, and I have cooking facilities and a fridge in the truck, but all our meals are provided by the caterers and I can go to the “one stop shop” where there is a phone and two computers, so we can keep up to date on the internet. I am so grateful for what the Government is doing, they have been just amazing.”

Alishya does sound like she has things under control so we will give her a call tomorrow to find out what was said at the meeting and hear how she went in her Intro Level instructors certificate.