Babies v horses!

C

cosmo_sam

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Cheshire, UK
www.cosmohorse.com
I think this has probably been done before, so apologies for boring anyone
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Basically I just wondered, those of you that have had babies and owned horses at the time, how you coped? ie, what did you do with your horse at the hardest times?

And before you ask...NO I'M NOT!!
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Hmm that's the problem isn't it!

Horses would win for me if I were forced to choose
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I suppose I'm looking for some inspiration that some of you have actually managed to combine both?

My hubby shares G with me if that helps?
 
I have 1,(2 in 3 weeks), horses, and a 15 month old & a 7 year old.

It is hard, very hard, but we survive! The key is having a good livery yard with nice family orientated YO, a school next to car park, and in car DVD players!!

I have to work P/T to keep them both, and its nice to get out & have adult conversation!
Baby sits in car seat with a bottle of milk & watches DVD whilst i do horses, if there no one else about and no horses, i let him run around. He is wrapped up like a Michelin man so doesn't get cold.
It can be done very easily.
 
I had a gap when my daughter was little and while i was pregnant, didnt want either to suffer as both are very demanding, then got daugher pony when she was old enough.
 
The ones at our yard have juggled it with the help of family & friends. One is now about 7mths & he stays well wrapped in his car seat in the car, as most of the time he is asleep anyway. I think it is harder when they start walking as they want to get into everything. I had a break when I had my daughter, I would not have coped.
 
I found it very hard TBH, when I was pregnant, I had a welsh sec B and a 17.2 TB The welsh pony was not a problem, my mum looked after him but the tb I could not get any one to handle him for love nor money so i had to struggle through I had plenty of very experanced people to ride him it was just stable and ground, but I got back to riding him a week after having baby my mum minded the baby while i seen to horses so was very lucky as my partner worked away a lot
 
We have 2 kids. Hasn't affected my wifes riding, I just had to look after her horse more during pregnancy and for a while after birth.
Remember having to nip out during birth of our first to do the horses. She didn't mind!
 
A lot depends on your circumstances - how much hubby is around and how much he is willing to help, whether you have friends/family living nearby who may be willing to babysit, whether you just want to ride occasionally, or compete seriously, whether horse is kept at home, nearby, on full livery or DIY.

Just remember most people underestimate how much time looking after a baby takes up! I know I did!
 
We are on a wonderful livery yard, and have lots of helpful friends.

My husband's concern is that we'llhave to do the horse's seperately, whereas now we mostly do them together, he worries we'll grow apart.

I don't agree though, I think we both have friends at the yard, and it will more than likely be a nice release for either of us to get away from the house and as someone said, have adult conversation that doesn't revolve around babies!!

(I will add, it's the hubby who is most broody - and most torn as he adores George)
 
The other spanner in the works is totally none horsey familes on both sides!!

Ie, I'm not sure I could cope with the judgemental comments on whether I was neglecting my baby for the sake of an "animal"
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Anyone had experience of none-understanding families/inlaws?
 
I currently have an 11mth old filly , 6 yr old and a 2 yr old , How do I do it i hear you say ??? .... Well a friend of mine both bought the foal together, She feeds and cleans in the morning and I clean in the evening, My eldest is at school, and my younger one comes along, he gets well wrapped up or he sits in the car sleeping, he loves to help, I normally would move the foal into another stable while cleaning her out, Both boys love to help, they get the water and hay.... its great to get them out and about instead of watching tv . I have a very understanding husband who says that is having nothing to do with horses but yet he talks away to her , helps me clean her out and is going to be leading her at the inhand class at balmoral ( 2 words ... Little finger :P ) So in my case its not too bad, I wouldnt have it any other way . The foal doesnt need any riding obviously and by the time My 2 boys will be up abit She will be ready for breaking in and I will have more time to ride her :P ...


HOWEVER .... When I found I was pregnant with my second son, I had to part with my 16.1 IDxTB mare whom I miss very much, due to me having to go into hospital as they thought I was going to have a miscarriage and I was just working to hard and getting stressed out, in the end I made a very hard decision to let her go, Im currently looking for her at the minute would love to hear from her, she did go to a yard in temple patrick called laurelview stud and was then sold on from there .


But anyhoos after the essay , I think it can be done, I just had complications .
 
At the mo horses are a priority, I think when the time comes for family life, I will poss put my mare in foal or loan her out. If I had help from family that would be great and you'd need an understanding OH
 
[ QUOTE ]
The other spanner in the works is totally none horsey familes on both sides!!

Ie, I'm not sure I could cope with the judgemental comments on whether I was neglecting my baby for the sake of an "animal"
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Anyone had experience of none-understanding families/inlaws?

[/ QUOTE ] None of my family are horsey or my partner its only my mum who has learnt from me hence why she wouldnt handle the tb and because he was so bolshy the yard refused to take him on full liv as they said he was a liabilty to staffs saftey which is fair enough so i had no choice but to diy, but on many occasions i had brother and sister making comments how the horses are morse important to me than the baby and why could i just not leave them for a few weeks they were right pains in the a*ses
 
Both sets of families have no interest whatsoever in horses, At the end of the day you wouldnt be neglecting your baby ... you would just be choosing your horse over baby :P
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In all honesty take no notice of them, if your hubbie helps out then great
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Definitely horses!! When the law is changed and you are allowd to sell off any children that you don't get on with I might re-think but NOT UNTIL!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
The other spanner in the works is totally none horsey familes on both sides!!

Ie, I'm not sure I could cope with the judgemental comments on whether I was neglecting my baby for the sake of an "animal"
confused.gif


Anyone had experience of none-understanding families/inlaws?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well if anyone has that kind of attitude they want shooting!You'd hardly be neglecting your baby...you'd simply be taking some time for yourself. Being a mother doesn't mean you have to forsake everything else.

xx
 
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Definitely horses!! When the law is changed and you are allowd to sell off any children that you don't get on with I might re-think but NOT UNTIL!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not alone in my thoughts after all!
 
Am making exactly the same decision myself, but helps that Neddies are at home, OH is horsy and can do everything (but does work nights) and my parents live next door so can help out if and when sprog arrives!
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I am currently 26 weeks pregnant. I have loaned out my mare to MFH_09 on here to breed from, my gelding is having a year off but he is still in at night so I am mucking out every day etc. I am not finding it hard at all, the only thing is I have to get someone to put my shavings in for me and lift my water out if it is still too full. I am very lucky to be at a yard with my best friend so I know he will be looked after when I am having baby etc although he should be out 24 hrs by then as I am due 20may. My family are totally non horsey but understand that there was never any question of me giving up my horse. I will also be working p/t to pay for it all but I am sure we will manage fine
Good luck if you decide to go for it
xxx
 
It can be juggled. Birth - pre walking stage is easy, they will sleep in pushchair/car seat or can go in a sling or door mounted bouncer whilst you are poo picking etc. When they start toddling it is a bit more difficult, quick things like turning out and feeding may be ok but riding out may require a baby sitter, waiting until hubby is home and child in bed or enrol child into loads of toddler groups etc.

Once the child is at nursery/school and can understand basic commands things will get easy again. So you are only looking at a three year window when things are tricky. And of course by then you will be looking for a section A or Shetland.......
 
My mother-in-law is wonderful. Even when Small Boy 2 was a baby she had him on Wednesdays so I could go hunting!
All hail mother-in-laws!
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My OH was the hunt terrierman - hes still my OH, just not the terrierman any more! - and he really doesn't like horses, but in spite of all the moaning he did help out. Particualry when SB2 was 9 months old I broke my hand out hunting, he had to be the nappyman!
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And children seem to have coped with being neglected and always broke cos of horses, they seem fairly well balanced individuals!
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It was easy for me as my horses have always been kept at home. I am a dab hand at mucking out in the middle of winter, complete with baby in pouch, zipped inside my warm jacket!

Riding mean't riding in the field for a few months with baby monitor attached to my belt.

Afternoon turn-in and feeds mean't baby in pram in stableyard.

Not sure I would have liked to do it at a livery yard though.
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To be honest this is something I worry about, we are only married 9 months so tbh its not something on the agenda straight away but I ahve (horsey wise) a 16year old her 3 year old a 5 year old and 2 donks to look after!

I cant imagine a baby fitting in there LOL!

However one thing I am sure off is its the 3 year olds big year next year (showing wise!) so it wont be next,
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Hubby is horrified that I would schedule our life round the horses LOL but I told him I hadnt bred her and looked after her to let someone else ride her in the 4 year old classes!

Thats where my priorities are at the mo but my mum says I'll change, think its wishful think on her behalf LOL!

N
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V character building - My baby is 15 now and can work like a trooper. She can do three stables in 30 mins before going to school. No worries with childhood obesity and a faboulous way to instill responsibility, coping with failure and understanding that money doesnt grow on trees - your baby wouldn't learn that wrapped up in cotton wool watching TV!
 
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