Field friendly Pram recommendations (or prams to avoid)

[Futureformerlawyer]

Slightly random post perhaps but I figure some if you may have the same issue!

I'm looking at prams that will be good to take the baby in to events this summer.... So far I've been recommended baby jogger summit XC, baby jogger city mini gt, Phil and ted (one of the sports versions), bugaboo chameleon ... But non of the people recommending have horses.

I'd prefer something that wasn't enormous!

We'll get a sling for carrying also.

Don't get me started with all the you'll never ride let alone event once the baby's born chat I've had had over the last 5 months grrrrrrrrr

 

[elsielouise]

We got flat tyres with anything pneumatic. Used a chameleon from birth if the ground was dry enough and it lasted well enough to be sold when finished with. Even went running with it with my dog. If the ground was wet we had a larger (three) wheeled one which I've forgot ton make of but which was also v good apart from the punctures. Think was a Quinnie.

 

[elsielouise]

We got flat tyres with anything pneumatic. Used a chameleon from birth if the ground was dry enough and it lasted well enough to be sold when finished with. Even went running with it with my dog. If the ground was wet we had a larger (three) wheeled one which I've forgotten exact make of but which was also v good apart from the punctures. Think was a Quinnie.

Edited to say I didn't compete for at least six months tho did ride. Competition urge went really plus the C a Section, 'the tired' and my very clingy baby. Didn't mind though so was never an issue. Just try and have the right help.

 

[Sammy1983]

If your looking for something solid, good in mud and a very good price and comes with car seat included have a look at Mothercares Trenton. It's a brilliant pram, that turns into a pushchair later on so lasts a long time to.

 

[Donnie Darco]

Maybe PM HotToTrot?

She posted all of her experiences eventing post baby - much to our amusement 😊 in a good way I might add😊

 

[Broodle]

I have a phil and teds explorer which has been brilliant. Been over some really tough terrain and only one puncture so far in over 2 years. It can be fitted with a second seat, which is v useful if you're planning a second It is massive, but then I think the good, tough ones all are.

 

[Shazzababs]

We had a phil and teds e3 (old model), it was great. It was secondhand, and I sold it for as much again when we were done. It was pretty easy to take apart and put the seat through the wash, and then hose down the rest. It didn't fold up particularly small though.

We initially had problems with punctures, but we solved this by lining the tyres with the tape they sell for bicycles

e.g. http://www.halfords.com/cycling/too...epair/panaracer-flataway-bike-tyre-liner-700c

I know a few people who have bought a cheap second hand one that lives at the yard, and then has a smaller one for going 'about town', which is kept nice.

 

[Futureformerlawyer]

Thanks everyone. Really helpful😃

 

[avthechav]

Brilliant thread, I am finding the whole pram buying thing very confusing! Great advice on here.....and FFL, I know what u mean about people convinced that after having the baby you won't ever ride again. My friends and family are very supportive but I am finding it is the ' acquaintance's' who seem to think they are the experts in this matter lol!

 

[Futureformerlawyer]

Me too allegedly I won't have time to go to the loo between the hours of 8am to 8pm let alone ride!!!

 

[avthechav]

Hahaha yup, as of June my life is officially over, all I will care about is babies and baby stuff. Send the horses to the sales immediately

 

[ecrozier]

I got a second hand Mountain Buggy Terrain from eBay! The whole kit would have been not far off £1000 new but I paid £160, from a lady who evented with her son in tow for three years with it. It's brilliant, gets across any surface, and is really easy to shove all the material parts in the wash. The only downside I have found so far is it's quite large even when folded!
Must say the Ergo Baby sling has been an absolute life saver, I poo pick, muck out (and lunge, but don't tell the H&S brigade!) with my little girl on my back!! Disclaimer - both my horses are very very good to lunge and I never did it when she was on my front, only now she is big enough to go behind me. Cannot recommend the ergo enough. She's been at yard with me this afternoon, sat in buggy while I mucked out and fetched in, then on my back for an hours dog walk and then last skip out/top up hays etc. She is happy as Larry riding around, gets cranky in pushchair after a while as gets bored I think. She's one now.
And to give you heart - I last rode 5 days before she was born and went for a hack 7 days after, did my first competition (area RC dressage qualifier) 6 weeks after she arrived, and competed all of last spring and summer at BD including TeamQuest finals and riding club camp. My mum is great as she has her for a half day when she can, but most of those competitions she has come with us and either stays with my sharer or the friend I compete with most of the time who has a 5 year old boy - so we just have to ask for times at least 30 mins apart!
Where there is a will, there is a way

 

[mairiwick]

I got a Baby Jogger City Mini (not GT) and definitely wouldn't recommend for 'off roading'. Love it for everything else but the front wheel can't cope through mud or uneven surfaces at all! Quite often have to turn it around and pull it rather than push!

 

[Futureformerlawyer]

Great tip thanks😃 and you have given me such hope thanks

 

[avthechav]

FFL when are u due? Are u still managing to ride

 

[Futureformerlawyer]

I'm due third week of may and yes I'm still riding although just only hacking now (was schooling until last week and jumping until the week before though kept it small and pole work since Xmas). I only really started to properly get a bump at 20 weeks though. I'm just going by how I feel.

 

[avthechav]

I'm pretty much same, just starting to find jeans hard to do up (slightly outraged that if I can still fit in to my size 12 jeans at 22 weeks pregnant why on earth aren't I a size 8 when not pregnant?)

 

[Futureformerlawyer]

I've just had to buy done mat jeans...sick of living in leggings and going out in (clean!) jods!!!

 

[MagicMelon]

Bugaboo Chameleon was good when dry, but it was crap in any mud (front wheels got jammed up). You just need something with big wheels all round, I would have got one of the 3 wheeled running ones but the outdoor season had ended by the time I'd thought about it so never did! By 1.5yrs he was demanding to walk everywhere so that was the end of that problem (and opening up whole new problems!). Good luck OP! Just make sure you have a handy friend (mother in my case!) who can look after child while you're riding.

 

[Newlands]

We have a bugaboo donkey and love it! We bought the donkey as had a small gap between babies 1 & 2. It's been pushed around and over XC courses but we mostly used the baby bjorn carrier for things like this.

 

[Firewell]

Google Out n about. That's the buggy I have and it's brilliant. It has shock absorbers and off roading chunky tires lol plus it's very light and easy to fold

 

[Firewell]

This is my bad boy.
http://www.outnabout.com/accessories/nipper-sport-v4-new.asp
Honestly I've been halfway up mountains with this.

 

[CPayne]

We have a maxi cosi Mura 3 and a mountain buggy, both of which have seen many a muddy field, although agree with the previous poster who said that the mountain buggy is quite big.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I've got a Jane slalom pro for sale with a car seat that can lie flat or sit up if anyone is interested. Dundee area, can deliver! Took it dog trialing over rough ground but she walked everywhere from 1 year and was never fed near it so its in good shape.

 

[Scoundrel]

You need an urban detour. It's a 3 wheeler which is essential on rough/muddy ground with big wheels and excellent ground clearance. It came with a car seat and carry cot for when they are tiny and converts to a buggy for when they are bigger. We use ours purely for horsey things/muddy places and I honestly cannot recommend enough! We have a different prettier pram for everyday.
This pram is discontinued now I believe, however they do come up regularly on eBay. I think Mothercare do their own version of a very similar one if you want new.
PS I might be persuaded to sell, if your interested pm me x

 

[Futureformerlawyer]

This is so helpful thanks-I need to get onto google and have a closer look at some of your suggestions. X

 

[foxtrotkate]

also recommend jane but it is big. I did all my horsey stuff as baby slept in the lie flat car seat. Moved horses home when daughter was 3 months so then had to drive round the block to get her to fall asleep and then would muck out! Even if you get a different pram i would recommend a lie flat car seat. Also i know everyone is different but i had very easy labour and was back on board within a week. However my core was rubbish for a while and you will need a good bra!

 

[Booboos]

I have a Britax B Smart which is brilliant. I am out in the fields with everyday and it is even reasonably easy to push with a buggy board and child added to the mix. However, it is huge, heavy and awkward to get in the car.

With a newborn you are better off with a sling.

 

[stencilface]

I leave the Jane Slalom reverse at the stables, and its quite good, I like the rain cover, but IMHO the wheels are not big enough to cope with rough terrain really, its a bit of a pain to cross the field with. I got it second hand for £70 so it lives there and is really handy, saves me having to put my other one in and out the whole time.

My dog walking/horse show/holiday pushchair is the Phil and Teds Explorer and its excellent, really easy to manouvere, folds in one go and can come with a second seat which is handy if you have another, or are going out with a friend and want to save faff. The raincover and sunshield for that are fantastic too, the sunshield is much better than an umbrella or sunhats etc which they never leave on! That one was £40 on ebay. But best thing at the stables is if you can park your car outside the stable and leave them in the seat if they're sleeping as long as you can keep an eye on them, especially if the weather is horrid!

I also have a smart city/cafe pushchair which is the Stokke Xplory, which is fab for going in and out of shops, up stairs, and manouvering about, and the baby sits really high up so its lovely for them too. You can get Maxi Cosi car seat adapters for it so you put the car seat straight onto the frame which is handy when they always go to sleep in the car! That one was £200 on ebay, but I got a load of accessories and the package would have cost £2k new!

I do agree with Booboss though, unless you're actually riding, much better to have them in a sling. I loved my Moby Wrap with a newborn as they are kept really close to you and in a safe position. I used to muck out with her in it. When she got bigger I got a Connecta wrap after trying loads at my local sling library - go to one of those if you can they are fab. I got a Hippichick hipseat for christmas which is great now that she's a toddler and sometimes needs carrying, or if she's just having a day when she doesn't want to be put down. Its saving my arms and my back!

http://www.backinaction.co.uk/hippychick

 

[abbijay]

We had a bugaboo donkey (we had twins so needed a double) and it went everywhere for us. The main things I would look for in terms of off roading are big wheels and a full width handle bar.
And just to allay your fears that you'll never get out again or want to sell the ponies: I was back competing 3 months after having twins and managed to make at least 4 of the county shows (doing all the training and pre-grooming myself) within 6 months! If you want it you will do it!