How long to safely ride in foal mare?

[Fizz16]

I am looking at putting my mare in foal for next year and was wondering how long you can safely ride an in foal mare, if at all, and what type of work?

 

[JanetGeorge]

I would be VERY careful in the first 4 weeks. After a 28 day scan, then it is up to the mare. Years ago, I worked at a big riding school that put at least 6 of its school horses in foal every year (not the same ones every year.) Some would work to 6 months of pregnancy - some would work to the day before foaling! The mare will tell you if she becomes uncomfortable or if hormone changes are affecting her mood. Many years ago in Oz - an undiagnosed 3yo racehorse foaled in her stable, a week after coming 2nd in a race - no one noticed a bit of excess tummy (it wasn't a BIG foal - but perfectly healthy.)

I cerainly wouldn't work them HARD - too risky and unfair.

 

[Clodagh]

I rode mine until about 8 months, I only stopped then as she had a hissy fit and dumped me and I didn't fancy getting back on. The hissy fit was fairly normal, not hormone related. She was only pottering about with my sons lead rein pony, but we were doing walk, trot, canter.

 

[Lgd]

Very much depends on the mare.
Rode my old girl from 5 weeks preggers to 9½ months. Just gradually scaled back the work - she was competing Advanced Medium/PSG prior to going in foal - she went to stud 4 weeks after the winter nationals. Lost the canter collection at 4½ months, dropped the canter work completely as she began to show, from the New year walk only hacking out in straight lines. Probably could have gone on further but we got iced in and didn't really want to pick her up again that late on.
Other mare was happy being ridden to about 5 months then was getting grumpy about being girthed so stopped.

 

[PorkChop]

I hunted a mare up until a month before she foaled - I obviously didn't know she was in foal, I bought her in the previous summer as the owner couldn't get her in foal, typical! I had her scanned on a hunch as her tummy was growing rather than getting more trim.

Anyway, she was fine, although I don't recommend you work her hard - you will know when to stop. Hope she gets in foal nice and easily for you

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I am looking at putting my mare in foal for next year and was wondering how long you can safely ride an in foal mare, if at all, and what type of work?

It was recommended to me to not ride the newly in foal mare for the first 65 days as those are the at risk of the fertilized egg coming off the womb and abortion will occur. So that is what i did and then I rode her up till the last 2 months very carefully with no fast exercise or jumping and being careful she did not slip or trip.

 

[Equi]

My teacher was a racer, and she would keep them in training type racing until about 3-4 months depending on the mare after ensuring pregnancy, then brig it down to a hack (which was a race type hack not a walk along the road for 20mins lol) until approx 6 months, then a slow hack until about 8. Last 3 months is hardest on the mares, so walking in hand is best then just to keep them ticking over.

 

[Fizz16]

Thank you for answers 😄

 

[Rollin]

I normally ride our mares until 6 months.

 

[cundlegreen]

I would be VERY careful in the first 4 weeks. After a 28 day scan, then it is up to the mare. Years ago, I worked at a big riding school that put at least 6 of its school horses in foal every year (not the same ones every year.) Some would work to 6 months of pregnancy - some would work to the day before foaling! The mare will tell you if she becomes uncomfortable or if hormone changes are affecting her mood. Many years ago in Oz - an undiagnosed 3yo racehorse foaled in her stable, a week after coming 2nd in a race - no one noticed a bit of excess tummy (it wasn't a BIG foal - but perfectly healthy.)

I cerainly wouldn't work them HARD - too risky and unfair.

Sorry, but you have to throw all that advice out of the window after my experience. My little event mare was competing until october when she finished her season with a clear XC at BE Intermediate level. She had been competing all season in Novice, with a NRF thrown in for good measure. It wasn't until Jan this year when I got her up after her holiday, that I discovered that she was very definitely in foal. She finally foaled 21st of March, so was competing at a high level when at least 6 months pregnant. Somehow, (God knows how) her sire had got at her. The foal is an absolute cracker, as correct as could be. When my vet scanned to confirm the pregnancy, he said it just goes to show that it doesn't hurt a mare at all to stay in work !
Here's a video of her in the Intermediate....https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.francis.792/videos/10201041683040154/

 

[ihatework]

I don't think you need to throw all advice out of the window!
First month or so is the risk period, if you had paid for and we're looking for a pregnancy then it is very good advice!
There are many examples of surprise pregnancies where horses have been competing and/or on reduced rations because they were getting 'fat' doesn't mean that that is how you would plan the pregnancy though.

OP FWIW mine went to nationals, was let down a couple of weeks, went to the vets for insemination and then went back into work after her second scan. She worked until about 6 months but was getting girthy and the clocks were changing so I stopped at that point.

 

[JanetGeorge]

I don't think you need to throw all advice out of the window!

Exactly! One swallow doesn't make it spring. You only hear the GOOD stories - the disasters end up in the bin. It's your choice obviously - and your mare will guide you. I've bred more than 130 foals - some of the mares would have worked to within a week without complaint - some would have been HOPELESS from 6 months. Look at and listen to your mare!

 

[Char0901]

Someone I know had a showjumping mare. She was always a hot headed, bouncy jumping machine. She took her in a foxhunter (1.20) and she jumped a lovely round, double clear. She was amenable, listening, the best she'd jumped for ages. Literally a week later she foaled. Turns out stallion had got in and out of her field unnoticed. Owner didn't know so just cracked on as normal. Mare didn't really take to motherhood, reluctantly let foal nurse for about a month and a half then completely told it to sod off. I did always wonder whether it was because she didn't get her down time. Her maternity leave, if you like.