Pregnant and just want to compete!

[jwtr]

This may be a bit of a weird post however I am desperate for a bit of advice.
I have recently found out that I am pregnant and am looking for a bit of advice from other horse owners as to what they did/do with their horses whilst in the same situation.
I am really into my dressage and was planning on affiliating this winter, selling them really isn't an option as they are my life and the pregnancy was totally unplanned (apparently contraception isn't quite as effective as they claim). and I hadn't planned on having kids until I had sorted my career out and had a chance to really compete.
My partner is being very supportive however he is totally unhorsey (he does try)
If I was just wanting to hack out daily then I wouldn't be too bothered however my horse only has to not be ridden for a week and he takes a running jump backwards with his schooling.
I have thought about loaning him out but even that idea gets me really down in the dumps at the moment, as I have had him since he was 2 years old I have a really strong bond with him. Plus if I don't ride for a few days I actually grow horns!

The whole situation is completely stressing me out at the moment and my head is going round in circles

 

[Theocat]

Riding while pregnant is a personal decision.

In your shoes, I'd find a competent sharer (no financial contribution) who can do a couple of days a week to help you out, and who might be prepared to step it up a bit when the time comes. I imagine you'll need at least a week off when the baby actually arrives!!!

 

[nickyb]

Just carry on, I rode my eventer up until I was 8 months pregnant, granted I didn't jump but was still having full on flat work lessons, I also boxed him out for my trainer to jump.
There's always a mixed response to riding whilst pregnant.

 

[ellie_e]

Don't shoot me down on this but:
If it wasn't planned, and there's things you want todo within your career and riding, is having a baby now a good idea?

 

[jwtr]

I totally get your point so not going to shoot anybody down.
Believe me I have looked into things as the last thing I saw myself doing at this stage in my life is having a child.
I did go to a clinic as soon as I found out (but it was too early) and the next time I went I backed out.
I do have the option to go back still however I can't bring myself to do it.

I can imagine there are a lot of people against it luckily my horse is pretty safe to ride.

 

[slumdog]

I rode up to 20 weeks, once I had my second scan I stopped but that was also helped by the fact I looked like a giant hippo on steroids and I was being sick every 15 minutes!

It's totally your decision, you know your body and your horse better than anyone and if it's dressage that you're wanting to do then I think it's the 'safest' out of all the disciplines. I'm assuming you're very early stages as well, so although it obviously carries risks, at the moment baby is likely to be this size of a peanut and well protected by your pelvis and other squishy bits.

Congratulations by the way

 

[Foxfolly]

I rode whilst pregnant but just rode horses I felt safe on, I jumped up until about 5 months and just did dressage and hacking after that, i then ended up getting wintered off as we had really bad snow and ice, I did get back on at about 7 months but just struggled getting off so stopped then. I think if you know your horse well and feel you still have good balance etc. then its fine. It sounds cliche but you really do know yourself if its ok or not, your body will tell you when its time to stop!
I got someone else to ride my other horse as he was young and bouncier, and she liked him so didn't charge me to ride him AMD it worked very well, so definitely worth looking for a rider / sharer to keep the horse in work if he's the type that doesn't do time off well!
Congrats and good luck!

 

[ecrozier]

How far along are you? My personal intention will be to knock the jumping on the head and keep hacking and doing dressage for as long as I feel comfortable/safe. Then I will probably give my main horse 3 months or so off, last couple of months before and a month or so after but that's all a bit hypothetical for me ATM! I've consciously taken on a sharer for my older boy so that she would keep him doing enough to keep him fit and happy, as we are planning a family in the not too far distant future.

 

[ajn1610]

I would say that it is your body, your life and you have to live with the consequences of any decision you make. Plenty of people continue riding and competing right the way until they pop, some people feel really uncomfortable and can't manage it, some people don't want to risk it. If you are comfortable and feel that you want to keep riding and are prepared to accept the risk go for it. People will criticise you either way, so do what makes you happiest and stuff everyone else!

 

[Leg_end]

I plan to carry on riding as long as I don't pile on the pounds and I'm balanced enough to still do so. Hubby is not keen but I will keep all four feet on the ground and stick to hacking and flatwork. This is all hypothetical as I'm not planning getting pregnant quite yet!!

 

[jwtr]

Currently 8-9 weeks, though I'm not completely sure. I don't really jump to be fair as my horse is far to clumsy over fences and fell a few times when we were both younger. My old horse is currently semi retired though he has pretty much been unridden since April when his arthritis kicked off again.
I'm really glad I posted on here as you have all started to put my mind at ease. I have been completely lost this last few weeks.

 

[HammieHamlet]

I carried on eventing until 13/14 weeks but then my horse went lame so he had to have a months box rest with 2X 15 min walks out each day. I actually found it safer to ride him rather than lead in hand, although towards the end of the month it was getting a bit hairy!!

Had he been fine I would've carried on hacking/doing flatwork but having said that, I think your body will tell you what you can or can't do - for instance, I'm 7 months now and when I don't have the energy to walk my dog I grab my other horse (he's 18yrs old) and walk him round the fields with dog in tow....I can manage a rising trot but find it too uncomfortable to do more than that - walking is absolutely fine though I couldn't imagine doing any proper schooling as I think that would hurt.

Just go with your gut and if you feel safe then see what your body lets you do good luck!

 

[stencilface]

I've just stopped riding at 32 weeks, but was only hacking in walk (horse on box rest and rehab anyway!) I did compete combined training at 7 weeks and had the horse not gone lame would have likely done more. Unfortunately now with the small paddock rest he's on he's just not reliable and steady enough for me to feel safe through one of his tantrums : rolleyes3:

But I'm still pretty small and agile (still capable of dismounting with some agility to the ground last weekend) and would still be able to ride if my hors was steady enough. But as it is with his injury (tendonitis) small paddock rest with a few months off will do him no harm at all,he had his bak shoes off last week to be roughed off a bit.

Carry on as long as you feel happy and safe to IMHO, I know friends who rode on their due date

 

[Once was lost]

A very good friend of mine had her 3rd baby last year.
She rode and competed BD as normal until about 25 weeks and then just schooled and hacked with her instructor coming to ride at least once a week rather then her lessons. She gradually moved to just hacking as time went on and she got bigger riding herself a couple of times a week, as she decreased her instructor increased to coming twice a week.
She kept up hacking until the baby was safely born and was then back in the saddle just over a week post (uncomplicated) birth. Her biggest issue throughout was boob support and towards the end of her pregnancy her dismounting was unconventional lol!
She felt comfortable with this as she knows her horse well and she also knows her body. She is lucky enough to be able to afford paying her instructor to ride but a well picked sharer would suit just as well.
In many ways it is post birth that can cause the most problems, my friend at first had to squeeze rides in between breast feeds and in the early days this opportunity can be quite narrow, you also need good support for child care while you ride depending on your set up.
I think my friend was able to make it all work for her as she has her horses at home, has a school, good safe hacking and help from both family and friends either on site or less then 5 mins away.

I didn't ride at all when pregnant but I have very complex health issues which make pregnancy very high risk. So I am a useless example lol!

It is a personal choice, there are people who will criticise any choice you make and as a parent that is something you will get a lot of, some people have strong views and think anything different from what they do/would do is wrong and have no problem telling you that!

Good luck, listen to what your body tells you and do what you feel is best for you, not what someone else felt was best for them. Also, congratulations, becoming a parent is a wonderful if daunting process and I know that when I look at my children I can't believe that they came from me, they are so fantastic, hard, but worth it. Before you know it you will be pony hunting and signing up for pony club!

 

[Llanali]

I jumped competitively until 21 weeks, up to 1m/Discovery only though, and did my last dressage at 25 weeks- I could happily have gone on, but the next one (at 28 weeks) was cancelled, and then my breeches were really indecent even with big white pants!!!

I'm 35 weeks now, so full term in a fortnight and due date is in 5 weeks....up to last week I rode 5 times a week, and from this week onward I am riding every other day. Cantering is tiring, walk and trot is fine, and I can still do 5k trotting hacks for fitness. I was sneakily allowed by my hubby to jump a few tiny- 80cm- uprights last week

A supportive partner is a must, and a positive mental attitude, but even then many women struggle and suffer from various health problems- I'm lucky! and I appreciate this.

I think the above post by Once was lost is accurate- the pregnant bit is less of an issue- I am concerned about riding after to be honest! Fitting horse between feeding and baby, and what about the days the baby is off colour or feeding nigh constantly through a growth spurt....and more scarily the days when kid is 18mths and into everything! But, we will cross that when we come to it, and compromises will be made, but I want to do it, and I WILL; just maybe not how I always imagined it- there's no reason you can't compete, it just might not be what you first had in mind. I wanted to do the 1.10m at Aintree National Amateur Champs this year- having not jumped since Easter, I'll be ragging around the 90cm instead! But I'm still going to have a go and I'm going to enjoy it.

Best of Luck OP. My final comment would be that learning to ignore those who say you'll never manage is hugely important. You and your partner should do exactly what you want and need to with YOUR baby.

 

[Countrychic]

I'm 8 weeks and I'm still doing BS. I've got 3 in work. I would like to keep jumping until october if I can then just play about schooling and lunging over the winter.

 

[madmav]

I didn't ride while pregnant because had recurrent miscarriage problem thing. But with hindsight, I should have done. Would not have made any difference to outcome. Go with what feels good to you.

 

[HTDJ]

I was advised not to ride in first trimester due to previous miscarriage but immediately after that I was back on board. I jumped up until 5 months, dressage a few weeks later and hacked until ten days before I had baby. Still cantering galloping etc
Shes 4 weeks now and ive no idea when ill manage to get back on.
Emergency section means I was told I'd need 12 weeks off! I suspect I'll get out for gentle walks sooner rather than later but will not be overdoing it, for sure.

 

[Booboos]

Everyone is completely different. You may well find that your feelings towards risk change as the pregnancy progresses and you become very protective of th ebump, or you may feel physically and emotionally very comfortable to ride. One of the things about pregnancy, birth and having a newborn is that small things can 'take you out of action', e.g. some women have sore backs later on and can't do basic things, a c-section would delay a return to the saddle, a colicky baby may make you tired and sleepy during the day, etc. You can adjust and cope with all these things, they are not a problem, but it might be wise to have a good sharer already in place to give you a bit of lee-way if you need it.

 

[HotToTrot]

How very exciting! I bought my horse immediately after I found out I was pregnant and I evented him until I was four months. As a nod to the fact I was pregnant, I stayed at BE 90 with him, rather than taking him to BE 100. Then I showjumped for another month, and stopped jumping at five months.

I did dressage until I was 7.5 months, then received a bit of annoying news re the pregnancy, so stopped riding. (My riding had not caused the issue, but, given that there was an issue, I just thought I'd cut out any physical exertion). I had to cycle for an hour to get to and from the yard, so I decided that two hours' exercise a day (riding bike and horse) was probably not necessary, given the circs. Had I been able to drive to the yard, or had I not had the issue, I would have ridden until I gave birth!

I kept my pregnancy a strict secret until I had stopped jumping, because I did not want to have to deflect the inevitable queries about whether I shd be riding.

You will encounter criticism and advice from all corners, so my advice is to do what feels right to you!

 

[HTDJ]

I kept my pregnancy a strict secret until I had stopped jumping, because I did not want to have to deflect the inevitable queries about whether I shd be riding.

You will encounter criticism and advice from all corners, so my advice is to do what feels right to you!

this! I only told orgsnisers at training clinics and comps for the same reason and to ensure they were aware, should there be any issue. I also kept it off Facebook to avoid tuts and opinions being given when not wanted! You will have to do what is right for you.

 

[Jojoeena]

I know how you feel, I was 3 months pregnant when my youngster came home from being backed - talk about rubbish timing, I had the whole summer planned !!
Despite being a little querky, freshly backed youngster I did ride until I was 5 months, he never put a foot wrong but having the thought always in the back of my mind that he could, was affecting how I rode so I decided to turn him away until next year. If he had been more experienced under saddle and I felt I could trust him more then I would have ridden for as long as I felt comfortable, although would not have jumped - as others have said, your body will tell you when it's had enough !
I was gutted as really wanted to get him going this year but stopped beating myself up about what I should / could be doing with him by now and what other people were probably thinking - at the end of the day it's just a few months and he will still be there next year to start again, he's not crying in his stable about not being ridden so I'm just enjoying (through the sickness, being knackered, achey back and joints etc lol) being preggers !

I had a meltdown when I found out and this was planned, so can understand that you feel overwhelmed, I think everyone does at some point, but if you've decided this is what is going to happen then try to stop worrying about things so much, relax and look forward to your new adventures, as above, if you have the desire to compete then that is what you will make happen, it might just look a bit diffferent in reality to how you imagined it - Congrats and good luck !

 

[MagicMelon]

I rode whilst pregnant but just rode horses I felt safe on
!

This is what I did too. Its really up to you if you feel your horse is safe enough to ride through your pregnancy. I only rode 2 that I trusted, and rode up until I was 7 months (and only then stopped because my horse then injured itself in the field), I competed up until then as well but only in dressage as my OH didnt want me jumping (or I probably would have carried on with that early on as well). It did get a bit uncomfy when I got bigger but luckily I stayed small for quite a while. So continue riding if you feel happy to do so, some people say no way but thats their choice. My doctor and midwife both rode in their pregnancies!

Even though my pregnancy was planned, it still happened sooner than expected (I figured it would take a few months but nope!) and I did cry at the thought of not being able to compete when I found out! Its a shock finding out your pregnant, even when you DO plan it so I can only imagine what you're feeling like! If you do go ahead with it though, it is worth it - I hated being pregnant but do love the end result (plus I'll be able to buy lots of cute little ponies for him!)

 

[Jade Holleman]

I was 4 months pregnant when I had to stop riding. The horses I was riding were too sharp and I was a bit worried about riding them. My pregnancy was also not really planned but I have 3 weeks left and I know soon I can start to ride again....even though my horse will be a complete nutter for a week!

 

[stencilface]

My doctor and midwife both rode in their pregnancies!

(plus I'll be able to buy lots of cute little ponies for him!)

My midwife will have a coronary when I tell her I stopped riding at 31/32 weeks, precisely why I'm telling her in my next appt (34 weeks) she's not very helpful so I just want to annoy her, childish, moi?!

I too am looking forward to buying/acquiring ponies, considering a sturdy 13.2 so I can ride as I seem unable to keep my horse sound :redface3: