how did anyone decide when to stop riding when pregnant ?

J

JLD

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I know it's a really individual thing but I think the time has come to call it a day till my baby comes. am 25 weeks and for past 12 weeks have just been pottering about in walk on v v safe horse.but for the first time yesterday my bump ( v small ! ) felt a bit achy when riding so I'm thinking that I need to listen to what my body is telling me but how did anyone else decide ?? a little part of me thinks i'm better keeping going and staying supple as it's still fine from a comfort/space/balance perspective. It just seems a long time till I can ride again from here !!
 
It's a personel choice and for me it was when my belly felt a bit 'streched' and I couldnt get off or when I got on I needed to get back off to go pee. lol
 
Yep listen to your body! 1st time round I was still competing 5.5 months and still riding at 7.5 months but 2nd time round it was uncomfortable and achy at about 4 months. Apparently it depends how the baby is lying etc but my mum said it was that I was still soft and saggy from the first one!!!! nice thought!!!!
 
I'm 27 weeks I hacked out 2 weeks ago and found it uncomfortable because we walked out for about an hour and a half, I was riding everyday until I moved Len to his new yard for the past month only really riding at weekends , I did get on last night in the school though I warmed him up first and just did walk and canter work on board finding trot a bit jerky.

I'm a bit gutted because I feel if I'd carried on riding daily I'd have lasted a bit longer so just taking it as it comes now and if I have a good day getting on in the school for a little blast.

Luckily my new sharer is working Len 3 times a week now so I can just lunge him if I need to.

Literally CAN NOT wait until I can ride properly again!!
 
well done for finding sharer !, my OH schools twice a week but we cant find anyone to hack him out ( horse not OH !! ) luckily OH very supportive and has said if I want to ride a bit he will walk out with me ( on lead rein if needed if it helps and keeps me going !!) just all of a sudden want to do things like go for nice canter round fields but know this is silly as horse can be v stupid doing this. Like you I cannot wait to ride properly again but know must be sensible. hope baby likes sitting in car seat come the autumn !
 
I stopped when there was a distinct risk of me getting stuck up there due to bump being too big to allow me to lean forward to swing my leg over to dismount! As it was the last couple of times I rode I had to get off "Side saddle" style!

If it hadn't been for that I'd have kept going cos the getting on and the riding part were still fine!

Really I think you have to listen to your own body and stop when it tells you to!
 
Also. . . dont over do it. . you really do need to 'let your muscles down' !!! I speak from experience!! having very strong riding muscles is really really crap when labour comes!!!! Friends that have ridden late have also had similar probs!!! beware!!!
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i'm 28weeks, and stopped a couple of weeks ago. it made me sad, but i was getting so red faced/out of breath/achy/stretched. and i looked like a pleb when i tried to mount/dismount.

also... what hit home for me was when my horse tripped over TWICE on a hack, proper landed on his knees and pecked the floor... i landed on his neck both times (front wedgy). and i realised that i was 1) unbalancing him and 2) not as safe as i thought i was. i presumed because i trusted him not to bolt it meant i was safe from falling off... but i came sooo close with those trips that i thought it'd be best to stop hacking. and then... i thought, well, i don't want to do schooling... so i stopped everything.

i considered getting a sharer for the last few months, but can't find anyone i trust so he's having a lovely time in the field. i take him out for walks in hand, and sometimes lunge/free school him. but mostly, i sit in his field and admire him...

good luck with the pregnancy! xxx
 
Im 29 weeks now. I stopped back in March as I have had prelvis problems with my previous pregnancy. Plus my partner was worried that should I fall off I might cause harm to myself and my baby. I would not forgive myself if I knowingly took a risk and caused serious harm to my baby. Sorry thats just me. Everybody is different. You will know when the time is right but dont push yourself- You will do more harm than good and dont forget, a couple of months isnt too long to wait to ride again in the big scheme of things!
 
I'm 32 weeks now. Stopped jumping when I found out at 6wks, stopped riding my gelding who is a bit sharp at 12 weeks. Kept hacking my old safe mare til a week ago when she took the decision away from me by making a hole in her leg fighting in the field.
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At about 22 weeks I felt very uncomfortable trotting/cantering and stuck to walking. However I did find it actually became easier to trot once my bump became firmer and didn't wobble about so much. Had started to get really bad stitches though.

My non-horsey friends and family were worried about me riding and I probably would only have carried on for another few weeks anyway. I think your body does tell you.
 
I was having lessons up til 8 months and my instructor told me that she wouldn't teach me again if I continued!!!
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I wasn't big though - you couldn't tell I was pregnant! I was happy and comfortable riding - although I only schooled (flat work) and stopped hacking
Kate x
 
I stopped riding in the first trimester with both of mine. Horsey seemed to sense that I felt unbalanced and he's a sensitive soul at the best of times. With my second child he bucked me off in a field whilst doing a flying leap and turning around. I decided that was it and unfortunately didn't ride him for nearly two years as I had horrendous problems late pregnancy and post-natally. You've got to listen to your body and your horse and not take too many risks. I so wish I could have had a gentle plod about later on in pregnancy, but it wasn't to be.

Sue
 
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