Expectant mums & riding

[noblesteed]

Hi all

Just wondered how long into pregnancy people managed to keep riding? I am coming up 16 weeks and I have stopped jumping, finding it very hard work to school due to my abdominal muscles being 'altered' by bump. Still hacking out, having a trot and canter where possible and doing short schooling sessions.
I am finding I am too tired to ride very day and have a girl riding a few times a week, I am giving her lessons so she can take over from me once I feel I can't ride any more and will do the horse for me through the winter and while babby is tiny.
I am not a serious competition rider, just like to keep my horse fit, happy hacking and doing low level local/RC dr and sj.

What did other ladies do? Thanks in advance!

 

[berry]

With my first I rode until I was about 8 months with this one I haven't ridden at all as my mare had her baby in may and I can't risk being the one to bring her back into work as she can be a tad sharp when she wants to be .

 

[H's mum]

I rode until I was 8 month with my first pregnancy and 6/7 month in my second - it's all up to you at the end of the day and what you feel comfortable with I rode after a few wks with both - Good luck with your pregnancy - don't take risks, listen to your horse (and your inner voice) and just enjoy it!
Kate x

 

[nicknack]

I was a happy hacker/occasional dressage/SJ with 2 horses to try to keep in work. I did give up anything strenuous and hacked until 8 months with my first one and gave up at about 7 months with the second. Number 2 survived me somersaulting over mare's head at 4 months and I was only allowed to gently hack under supervision after that.

I suspect the limitations are what feels safe and comfortable from individual to individual and its certainly not worth risking health and safety of mum or bump to do too much.

I can remember lugging sacks of feed and mucking out while in labour with number 1, trying to hide the fact I was in labour (although I'm sure people saw through the ruse). I guess I was trying to put off the moment of truth.........

 

[babymare]

hun it is down to you and how you feel - ok enjoy a hack but if your tired does it really matter as long you dont start hurling hay bales around - its your body your baby so go with what you feel - i found it helped to hack out - quiet and steady - but time for you to sit back and order people around - remember your hormones are high so excuse to be a bit of a bugger lol - all i can say your body so do what feels right for you and if safe stead horse get out there and have a hack and enjoy - so so cant wait for more regarding pregancy so please keep us posted and hey a hug to you and your tiny one xxxx

 

[nicknack]

Good answer Babymare - been a LOT of years since I did it and the memory fades , but yes - the tiredness is a killer and you have to listen to it because it's an important message.

Just do what feels sensible and enjoyable and remember that horses survive layoffs quite happily.

 

[Abacus]

Congratulations!

The others are quite right - do what you feel. My midwife told me that an experienced rider with a safe horse should be fine, as long as they don't take too many risks. I know a few people who have fallen off when pregnant and though not it's recommended, have come to no harm.

With my first I rode as long as I could - it snowed at 8 and a half months, so I stopped then. I did have my lovely safe older horse then. I was jumping until about 5 months, but had no visible bump until about then. I rode again 10 days afterwards. I'm now pregnant again but only 8 weeks (no one knows apart from my husband) and I have just bought a 4 year old... so far he is being as good as gold, but I am not sure I will ride him for as long.

I remember developing interesting ways of getting on and off - I think I kept my foot in the stirrup when dismounting, so I could swing the bump over the pommel!

Go on how you feel. It won't hurt your horse to have some time off over winter if you want to stop. Congrats again and good luck! The time will fly by and you'll be out next year doing all you want with your horse... as long as you have good childcare arrangements!

 

[QueenDee_]

Some women ride until very far in...its due to how comfortable you are

However I wouldn't ever advise it...My mom miscarried when I was about 10 because she had a nasty fall off her (now my) Thoroughbred...lots of people will say 'well i'm only walking around a school on the biggest fattest laziest cob so nothing will happen' but things always can, and when its too late..its too late. I can still remember how devastated she was, even though I was quite young, so I certainly wouldn't advise it

-Elena

 

[nicolenlolly]

Hey im 14 weeks so only a little behind you. I haven't ridden for a few weeks as we were away so I got hubby to ride when we got back in case he was jumpy and then my bro wanted to jump on last weekend. I want to jump on this weekend but sitting upright for too long makes me feel sick so I wont go far and wouldnt even consider it without hubby. I will also make sure that I am following my daughter on her pony so he doesn't leg it as he is very protective of his pony friends! I suppose there are a lot of factors, I have to ride on the road and I had a miscarriage before this baby so dont want to risk this one and hairy boy is only young and not quite what you could call bombproof! Good luck with yours, I am sure we will compare notes nearer the time xx

 

[bumblelion]

I rode up until I was 12 weeks and then stopped. I'v got a sharp exracer tb, so the risk was high, even just schooling/hacking! If I had something more ploddy, I may have carried on riding, I don't know but I just felt I shouldn't ride at the time. TBH my daughter was still 6 weeks prem, so I think sometimes no matter how careful you are, some things are out of your control!!

 

[Trinity Fox]

I rode until 8 months even my young ones but I was only one there to do it at the time, if I ever felt unconfortable with anything I just didnt do it.

I wouldnt beat yourself up over anything you feel you should be doing, I guess you have to accept there is a risk and have to consider if you could forgive yourself if something went wrong.

It is a personal choice that should be agreed between you and your partner, you can always pick up after the baby if you want to ride do if not enjoy being pregnant its a short time in your life.

And you have a lovely baby to look forward to so lucky you.

 

[Booboos]

Everyone's different and you should do whatever makes you feel comfortable.

I rode to 24 weeks. I was gradually more and more reluctant to hack as mine can be lively on a hack, then I couldn't really school effectively so the whole thing became pointless as well as dangerous. I managed to pull a ligament on my back pushing a wheelbarrow full of water, and that hurt A LOT for ages (couldn't take anti-inflammatories and physio couldn't do much due to pregnancy so I was a bit stuck). In the third trimester even lunging beame a problem as I wasn't very quick on my feet.

 

[Ellies_mum2]

My daughter is 16 weeks pregnant with her second child, conceived after 15 months of trying so she has bowed down to her partner who says please don't risk it. Mind you she was so jealous when taking him back to camp and saw a group of women out hacking that she wanted to pull them from their horses and beat them Her hormones have settled down a bit since then . . . thankfully She is still doing the poo picking and handling her youngster etc so still getting her horsey fix that way

 

[Shazzababs]

I fully intended to ride, at least until I started to have a bump. However chronic morning sickness combined with the horse having 3 weeks off because of snow and ice put a stop to that around 12 weeks.

Afterwards (I had a C-Section) I tried riding after about 8 weeks, but getting off was really painful and I didn't actually start hacking for another month. Me and the horse then got fit together.

 

[Bertolie]

My daughter-in-law is 23 weeks and still hacking out. Her sister is 29 weeks and still riding. My D-I-L's horse is an older, safer (matter of opinion) cobby type but her sisters horse is a bit more sharp. They will both continue hacking whilst they feel comfortable doing so. Her sister did comment that getting off her horse is now becoming quite interesting!!

Do what you feel is right. Take care of yourself.

Congratulations!!

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

I am 33 weeks and had to stop riding at 5 months despite desperately wanting to ride for longer. I got such a bad stitch that I could do half the ride in comfort and the other half in agony.

I was distraught when I had to stop because we've moved house and I wanted to find all rides before winter came. I also didn't really have bad morning sickness or anything, didn't feel ill etc so I was gutted when I had to stop. Loan pony also did try and dump me cantering across a field on my last ride and OH said I really needed to stop riding in case i had an accident.

Am fully intending to get back on as soon as I possibly can so I don't miss too much hunting.

 

[lisagaleotalanza]

I rode up until I was 5 months. I had hoped to keep riding for alot longer but my body had other ideas.

I was still jumping/doing fast work etc with both my TB's but at about 5 months I was out hacking and my quieter boy spooked at something and I felt unbalanced so decided after that to stop.

As long as you're still comfortable and not taking any unnecessary risks or doing anything you're not used to then keep going until your body tells you otherwise.

 

[Hippophilia]

I'm 7 weeks along with my first and I'm hoping to keep riding as long as I can. My old girl is very sensible and we're going to stick to flatwork to be safe. Right now I'm really struggling with exhaustion and morning sickness. It tends to go away once I'm busy at the yard but getting up and out there can take me a while!
I also teach 4 days a week and frankly I'm a bit worried about telling the YO. I'm self employed so have no maternity rights and I'm due right in the middle of our spring semester next year (March to July), so I'm concerned that she will get someone else in to cover the whole semester instead of having me leave half way through. Also, I get to keep my horse at cost while I'm working there, so once I'm not teaching I'm worried my livery charge will go up. Really not looking forward to telling her

 

[Syrah]

Congratulations to all of the pregnant ladies

It's personal choice and what you are comfortable with.

I chose not to ride whilst pg, I'm not a particularly good rider and didn't want to risk anything.

Do what your body and mind will allow you to do but remember it's not just later pg with bump getting in the way. In early pg your ligaments are softening and are easily pulled so be careful.

 

[Scheherezade]

QR - I just did what I felt comfortable and happy with. I'm lucky to have long legs and good balance, and I trust the horses I was riding so falling off wasn't a worry for me.

At 3 months preg....

At 5 months preg....

I stopped at this as I developed very painful SPD. I'm now facing a c-sec which has upset me a bit, as I was hoping to be back riding asap! Fingers crossed I have a quick recovery period. Am now 37 weeks.

 

[Mildred]

I think it's totally personal. I rode my sharp and very fizzy ex racer until the day before I had my baby, then got back on just over a week later, but I was very small and didn't even really warrant maternity clothes. The only issue I had was getting off, my horse was 17.2 and I had to park him alongside a wall or a gate to get off forwards rather than the more conventional method. It wasn't pretty!

Other people I know stopped as soon as they found out - guess it's whatever feels right!

 

[Booboos]

Scheherezade I was back on board 7 weeks after a c-section so it's not that bad, although again it depends on individual recovery rates. I did find before that I was feeding 24/7 and didn't have time to ride even if I had been able to. Today (15 weeks) I schooled properly, e.g. a good 40 minutes with a lot of canter work, with no problems.

 

[alcraw]

I'm 18 weeks pregnant (seems to be a few of us due around the same time!). I'm not jumping, but still hacking out. I'm also finding I'm more tired, and am struggling to get out in the week - just too knackered after work! Frustrating as the light evenings will be gone soon. I plan to keep going as long as I can, though realistically I'll probably have to stop around Christmas.

Interestingly, the midwives I've seen and my doctor are all happy for me to keep riding. However I've had some proper arguments with (non-horsey) colleagues who've told me I'm selfish to put my baby at risk!

 

[noblesteed]

It's interesting to see what other people have done, thanks guys!
Congrats to all you fellow pregnant ladies too We will have to set up a horsey new mums group or something...

My OH is happy for me to keep hacking as long as I am careful. As I said, my horse is pretty safe, well safe to me because I know him so well. I have a grab-strap for the very rare occasion when he does something daft. The only problem is my BP doesn't fit over my enlarged chest any more...!!!!!
I am also finding it's the non-horsey people who are tutting at me!!!

A friend of mine who is also pregnant and still riding her horse, had a car accident the other week (thankfully she and bump are fine) so there are risks in everything really...

I am realistically thinking I will stop riding so much around the end of October when the clocks change. By then the girl who has been riding my horse a bit will be well and truly sorted with him and she can take over. I might manage the odd weekend ride but I work full-time anyway.

 

[Auslander]

At 5 months preg....

I'm now facing a c-sec which has upset me a bit, as I was hoping to be back riding asap! Fingers crossed I have a quick recovery period. Am now 37 weeks.

I did a double take at the date on the second photo. Suggests that you are having another one after a 30 year gap? That's incredible!