getting back on after having a baby?

noblesteed

noblesteed

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Hi all,
My first baby is overdue so will be with me within a week! I am now thinking about making plans for getting back on my horse afterwards, and while I am still (bored) waiting for baby thought it would be an idea to plan a course of action with horse.
Horse will be 13 this year and done a bit of everything RC-wise. I had got him going ok in prelim dressage but he hasn't been schooled properly for about a year now. He spent much of last summer and all this winter hacking out and doing a little jumping with his sharer. He has not probably even been asked to work correctly since June. We have to school in the field or on the beach.
I am expecting it to take about 3 months for me to get back on (I have had SPD) and start schooling again which will put me into June. I will probably stick to schooling with the odd hack for the rest of the summer as I will have baby with me sometimes, hoping he will sleep while I hop on horse in the field. My sharer will still be riding a few times a week so I will probably leave the hacking and jumping to her - she isn't capable of schooling correctly yet and I am not capable of teaching her.
SO I wondered if anyone can advise me on what to do to get horse and self back on track. I have been lunging him now the field is dry but only in a headcollar. I have noticed he is a bit stiff on one rein doing this. Should I start lunging in bridle and side-reins or other training aid to build up horse's muscles correctly? I could probably manage that a few times a week with baby in tow. Is there anything else I can do?

Also does anyone have any exercises for me that I can do at home and would help me prepare to get back in the saddle?

Hopefully when horse and I are reasonably fit I can get some lessons sorted as well.
 
i was back on with my first in a month and my second was two weeks and was jumping again a month later
Just take it steady
 
I don't have any experience of SPD and I think you need to chat to your doc/MW about this in detail.

Each person is different and I think you have to listen to your body and not get too stressed out about hurrying things along. I got on 7 weeks after a c-section but took it very slowly. I popped on the reliable cob and just walked around, then waited 48 hours to see if I had done myself any damage and then tried again. Pilates is very good for re-establishing core muscles but again I don't know if that is indicated with SPD.

Good luck with the birth, this is the most exciting, wonderful bit!!!
 
First of all GOOD LUCK! I am sure you are pretty fed up now, I certainly was! My second daughter is 10 weeks old today and I was back out hacking, trot/canter etc (on horses who had been kept fit for me) within 12 days of a natural delivery. I was hunting within three weeks. However, if I had of had to have a c-section things wouldn't have been anywhere near so easy. I did rough off my mare and she is now back in work, she has been doing lots of lungeing with her new shoes on, long lining and hacking. I hope to take her to a few spring dressage competitions too. I have also used this time (whilst baby is small) to use the school as much as possible, 25 minutes in there three times a week have really paid off. I have found riding to be my saviour, my baby is very good but I still have moments where I feel trapped in the house, so going to the yard is a real benefit. Enjoy your baby, they really do grow so quickly xxxx
 
Thanks guys! I am going pretty stir crazy here, going to go and play with horse tomorrow even though I am not meant to be going too far from the house!!!! It's hard waiting for baby when everything is ready. I have really struggled with staying indoors...

re the SPD, I have been told by obs physio that I must wait 3 months after giving birth before I do any 'high impact exercise' while my pelvis sorts itself out. I am hoping that I can get a few walks out on horse before then but won't start schooling properly until I am ready. He is very good, but I just worry about getting jolted. But there's no reason why I can't get him on the lunge.
I will ask about pilates, I used to go to classes before I got preggo and had to stop when my pelvis got too painful.
There are a few local shows for me to aim for later in the summer, so I should have plenty of motivation.
 
I had a very uncomplicated birth, had a sit back on after a week, went on a hack about 10 days after, mainly due to the fact before that baby always needed feeding when I had a volunteer to mind her. Biggest problem I found at first is no matter how quick your run goes flat, it still has no muscle. I have no experience of spd, but could you find s more gentle exercise to help get some muscle back before you ride. Most important, just do what you feel like at the time, don't make riding another 'chore' to do if you're exhausted from screaming baby. Good luck
 
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