Help I'm Pregnant!!

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Alimac19

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I've just found out that I'm pregnant (only 6 weeks os far). This is good news but the only problem is that I've just bought a fantastic KWPN who's rising 4. He's very green to ride and we were just getting on top of things when i got the news. I've had to now stop riding as he's a bit unpredictable and has thrown me a couple of times. As I've only had him for 4 months now I'm reluctant to sell him but I'm aware that he needs work. I'm thinking of sending him away for proff schooling for a few months at the end of the pregnancy and begining of the new babys life but don't know quite how I'll cope in the meantime. How did everyone else who's had babys cope with a horse aswell?? Is there anyone who is VERY experianced in my area (Marple, Cheshire) who would be willing to do a bit of excercising and schooling with him. I've asken my instructor to keep her eyes open for someone also. Any ideas of how to cope would be greatly appreciated.
 
Well like I say he is only a baby and need schooling and bringin on. He can hack but only with another horse and not really on the roads yet. I have taken him on some of the quiet roads but he can be spooky. He really is nice to ride but is very green. He's not yet very balanced or straight. I've been doing lots of lunge work and really he requires luinging before riding at the moment to get him concentrating before you get on. Ideally someone who has had evperience with schooling/breaking young horses before.
 
I was in a similar situation, I too have a rising 4 year old. I have just had my baby but my youngster is still away being started. I hadn't backed him at all before getting pregnant but as he was so good I carried on long reining and light lunging until I was about 7 months when running around with him got a bit much!

He comes back home at the end of April when my little one will be 12 weeks but I plan to ride him a few times where he is before bringing him home.
 
That's encouraging news. Hope everything goes well for you with your horse and hope you and little one are both doing well. Was it very expensive to send him away? My instructor friend is looking into the options for me in this respect. I've also been doing loads of lunging recently with my horse but I just feel like I want to get back on him!! It's also encouraging to know that you carried on until 7 months. I've obviously never been pregnant before and don't really know just how bad it's going to be!
 
It's not cheap, but then I was particular about where he went as he is very well bred and about 16.1hh now. I paid £140 a week for the actual backing then £120 a week for normal training livery, but as included his keep and board I thought this not unreasonable.

The cheaper places just didn't have the experience I needed.
 
That's about the price I thought. Like you say it's not cheap but at least when you get them back they should be 10 times better than when they went so it will be easier to get back in the saddle. I'll have to start saving - for EVERYTING!
 
To be honest at 4, there would be no harm or shame in just turning him out during your pregnancy and bring him back once you've had the little one and can focus on your horse again, he will only just be turning 5 at that point. You could always just send him away for 3 weeks to be re-introduced to everything and you could ride him there for a week or so - would your instructor not consider doing this? You would save so much money, have time to enjoy your pregnancy and birth giving (!!) but still have a cracking horse to come back to.
 
Congrats and all that. I rode up to 7 months as well! Must be when it gets just slightly uncomfortable. But I was exercising other peoples horses for them - slightly different situation here. I kind of depends what your frame is like - I mean you might have a lot of room so the baby can grow up and not out so quickly. Are you tall/ish?
Why not continue to lunge and long rein (long reigning is sooooo good for youngsters - its a pity its not that popular over here in the UK), until you're due and then send him away. Or why not advertise for an experience rider to come and help you back him whilst he is still with you? The hard bit is when you first have your baby - you'll need all the rest you can get and then you'll be able to visit him whilst he's being brought on by the proffs. It'll keep your costs down. If you're six weeks now, you'll be due end of Nov? You can then turn him away for winter. Perfect - couldn't have planned it better even if you didn't! Good luck
 
Wells thats sort of the plan really. I obviously can't ride now and I can't afford to have him schooled proffessionally for the full 9 months!! So really there's not much else I can do. My instructor cannot commit to doing this as she works at the college, local riding stables and also does mobile livery aswell as completing her Masters in Equine Physiotharapy so she is pretty busy! I just thought that instead of struggling myself when the baby is also demanding alot of attention it might be more fair on everyone including my horse, baby and OH to get him proff schooled.
 
yes I have had a baby , well four to be exsact. Yours is (horse)young so nice to turn him away. You could bring him into work once you've had the baby (give you something to focus on other than baby). It is difficult when you have a baby as you need to find someone to care for your little one while you ride. Congratulations on getting pregnant and hope all goes well. Glad to hear you've stopped riding as babies are so precious. Good luck..
Here is a pic of mine at 1 day old..
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Wow how georgous. Hormones kicking in - tears in eyes!! I suppose in some ways it's better that he's as young as he is. If he was 6 and just started competing than it would be worse. It all seems like just such a massive task at the moment but I suppose that you just cope, after all there are plenty of Mums with horses.
 
congrats! I am also pregnant, nearly 33 weeks!!
Mine is just 7 so a bit different but he is also quite unpredictable so I have just turned him away. Even with lunging/longreining I was worried he might yank me off my feet or something so I decided better safe than sorry
Good luck
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I got someone else to ride for me, although she was just a novice she got my mare out of the stable.
Be careful when you are preggers though as horses can be just as unpredictale on the ground as they are when ridden.
When I was 8 month gone I clipped my mare. She is good as gold to clip and ive never had any probs, but a bird flew over her head and spooked her. She knocked me flying to the ground on my backside and I just managed to get out the way in time else she would have trampled me. I have never been so scared!
Me and my oh still went to yard every day and done the mucky jobs. ie mucking out, feeding etc. Think if I didnt have contact with the horses throughout pregnancy it would have been horrible.Good luck in your pregnancy.x
 
I was in similar situation. I was pregnant with a 2 year old filly, but also had a horse who I was competing. I rode until I was 30 weeks as mare was gentle and well mannered. When hubby at work, I used to take baby up in buggy while I schooled in manege and mucked out. I was lucky tho as son used to sleep a lot while I rode, but sometimes ride would be cut short due to him waking up. He`s 11 now, and it didn`t do him any harm. He`s not into horses tho but will help out if I need him to. You could always turn him away for a while then send him away to a professional when you are close to giving birth and while you are in the early stages of motherhood.
It does depend on how well trained your partner/hubby is.
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My partner is pretty good but I think it would wear a but thin if I kept on asking him to help every night. He's very good with the horse no problem but I'm having to teach him how to muck out and tie haynets etc. He's doing well though. It seems to me that the concensous is to turn him away for a while and then get him schooled towards the end of preganacy/start of baby which I think is probably for the best. I really don't want to sell him as I've only just got him after a long wait and also I think that if I do sell him I would possibley not get another for a long time or ever due to my family commitments. Thanks for all the support, good to know it can be done!
 
Im not sure how much he charges but have you tried Baz Jones in Hooton? I dont think thats too far away from you, ive heard lots of very good reports about him. I dont know his number but can get it for you if you like.
 
have to say i sold my horse, i now have 3 kids and have no time for anything so i feel it was the best thing to do hubby is great and helps when he can but he works full time 7 days a week, when kids are older i will get another but not another youngster my horse threw me when i was backing him and i ended up in hospital with a fractured spine in 2 places docs said i was very lucky not to have done more damage so i feel i owe it to my kids and hubby to err on the side of caution from now on as there is more than me to think of .
 
I agree with Tog, There is no shame in turning him away. He really won't give a damn
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I turned mine away and started riding again when my bubs was 7 months old. (That was when I felt ready). My boy is 12 tomorrow and he has come back in to work better than when I turned him away. So the long break did him the world of good.

I ride as often now as I did before I had H. Yes, it is harder and you have to be very organised but actually I am enjoying being organised for a change!! hehehehehee.

Relax, go with it, enjoy your pregnancy, enjoy your Baby and decide what suits YOU!!
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Congratulations, it is a wonderful thing. (I never thought I would say that)!!
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The best, even!!
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Aw congratulations!
You're in good company at the moment as there are a few of us HHOers that are in the family way at the moment!
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I think everyone is different when it comes to riding/handling their horses whilst pregnant - initially I didn't ride but after the 12 week scan when everything was ok and more stable I hopped back on board and have continued todate (30 weeks) - Having said that I'm not on a green 4yo!! (just a big chestnut mare! LOL!)

Thinking ahead is a wise thing though - could you keep him in work on a walker and by lunging and getting your instructor to ride once or twice a week until you find someone? Horses do tend to be more flexible than we give them credit for.
Good luck!
Kate x
 
I've been in your situation and I loaned my horse out, which was a nightmare. The woman who loaned her wrote me a letter whilst I was in hospital to tell me she was giving her up!! I then did what I should have done in the first place and turned her away until I was ready to get back on board. She was absolutely fine and came back into work no problem. When I had my second baby, I rode her until quite late in the pregnancy and then paid someone to ride her once or twice a week to keep her ticking over, but it's very hard to find someone reliable and committed. Good luck and congratulations!
 
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