Pregnancy... what did you do?

[_jetset_]

I found out I was pregnant 4 weeks ago and up until now I have been carrying on as normal. The only thing I have been avoiding is lifting anything really heavy such as water buckets or haynets without some help due to some early complications which have all been resolved now.

However, I currently have five horses and am starting to think a little further ahead and trying to plan what will happen come November time.

We do have our own place which is in the process of going through planning, but I am on a fantastic yard with an indoor school and wonderful staff so my instinct is to stay put until the baby is born so I have assistance as and when it is needed. I plan on mucking out, lunging etc until after Christmas (I am due at the end of January) as long as I am ok to do so, but then after that I think that I wil have to put them on full livey as doing four horses will be quite a lot at that point.

However, I am starting to worry what to do with regards to the exercising of the horses. At the moment I have a part loaner who works my Medium horse 3 times a week, so she will continue to do so and I am hoping to ride her until as late as possible as I have owned her for 11 years and she is a very good girl.

The other three are a 5 year old mare, 4 year old gelding and a 9 year old mare. I also have a yearling out at grass and she will stay out until next spring (which was always the plan anyway).

I was wondering what people did with their horses when they got too big to exercise them? My 5 year old is quite a tricky lady but we have the most wonderful bond and we have truly clicked. A friend of mine has helped me with her in the past so I am hoping she will be able to keep her ticking over for me when I am no longer able to ride. But obviously, there will be cost implcations to think about as I will be paying her to work her.

But the 9 year old and 4 year old are leaving me a little bit stumped to be honest :-(

Where I am we only have an hour of turnout in a sand pen through the winter, so I turn my lot out in pairs so they have a good hooley around and let out some steam. But I do not want them to be stood in a stable 23 hours so would like to still have them worked a few days a week.

I don't know how feasible it would be for me to find a part loaner for my 4 year old as he has been an angel to back and bring on and is ready to do some Prelims now. But obviously with a baby the rider would have to be used to youngsters and experienced enough to work him in the right direction. He jumps beautifully, so it wouldn't have to be a dressagey person, it could be someone interested in eventing... Do you think there are people around looking for something like him to bring on and work with?

P.S. If you are a friend of mine on facelbookal please don't post anything about it on my wall...

 

[Halfstep]

Nothing constructive to say about horses and pregnancy, except.....



CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

 

[_jetset_]

Nothing constructive to say about horses and pregnancy, except.....



CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

Thank you... still a little shell shocked at the moment

 

[Leg_end]

Cant help as not been in your position but congratulations

I'm sure you will find someone suitable, especially fi you start looking now...

 

[ihatework]

Firstly congratulations!

Having had some friends recently had babies don't underestimate how much your life will change once junior has arrived. Unless you have a full time nanny and groom I really don't see how for the first couple of years you will have time for 5 horses.

My suggestion would be, keep the medium horse as is with loaner, if she is only ridden 3 times a week it's not the end of the world.
Then choose one as your riding horse and have it on livery whereby you have help looking after and exercising.

The remaining 3 horses I really think you need to take some action on - either lob them all out to grass fore the foreseeable, sell individuals or full loan individuals. You would need to be superwoman to do 5 horses and a newborn on your own!

 

[MillionDollar]

First of all, Congratulations

If it was me, I would turn a few away over winter, take their shoes off and let them be a herd in a large field.

 

[_jetset_]

I am setting up a yard (breeding, training etc) which will be up and running by February / March next year, so I will be working more or less full time from the word off as this is my own business. My own horses will be there at home anyway, so they will be able to be worked as part of the daily routine.

I am not too bothered about once the baby comes as like I say, the business will be at home and lots of flexibility (plus my Mum will live on site).

 

[_jetset_]

First of all, Congratulations

If it was me, I would turn a few away over winter, take their shoes off and let them be a herd in a large field.

We just don't have the land for that in this area unfortunately. I own 18 acres, but due to the quality of the ground it just gets so wet through the winter (due to the area, not my management I may add... it is one of the best fields in the area for drainage so we are lucky). If my own place had been up and running it would have been more of a possibility, but as it is not, I feel as though I need the help through the winter where I am.

Also, as one of my horses is a huge investment, I wouldn't risk throwing her out in a field for a couple of months because she would not be easy to bring back into work and I have put so much into her as she is so talented I don't fancy rebacking her in the spring

 

[meesha]

Congratulations !!! Again I have never been in your position but an experienced rider I know managed and still does manage all her horses (thinks she has approx 5) both during and after pregnancy - she competed up until the last few months from memory and was back riding 2 weeks after baby was born- saying that she is superwomen !!! - she also works full time and the horses are on her own yard - I believe her husband has baby in morning before work while she rides and she does get good support from family but she has made it work - I dont know her very well so not sure about the sacrifices she may have made or how much work she is putting into the horses but I am fairly sure she mucks out all 5 as they are all stabled majority of the year at night and rides in the morning !!

Good luck

 

[CHH]

I have been through this and somehow came out the other side.

Firstly,sorry if this all sounds negative, but I have been through this!

I thought I could just carry on and then pick up straight away after my baby was born. I rode through to about 6 months, knew my horse well enough, and put my other up for sale and retired one.

I had sciatic nerve issue (not predicted) which basically left me useless in the last trimester.
You WILL be very tired, uncomfy and possibly emotional at times, I did carry on quite normally till about 5months, I was also working full time in my career!

Listen to your body please, because the results of not are less than pleasant.

Try and find riders for them, or simply turn them away, rather that than have the mental stress yourself (believe me you will be easily stressed about stuff) worrying about a bad rider/issues/not working/livery costs.
Or, sorry if this sounds awful - but consider selling the two you need riders for?

When your baby is born, it is going to dramatically change your life, I thought I would just simply pick back up and carry on as normal. It doesn't work like that, and you do change alot.

I was back in the saddle about 14weeks after birth. I also ran a 5km race same week - I did too much too soon.

Good example: several months into motherhood I had a dressage comp and the night before my little one was ill - cancelled going.
Next time, mid week - baby (now 10mth) in nursery I was about to leave for competition and get a call - got chickenpox!

So, I gave up the idea of competing much as to be honest my baby came first. I just enjoyed the little 'me' time to ride.
In the first few months (depending on how things go) of being a mum potentially you'll be so tired riding is the last thing you feel like!

However things do get back to a routine and you will compete etc... again, it will never quite be the one you had before (I was always off competing in something now I select and am highly organised), but it will be this wonderful one you share with one of the most amazing people you will ever meet - You're own child!!!
There is nothing that compares.

Fantastic news, and I wish you all the best. Anything you want to ask, just pm me.
Congratulations

 

[_jetset_]

Thank you CHH... It is a life changing event that is for sure!

My main concern at the moment is obviously getting the business up and running. I think once that is more established I will relax a lot more about things. I have put so much work into this project already, so the main details are all there ready to go

I am just lucky that we will be based from home, so we will be able to be much more flexible than many can be. I don't think I would have been able to cope without this

 

[Tempi]

Congratulations again hun xx

Im actually riding a 5yr old for a woman who is 12 weeks pregnant at the moment. Shes decided to sell him as she wont be able to realistically have the time for her horse and baby or be able to afford the up keep whilst not being able to ride. I am just schooling him for her a few times a week as she also dosent want to risk riding whilst she is pregnant. I think to be honest i would be the same and id be especially worried about riding younger horses whilst pregnant no matter how safe they might seem.

 

[kit279]

Congratulations

Two things spring to mind - first of all, the 4 year old is at that important age of learning the ropes and therefore, from an outside perspective, he would be the one where you'd want to get it right. If you can find someone very competent, that would be different but they learn so much as 4 year olds that sets them up for their working life that I'd be inclined to turn him away if you can't find someone suitable rather than push on with someone less than ideal, just for the sake of having him worked. A little time off over winter to mature won't harm him - if you do a couple of months in the run up where he has to work quite hard mentally (not necessarily physically) then he'll be glad of a few months off to think about things and then come back nice and fresh as a 5 year old. The 9 year old mare - she is quite established now, if I remember right, and would be less likely to pick up quirks from a new rider. She'd be the one I'd be looking to get a loaner or sharer for.

The second thing is the back up plan! The third trimester and the bit immediately after the birth can be very tiring so you may find that you've got a lot on your hands - can you find someone to give you a hand then?

Best of luck

 

[Puppy]

WOWOWOWOWOWWWWW!! Nothing helpful, but wanted to say huge congratulations xx

 

[CHH]

Agree with Kit, get some help lined up, and not hubby, he could be looking after you and baby, working and tired too!

Back up plan is a must.

I was fortunate - my labour was short (I wont' say sweet but was not like the horror stories of pain I heard - I had no drugs or anything) and after 2 hours my baby was born.

BUT - what if you have a C section? You WILL be out of action for some time, please be careful. I went straight back into training/riding/running too soon and I ended up with 3years of pelvic issues, serious pain and physio ongoing.

Plan your business, but factor in these things. It isn't negative thinking, it's how I would have done things better if I went back 4 years.

I would turn the 4yo away, a later start won't do any harm, but an incompetant or inconsiderate rider could.

My child is now 4 years old and I love being a mum.

 

[only_me]

Nothing at all helpful, but congratulations!

 

[PorkChop]

Congratulations

I think you may have to accept you will have to find someone to ride your horses.

I am not saying that you have to give up your plans and dreams - and countless people hardly take a breath after having a baby and carry on, but they obviously have fantastic families and helpers.

Even though my babies were planned I was overwhelmed by how my priorities changed - and I wouldn't describe myself as maternal at all. My daughters are now 8 and 10, I have two competition horses and two youngsters, and I have plenty of time to commit to both even though the only help I have is from my husband.

You can do both, however to use a cliche, they aren't babies for very long and really enjoy them when they are

 

[StrawberryFish]

I would say, that with the right amount of help you will be fine! Mucking out and poo picking is fine with a young baby (just get a sling, chuck them on your back and get going! - I'm not sure where you live, but there are plenty of people about who can teach you how to wrap even a newborn baby on your back so they can sleep happily on their mum, releasing all those happy hormones for both of you and you can get any important jobs done)
You said that you will have your mum on site, which will help for emergency childcare, but obviously when baby is young, they will want mum (and nursing ) but I have seen many people do it, just introduce yourself in gently after the birth, I think, as a previous poster said, that if you start looking now, I'm sure you could find a perfect loan situation, and can 'vet' the person properly for whichever horse(s) you feel best to loan out/share out or find riders for, only you can assess the situation properly as they are your horses (and they sound lovely!)

I wish you a lot of luck and huge congratulations!!

 

[prosefullstop]

Congratulations! I'm in a very different position to you, in that I was a "re-rider" of about eighteen months when I found out I was pregnant i.e riding school only, odd competition etc. so I put the nags on hold. Skip forward many, many months, and at week 33 I am pretty much carrying on as before. I'm all bump, still quite small, and have been at pilates, yoga, the gym, walking the dogs etc. I dispensed with carrying heavy shopping bags at about week 30, as it felt as though my ligaments might snap. I've had no back pain, pelvic pain etc. and only this week felt a truly annoying symptom (heartburn). Everyone is different, though, but if you can maintain an active lifestyle, it tends to help the pregnancy go more smoothly.

 

[MillionDollar]

We just don't have the land for that in this area unfortunately. I own 18 acres, but due to the quality of the ground it just gets so wet through the winter (due to the area, not my management I may add... it is one of the best fields in the area for drainage so we are lucky). If my own place had been up and running it would have been more of a possibility, but as it is not, I feel as though I need the help through the winter where I am.

Also, as one of my horses is a huge investment, I wouldn't risk throwing her out in a field for a couple of months because she would not be easy to bring back into work and I have put so much into her as she is so talented I don't fancy rebacking her in the spring

If you put 2 or 3 on a large space they won't wreck it at all. I put 2 yearlings on 4 acres last winter, it's our wettest field (and we're on clayish land too!) and they were on it from September till March..........and we're just about to cut it for hay. They didn't wreck it at all!

Put them on 6 acres and they'll be fine. It's horses with shoes that damage the ground so much.

 

[zoon]

You'll be able to find someone to ride them if you really want to keep them in work and not sell or turn away. I am unfortunately having to have my horse PTS soon and at some point after will be looking for a horse/horses to ride as I have a yearling, so don't want to buy something just to ride for a couple of years until youngster is ready to start. So there are competant riders out there looking for a ride, we are just few and far between! Unfortunately I am down in Kent, or I'd offer to lend you a hand.

 

[katia]

congrats!!! I'm due a month after you (ssshhhhh!! nobody knows yet!!lol) I only have the two to worry about but one is a 5yr old who is just starting to come good and she's the one I'm concerned about too. I'm planning on riding for as long as I'm comfortable and then giving my older mare the winter off but ideally would love someone to keep the 5 yr old ticking over.
Afterwards I guess it will be one hell of a juggling act although I have been there before but with only one horse.

Sorry I've nothing constructive to offer you but just to let you know that there's another crazy lady in your shoes!!

 

[lornaA]

hi i have children of 8 1/2 and 1 1/2. I rode while pregnant with my first. My horse was 8 and pretty dependable. I stopped riding at about 32 weeks as my bump was too big to get off comfortably, i was fine on board and getting on it was just the dismounting and trotting got uncomfortable walk and canter were fine. I didnt ride second pregnancy as my mare was pregnant too! I would say tho that dont underestimate how time consuming a newborn baby is. I can honestly say i couldnt commit to competeing or anything till my kids were a year old. In fact i am currently looking for a foal to buy that will ne ready to ride when my boys are both older and i can have a wee bit of fun with it in the mean time.

 

[Dovorian]

Zoon, what are you looking for? We are in Kent and have 2 which need riders/loaners.

 

[pokerface]

firstly congrats jetset! and i want to tell you your situation is definately possible, you have an amazing set up. in door school, at home, mum on site, you will def be able to do this, as long as you maybe have some one working for you that can do the looking after, but i am guessing you will have to get someone in to run the yard if your setting up a business.
when i was pregnant last winter i took one event horse twice a week for dressage schooling with the lady that taught me on the flat,(rest of week he went on walker, lunged) one horse did go away hunting to a friend, but i was back in the saddle after 3 weeks eventing in 5 and had a long and bad labour (stitches, forceps, 3rd degree tear! sorry disgusting i know) best thing i did was bottle fed him so other people could help, and i got sleep at night which kept my life as normal as poss, i event 3 horses, show a cob, and run a yard of 10, my mum helps afternoons and husband can do late afternoons so some times i do finish late but my passion hasnt gone i am as driven as ever, and i love my little boy to bits, it will be hard work but your body will adjust to the lack of sleep, so many people will tell you you wont do it, but if you want it to work, it will!

 

[pokerface]

sorry re read your post, if you plan on riding until you cant, why dont you maybe get someone in just to school them twice a week, or box them to someone, then maybe put them on full livery whilst you have the baby for a month, there are plenty of people out there competent enough to hack them maybe twice a week until you can get back in the saddle, so enough to just keep them ticking over, and you lunge etc,

 

[not_with_it]

Congratulations.

If you have endless amounts of cash I would send Bols away and find someone to help you ride the others. I think you would be more limited if you were to try and loan them out and say they had to stay where they are. Would you allow them to move? If not I would turn the ones without a rider away until next spring. If they are turned away you wont get the added stress if the loaner can no longer ride and sends them back and you could bring them back into work as and when.

Good Luck with whatever you decide. x

 

[SusieT]

I think if you have a bit of money, employ a rider to come and give each one half an hour a day, 4-5times a week. Or rent a field and turf them out (would be cheaper and better option imo as 1hr +irregular exercise as you say isa bit crap)

 

[diggerbez]

congratulations
could you look into getting someone to come and work for you? i'm thinking someone good enough to ride your horses (even if not 'improving' them- just keeping them ticking over) maybe 3x days per week? might not be as expensive as you think if you get someone young and enthusiastic! you've got plenty of time to vet someone....

 

[christine48]

I'd turn Troy away, it won't do him any harm. You've got someone sharing the 11yr old so she shouldn't be a problem. maybe just put the other 2 onto full livery until you can ride again.