What did you do with your horse when pregnant?

[zola89]

My horse is on DIY livery and is currently ridden 4-5 times a week. I've just found out that I am pregnant and I'm not sure what to do with her so am hoping for others to share their experiences.
She is out during the summer and I shouldn't struggle with mucking out etc this winter but will do next winter when I have a newborn.
I'm fairly certain my yard won't allow a pram down there (and I'm not sure this is safe) and my husband works away during the week so there is nobody to help out then. My parents live nearby but are not horsey and will not commit to looking after a baby regularly.
Selling is not an option.
Do I put her on loan? I think this might be easier said than done, particularly since my horse isn't the easiest to ride.
Do I turn her away for a few months? Do I put her on grass livery? Should I consider putting her into foal?
I'm worried about both the work load but also the money, I imagine keeping her on DIY Livery on maternity pay will be pretty difficult.
Thanks in advance!

 

[LaurenBay]

If you are worried about workload and the financial burden then a putting her into foal is surely out of the question?!

I would look at getting 2 sharers if you can, to help out with money and keep her ticking over til you can ride again.

If not turn away.

 

[LaurenBay]

Also congrats

 

[zola89]

If you are worried about workload and the financial burden then a putting her into foal is surely out of the question?!

I would look at getting 2 sharers if you can, to help out with money and keep her ticking over til you can ride again.

If not turn away.

I'm fairly confident I could afford to put her into foal but she would definitely have to go onto grass livery. And by the time the foal came the baby should be a little older and I'd be back working again so the money situation would be better. However I will hands up say I don't know a lot about breeding horses, other than watching from the sidelines having had a friend breed from her mare.

 

[pippixox]

Congratulations. I had four on grass diy (with barn to bring in when needed) when I had my first son! Sold one when he was nearly one as she was the most straight forward and I felt she needed more than just weekend hacks. I now have three and have just had my second son 4 months ago. Going down to two but only due to PTS.

I would certainly look at grass livery as it makes life easier. I don’t poo pick my large winter field but I did used to during nap time with baby in car or sometimes in sling when they were on restricted grazing.

If you can work aroud naps it helps but easier said than done! I have horses who I used to a buggy and baby in sling! There is a small risk of course, but one I chose to take. But I’m not at a normal livery yard.

I can see the issue of finance. It is tight but my horses are too much a part of my life to give up. We wanted children but the horses had to stay! But I sacrifice facilities for a big cheap field. I do it all myself and babies were both only two days old at the yard! (Friends helped for a few days)

 

[LaurenBay]

I would really advise against putting her in foal. You ever know what complications there could be and she might end up having to be stabled earlier then you'd like and if you weren't working then it would put a huge strain on you. Not to mention if something were to go wrong foaling. Plus the cost of the semen, scans, foaling box are going to be quite high. It also costs quite a bit to produce a good Horse.

In all honesty i'd look at turning her away, she will probably much prefer having a little holiday then having a baby anyway.

 

[pippixox]

Would not recommend putting in foal. She doesn’t need a job. She can go on grass livery and ‘have a holiday’ without the added worry and cost of a foal (plus do you really want one?)
I did ride mine while pregnant but also did more ground work with them when pregnant and did long lining with baby in sling. Now I have a toddler it is weekend riding only until spring summer late night day light

 

[SpringArising]

Definitely DON'T put her in foal if you're already having money worries!

I would loan her out or put her on full grass livery. One thing I will say is be prepared to need some help during the first few trimesters - your sickness might be more debilitating that you think.

 

[zola89]

Thanks all - I will rule out putting her in foal! I'm glad I asked though as thought this could be feasible.

Money worries aren't a problem at the moment I just want to plan to make sure it doesn't become a problem when on maternity pay as it will be a cut from my current salary.

I have some amazing friends on the yard who will definitely help out but obviously this isn't a long term solution and don't want to load on them all of the time.

 

[Hollychops]

Congratulations. Exciting times ahead.

When i fell pregnant with my eldest (now 20) i kept my horse at DIY with help until my daughter was bout 4 months. I was then torn between being with her and being with the horse. Whoever i was with i wanted to be with the other and felt very guilty. I ended up putting my boy out on loan and then gifted him to the lady who loaned him as i was potentially going to be away for 6 months and there was no way my hubby could cope with a young daughter, horse and a full time job. It was hard but necessary. I then had a break from horses until both my daughters were old enough that i didnt have to be constantly with them or they could join in with me on their ponies which they did. I missed riding like mad but it took away the guilt I felt and allowed me to do things with my daughters whilst they were young without having to rush back to see to the horse or ask someone to check him etc for me.

I would think carefully about breeding from your mare as it is another responsibility to have and things change in time. If you werent planning on doing it anyway, why do it just because you are not sure what to do with her. It isnt just the financial aspect but is it really what you want for her? I have seen so many posts on various forums and FB about mares being bred from because the owner thinks its the right thing to do and then they have a foal that they are not sure what to do with next or hadnt factored in A, B, or C and then have to find another home for him/her. I would look on the foal as being another baby and see if that would work.

Human babies arereal heart string pullers and i thought i would be able to cope with leaving my daughter to ride but i hated it and ended up resenting the time away from her.

Much better for both of you to find your horse a loan home if possible or turn her away (you dont say how old she is and what you have been doing with her). Bring the financial aspect into it and it all becomes harder.

I cant tell you what to do but only say it as i found it. What worked for me wont necessarily work for others. Good luck.

 

[SpringArising]

Forgot to say Congrats, also! How exciting and what a lovely time to find out

 

[Littlebear]

I put my mare in foal, best decision ever! I now have a super youngster I am looking forward to that I will have for life and she is back in work and better than ever.

Cost me around 1k to put her in foal with everything (quite an expensive stallion though and she took first try) then she went to live out with other broodmares, had a total of 18 months away. I had the support of very experienced people at the stud, I am not sure how I would have done it without them tbh, if you have somewhere in mind that will give you and your mare support its possible. Not without risk as others have said. I didn't have a single vet bill after the insemination which (again) was due to the experience of the stud.

If financially its not possible, I would turn away to grass livery for a while.

Someone above mentioned that they struggled leaving their baby to do their horse, I have to say I was the opposite, as terrible as that sounds I needed a break even if it was 1 hour a day to myself, I wasn't used to being so tied down so getting back to riding and have a little bit of me time I felt was really good for me, kept me sane and helped me burn off some post baby fat! Its not been easy but I feel like ive survived motherhood fairly well so far which I wasn't sure I would, without the horses I would have found it much harder.

 

[RoR_nut]

Congratulations!

My due date is tomorrow! I've got one of mine away grazing, another went on full loan so I'm just left with 1 horse.

He's on DIY and hubby and mum have been prepped to look after him for a few days while I have little one!

It's doable but not for the faint hearted.....mucking out has become a challenge with bump and Braxton Hicks.....but just take things slowly and if someone offers help take it.

I was riding regularly up until about 32 weeks....ponio is now enjoying a break and will come back into work once I have little one settled into a routine.

You can try finding a sharer ......it didn't work for me with either of my geldings (one sharer said she couldn't commit to him a week before my due date!) But there are good ones out there and it's better to get this sorted sooner rather than later.

 

[tallyho!]

You have options, don't let it worry you.

Can you put your horse on livery where she is? Is ridden livery an option? Is grass livery an option?

I mucked out and wheeled hay up the field until the day before and my friend was still milking the cows the morning before her son was born! We can do anything us girls don't you worry.

I rode up to 6 months then just did in-hand work... then I put her on full ridden livery for 3 months and I was riding again by then.

Just do whatever fits in if it fits your budget and if you need help, I found local facebook groups a godsend.

 

[Nudibranch]

Congratulations! I turned my just backed 4yo away for 9 months. A sharp 17.3 isn't what you want to be riding when pregnant. Not worth the risk. It did him no harm (so to speak -unfortunately he was pts aged 7 but that had nothing to do with turning away!!).
So I would turn away or find a sharer/loaner so you can keep tabs. Babies are surprisingly time consuming when they arrive and you may also find you don't want to ride as much by choice. Also be aware that physically no matter how fit you are, pregnancy can do strange things to the body. I was scraping yard floors, lugging bales, blah blah up to the end and the result was not one but two hernias. The external one was repaired in January and they then discovered a hiatus hernia. Just be careful!

 

[Bermuda]

Congratulations! I kept my horse and had a winter baby, it was very hard but we muddled through. I stopped riding at 5 months pregnant as I lost my balance, but was back on a few months after baby arrived, I just turned my horse away in between and then have ridden a few times a week since. If I’d had the option I think grass livery would have been a better option than diy but I couldn’t find anywhere nearby that was suitable. I kept my baby in the car (hopefully napping) while I did my jobs, the weather was awful and the yard was often icy so I didn’t feel safe carrying baby in a sling and I didn’t want her breathing in all the dust and dirt flying around the stable mucking out and doing nets etc. Now she is older I’m much more relaxed but I felt very protective of her when she was tiny.

I must admit there was plenty of times I felt like I’d made a big mistake and was envious of friends whose horses were happily on loan and they could just focus on their babies but things got easier and I’m glad I didn’t sell my horse.

Also it is worth keeping a contingency plan in mind in case you end up with a c-section, hopefully you won’t but if it happens you may not be able to do much for 5/6 weeks whereas with a straight forward birth generally you are back to ‘normal’ within a week or two. Sorry for the long ramble I hope its useful. Good luck!

 

[MagicMelon]

From the financial side, I guess the only option you're left with if you dont want to sell or loan is to find a sharer?

Otherwise, from a practical point of view - I had my second baby last december so also had a newborn in the depths of winter. I keep my horses at home (I had 4 at the time then) and Im the only one who does them as my partner isnt really horsey. As mine are at home, they are literally beside my house so when the weather was really bad I could do the horses when my baby was sleeping inside (with a monitor). But if he wasnt then a carrier was VERY helpful, pop him in that and he was perfectly happy to go anywhere (horses/walk the dog etc.), I even lunged a few times like this. As you're at a yard, definately get a carrier but also can you park close by so if baby is sleeping (which often they do once in the car) you could leave him in there but do jobs whilst keeping an eye on him?

If I'm honest, when they're little they're easier. I stopped riding at 7 months with this one, I lunged her for a month longer just to minimise time turned away, then started riding a couple of months after baby (would have done sooner but it was winter and I always dont ride Dec/Jan as weathers so miserable! Spring/summer I could park him up the other side of the fence in his buggy and ride. Its once they start walking that they become so much more difficult... mine gets bored/frustrated if he cant move about so now I can only ride when my OH is around to look after him for a while.

 

[Tory27]

I have 4. Have my own place (rented) so full DIY. 2 in full work, other 2 are retired. I became pregnant with my first i carried on riding up to 5 months on one 1 (she go too bouncy) my other I rode up to 36 weeks. Just pottering along.

I carried on with all normal stable duties, mucking out 4 twice a day before & after work - I worked right to the end. I took 2 weeks off after baby was born, OH did stable duties fro me whilst he had his 2 weeks paternity leave then i was back to it this time with baby in tow. I would take up a travel cot, plonk baby in that that wrapped up warm on the hay, bottle of mothers milk and carried on as normal. Didn't take me much longer than normal to be honest. Back riding after 3 weeks. its amazing how doing all this keeps you in shape pre and back into shape post birth!

Its much easier when the babies are in the 'bean' state as i call it as they just lay there. Now mines coming up 2 shes hard work when she comes with me. As others have said they get bored quickly, plus this cold weather doesn't help.

I am currently 37wks pregnant with my second so will soon be doing it all again. I have done exactly the same this time around as I did with my first. Stopped riding last week, so now out in the field during the days, in at night and will be the case until mid Jan. Just carrying on with normal stable duties now, still have the 4 horses. Still working, i finish on the 21st of this month, new baby is due on 5th Jan.

Its all possible, just dont rush and take your time. Im not sure how it would work on a yard, im lucky enough not to have the restrictions that come with them, but if you'ave a safe place to park a pushchair / carry cot i cant see why it should cause you too many problems - you have the added bonus of people being around you too which I dont have being on my own.

Hope you're able to work something out - I'm sure you will.

Congrats. x

 

[zola89]

Thanks all for your comments, you've put my mind at ease a little. I think, as much as I would like to plan, I will just have to see how I get on with the pregnancy and then hopefully with the baby. You've definitely given me lots of ideas and I may even be able to keep my stable as baby is due August and I also have a stable right next to the car park so might be able to work something out with leaving the baby in the car whilst napping and quickly doing jobs next winter. The yard does offer grass livery but I'm loathe to give up my stable as there is unlikely to be another available if I want it back again. I'm sure it will all work out!

 

[ponyparty]

I put mine on part livery so he's done Mon-Fri. I had a C section so have had to put him on full for 6 weeks too. This weekend will be my first back doing him myself, I'm actually looking forward to mucking out *insane*
Having a C section is bloody hard, my op site got infected so slowed down my recovery and i was unable to drive for nearly 5 weeks. It really took a toll on my mental health, not being able to to get out and about - feel back to normal now that I'm going to see my horse every day, even though I'm not fit to do any heavy lifting/yard duties just yet (or shouldn't be... shh).

Paying for part livery is ok at the moment on full pay, but when I go onto statutory maternity pay (and then unpaid, eek) it's going to be hard financially. I am going to have to use savings to pay for him, which is annoying but I don't really see how else I can do it.

I take the baby to the yard with me, sometimes in the pram - but always with either a fence or a stable door between the pram and any horses (so I shut him in a stable while I groom/faff around, or park the pram outside the school while I lunge etc); sometimes I leave him in the car, pulled up next to the school and just keep an eye on him from there; or I put him in the sling for doing jobs around the yard, and walking the dog (we have a lovely on site walk we can do around some fish ponds). You will find a way.

It has its stressful moments - like on Friday, I had just finished lunging, the dog had started barking in the stable and baby was just starting up with crying in the car. Weather looked ok and no rain forecast so I chucked horse out naked; went to put baby in the sling to calm him down while I finished my jobs, and suddenly it started absolutely hammering it down. Baby got rain on his face (omg!) and was SCREAMING, horse was stood at the gate like "err you do realise you've turned me out naked, you stupid woman?" and the dog was whining and shouting for attention, all at the same time. Most stressful 10 minutes of my life haha! We all survived though and are none the worse for it.

I don't know how I'll find time to exercise my boy especially when I go back to work, I have got a pro riding him once per week and a friend who can ride once or maybe twice per week at the moment... I would put him up for part loan but that can be a minefield in itself. I need riders who will work him correctly, to help continue his rehab from kissing spines (which is a lifelong thing, not just "work him like xyz for 6 weeks and he'll be fixed") and I would struggle to trust someone I don't know to do that. Will just have to see how it pans out. Could be an option you could consider though?

 

[Tory27]

baby is due August and I also have a stable right next to the car park so might be able to work something out with leaving the baby in the car whilst napping and quickly doing jobs next winter. The yard does offer grass livery but I'm loathe to give up my stable as there is unlikely to be another available if I want it back again. I'm sure it will all work out!

If baby isn't due until August I'd say your going to be fine! You've got 2 months of late late nights / light mornings before the clocks go back so plenty of time for you to establish new horse / baby routine before the winter hits - plus with the 'good weather' that time of year you'd be able to leave out overnight too which makes life easier. By mid November I think you'll be very settled at jiggling both and found a solution that works for you, your horse and baby.

 

[redapple]

Don't necessarily rule out having a sharer. A part loan might help you out. I ride a horse that would in anyone's book be called "not a novice ride". Its no doubt harder to find somebody for a more quirky horse but they are out there!

I also ride another horse for a lady who has just had a baby and me and another sharer keep him ticking over and happy. Both experienced riders just without the time to commit to a horse full time, so we're happy, she's happy and horse is too (except for when I make him do some proper work and then he's a bit sad!)

 

[zola89]

Don't necessarily rule out having a sharer. A part loan might help you out. I ride a horse that would in anyone's book be called "not a novice ride". Its no doubt harder to find somebody for a more quirky horse but they are out there!

I also ride another horse for a lady who has just had a baby and me and another sharer keep him ticking over and happy. Both experienced riders just without the time to commit to a horse full time, so we're happy, she's happy and horse is too (except for when I make him do some proper work and then he's a bit sad!)

 

[zola89]

I actually used to part loan a horse myself before I had my mare from a lady that was pregnant.
My mare isn’t easy but she’d be fine with an experienced rider. She’s also over 17hh so would need to be an adult as she can get strong. The problem is I’ve spent so long getting her to where she is now that I’d probably be too precious with her and how she’s ridden 🙈. However she’s only 10 so it would be a shame to let all the hard work go to waste and I might be lucky finding someone to share!

 

[BentleyBelly]

Congratulations. Not for everyone but I've found the best solution for me was/is to rent a field, buy a decent shelter and divide a corner off for a safe place for the kids to be. I have an old boy who is very low maintenance and now, after my second child I have retired him. I can just about manage the feeding and poo picking with baby in tow but found riding impossible with a husband that work all hours and 2 kids. My first baby was a sleeper and I used to drive until she was asleep, park up in the field and have a good hour or two to potter checking on her every now and again. I am in the middle of nowhere and the field is secure...I am never more than 30 seconds away from the car. My second is not a sleeper! I have to park up and run round as quick as possible getting the bare minimum done and take advantage of times when I have childcare to catch up. The newborn stage is easier as they sleep a lot, its harder now he is down to one nap and won't tolerate sitting still for long. I have also pushed him in a buggy till asleep, parked it up and got a few bits done. You invent some strange games trying to get jobs done with a young child...spot the poo, count the poo, eye spy ragwort, running the hose to make puddles to jump in.....Add going back to work and dark evenings into the picture and well....its hard work! Baby is signed up for preschool end of next summer and with the eldest at school I am looking forward to having a bit more time to spend with the old boy and of course now baby has a decent bedtime routine i will have evenings come Spring too! If old boy wasn't retirement age I would probably put an ad out for a loaner but I'm not very good at sharing and i think I might be a bit fussy about how i like things done!! I wanted to sell when I found out I was pregnant with my first but my husband persuaded me to keep him and I must admit, hard as it is, it does keep me sane having a pony to force you out of the house and have a bit of down time away from the kids.

 

[BentleyBelly]

It has its stressful moments - like on Friday, I had just finished lunging, the dog had started barking in the stable and baby was just starting up with crying in the car. Weather looked ok and no rain forecast so I chucked horse out naked; went to put baby in the sling to calm him down while I finished my jobs, and suddenly it started absolutely hammering it down. Baby got rain on his face (omg!) and was SCREAMING, horse was stood at the gate like "err you do realise you've turned me out naked, you stupid woman?" and the dog was whining and shouting for attention, all at the same time. Most stressful 10 minutes of my life haha! We all survived though and are none the worse for it.

I had a moment like this when I was pregnant with my second. Pouring with rain, dog going nuts, pony shouting his head off for his feed, daughter announced she needed a wee NOW so I am battling with the travel potty in the boot, then I sneeze and wet myself a bit too!!!!! Had a proper panic that I was about to add a baby to this crazy situation...but like you say, moment passed, no harm done and I can laugh about it (now my pelvic floor is strong again!)

 

[ponyparty]

hard as it is, it does keep me sane having a pony to force you out of the house and have a bit of down time away from the kids.

This - I felt like i was losing my identity, and in fact the plot completely, until I started being able to drive again and going to the yard to see my horse and do a bit with him every day. The first few weeks are hard, of course, but I think for an outdoorsy type who is used to going out to do horses daily, it's even more difficult to cope with being cooped up indoors. It's been the most effective medicine for me - I was having some extremely dark days and was actually getting worried I'd need to go to the doctor about it, it was that bad. And then I got well enough to drive again and my horse saved my sanity (not for the first time!). To sell him is out of the question - I don't know what I'd do without him.