Pregnancy and horses

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babeandbessy

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Hi, I was just wondering what everybody did with there horses while they were pregnant and then while you were caring for your newborn? How much did you manage to do yourself? I'm only 9 weeks gone at the moment but wanting to make sure my horses are all sorted before last minute :)
I have five ponies, 2 youngster that I'm planning on turning out during my pregnancy, one that's out on loan, my jumping pony that I'm planning on finding someone to continue riding him for me and my old mare who my sister will ride a few times a week and ill continue to look after.. Do you think this is going to be manageable?

Thank for reading guys :D
 
Sounds as if you have a pretty good plan. The only thing I would add is to make sure that the ones turned away or your old mare have someone who can look after them, both when you are heavily pregnant or giving birth and afterwards. Without planning too much for the worst, have a thought about what you would do if you weren't able to do them for a while. At very least you'll need from a few days to a few weeks while having the baby, and at short notice - will your sister help?

You might be able to do everything for all but a couple of days, or nothing for months - that's the unpredictable bit. But I expect you're fit and healthy already, so you've got a good chance of going on for a good while yet and then being back on board quickly afterwards!

Check on the loan contract as well to make sure he doesn't come back to you unexpectedly and without notice, or have a plan in case this does happen. Mine was out on loan when I was pregnant and my brilliant loaner kept him for a few months longer than she really wanted because she didn't want to let me down at that time - but not all of them will be or can be so considerate.
 
That's really helpful thanks abacus! We have our own yard literally 2 minutes away from the parents house so in emergencies and if I ever can't get down there always around to do them :) the one that's already out on loan and know deffinately won't be back til next summer, it's just my jumping pony I have to sort out now really
 
I'm week 37 still mucking out 4 a day and working full time (last week this week) I'm a first time older mum too, I 'm v lucky to have them at home but the recent snow has been challenging with them in more equals more mucking out, I will be paying a local groom to do them for a few weeks when baby is born, it's kept me sane and fit, so hopefully I will get back to riding quicker ( that's the plan!)
 
Didn't have any of my own but worked with horses right up until birth, was a bit more tired than usual. Then back to work after 5 months. The first 2/3 months are the worst, mine was feeding every 2 hours at one point, once they start sleeping through the night it gets much easier. My sister had a c-section and couldn't drive for 6 weeks and she had to be more careful about what she did for longer.
 
Mom was still riding with me at 7 months!! :eek: Only stopped as she physically couldn't clamber on poor Peter anymore! I was at the field after 2 weeks and stuck on the poor old boy at 8 weeks.

She was meant to have me first week of July, told her consultant that was no goo as she had horses in the Royal :rolleyes: .... Pushed me out unplanned first week or June and off she went to the Royal lol!
 
I got a sharer/loaner who started off partloaning, I rode til 22 weeks and stopped as I had back pains. Sharer took over, though I went up a few times a week, I was lunging a couple of days before my boy was born. I was back up at the yard 10 days after the birth - I had a traumatic assisted delivery with stitches etc so that was the earliest I could bear to sit in a car!
The hardest part I found was fitting the horse around breastfeeding. Baby needed feeding every 2-3 hours day and night with makes you a) knackered and b) highly inflexible for time - you're at the beck and call of baby. It's fine if you can fit horses around that, but don't expect to be able to guarantee you can get up to the yard by 7.30 to do morning feeds, or be able to meet the farrier at a certain time. Now baby is older I time his naps so he's asleep in the car while I do tea-time stables. I've got another baby on the way so we will see how I cope with that...
 
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