Horses and Babies - does it work?!

[Petrie]

Having been adamant for the last few years that under no circumstances would I put my eventing on hold for anything - let alone a horrible, screaming, dribbling monster - I now find myself thinking about having babies! Yikes!

I have two horses, one currently at Intermediate, and the other is a 5 yr old. I don't want to sell either of them and I can't afford to send them away to full competition livery. Plus the fact that I wouldn't want to, they are my babies: I ride them and I look after them!

So, how do other people cope in this situation? Do you stick the baby in a wheelbarrow while you muck out? Do you park it by the side of the school while you're riding? What about hacking out and competing?

Is it possible to keep two horses fit and competing and bring up a baby or two, without one or all of them suffering?

I already have occasional help with the horses, I should think we'll be able to up that a bit, which will take the pressure off the yard duties. And I could let them down a bit and just do a bit of dressage and show jumping, perhaps pick up the eventing again when the babies are older.

How do others cope?

 

[Mbronze]

My instructor has two dressage horse, one advanced, one grand prix.
She had her 2 children whilst all her comps where going on, for the time up to the birth, she rode.
And then after they where born her trainer rode them for the competitions, and then she has time to train me and all her other pupils.
So she must find the time somehow, she did get a lot of help from her mum, who babysat whilst she went to comps, I just think its about getting a good support network around you.

 

[TGM]

Much depends on the support you have from family and friends. Yard chores aren't too bad to do with a baby in tow, but riding is more difficult, especially if you want to hack out.

Also simple things like the layout of the yard can make a difference. Much easier to cope with a baby if turnout fields are close to the stables. Also a quiet yard is preferable to one with lots of highly strung horses being led about and tied up. And of course the attitude of the YO towards horses.

 

[arkov]

you may find that your priorities change after having kids anyway..... but one doesnt change things too much but 2 changes everything...!
kids are wonderful !!!

 

[bellaboo]

I have 3 horses and 2 children, my husband is fantastic as he looks after the children whilst i do the horses.
Whilst i was pregnant my friend helped out loads with the care and exercise.
I love my children so much and also love my horses, where there's a will there's a way!!!
Good friends and family are essential!

 

[clipclop]

I think it is a case of "You will make it work if you really want to"!!

I enjoy my horses more now. I do compete (Not at your level though) but even so, I have to find time to School, take lessons, hack, etc. I have a great support team around me but even if I didn't I would find a way.

If you can set up your yard as a yard/creche you will be surprised what you can do. Babies can and will fit in around you.

I gave up riding whilst pregnant just because I was so ill. I turned my horse away and it was the best thing to do ever as he has come back to work twice the horse he was before

Also, if you think "long term" you aren't actually going to miss much at all.

 

[Petrie]

Aaaah, that's made me feel all warm inside - I'm a strong believer in 'where there's a will, there's a way!' So maybe I can do it.

I am the YO, so no problem with that one! And as it's only me and my two horses, plus companion pony, it's very quiet.

Husband does all the cooking, and is tidy about the house, so at least that's something. He'd happily look after babies for a couple of hours while I ride, but he does have a busy job (which we need to encourage to keep us all in good style) so he's limited as to how much he can do during the week.

I have an excellent helper who looks after the horses while I'm away, so we could get more help from her on a daily basis.

I think I could do it!!

 

[Tempi]

My trainers wife (Andrew Gould is my trainer) has just had her second child. He was parked up by the side of the arena during my lesson on saturday

Obviously Polly dosent work, but she maintains his website and is at the yard helping with the business side of things. And obviously Andrew is training/competing all the time - Aswell as being on the world class potential training programme, going abroad and all the other things he juggles!

 

[kenco]

Hi I was in exactly your position last year! Was very anti babies and the timing was especially bad as I had just got my horse going after havings years of lame horses so was determined not to give up on the eventing!

Luckily my sister was able to take over the competing last summer (I had my son in June) but I carried on hacking and schooling until April time and then got back on about weeks after he was born. I was competing again in September.

In terms of keeping them fit enough it is tough but depends on the support network you have. I only have one competing at PN level so obviously slightly differnet but I do work full timeas well. I ride very early whilst my husband gets our son up and to nursery and then I finish the horses of on my way from work whilst he sleeps in the car. He is happy to sit in his pram on the yard however at weekends whilst I do things but I'm lucky that I have my own yard with stables and field all close together. I can't ride whilst I have him as we have no arena however I don't think he'd stay quiet and happy for long enough even if we did.

So in answer to your question I think it is possible but you have to figure out your routine very carefully and make sure your facilities suit your requirements.

Good luck with everything

 

[Pasha]

Apparently I lived in a feed bin eating Baileys No 1 until I could brush and ride my own pony.... my mum had me & my brother, 2 jobs and 4 horses... I have no idea how she managed it but I'm damn well going to give it a go - i've already warned my trainer that his duties may include baby sitting in the next couple of years

Good luck i'm sure you'll work out a way to suit you x

 

[custard]

Many years a go a trainer told me how she used to stick the kid in its car seat, park the car in the manege and ride round where she could see it and if it screamed, well it just screamed! She coped, said child is now a well respected trainer in her own right and never came to any harm so I think you will manage!

 

[SpruceRI]

I remember a girl at my friends yard shoving her baby/toddler in one of those bungey seat things and hanging it from the yards eaves while she mucked out. Child was happy and the horses found her very interesting!

 

[LouLou1]

I'm currently 8 months pregnant and I put my horse out on loan to a friend to hunt her for the winter and keep her fit for me. I have just had her back and have been lunging her for the last week. I'm still riding and have ridden all the way through the pregnancy. I think you just cope and get on with it.
Once the baby comes I'll leave him in his pram or car seat in the school while I ride and keep an eye on him and if I want to hack my partner can have the baby. I think you can make it work you just have to get on with it and some how you manage to cope.

 

[burtie]

Hi Petrie,

I have an 11 week old baby and a rising 4 year old horse, so I hope it all works!

He went away to be backed when I was 7 months pregnant and he is coming back from the yard this weekend, but I have been riding him there for the last 3 weeks.

It was lovely having him started whilst I couldn't really do him anyway and although he stayed a bit longer than planned it has been nice not to worry about his daily care for the last few weeks and just enjoy riding him.

I hope to start competing him this summer but as he is only 4 it will only be a few shows, mostly hacking and gentle schooling this year!

I am hoping by next year to get a full season of competing in, as my daughter will be 1 by then. I am also lucky in that I have both grandparents nearby who are very willing to babysit. I have decided not to take her to the yard when riding as the arena is out of sight of the stables and if she startes crying it would be hard to concentrate on the the horse and being only 4 this could end in tears, but will take her up when mucking out and just looking after him.