How many of you have ridden when pregnant?

I rode throughout my first pregnancy, my son was 2 weeks late and I was riding a week before he was born. The second time I had to stop at 5 months as I was struggling to get on ! Moral of the tale is do your exercises ......
 
I actually backed my 4 year old when I was 5 months pregnant, I had plenty of help and he was a very laid back chap.

Also, my friend rode all through her pregnancy right up until 3 days before her daughter was born .. and she never had a single stretch mark afterwards either!!!!
 
Both times rode my own horse up to around 20 weeks. I stopped jumping as soon as I found out I was pregnant and just hacked and schooled, though morning sickness made schooling hard work! I didn't hunt either though I went to one meet. During my first pregnancy I had problems with my pelvis and had to stop at 20 weeks as it was too painful. Doctors said I couldn't ride til 3 months afterwards either. 2nd pregnancy I handed over to my sharer at 20 weeks as she was keen and I wasn't bothered to ride after my 20 week scan - too many risks and I knew then as it was my 2nd just how precious they are, not just to me but to baby's Dad, grandparents etc. I am desperate to get back on now though, I am due on Friday, and no problems this time so should be back in the saddle soon.
 
I rode my reliable 17hh horse throughout my pregnancy up until I just got too big for it to be comfortable, just hacking mainly though. My sister who I sometimes rode with used to panic everytime he did even a tiny spook but I never felt worried about it myself and I had a quick labour and easy home birth so I think the exercise must have helped.

I got back on probably about 3 weeks after the baby was born, took me a while to get back to normal though, I felt as though I had no core strength for a while.
 
I rode up to 36 weeks, but stopped jumping when I found out I was pregnant, and just gentle hacking from then on.

I only stopped riding at 36 weeks because I needed to wee so often, and eventually couldn't mount due to the increasing size of my bump!

I hasten to add I had a very steady and reliable cob at the time, so felt it was a low risk activity.

Interestingly my GP did not tell me off for riding and actually encouraged the gentle excercise.

2 weeks after giving birth I did my first hunter trial, but was lucky to have no stitches and a very helpful husband!
 
I rode until about 6/7 months pregnant. I had a slightly difficult welsh X so I chose only to ride in the school or in company and I opted out of galloping/big group rides as he had a tendency to get excited.
I eventually stopped after a accident at my yard really hit home. A friend borrowed my horse to take her god daughter riding. Her own horse was a saint and she enjoyed riding mine as she was a bit mad herself! so the 9 yr old rode hers.
I cant remember what happened but they were cantering and her horse spooked, took off onto the road and threw the child. She was in ICU for a long time. Although my horse apparently was very good and didn't follow suit and calmly stood whilst the ambulance etc did their bit it really made me rethink things.
Id ride my current horse til the very end as I trust him completely.
 
Rode my 6yo 17h TB until 22 weeks - only stopped because I kept getting severe acid reflux whilst riding and it was making me feel sick - didn't realise what it was at the time either as I'd never had it before but was getting off greener and greener :( in hindsight I'd have taken some gaviscon with me and carried on longer tbh as I was never worried about riding my mare. I did stick to ground work / hacking though once I knew I was pregnant to keep OH happy - he'd have preferred I stop altogether but not jumping was a compromise we could both live with. (puddle jumping on our last hack doesn't count though ;))
 
I rode up to 5 months... Not by choice - basically, I couldn't get off!!! :o

I remember vividly how much it hurt to trot so walked or cantered. Do your pelvic floors if you can continue riding as is mentioned already...
 
I rode up until 7 months, I only stopped then because my horse did his tendon messing around in the field although probably wouldnt have gone much longer as was getting quite difficult to get on (and felt horrid getting off!). My OH didn't want me jumping so I stopped that (although technically was a month pregnant when I did 2 BE events). I did do dressage competitions though (last comp which I won (he he!) was 2 weeks prior to horse breaking itself). I did have to get special permission at comps to wear a black v-neck sweater as I couldn't fit into my show jacket! I was lucky though as I stayed quite small until quite late on, I know some women get fat straight away so guess it just depends. I only rode 2 horses, my own and a friends (who I'd been riding for months prior) so I trusted them. I wouldn't say it was the comfiest thing in the world late on, I just felt heavy and could feel the liquid in my tum squishing about a bit which was kind of gross. My midwife and doctor both rode during their own pregnancies so they were perfectly happy with me doing it.

Planned to get back on within days of the birth but ended up getting an emergency c-section which didn't go to plan so I was really knocked back with that and was on blood pressure pills for a few weeks which made me really dizzy. I started backing a Welsh Cob 5 weeks after my section though, go chucked off in a big way twice in the 3 weeks after that - oops but luckily no damage to tum done!
 
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I rode my haffy up until I was about 5/6 months as when I found out I was pregnant I had already gone 3 months. I only stopped as my haffy is very strong & occasions can throw a rear in when having a paddy so my mum & OH didn't want me riding anymore so I stopped plus wasn't worth the risk. Plus I have a sharer for him so he was still being worked :)
 
Yep I did, and competed at the local show too and won he supreme championship that year Went to the presentation dance for my trophies 6 days before I gave birth. Didn't come to any harm either of us and daughter is now a strapping 5ft 10inches in height and size 8 feet and is very horsey. Rode my 13.3hh appolossa mare who I had owned for 24 years.
 
I rode my Luso x TB up until about 17 weeks pregnant, since then I've done 6 weeks solid box rest with him, and then 4 weeks long reining. Now I'm back riding again at 28 weeks, not ideal. I do trust him, most of the time, although his little rear/spin/run back down the (steepish) tarmacked road manouvere on our first hack at the sight of a dropped haybale on the verge was no appreciated :mad: :o

Next hack I'm not going to go out by myself. I have 4 weeks rehab walking to do if I feel comfortable enough doing it so I'm going to see how it goes. I would like to continue as long as possible, as I've missed so much riding because of his stupid lameness issues, but may stop in four weeks until after depending on how he is, might be purchasing some calmer for the little beggar! 99% of the time he's beach donkey, but the other 1% he can react very quickly and as I haven't ridden for 10 weeks I'm also feeling a bit rusty, but I have to say riding is easier on the hips/feet than hour long long reining on the roads, now THAT was knackering, esp in the heat! :)
 
I rode to 28weeks with twins, schooling and hacking only. I had to stop when I couldn't get off one day, took me best part of 20minutes to get off and that was with the threat of the fire brigade being called! So embarrassing.
 
I rode my 16.2 ex racer until I was about 5 months and had difficulty/discomfort getting off. I did stick to mainly schooling/steady hacks although my horse was on box rest and we were just returning to work. Don't think I'd have wanted to jump though but its personal choice. Back on after 5 weeks (had stitches otherwise it'd have been sooner) and was back SJ when my son was 3 months old and HT at 4 months.
 
Rode until labour started through all 6 pregnancies. Kept me fit, and happy.

The dismounting problem: with the first couple of kids I used to bring my leg over the neck and slide off on my bum, which works, but is undignified. I then worked out it's easier to vault off in an almost normal kind of a way, allowing enough room for the bump.

Falls: A fair few of them, but mostly of the bucked off or 'out the side door' variety, which didn't bother mum or baby much at all.

After the birth: Back in the saddle straight away, but only once on the morning of the birth - about 6 hours after. This was a mistake, as my tummy sloshed around like a washing machine, which was not a pleasant sensation.
Rode alot bareback to save time (had to get back to breastfeeding baby), and to get my PF muscles back. This was a lifesaver for me. Otherwise I'd be a TENA lady :(
 
My son nearly 3 years ago I rode until about 20 weeks - and only stopped because we had a month of snow on the ground and I'd lost too much fitness when it cleared to get back on! I was competing XC at 4 months with safety pins holding jods together! 17hh horse who is straightforward 90% of the time but querky the rest !
Withi hindsight I was a bit too cavalear about the whole thing.
I found getting off by throwing leg over the front and sliding down onto the mounting block (which I made higher!) was the best
I got back on after 2 weeks.

My daughter is now 6 weeks old, I stopped riding as soon as I found out with her - just felt totally different this time around - same horse and no real reason just personal perference.
Fingers crossed I'll be getting back on this week after C section.
 
Rode with my first child up to the day before I had him, bump was small and tidy, never restricted me at all, 2nd child I got SPD within weeks of being pregnant had a little plod on my pony at about 3 months, but it hurt A LOT! so I stopped riding then
 
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