Getting back into competing with baby

[Patterdale]

As title really. I've left my 3 month old twice in the last week to get out for a half hour hack, and just wonder how others cope with the logistics of bfing a baby and getting back into competing.

I have support from family and the oh, but the oh isn't horsey and not the type to want to spend his weekends watching me all the time. Family are horsey though!

Horse has had five months off and is now totally sound being barefoot in walk, trot and canter (finally! Last time I rode him he wasn't sound in shoes!) how long do you think it will be before I an jump, how long do others spend getting horses fit, he is in at night but had 24/7 turnout up until November.

You need a good baby person on hand to look after the baby at the competition, and hop off and feed as required.
Unfortunately I don't have a dedicated enough helper so I didn't do much at all whilst BFing

 

[Patterdale]

Read the whole thing now!
This is a lovely thread, but it's made me a bit sad as I feel I've missed out on a lot.
My son is 14 months now and I BF him until 9 months.
I have a lovely 4 year old gelding who I backed lightly before getting pregnant, then about 3 months after birth started him again. He had to go to a yard and they did a lot with him which I was b sad about as I'm more than capable of breaking him and wanted it to be all my own work but I just couldn't do it. OH works long irregular hours and trains seriously as a triathlete if he gets time (he'll go running in the dark at 10pm if that's when he gets in etc) so I can't really ask him.
The horses at home live in a field on top of a hill which is inaccessible with a pram and young horse wasnt safe enough for me to bring him in wearing the sling so unless there was someone home I physically couldn't even get him in.
When he was at the yard if I went up with the baby before nap time, he would just sleep in the car then be wide awake when I got there

Anyway despite a hit and miss training got the horse to doing a prelim test standard and jumping small x poles, and just as I was starting to get going with him and baby old enough to go to childminder/non baby friends have found out I'm pregnant again. Which is obviously nice but I'm not sure I should be riding a green 4 year old whilst pregnant (although he is pretty good) and he's nowhere near where I wanted him to be and by next late summer when I can get on him again he'll be 5 and a half and reading all this I just feel like I haven't tried hard enough with him. Ho hum.

But I'm honestly so so glad for everyone who's getting out and enjoying their horses

 

[Llanali]

Oh SOS, I'm sorry to hear you feel miserable about it! Please remeber your horse has no ambition, and so what if he's a bit later than you planned? You'll get there! It isn't a race and I do think circumstances make it much tougher, my husband works 75 hours a week most weeks, and sometimes when the baby is screaming, the dogs are whining, the horses are banging the doors and the cat is trying to trip me up I would give anything to be back in my skirt suit hammering the opposing arguments! We can only do what we can do.

Ha, SF, I'm terrified she's going to scream the plane down! It's our long overdue honeymoon actually!

 

[FigJam]

I'm feeling guilty now, you lot keeping your tiny babies wrapped up I had Mia at the yard on day two, and then when husband went back to work after a fortnight she has pretty much come to the yard twice a day every day..... I park her out of the wind, I invested in fabulous snowsuits, and she can sit in the car with the windows open if it's awful whilst I ride... I now feel very careless LOL

No feeling guilty- needs must and fresh air, seeing different things and people etc is good for babies. If I have the option, I tend to leave Mini FigJam at home as it's just easier for me- she is a bit of a diva when she wakes from a nap so I spend more time swinging the car seat to try settle her back to sleep than doing yard chores and the whole process takes twice as long as it should! However, if I time it right she is more than happy to nap in the stable while I work around her (aged 2 months);

I move her around so I'm not sweeping towards her but figure she's safer in with me in case of other horses suddenly being brought in/out of barn. I'm hoping it won't be long until she's trained up to help?! I make sure she's got the appropriate number of layers on and is cosy warm and kept out of the wind. I'm very lucky that my YO lives on site and loves babies so the there are plenty times that I'm around and spot her where I can do a cheeky "fancy a baby cuddle?" and she will sit with her for an hour or so and let me ride/muck out

Really good reading everyone else's tips and stories, glad there's lots of folk out there able to combine the two. Being a Mummy is fab, but it's lovely being able to do "your" thing too.

SnowOnSnow- I'm sorry you haven't had quite the same opportunities to combine the two but congratulations on your 2nd pregnancy and hope you can get going again after.

 

[HammieHamlet]

HH - can you try getting him to go to sleep just before you get on? I tack up and get ready with baby awake, then put her to sleep at the last minute. Then I can ride for longer before she wakes up! Mine went through several phases of feeding nonstop and some days I spent about three hours in the school with the horse and the baby and I only rode for 15 mins…..

You could try getting your instructor just to hold him whilst they teach you. That may be enough to settle her. Do not give up! Do not!!

Llanali, I love that you can rock the pram from the horse!

Thanks HTT - this gives me a new way to do things although mine doesn't seem to like sleeping (day or especially night) and the car is certainly the best way to get him off for an hour or so.... He's quite nosy and likes to see what's going on....until he gets bored and then cries! Hopefully it'll get easier as he gets older.... this is what I've been told

 

[Cello_song]

What a great thread! I'm 24 weeks pregnant. My horse is enjoying a winter of being fat and hairy but I can't wait to get back on board as soon as I can. Great tip about having a 'yard' pram - I hadn't thought of that, will need to get looking at eBay! Out of interest, how many weeks after the birth did u all get back on the horse?