Horse flu experineces.
These are some of the not so good experiences we are facing from EI:::::::
We are a small business totally dependent on horses for survival. Our experience from the E.I. outbreak may help you from falling into the same traps.
We operate on land leased from the depts. of planning on a long-term lease.
We abide by all appropriate laws and requirements both in business matters and in animal welfare as a legitimate accountable business ie paying our taxes and not a cash-in-pocket hobby operator. My wife and I own the business but due to health and age issues, the horse activities are run by our 2 daughters...E.I was approaching quickly and we feared a probable shut-down and ceased all advertising/promotions etc to avoid accumulating costs.
Symptoms of EI first showed on 10th Oct and we notified the DPI, and closed the gates to the public, thus cutting-off our income from rides in the middle of the normally good-earning school holidays. The following week with no income, I had the awful job of laying-off both daughters, and with my wife and myself we all went to Centerlink to apply for the Equine Workers Hardship Supplement , One daughter was told "NO" because her husband works and she would not be eligible for any payment. The second is a single mother buying a home, she does receive a parenting payment from C/link so was told" nobody can receive 2 benefits from us and as she was effectively out of work and on a benifitee, she would need ti seek new employment. With the industry virtually closed down it would have to be out of the industry she has spent 25 yrs training in the horse industry.
The EFA info from Sept was said all people in horse industry could apply within reason.
My wife and I's application has to date not been questioned! With 90 horses with only unpaid volunteers to feed and look after unwell horses and with a diminishing stock of feed and no money coming in.
Next step was to apply for other assistance funding. EI Business Assistance Grant. Filling in the form question 5 is a minefield I honestly answered "NO" believing it to refer to MAJOR costs, as we had been lucky enough to treat the sick from our own store of Bute and antibiotic, apart from, cash purchases of disinfectants signage and protective biosuits, we were containing costs knowing we would have trouble paying for them if we went whole hog. The grant was rejected as I should of ticked "yes" even for lesser amounts out-of-pocket. I now have to appeal via C/link beaurocracy as the business sinks slowly into debit.
We also applied for "emergency" funding for CHAPS grants. And after 10 or so sleepless nights and increasingly hungry horses ..........nothing, not even a phone call. Meantime bills keep arriving, but can't be paid.
I am sure we are not unique in our inability to access help, and despite much political lauding of the rescue packages from the government cynically believe that we are at the "wrong” end of the equine industry chain. Perhaps we should” ditch" our much-loved and popular-with-the-kids, but very safe non-descript horses, and restock with totally unsuitable young high-spirited, delicate, high-maintain ace finely-bred beauties and try to teach no-experience, scared kids to enjoy the horse riding experience. Maybe we might then attract assistance by joining the "elite".
As a member of the Australian Horseriding Centres of NSW what we need is for someone perhaps in Media or Politics to "stir the pot for the small operators "and all recreational horse owners because at the present rate ,in a short time there will be no recreational horse riding available to the public. Horses will be the domain oh the rich and the gambling-backed, government assisted, organised, end-of town. Remember there are 10 times more horses on our side of the fence than theirs.
At the end of the current E.I disaster possibly with compulsory registration, vaccination, micro chipping all at our cost being forced onto even recreational owners none of us will be able to offer affordable horse riding, many will be out of work, business e.g. and perhaps abattoirs could be awash with unwanted, unaffordable cast-off horses and we don't want that do we?????????
CUT THE BUREAUCRACY
LETS GO RIDING!!!!!!!!!
Bryan Maynard
sugarloaf horse centre
campbelltown
We are a small business totally dependent on horses for survival. Our experience from the E.I. outbreak may help you from falling into the same traps.
We operate on land leased from the depts. of planning on a long-term lease.
We abide by all appropriate laws and requirements both in business matters and in animal welfare as a legitimate accountable business ie paying our taxes and not a cash-in-pocket hobby operator. My wife and I own the business but due to health and age issues, the horse activities are run by our 2 daughters...E.I was approaching quickly and we feared a probable shut-down and ceased all advertising/promotions etc to avoid accumulating costs.
Symptoms of EI first showed on 10th Oct and we notified the DPI, and closed the gates to the public, thus cutting-off our income from rides in the middle of the normally good-earning school holidays. The following week with no income, I had the awful job of laying-off both daughters, and with my wife and myself we all went to Centerlink to apply for the Equine Workers Hardship Supplement , One daughter was told "NO" because her husband works and she would not be eligible for any payment. The second is a single mother buying a home, she does receive a parenting payment from C/link so was told" nobody can receive 2 benefits from us and as she was effectively out of work and on a benifitee, she would need ti seek new employment. With the industry virtually closed down it would have to be out of the industry she has spent 25 yrs training in the horse industry.
The EFA info from Sept was said all people in horse industry could apply within reason.
My wife and I's application has to date not been questioned! With 90 horses with only unpaid volunteers to feed and look after unwell horses and with a diminishing stock of feed and no money coming in.
Next step was to apply for other assistance funding. EI Business Assistance Grant. Filling in the form question 5 is a minefield I honestly answered "NO" believing it to refer to MAJOR costs, as we had been lucky enough to treat the sick from our own store of Bute and antibiotic, apart from, cash purchases of disinfectants signage and protective biosuits, we were containing costs knowing we would have trouble paying for them if we went whole hog. The grant was rejected as I should of ticked "yes" even for lesser amounts out-of-pocket. I now have to appeal via C/link beaurocracy as the business sinks slowly into debit.
We also applied for "emergency" funding for CHAPS grants. And after 10 or so sleepless nights and increasingly hungry horses ..........nothing, not even a phone call. Meantime bills keep arriving, but can't be paid.
I am sure we are not unique in our inability to access help, and despite much political lauding of the rescue packages from the government cynically believe that we are at the "wrong” end of the equine industry chain. Perhaps we should” ditch" our much-loved and popular-with-the-kids, but very safe non-descript horses, and restock with totally unsuitable young high-spirited, delicate, high-maintain ace finely-bred beauties and try to teach no-experience, scared kids to enjoy the horse riding experience. Maybe we might then attract assistance by joining the "elite".
As a member of the Australian Horseriding Centres of NSW what we need is for someone perhaps in Media or Politics to "stir the pot for the small operators "and all recreational horse owners because at the present rate ,in a short time there will be no recreational horse riding available to the public. Horses will be the domain oh the rich and the gambling-backed, government assisted, organised, end-of town. Remember there are 10 times more horses on our side of the fence than theirs.
At the end of the current E.I disaster possibly with compulsory registration, vaccination, micro chipping all at our cost being forced onto even recreational owners none of us will be able to offer affordable horse riding, many will be out of work, business e.g. and perhaps abattoirs could be awash with unwanted, unaffordable cast-off horses and we don't want that do we?????????
CUT THE BUREAUCRACY
LETS GO RIDING!!!!!!!!!
Bryan Maynard
sugarloaf horse centre
campbelltown
posted by Horse Deals at
7:55 am
2 Comments:
It is unbelievable that you haven't been able to access the CHAPS payments - especialy when there are people with ONE competition horse who can work the system to get it. This is patently WRONG. Technically, I can qualify for it, but as we have outside income and are not really suffering (apart from not being able to campaign and on-sell horses), I thought it unethical to apply.
Typical of all governments no mater what there colour, offer some form of hope/help then make it so hard to qualify/be eligable that only those they want to get it can and rest can suffer in silance
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