Horses over winter with baby

[nags89]

Hi all, so I currently have a 6 month old baby and my horse is on DIY livery. Mucking out etc shouldn’t be a problem as baby can sit in the pram at the door and be safe. However there is a short walk to the fields. Does anybody have any suggestions/recommendations on how to do this with a baby?

From those with experience can you safely lead a horse and have the baby at the same time? Pram/baby carrier etc?

I can’t leave child at home as hubby works away in the week. I can pay for turnout & bring in but would like an alternative if at all possible as this will mean I won’t see my horse in the week (also cost!). I will obviously do this though if I have no safe option.

I’ve already accepted that I won’t be able to ride during the week which sucks but is fine. It would be nice to bring her in/out though if possible but I can always go up to the field to see her.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Littlebear]

I think it depends on the mud situation at your yard. Either way bringing in if your horse is in a herd will be a pain unless he waits at the gate alone its a risk to take the baby to the field however you do it (really depends on your horse and yard/field set up)
Turning out - i have done both pram and wrap so the baby was attached to me and the wrap is loads easier. I just timed everything around feeds and sleep time. Possibly wrap the baby on you to walk to the field, do the jobs with baby in the pram and then have the horse bought in later?

 

[mini_b]

I’ve replied on your other post in tack room. Tack room gets lots of traffic

 

[windand rain]

Is the field out of sight of the car. In very cold or wet I would be inclined to leave baby in the car while I turned out and then pop him/her in the pram to do jobs. Safer and easier

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

If it's less than about 3 minutes, or within sight of the yard, then I'd just leave the baby strapped in a pram on the yard (but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do!). Can you time it so you're up there with someone else, so there's technically someone "watching" the baby? You might have to steel yourself to some crying though I'm afraid- there will always be times the baby (and especially when it becomes a toddler!) doesnt want to be strapped in a pushchair and ignored while you run round like a headless chicken getting everything done, but then again, it's not many minutes of the day really (my youngest absolutely hated having to go out on a school run twice a day, but there's not much I could do about that!)

 

[ihatework]

I suppose it depends on your yard set up and how reliable your horse is but I’m afraid I wouldn’t want to be leading a horse out while juggling a baby/pram. I’m not a parent, so this might be completely inappropriate, but I’d imagine it would be far safer to strap in buggy and pop in stable while you turn out, or leave in car.

 

[tatty_v]

I used to turnout using the ergobaby carrier, although I much preferred it when I could have her on my back in it as I was much more balanced. I did usually just try and time turnout so I could leave her in her pram for a few minutes with another livery keeping an eye out x

 

[LittleBlackMule]

I used to have pushchair in one hand, pony in the other, but my pony was saintly around the child and I trusted her not to bounce.
If it was appalling weather I would leave the baby in her chair in the stable as there were always other liveries about.
When I got my yearling I couldn’t risk having her around the baby so child would be left in the car in sight of the stables with something playing on the ipad. Then once pony was out I fetched child to join me when I mucked out etc.

This is the easy stage! Once child is walking it gets a whole lot more complicated and you will struggle if you’re on your own at the yard.

 

[ponyparty]

I left mine in his pram in a stable, or in the car, when he was really little. There's no way I'd have risked turning out my hooligan with a baby strapped to me, it was just too unpredictable as to whether he'd behave or not. But even the calmest horses can spook unexpectedly or kick out at a fieldmate, accidentally injuring you/baby in the process. I would lock baby in the car sometimes - only if I was going out of sight of the car/had to mend some fencing or something that was going to take longer. Felt safe at both the yards I was on, so was pretty relaxed about it all to be honest. If you're going to lock the car, you just have to be careful to switch off the motion sensor car alarm, if you have one.

I went to view a yard and left baby in the car while they showed me around as he was fast asleep - the woman asked if it was my first baby, and when I sad yes, she replied that I was "very relaxed about leaving him, for a first time mum". So maybe I'm not normal

As long as they're wrapped up warm in snowsuit and hat and hood and blanket, it's great for them to sleep in the cold fresh air. My baby never slept so well as when he was shoved in a stable at the yard! Perhaps I should have recreated the environment in his bedroom and we'd all have been a bit less sleep deprived

 

[MagicMelon]

Defiately get a baby carrier, best things ever. I used to buggy about with my 1st but never touched it with my 2nd - he was always in a carrier (I used an Ergobaby 360 as you can turn them around etc.), gives you so much more freedom and IMO far safer than a buggy (unless you can park the buggy the other side of a fence or somewhere safe).

Im due my 3rd at the beginning of December so right in the middle of winter. I just make sure my horses are as low maintenence as needed so they both live out 24/7 which helps hugely. I keep mine at home so I am very lucky that I can nip out when baby is asleep in the house, but if they're awake then I'll just put them in the carrier and get on with things.