riding and pregnancy

_daisy_

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got a few questions for u my fellow hho'ers.
How many of you carried on riding throughout your pregnancy?
At what stage did you decide to stop riding?
Were there any factors that made you stop or was it just through choice?
The reason Im asking is t.at Im 5 months pregnant and Ive discussed it with my midwife that i carry on. Ive decided to stop riding one of my horses because i dont feel comfy on her but i am riding my 4 year old daily. Im hoping to carry on as long as i can if possible right to the end.
 

huntley

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I rode throughout both my pregnancies! I think it is personal choice and depends what you are riding. I am not sure I would have ridden a four year old, though! I only stopped with my second when I could not physically bend down to put my boots and chaps on! The only really important piece of advice I would give you is do not ride for at least 6 weeks after - I know some eventers etc. get back in the saddle before that, but it really is not good for your muscles. They need time to get back in shape and I was told that you may not realise the damage you are doing until you are alot older!
 

moody_mare

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I'm 5 & half months (with triplets!!) and unfortuneatly I shall be stopping very soon as it is just so difficult to get on & very painful to get off. I would love to continue to ride untill the end but i'm probaly already bigger than you will be the day you give birth so it really isn't practical. I don't believe in any of the 'riding can cause miscarriage /bad for baby tosh'

Will you be finiding out the sex or having a nice surprise on the day ? :D
 

_daisy_

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cheers for this, my 4yo is more mature than her years much more sensible them my 9yo lol. She very laid back. ill take your advice on the riding afterwards. riding.to carry on looking after them after baby is born so to keep me active etc but didnt realise it would be so long to leave it before riding.
 

_daisy_

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huge congrats to you. Cant believe your having triplets. My partner joked about twins but theres only 1 or only 1 showed on the scan lol. My next scan is Thursday this week and cant wait to find out what were having i hope baby behaves. Are you finding out about yours?
 

tootsietoo

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I stopped at 3 months after falling off out hunting and feeling a bit silly. But tbh it was near the end of the season and I knew I would have to stop in the next few months so I lost motivation to keep going! I wouldn't have felt comfortable with the risk of riding when I was quite big (not to mention the difficulty of getting on and off!) but it's your horse and your body!
 

moody_mare

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ooh let us know what your having!!

I cant decide if I want to know or not :rolleyes:

OH wants to know so he can find out but just not tell me :D
 

Booboos

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It very much depends on each person and I always thought I would continue for as long as possible but the reality of pregnancy was completely different. I am at 33 weeks now and had to stop at 5.5 months for a variety of reasons. I was very nauseous and very tired all the time, I couldn't really ride properly and saw little point in pottering about in walk, and I also found my mind was full of negative thoughts about what would happen if I fell off and lost the baby. When I had my second trimester scan and got the all clear for a variety of horrible conditions and deformities, I decided not to risk it anymore. Still everyone is completely different so just do what you feel comfortable with.
 

freckles22uk

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I rode until the day before I had my daughter, though she was 3 weeks early, I found sitting on a horse was the most comfy place for me to sit..

Daughter is 18 now and mad horse lover, and the mare I rode while pregnant (Sherry) is still with us and is now the grand old age of 31...
 

samfern

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I am 32 weeks now and still riding my older and very trusted mare though the distance and pace has now slowed considerably. I feel fine and intend to continue unless it starts to feel wrong. The bladder is the biggest restriction! I have to say the doctors have been great, the midwifes raise the odd eyebrow.

I get on from a high wall by throwing leg over and the same dismounting as both would be a problem normally. I am carrying high so have had no issues bumping into pommel and I have found no balance issues whatsoever.

I do have to ask someone to do my dressage girth up once I'm on, there is no way I am getting down there!
 

Scheherezade

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I'm 4 months and already getting pains when I do heavy schooling work. My horse is going on loan next week, and i will continue to ride occasionally.
 

SwingHorse

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How many of you carried on riding throughout your pregnancy? Not me!

At what stage did you decide to stop riding? As soon as I found out I thought about giving up, but I persevered for a few weeks. Only stopped when it became too uncomfortable (about 9 weeks); I don't think western and charro saddles were made with women in mind!

Were there any factors that made you stop or was it just through choice? I work with a lot of young horses and stallions on a stud, and bearing in mind that the vast majority of horses I used to ride were entire (and though well behaved stallions, I wasn't willing to risk a mare in season walking past and upsetting them)
 

thorney84

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I stopped riding as soon as i found out, but i just didnt want to risk a fall even though i hav'nt fallen off for years. Cant wait to get back on!
 

laura_nash

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I'm now 31 weeks and stopped riding quite early (around 2.5 months).

I intended to keep riding as long as possible. I've got a sensible HW cob and I've only had one fall on him in the 2 yrs I've had him (when he fell over galloping in long grass) so I wasn't too worried about the risks. Riding him (without galloping anyway) seems to be safer for me than walking along the pavement (had two nasty falls doing that in the same period).

Unfortunately we had a run of trouble (I was ill, he was ill, snow, I injured my hip) which meant that by the time we were both able it wasn't so much keep riding as start riding again after more than 2 months off (at over 4 months pregnant), which is a bit different. He'd put on weight with the time off so he was even wider than normal which didn't help the rusty muscles, and it was difficult to be enthusiastic about getting him going again when I knew he'd have to have a load more time off fairly soon.

It's quite interesting having a period without riding, especially since I'm getting the heavier jobs done by the yard now too. I'm spending a lot more time with my horse! We have done bits and pieces on the ground (took him to an in-hand show 3 weeks ago). I do miss riding though.
 

Marley&Me

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With my first pregnancy I was very young and fit and so rode up to about 8 months pregnant gradully slowing down in pace and riding for a shorter time. I was back in the saddle 3 months later (c-section).


2nd pregnancy I was older and much more sensible. I stopped riding as soon as I found out and didnt go back to riding for 6 years!

If I was pregnant again I think I would also stop as soon as I found out again. I dont think it does any damage the actual riding part but the risk of a fall would scare me too much to take the chance. But I certainly wouldnt have a problem with others ridin throughout their pregnancies
 

Timmy time

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With my first I stopped at 32 weeks...my horse went lame! This time I've stopped at 28 weeks...(2 weeks ago) my horse has gone lame again. Think its his way of saying its time for me to stop...hes a delicate little soul. My husband is quite pleased though as he'd started harping on about when I was going to stop riding.....really hope he hasn't had anything to do with my horse lameness!
 

georgie0

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I'm 24 weeks today and I'm still going! Intend to ride as far through as i can. My mare is wonderful though and i stopped jumping as soon as i found out.
 

Magicmillbrook

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I stopped at about 7 months, though was gradualy slowing down before that, though for the first 3 months a didnt ride much either due to morning (or should I say all day) sickness and tiredness. My mare is a fairly steaqdy sort, I just didnt jump or go for canter/gaqllop hacks as these are the situations she would most likely be a minx.

I stopped because of 'bladder issues' and hip pain, started again very gently about 4 weeks after. I would say (if this is a first baby) make the most of riding because when baby is born, even if you are super organised and have a good support network you can never just drop evrything and head of out like you bcan now - Good luck, you will be looking at shetlands before you know it.
 

Piaffey

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Hi, I'm nearly 6 months pregnant and I stopped riding at about 2 months because I have been just so ill this time round. I sturggled for nearly 17 weeks to even get out of bed let alone do anything else.
I'm a LOT better now and, although I have thought about popping out for a hack, I haven't.

I'm a midwife and I always tell women to do what they feel comfortable and, what you are used to, ie a dressage rider suddenly deciding that she'd like to start eventing. But that goes for all fitness, not introducing new things.

When I was pregnant the first time (years ago) I was riding daily and fell off. I had a miscarriage. Not sure if that had anything to do with the fall though as had 2 futher miscariages.
Hope your pregnancy is going well
 

HollyJ

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Hiya - i just hung up my boots for a while at 15 weeks. Not for any physical reason as such although i did tire more easily with intense schooling, I just felt that the worry of what 'could' happen was becoming greater. It started outweighing any enjoyment i was actually getting out of riding.

Like someone else said - the odds of anything happening based on the amount of falls etc i've had in the past god knows how many years were remote, but its sods law something would happen now.

None of us are invinsible and i know i'd never forgive myself if anything happened now. Who knows if you will ever get this chance again .

Good luck - its not long to wait if you do give up for a while

I went on a lovely woodland hack with my boyf at the weekend and that was a perfect note to end it on for now. :)

xx
 

sloulou

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Definitely personal choice I think...

I intended to keep riding when I first found out I was pregnant. I even (stupidly) went hunting at about 6 weeks pregnant. Then I actually had a miscarriage at 9 weeks (fell off the day before, having not fallen for years). I know the miscarriage wasn't related to the fall, I had already had a scan showing a weak heartbeat with a high chance of miscarriage. But I always felt responsible. So when I got pregnant again, I gave up straight away because I had to know that I hadn't done anything I could feel guilty about if it happened again.

I now have a 9 month old baby!

Anyway, I wouldn't criticise others for riding, but I chose not to.
 
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