Juggling pregnancy, babies, horses??

sam-b

sam-b

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Is it possible? My partner and I are looking to start a family, but I am wondering what I would them do with my horse. He is completely supportive of me keeping her and riding etc, but how do people manage? He is a helpful other half so will give him that... Just can't imagine juggling that, and working and my horse!!!!
 
hiya, i have a 7 month old. When i found out i was pregnant i stopped riding as didnt want to risk an accident. I had always planned on putting my mare in foal at some point so now was the perfect time so i did. I then put her on 27/7 grass livery so i wouldnt need to muck out stable etc. I still managed to go up everyday and feed/ groom even up until the day i gave birth i was lifting bags of feed (not a good idea but i felt ok doing it) If i hadnt put her in foal i would have loaned her out to keep her fit & competing.

my partner & family were great & helped out during the time i had terrible morning sickness (4 months of it) now baby is here & foal is here everything works put fine, horses are still on 24/7 grass (i rent fields now) & little one comes with me to do daily feeds if OH isnt free to look after him or i will wait until evening when he is home from work and go spend a few hours with the horses.

Ive found it all has worked well & having a baby is the best thing ive done! x
 
Hiya, I am a few years down the line - my daughters are eight and ten - anything is possible if you want it enough.

I personally didn't ride when I was pregnant and my daughters were tiny, so I put my mares in foal. But I know lots of women that do continue to ride and compete whilst they are pregnant and their babies are small - I take my hat off to them.

You will do what is right for you, there will be lots of advice! Listen to advice given and use what suits! Good luck.
 
i think that this is a totally irresponsible post! If you're pregnant then you should certainly not be juggling or doing any form of circus performance involving full grown males and horses. You need to sit in an armchair and eat lots of chocolates:p
 
millreef said:
i think that this is a totally irresponsible post! If you're pregnant then you should certainly not be juggling or doing any form of circus performance involving full grown males and horses. You need to sit in an armchair and eat lots of chocolates:p
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ditto this!
my first thought was that you shouldn't juggle babies and horses at the same time because the consequences of dropping a horse on a baby were not worth it.:eek: Some ppl on here advise against even letting ones offspring into a field with a horse.
 
sam-b said:
Is it possible? My partner and I are looking to start a family, but I am wondering what I would them do with my horse. He is completely supportive of me keeping her and riding etc, but how do people manage? He is a helpful other half so will give him that... Just can't imagine juggling that, and working and my horse!!!!
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I gave my mare a break from competing while I was pregnant - planned to get back on after baby popped out and carry on competing, but with a full time job as well this didn't happen. I still don't have time to keep her in full time work and hack out at the weekends and jump occasionally (my OH was very helpful before baby came along, but isn't as helpful anymore due to his own career commitments). I would say its hard, I do worry more about getting injured as I now have a little one who relies on me for everything, having a baby can change your perspective on your goals. Good luck on what you decide, I'm sure its doable with the right support!
 
I've got 2 boys, 3&4, I rode with both until 36ish weeks & was back in the saddle within a week or 2 of having them, I now manage to ride 4-6 days/ week (some days twice) I keep my horses at my mum's & it's a big juggle & commitment, & sometimes I do just have to have a non horsey weekend! But if you want it, it's worth it, my horse has just done his 1st season at PN, & I'm hoping we'll make the step up to novice next season maybe! So the determination keeps driving me! I've a supportive husband and also a trainer who gets that some weeks I run out of time, & don't get anything done, which really helps with goal setting & stuff!

OH isn't horsey, but he & the boys love coming & watching eventing, bringing a picnic & cheering at mummy!

(& if you do drop one.... Babies bounce well!!) ;) ;)
 
I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant and have had a few different thoughts on what I'm going to do when baba comes along.
I've temporarily retired my tricky TB- although he doesn't 'do' anyhting whilst I'm up top (rather than the usual boucy, joggy, stressy TB thing) he can be horrendous on the ground when he's in work. He's currently out 24/7 (first time in years that my horses have been out this late) rugged up and coming in a couple of times a week for a brush/love. He's temporarily retired because I'm not sure if he'll come back into work next year- he's an old 18yo so if he remains happy and chilled out as a retiree, he'll stay that way for as long as we can afford him.
I'm still riding my TBx twice a week, did ride everyday until 16 weeks but I do find it very tiring.... plus he's 28 so I am winding down a bit with him. I show him as a Veteran and do a bit of Dressage on him. It may be wishful thinking, but I'm due in the middle of January and am hoping to go out and compete in April.
One of the major allowances I'll have is that I'm hoping not to have to go back to work Full Time- which of course will give me a bit of time to do my horses. My OH is very supportive and I know I'll be able to send him up to the horse if I can't go.
 
I'm 5 months pregnant and riding 2 horses a day & mucking them out! They are my two faithful TB's and I am as safe as anybody can be on a horse. I stopped jumping almost straight away but I've got a dressage area qualifier I will be doing at 7 months pregnant. (as long as I can get a jacket on ;)) I will turn my horse away around christmas and I'm due the beginning of feb. I'm trying to loan out my other horse as he was inconvinently given back from loan a few weeks ago so I didn't plan to have two to ride but i'm quite happy doing them both at the min. O I also have a 7 month old foal so if the other one isn't loaned out soon I'll have 3 to muck out!

I fully intend to event next year and my mum will babysit or baby will be staying with his dad. I think as long as you have a good support team you can manage your horses and a family. Good luck :)
 
I rode (although only a friends horse) for a few months of my 1st pregnancy but found I couldn't keep my balance :eek: And I ended up have my 2 daughters 12 months apart (and husband works abroad so only home for 2 weeks in every 8) and bought my own horse again when youngest was 2 i think.
Pre school the girls came with me to the yard and played whilst I did my jobs and went to nursery 3 mornings a week so I could ride and I usually managed to get help with them so i could ride once on the weekend too. Now they are both at school and I ride at least 5 times a week!!!:D

The girls are now starting to 'ride' their pony and that is just as lovely as riding myself.

The one thing you realise when you become a mum is that if you want something to happen YOU need to make it happen as as helpful and supportive as Daddies are they aren't wired up like us!

AND you also wonder what you did with all your time before!!!
 
I didnt have horses when i was preggers i got my first horse when my youngest was about 2.

I am a single mum to a 12 year old boy ( becoming quite hormal and is as bone idle ) and a helpful 9 year old boy who helps at the yard. I have a difficult and quirky warmblood and i work and i compete prob 3 weekend out of 4 on a sunday when the boys go to their dads and the rest of the time if grandma is busy is i-pods in the car and they wait while i school.

No easy but if you want anything enough you find a way.
 
Am 17 weeks at the moment and if you do a search on here I had some fabulous advice from h&h members. To be honest I'm still riding, mucking out etc and have an incredibly stressful long hours lots of travel type job. Not sure how I'm managing at the moment or how long I'll be able to carry on. But i have taken a more relaxed approach to riding, mainly because of the sickness and exhaustion and have decided not to be too hard on myself if I don't manage it all. My husband is being brilliant and deals with big stuff like my youngster forgetting his manners on the ground and doing him on days I have to travel for work. I also have a great trainer who doesn't mind riding on the days I don't feel up to lessons. Horse will have time off when i get too fat! When baby arrives I will have to take it a day at a time but there is no way i will be able to juggle full time work and everything else so only intend to go back three days a week for the first year or so.

Good luck whatever you decide x
 
Unlike many of the above posts I will unfortunately have to loan my horse for a few years now. I am 5 months pregnant and have put of starting a family till now as I knew I would have to give him up. I still work and can't possibly cope with baby, career and eventing! Tough decision but just being realistic. I've had my horse since a baby and he has won county level hunter classes and this year he has won at BE90, BE100 and just come second in Novice last week. I love him too much to sell him but he loves work and I just wont have the time he deserves. Going to break my heart though! Good luck ( my husband not remotely into horses so at least you have help there!)
 
I rode up until I was 8 months pregnant, I had my own yard, and ran a business for my dad. I worked up until the day before having my daughter (by c section) and back to work 2 weeks after.

I juggle work but am lucky she can come with me, (I run a garage) she does some nursery, a day at my mums and my husband had her at weekends.

It can get hectic but it's worth it, she is just 2.5 yrs and I've just managed to complete a 1* with my horse.

You get more used to organising your very precious time!

Good luck and if you want to do it all...... You will!! X
 
Thanks very much guys, I have done so much with my mare I would be loathe to see her go as she is as much a part of the family as any baby will be :) x
 
I'm also pregnant, due in feb, but still riding all the time... I went hunting last weekend :) avoided jumping though.

I intend to keep riding as long as possible, it's the only thing I enjoy doing, so giving up altogether would be unthinkable! I also think that keeping active and fit whilst pregnant is very important, so it all good :cool:

My mare is in foal and lives out, although I'm going to bring her in if the weather is very bad, and I have a two year old to look after, but she's on the same routine, so no trouble really.

I'm planning on bring the baby to the yard with me on the days I'm not riding, and husband will look after him/her when I want to ride :) I'm working on the theory that the fresh air will do the baby good?!

I'm actually looking for a nice sensible horse to loan ATM who hacks out nicely, will do a bit of dressage and will still be sane when only ridden three times a week...
 
i've been condemed from riding by OH:( I however have to respect his wishes as its his baby too and I'm suffering really bad sickness with this baby. only 6 weeks. However got two people riding them twice a week each and when well enough I'll lunge. Still mucking out and poo picking. My mum has even offered to learn the routine so she can help. She is horsey and rides my TB sometimes. TBH if this sickness carries on I will struggle to do anything. My work are not taking my news very well
 
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