Babies and horses?!?

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emmaln

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Hello lovely hhoer's,

I know this has probably done before but I just wondered how many on here are currently juggling young babies and horses?

My baby girl is now 11 weeks, I have 2 horses, a retired ex-racer and a 6yr old welsh PB, they are on DIY livery and stabled at night! I am very lucky that my little bro and oh have been very helpful! Little bro took o. The ride of my youngster when I was preggers and so has carried on with her which is great he also helps out by putting them out for me whilst I go up and muck out/bring in in the evenings at super quick speed between feeds!

We're doing ok but I think I was hoping to be doing more by now for eg welshy needs clipping and ex racer needs tlc and a massage (I'm an ESMT!) it's starting to get me down a bit as I feel guilty they aren't getting as much attention as normal! Don't think this blinking weather helps as taking little one to the yard when it's peeing it down is no fun :-(

So anyway sorry for going on but how are you all coping????

Ems
 
when one of mine was young i took a travel cot up to the yard and put it up in the tack room, he would sit in there and play with his toys and was able to fidget/roll around/see things whilst i got on with doing the horses, if the weather was nice and sunny (and warm) i'd put it outside. as he got older i stopped using it.

make sure you give the little one a good feed, settle them down to sleep and then you should be able to have a couple of hours to do what you want to do. or could you ask for your brother/OH to look after little one for a few hours once a week so you can be fully committed to the horses?
 
Congrats on the baby. It is doable. We have 4, two young ridden and two retired, I have a 7 month old baby (Bertie) and a 3 year old (Evie), but also a 21 year old who helps enormously. Keeping them at home helps as does having them out 24/7. However, with the terrible weather ours are in from dawn till dusk so all the horse time I have seems to be mucking out, haying etc rather than enjoying them. I think the time of year and weather is a bummer even if you haven't got a baby. It will all be easier in the spring with better weather, lighter nights, less mud and without having to kit everyone out in hats coats, snow suits etc .

My top tips however are

- Have horses out un-rugged if possible with big bale hay/haylage.
- Don't worry if you don't do too much with them, they wont mind a rest
- Get super organised. if you have more time, at weekend or in the evening for example try and get ahead with jobs
- Pig oil or canter coat shine to cut down grooming time
- If your horses are at home a good long range baby monitor so you can do stuff whilst they are napping
- Baby sling - I used to do all my poo picking with Evie in a sling. Bertie hated it though
- Yard pushchair with big wheels and good rain covers/sun canopy/flynet so you can 'park' them comfortably ( not too close to the fence - my daughter TB ran off with my 3 year olds blanket once)
- Toys that attach to the pram
- When little one gets bigger a water proof boiler suit.
- Make use of grannies/aunties friends who want to play babies, if they are not available perhaps consider a morning or two at nursery when baby is older, it will be good for his/her social skills (and give you some quality time).
- Accept that you are probably not going to have as much time to ride/be with the horses for a while
- Don't feel guilty about the time you do spend with the horses, its good for you physically and mentally and therefore makes you a better Mum.
- If it gets realy tough consider a sharer

Its always difficult juggling horses and babies and the difficulties change as they grow. Evie used to have lovely long naps during the day so I could get loads done, Bertie will only nap for 30 minutes or so, but is happy to sit and watch from his pushchair. Evie has just got over her obsession with playing in the water troughs (hooray) but now wants to be hands on with the horses (not always a good thing!).

You will find a way to manage - good luck!
 
Babies are easy as they usually sleep plenty and stay put whilst you do what you need to do. It's when they get to 2 that's the problem!
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Erray said:
Babies are easy as they usually sleep plenty and stay put whilst you do what you need to do. It's when they get to 2 that's the problem!
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Great - I think someone needs to design a wheelbarrow with a baby seat attachment. I have used my wheelbarrow to push the pushchair along.

OP I also meant to say along with the accepting bit to remember that time flies and whilst it may seem daunting now its not forever. I can't beleive my first born is 21. Evie starts school in September and Bertie Is starting nursery next week ready for the end of my maternity leave on the 14th Jan (will now have to fit work into the equation too!). It only seems like a month or so ago that he was born.
 
Some great advice, congratulations and good luck. Mixing horses and a family will certainly involve some sorts of compromise. The earlier the baby gets used to being out and about with you at the yard the sooner they seem to adjust to it. It's pretty mild for Jan so far this year and as the lovely photo above shows, nicely tucked up in a pram after a feed should give you some time to do some jobs.
Mine genuinely slept by the side of the school when I rode for 30/40 mins or so and then when I was braver I left him in the house (horses at home!) with baby monitor on.
A supporting OH is a fantastic help.
Don't put too much pressure on yourself, the horses will not mind a little holiday or look for someone to baby sit (friend or relative) while you have some 'me' time with the horses - very important to keep you sane (or it was for me anyway)

I do agree tho toddlers are far worse - want to be involved in everthing but are a liabilty! Mine is sporting a lovely bruse on his face where he pulled a five bar gate over on himself while I turned round for 1 second to turn off a tap!
 
I love the pushchair / hay / bucket photo! I did lots of jobs when my babies were small, from ragwort pulling with a sling and barrow to tack cleaning to just generally fussing about at the yard. If you are patient enough to play with your baby at the yard, feed them there and wait for them to sleep you can then usually get an hour-ish to ride or do hands on things with the horses. It was easier with my first, who was small in summer and so could sit in his pushchair happily. Second one born last April and I was hoping for the same, but the rain didn't help.

I started using a nursery each time from 4 months to get a bit of time truly free - riding isn't so relaxing with an ear out for the baby all the time. I also used a friend at the yard who would take him for a pushchair walk for an hour while I rode, I paid her £8 for the hour. Is there a teenager or friend who could do the same?

Everyone says your horses don't mind more time off and it is true, but it never feels that way especially when you have a young horse. It does get better, from a few months the baby gets easier to leave with someone else, and it sounds as if your OH is great (this is the single most useful thing). And the evenings are getting longer... promise...

And at just about the point it is all brilliantly manageable, you'll go and blow it all by having another baby. Oops.
 
it works in my house.
My daughter is 4 now.
I have a very good other half and I don't sleep much.
I had 6 at one point.
I get up very early. So can ride and muck out and be home before daughter is awake and oh goes to work.
I'm often at the yard very late.

When they are younger time feeds, sleep etc to you can ride in the arena while little one is in the car parked in view.
 
I have a 9 month old and one horse on DIY. Here are some things I do. I moved horse to a closer yard. I make up lots of haynets and feeds at the weekend when OH has some 1-1 with baby. I haven't clipped this winter so saving time with rugging etc, also stops me from riding for too long! YO does turnout and morning feeds. I am training my mum to help!
At weekends I get up early to ride and do horse, Mons and Tues I am off work but have baby so I do horse while he naps in the car - I park the car right by the stable so I can listen. OH works late these days. On Weds Thurs Fris when I am at work, OH picks up baby from my parents so I can do horse on way home. In summer he will be out 247 so I can ride these times.

I just have to accept I can't ride as often as I would like, and it's hard work. I can't compete as I just don't have time for lessons etc. Horse is now a VERY happy hacker.
However I found out I'm expecting again !!!!!!!! So I am not sure how I will cope this time. I will need a loaner at least.
 
I just have to accept I can't ride as often as I would like, and it's hard work. I can't compete as I just don't have time for lessons etc. Horse is now a VERY happy hacker.
However I found out I'm expecting again !!!!!!!! So I am not sure how I will cope this time. I will need a loaner at least.[/QUOTE]

Congrats Noblesteed - I guess you will be getting the baby stage over and done with. One of my friends had 3 very close together and swears that its the best way!
 
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