They reopened the gallops on the Curragh yesterday and a training schedule of sorts resumed. But training for what?

"It felt like business as usual anyhow," said jockey David Evans. "Up until now we had been literally trotting the horses around an indoor shed just to keep them ticking over. It was good to get back out on open ground but obviously that situation is open to change."

Evans rides out for Dermot Weld's stable and on a day-today level, his work practices have not altered so drastically. For now, there remains an optimism that the Irish racing jumping season can be salvaged to some extent and there is a fundamental belief that the decision to postpone racing in this country was correct. But already, those whose livelihoods are being directly affected by the nation-wide silencing of sport have begun to quietly address the more pessimistic consequences of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

"From my own point of view, things were going quite well prior to this. I was getting around between seven and 10 rides a week and I'd had a few winners. My last win was at Naas. You'd get about £70 per ride, so it isn't difficult to work out the maths. And a win meant 8 per cent of the prize money and most races today would carry a £5,000 prize so that could mean the bones of an extra £500. Some lads I know were getting more races than me. So the financial loss has been fairly serious and if there is no racing for any longer than six weeks, well, many people, including myself, will be seriously worried."

Evans is single and does not have the burden of a mortgage, readily allowing that his personal expenses are not as heavy as they might be. But he believes that his short-term future in racing is uncertain.

"I really don't think that the income I generate from riding out will sustain my expenditure on a long-term basis and to be honest, I'd consider looking for building work if this situation continues. And there are other considerations. If there is no sign of racing getting going again, many owners might just decide against keeping their horses in training. Now most of the owners I'd ride out for would be well established but for the smaller owner, paying £150 or so a week to keep a horse trained for races that might not be run is a fairly hefty expense."

As Evans sees it, any income he loses out on will be worth it if the current foot-and-mouth epidemic is prevented from taking grip on this country. Virtually all of the racing community is behind the postponement, he feels. But he does wonder if all potential carriers of the disease are taking precautions as stringent as those adopted by the sporting bodies.

"I spoke to a friend of mine today who was dealing with a company rep from England. He said he had no problem coming through the airports, didn't encounter any disinfectant procedure. And the attitude in England seems to be totally casual, as if they have accepted that the epidemic is there and are hoping it will simply disappear. It's frustrating to witness that when there are very real sacrifices being made here."

He went along to the Jockeys' Association last week when it was made clear that they would not be receiving any compensation for losses incurred through this postponement. He accepts the situation but is, understandably, none too thrilled.

"The reality is that if this inactivity continues past a certain time, jobs will be lost. In almost all sectors, job losses are at least softened by redundancy. That won't be so here. And it is not as if we provoked this situation in any way, it's not as if we were striking. This is essentially down to goodwill and a belief that we have to prevent and outbreak of the disease.

Easter Monday has been mentioned in racing circles as a possible return date but it is all dependent on no outbreak occurring over the previous month in either Britain or Ireland.

"With the way things are in England right now, it could be next year before we have a 30day period with no new outbreak recorded," he pointed out.

If that bleak case materialises, this jockey knows too well what he'll be steering.

"A friend was asking me the other day if I'm any good with a wheelbarrow. I said that I wasn't but that I'd be willing to learn. The only bright spot is that there is plenty of work around. If I have to do that until this thing has been dealt with, well, so be it."