Baby question

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splashnutti1

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So me and my partner are thinking of having a baby, i would like to know how long people rode for and how long after giving birth did everyone get back on??

obviously know everyone is different just looking for rough ideas.? also understand some people dont agree with riding whilst pregnant but i think its up to the individual what they choose to do.

Need to plan what to do with my lad whilst i cant ride, probably going to offer a freind to ride him for me for free in return for help with stable work.
What did other people do?

this will be my first baby so all new to me, is exciting but then i worry about my horses:rolleyes:
 
I rode for approx the first 5 months, but I've seen other threads on here where people have ridden almost up to dropping. I think it depends on how you personally feel about it, what you think is OK now might be different once you are actually pregnant.
Mine is having a few months off, not ideal but felt that this was the best option for us both.

Good luck with it all ! :-)
 
First baby rode (inc competing xc) until 4.5 months when snow stopped play! - back on again after natural birth after 2 weeks
Second baby gave up straight away - back on after C section after 2 months

Both times I've just given mine a holiday and both times he's come back really well after a break, I think little physical niggles get properly rested, shoes off so feet in great shape and he's enthusiastic about getting out so his head's in the right place too
 
I rode until 31 weeks with mine, as was doing rehab work with him - so it was only walk work really. He is now on paddock rest (still struggling with soundness!) but I am hoping to rehab him into being barefoot as hoping this will stop his long list of injuries (we shall see!). So he will be getting at least 4 months off now - but by then it will be the middle of winter, so we'll see how my motivation with a new baby (due Oct 9th) is going - I might not want to ride until spring, I might want to jump back on ASAP if the baby stuff is working out, the horse is sound and the weather is good - a lot of variables to rely on lol

I don't think horses mind a rest if you can give them it, and as long as you can have some help during the later stages, and first bit of having a baby I think it can all work out. But, being pregnant you never know how you are going to feel - some people have easy pregnancies (I woudl count myself in this group) and some people have a really hard time of it - there's no way of knowing which you are until you're pregnant. That said, even if I did have a sound horse, with the pregnancy related carpal tunnel I have in my hands leaving me with numb fingertips I'm not so sure how keen I would be to ride anyway, as my grip is not that great - still good enough for poo picking though unfortunately! :p
 
I had to give up almost straight away due to excruciating sciatica and then, like stencilface, I've suffered with Carpel Tunnel Syndrome which has caused numb digits and loss of strength in my grip.
I think that you just have to do what feels right for you at the time - mentally and physically. If you're lucky enough to have nice people around to help then all the better but most horses can cope with a break at any stage of life.
My horse has someone riding him at the moment but it's for their own benefit only and they'll duck out as soon as their horse is back in work - very frustrating!! Once this rider has gone back to their own, my horse will be turned away until I'm ready to get back on (baby's due 8th November).
Good luck to you and everyone else that has little people on the way x
 
AWW thanks everyone :)

With it being my first not sure how i will feel, i happy to ride if i am okay till i feel uncomfortable, my lad is safe and only plan on gentle hacking.

May consider turning him away cos he is only 5 so may help him mature. He is such a good lad.

Partner is going to help with stable duties etc so i okay there.

its exciting but such a big step. We both want children but till now my partners health has got in the way so we are late starters (im 33 partner is 39).

Good luck to everyone with little ones on the way :) xxx
 
I stopped virtually straight away, not from any moral standing but because I found the bump really affected my balance and made me feel very insecure! I also got terrible sciatica near the end. I was back driving and riding 3mo after an elective Csec.
 
I think if I had a five year old I'd turn them away for the later stages. I think horses often come back better from a break. Mine will all just go on the walker and be pessoaed a couple of times a week. I think they can spend the winter chilling out. The winters have been pretty bad so they have struggled to stay in proper work anyway.
 
First baby up to 28 weeks ( v sane horse but huge trot )
Got back on after 3 months (huge episiotomy )
Second baby stopped when I knew I was up the duff (mentalist horse that liked to dump me regularly)

Got back on after 4 weeks post bubs... Natural birth .
 
I rode for 5 months (age 36) with my first, including lessons and RC dressage but no jumping. Oh, and a fall on the road days after conception (and well before I knew I was pregnant) which resulted in concussion, several hours of memory loss and an overnight stay in hospital!

Once I realised I was pregnant, I carried on riding my safe horse but roughed off the prat who I'd fallen from. I carried on until it got too uncomfortable to ride.

I was back on board the safe horse 6 weeks after an emergency c section (but took great care in mounting from a mounting block so I could ease myself gently into the saddle without putting any strain on my middle.) Just hacking in walk for a while.

I stopped as soon as I was pregnant with my second (there's an 18 month gap between them). Mainly because I had more severe morning sickness second time around and looking after a baby as well sapped all my energy.

Good luck with it all! I wasn't sure how I'd cope with the responsibility of having children but I love it! The little dears are 19yo and 17yo now. Unsurprisingly, the 19 year old, who survived the fall on the road when he was only a speck of cells, is not very keen on horses though.....
 
Sandylou said:
I had to give up almost straight away due to excruciating sciatica and then, like stencilface, I've suffered with Carpel Tunnel Syndrome which has caused numb digits and loss of strength in my grip.
I think that you just have to do what feels right for you at the time - mentally and physically. If you're lucky enough to have nice people around to help then all the better but most horses can cope with a break at any stage of life.
My horse has someone riding him at the moment but it's for their own benefit only and they'll duck out as soon as their horse is back in work - very frustrating!! Once this rider has gone back to their own, my horse will be turned away until I'm ready to get back on (baby's due 8th November).
Good luck to you and everyone else that has little people on the way x
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Hey, not seen you in the pregnancy box post over inthe club house, there's lots of us there, you should come and join. Carpal tunnel is not pleasant, have you got any splints for sleeping in? That helps the mornings be less painful IMHO. I've just been for a neck/shoulder massage too as releasing tension is supposed to help ith circulation, I think stiff shoulders is something many horse riders have :)
 
With both pregnancies I rode my own horse up to about 20 weeks. The first time sciatica/SPD stopped me. The second time I had a loaner keen to take over at that time, as I was expecting the SPD to return which it didn't. After birth, 3 months to get back on with the first one due to the SPD and an episiotomy.
This birth, one month ago today - which was natural with a small tear, I am hoping to get back on next week! Just dug out my riding gear today... V excited :)
 
Wrote a long reply but it's gone. Very safe boy, kept at home with plenty of space to rough off but he has gone on loan to my neighbour. Not sure I will get him back unless under the cover of darkness!
Ideal because I have missed the riding but not the jobs and have been able to relax and I don't have to worry about him til i'm ready. Win win for me.
 
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