Field friendly Pram recommendations (or prams to avoid)

[melle]

Out and about nipper with 'slime' pumped into the tyres. So lightweight and can be pushed one handed! Very useful. Cheaper than a lot of other models too. We have followed basset hound pack with this buggy as well as turned out horse every day up a muddy track. Also just to reassure you I was out riding 8 days after both of my kids, and had stitches with second. Provided your partner is supportive, I've never struggled finding time to ride. And both my kids have been dragged up yard twice a day from a month old as horse on DIY.

 

[Magister]

Another vote here for Jane Slalom Pro. They go anywhere!. Mine has been round cross country courses,through sand,mud,on beaches and never got stuck. It's even been down a mine!. They are really tough and easy to steer one handed. Downsides would be that they are quite big and they did have a fiddly little mechanism for unlocking the front wheel but that may have changed now. I had one for the yard and dirty stuff,and one for clean. I also had an inline double Jane Slalom which I used to regularly push across the fields with a saddle on the handlebars for the older child to ride her pony!.
I also had a little McLaren cheapy buggy for nipping into town as the Jane was just too big for negotiating shops. Jane Slalom Pro will also last them for ages- a four year old would still be quite comfortable in one but my kids only wanted to walk from about 2/2.5 years. I hated the McLaren buggy as the handling is rubbish but it made me appreciate the Jane.
All mine came off ebay for pennies as I'm too tight to buy new!.

 

[Futureformerlawyer]

Thank you all so much for all the recommendations I can't believe how many responses I've had. Taking the car to try a few for size this weekend then I'll be putting an eBay watch out!

Thanks for all the positive riding faster giving birth messages too😃 it's great to hear so many of you getting straight back on. I've got my eye on a couple of events starting first week of August and I'm maybe thinking (fingers and toes crossed for a good birth!) that may not be unachievable. Husband lined up (with the buggy and sling when we have them!) to come and support😁

Xx

 

[stencilface]

I'll be entirely honest, don't rush back into riding unless you are truly desperate too, you only have so much time with them when they're newborns - and its not enough time! So don't feel pressured to get back into life as normal again. Your life won't be normal ever again, so why fight it

I rushed to get on with life (although didn't ride as I herniated a disc 2 weeks after giving birth - look after your back!) and looking back I wished I hadn't spent so much time in and out with mini sf in the carseat, pushchair, sling and wished I'd spent more time sitting around and enjoying it. I'll cross my fingers for you for a good delivery, and maybe being summer will be different to having an autumn newborn

 

[HotToTrot]

I was mainly to be found breastfeeding mine at events, so we didn't take a pram; I carried her about on my boobs... We found the Baby Bjorn carrier good and, now she is bigger, the Littlelife rucksack will be better.

I think if you just have one, a baby carrier is better than a pram for eventing. How will your husband fetch you coffee and brownies, if his hands are tied up with a pram?

We now have sprog II (three weeks old) and have got a double urban mountain buggy to take to events. I am angling for husband to wear I on his back in the Littlelife and II on his front in the Baby Bjorn, but the mountain buggy's there in case he wants a break from playing packhorse!

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

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

Will second this, mine was invaluable. A proper mud monster.

 

[stencilface]

Are you nuts H2T?!

You must have an amazing oh, mine would never do that! Maternity leave timed for the eventing season again? I like your work

 

[Nosey]

My Mountain buggy did sterling service round events / fields/bridle ways etc & I bought the pram attachment when daughter was small & the little snuggle bag for parking her on yard whilst mucking out.

 

[HotToTrot]

Are you nuts H2T?!

You must have an amazing oh, mine would never do that! Maternity leave timed for the eventing season again? I like your work

Husband is very committed to the cause. The cause of chocolate brownies, coffee, cake and eventing!

Yes exactly. It was proving hard to put the time in whilst I was at work, so I figured I'd better have another year off to try to get Intermediate cracked. I will be along with some more tales of boobs and general carnage shortly....

 

[Donnie Darco]

Husband is very committed to the cause. The cause of chocolate brownies, coffee, cake and eventing!

Yes exactly. It was proving hard to put the time in whilst I was at work, so I figured I'd better have another year off to try to get Intermediate cracked. I will be along with some more tales of boobs and general carnage shortly....

Yay!! 😊 🐎🐎🐎

 

[HotToTrot]

Yay!! �� ������

It's mayhem already!

 

[Orchardbeck]

Maybe done to death now but totally recommend the Phil and Teds Sport (mine was a second hand frame and I bought new fabrics for it so it looks brand new) - I haven't been anywhere yet where it has got stuck! Plus fab if you have two little ones as a double, I loaded them up and put pony on lead rein and could exercise us all together!

 

[Magister]

Just to add to my previous reply. On the subject of baby carriers I had several but my favourite was a Wilkinet which is a cross between a baby carrier and a sling. It was amazing for my first daughter who was particularly stroppy and unsettled at times. The Wilkinet holds them nice and close to you as you tie the tapes around you to get them snug and I could get on with doing things whilst she had her paddy. Second baby was a dream to look after so she mainly went in a standard baby carrier. The wilkinet was also great as they don't fall out of it when you bend over!!. They are a bit of an acquired art to get them on but easy once you've done it once or twice. Be prepared to try several baby carriers as everyone has different preferences.

 

[Joss]

Just in case you have not made a decision. I can give a huge thumbs up to the Baby Jogger Summit X3. I have used mine for my 2 around many XC courses. It's also the only pram I have found that goes across the beach. It's superb.

 

[Palindrome]

I was mainly to be found breastfeeding mine at events, so we didn't take a pram; I carried her about on my boobs... We found the Baby Bjorn carrier good and, now she is bigger, the Littlelife rucksack will be better.

I think if you just have one, a baby carrier is better than a pram for eventing. How will your husband fetch you coffee and brownies, if his hands are tied up with a pram?

We now have sprog II (three weeks old) and have got a double urban mountain buggy to take to events. I am angling for husband to wear I on his back in the Littlelife and II on his front in the Baby Bjorn, but the mountain buggy's there in case he wants a break from playing packhorse!

Congratulations! Looking forward to your reports.


OP mine went in a sling as he would throw up and start crying after 2 minutes in a pram, he had acid reflux and felt tons better in the sling as he was upright with a good view of everything going on, plus he loved to be strapped onto mum's chest.

 

[Pebble101]

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

What a great arrangement with your friend

 

[Lisa23]

I havent tried carrying my girl on a sling yet but looking at your comments it sounds like a great alternative! I already saw some mummys using one and it looks lovely My preference is also the pram from Mountain Buggy. Its easy to drive on the field and doesnt weight a lot!