Babies and Horse - Do they mix?

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Caritas

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My baby is due at the end of March and I have just given up riding for the time being. How will i cope looking after and finding time to excercise him once my baby is born, tell me how you managed, many thanks
 
You won't! Simple answer! Let's just hope you have some very willing family/friends to help out with the babysitting! Good luck!
 
I managed by employing an au pair, thereby allowing me to return to work and still keep 2 horses, both of which were hunting and competing - I made sure that the au pair could also ride, so that she could help out with the horses if I could find alternative childcare.
 
Park the pushchair in the corner of the school, that way you can get off and see to the baby if it starts crying or whatever, not entirely safe though........or get Daddy to look after it while you do the horses!
 
Have you an understanding husband ???

If you dont then you wont manage
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Depends on how much support you have and how easy your baby is! Plus the facilities you have available makes a big difference too!

When my daughter was a baby I had two horses to look after at home, but they lived out most of the time so not too time-consuming. Baby was wrapped up warm and came down to the yard to watch me do the chores.
 
I have an indoor and outdoor arena, turnout pens, lunge pens but my horse lives in most of the time, this is not sounding very promising but i am determined!!
 
You are OK whilst they are baby baby as all they do is sleep and sit anyway. You get into problems when they start becoming more active. I just gave up horses completely, whacked 2 children out quickly and then bought a horse when they were 2 and 3 and started nursery
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The stable work etc is fine to manage, as you can keep an eye on them, specially with only one horse, its the riding bit which is hard if you dont have anyone to help you, i was always lucky and my mother in law or husband looked after my babies for me. Also you have picked the right time of year, at least your going into the spring, i had my one lad in april and chucked horses out in field until i was ready to ride (about 4 wks after).
 
Thanks for your pos response, cummon ladies, tell me ill cope and it will all be ok, I couldnt possibly sale my baby horse, i love him
 
i went to try a horse once, the woman parked the pram in the middle of the school (with tiny baby in, in December), started working the horse, and when the baby started screaming, circled round it yelling "F***ing shut up!" to quieten it. i was horrified.
this is very possibly the reason why i've got lots of horses and still no children...
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so, not exactly qualified to answer this post! but, based on my friends' experience,
i guess if you can find a sitter for an hour or two a day to give you time to ride, and you're very organised, you'll be fine. very best of luck.
 
I must admit i dont agree with babies being in the arena whilst you ride, its one thing putting yourself in danger but another when you endanger your child just for an hour of pleasure!!
 
For the 1st year it is much easier as baby isn't mobile and sleeps more, I had Issy and Ryan was diagnosed with a kissing Spine 8 weeks later, it hasn't been a good or easy couple of years but we are managing.

The single most important thing for me was find a good flexible nursery. Many will take babies from 3 months old and don't forget you don't have to ride your can work from the ground. Issy was parked outside the sandschool for the 1st 3-6mths whilst I long reined, I could see and get to her easily if necessary that way and then I put her into a nursery for a couple of short days a week. I know it isn't ideal but it gave me some space and time and also I had no choice but to do Ryan's rehab so it helped enormously. The other thing if I had had more knowledge is that I would have made sure I had a better routine to start off with, that way you can plan your day and will have a clear idea of when baby sleeps so can coordinate chores and working ned with this, it will take you a few weeks to sort this but there are some great books out there that can help.

Don't forget this is a really good time of year to have a baby as evening will be lighter. My other half used to pop down to yard on way home, Ryan would be tacked up and ready and he would babysit for 40 mins whilst I rode, he is very understanding but it worked for us. I am convinced you will find a way to make it work too.

Think positive and fingers crossed it all works out.
 
OK, you WILL cope. The best invention ever is the mobile DVD (or laptop in my case) - for when they are older, you pop on a DVD next to the arena and get on - QUICKLY! The hardest time, IMHO will be between 1 and 3, after that they can help do things with you. You will work out a routine, I am sure X
 
I didn't ride for the 1st year of both of mine (apart from VERY rarely) - I can't see how anyone does ride regularly without an understanding hubby/partner or family/friends who you a) trust enough to watch your precious baby - and b) are prepared to give up time to watch your littlun!

As others have said the stable work isn't too bad - as newborns they sleep a lot so you can park pram in stable while you muck out - as they get older and more aware they get more demanding and don't LIKE being left in a buggy while you work - well mine didnt anyway!

If you have them at home and you have a saint of a hubby then you'll manage - otherwise I know I couldn't do it - but that could just be me!
 
I have never ridden with my kids in prams etc far to dangerous and stupid in my opinion, imagine if you injured yourself, or knocked out or something! dont worry you will manage, and dont sell your horse, its just the unknown you are worrying about, its not the end of the world if your horse has a couple of months off.
 
Thankyou all for your great replys and the later for sure some positive ones. I am really excited but am getting worried bout my poor boy. I have been riding but gave up about 4 weeks ago, I felt enough was enough, im lunging and have a lady that will ride him a few days a week. Hope you all have a great xmas and thankyou once again, watch this space xx
 
I have a friend who has a friend!! and they share babies and stable time.

One has the babies in the morning so the other can do the horses, and then they swap for the afternoon.

It seems to work, although they now both have a baby and a toddler each so may not be as easy as when it was just the two little ones.

You will find a way or have to get a sharer who will babysit instead of paying for rides!!
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Good luck... I also had a long break from horses to have my family, although I didnt have to sell any as when I got preggers I didnt own anything. I came back when they were three and seven years old.
 
My instructer had a baby in May, she has her parents and her inlaws very close, so baby goes to them on a Tues and Thurs afternoons and Saturday when she teaches. He also goes to a couple of friends who also have kids of a similar age. She managed to event her horse this summer at PN level this summer. Managed to do stable duties with the baby strapped to her front in a papose type thing. She gets on fine, manages to balance horse and baby fine.
Good luck!
 
Not quite the same as riding but a friend is the working daughter on a dairy farm, just her and her father. The first child is almost 2, newest is 5 months old. They will both be as tough as old boots I kid you not.
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Everywhere on the farm where she could be working has a corral for them with toys etc, so that's the dairy, the milking parlour, the calf pens and so on. They are wrapped up to the nines and are with her 99% of the time; little lad even has his breakfast in the car on the way to work in the morning. No, it's not ideal but is the only way she can manage as she HAS to be there and at least they're not being farmed out to people they don't know.
Of course you'll cope, it's just a matter of being organised.
 
It is very difficult - even I thought it was. Months spent of speedy rides with monitors hanging off my jeans and only being able to ride in my home fields....quite boring really.
 
My youngest is just turning 2 and i am very lucky that i have a very understanding husband. When he gets home from work at night i go down and do the horses, and i get up before he goes to work in the morning when the children are still asleep and turn out muck out etc. Luckily we have a flootlit arena at our yard so we can ride in the evening. The way my husband and myself look at it is that i need some time away from the children and out of the house, horses give me that time. I do know i am VERY lucky to be able to do this but you will find a way to make it work, it's not uncommon for me to take the children with me for farrier, vet etc and when the children were young they used to sleep in the car ( car parked on the yard so i could still hear/see them ) and now they have ride on toys there to keep themselves amused!
 
I have 2 girls, a 4 yo and 16 months and yes, life and horses went totally on the back-burner for the first 12 months or so after birth and even now, I only get out to ride once or twice a week.
The two things I would add that I can't see above are
1 - if you are breastfeeding, your chances of getting out to ride for the first while becomes non existent! But do not let that put you off doing it because..
2 - for me, having 2 kids was the best thing I ever did! And this is from a previously non maternal person. So what if I can't ride so much, I have 2 wonderful little people who make me laugh and cry and enrich my life so much!
Enjoy!
 
I have a 10 month old baby and a 4 year old warmblood, not the best combination!
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I sent the horse off to be backed when I was 7 months and he stayed there on full livery until the baby was 3 months but I had a c-section and couldn't do much intially as I was also ill afterwards. I did ride him over there a few times before bringing him home to DIY. I am very lucky in that I have both grandparents local who are happy to babysit and she goes to nursery 2.5 days a week so I can ride then.

If I couldn't afford to do that I think I would have to seriously consider sellling him but I guess with an older horse it might be easier.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The two things I would add that I can't see above are
1 - if you are breastfeeding, your chances of getting out to ride for the first while becomes non existent! But do not let that put you off doing it because..

[/ QUOTE ] It's not impossible! I breastfed but still was back in the saddle within a week of giving birth! Most babies can go without breastmilk for the short while it takes you to get to the yard and ride, and expressing milk is also an option.

Yes, it is a problem trying to find someone to babysit whilst you ride, but whether you breast-feed or bottle-feed shouldn't make any difference!
 
I breastfeed until 7 months and still rode, but then Alice was happy to take 1 bottle each day from about 4 weeks so this meant I could go out and not panic if I was a bit late getting back.

Mind you you will need a good bra
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