Blue Rider Stables needs your help to weather a crisis

On Saturday, October 11th, we had an incident with a skunk coming onto Blue Rider property during business hours. One horse was bitten, but no humans.

We called the police and vet immediately. We were able to get the skunk sent off for testing on Tuesday, and received word on Thursday that the skunk was positive for rabies. All of our equines have received yearly rabies vaccinations since they arrived here, and all have received a booster since Saturday. The horse who was bitten is and has been in quarantine.

We have been reassured by the state, the town health department, our vets, and the local ER, that unless you yourself were bitten by the skunk, you are not in danger.

As of Friday, October 17, we are under a state-mandated 45 day quarantine, with no lessons and no contact with our horses from the public.

All of our horses and donkeys are vaccinated as the state mandates, and we had eyes on the horses at all times once the skunk showed up. Our first priority is in the safety of the riders and staff and the health of the animals. We are expecting the best possible outcome and appreciate your understanding and support.

Due to the mandated quarantine, Blue Rider will be without revenue for the entirety of the 45 day period. That means the $35,000 which we had depended upon to feed and care for the herd, pay our staff, and keep everyone healthy and safe will be lost. We have not yet tallied the veterinary costs incurred due to this incident; we are facing an unprecedented challenge and hope our community can step in to offer help.

We humbly reach out to our community and beyond to help weather this crisis. The staff are working tirelessly under great stress to care for the herd and one another, but we need funds to ensure we can continue our mission well into the future.

If you can donate, we are deeply grateful. If you cannot, please send your well wishes our way, and share this fundraiser far and wide!

As always, we are in awe and gratitude for the love sent to the herd and their humans since the incident, and look forward to the day we can again open our doors to our riders, our friends, and the community.