What did you feel safe doing horse-wise at 31+ weeks pregnant?

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mystiandsunny

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Lunging my youngster today I didn't feel particularly safe. It needed doing, and to my knowledge she's never kicked a person, but I still didn't feel completely happy. Lunging an older horse doesn't bother me, but then they won't spook/argue/have issues with anything I ask!! Likewise with picking out hooves really. It'd only take one kick. I have SPD and joint issues, so can't run or move quickly, which makes me feel much more worried about things. I remember stopping doing much more than catching in and grooming last time at about this point (and took OH with me in the evenings to do hooves etc). Bump too big and too vulnerable really.
 
Well, you need to learn how to pick out the hind feet properly, ie run the hand down thecannon bone, but keep hand open, so no matter what happens you are in no danger, sounds as though you can't quite cope with sharp youngsters at this time..............
I don't tend to like lungeing youngsters to be honest, long reining is the better.
 
I'm 31+3 I have a 3.5 year old welsh x TB. I will pick out fronts but not backs. I will tack him up and lead him around- today we did trailer loading practice. I leaves husband to do the rest- I feel to slow and wobbly to lunge now- my husband lunges after I've tacked up and I watch!
 
When I was pregnant with mini-nut I felt safe around my boy but I was unable to do him due to pelvic gurdle pain so I had to pass him to my sharer until a couple months after her birth. I didn't, however, feel safe around other horses at all.
 
I got very wary of handling the horses when I got to the waddling stage (probably 35 weeks plus). It was most disconcerting. I was fine again immediately after the births, though.

I did get put on the naughty step by the midwife at 39 weeks, when I rushed into my antenatal check straight after trotting up a lame horse for the vet. My BP had sky rocketed, so I had to sit in the waiting room until it had returned to normal. She was going to send me straight to hospital until I confessed :o.
 
Nothing - my first one I went into labour at 29 weeks after witnessing a nasty fall, my second I was so terrified of it happening again I did nothing - still only just made it to 35 weeks.
If you're not happy you'll be tentative and hesitant and any horse will pick up on that and be more silly/ spooky as they assume you are worrying about something they can't see. Your body is pretty good at telling you what you should and shouldn't do - if it doesn't feel right don't do it. Believe me you don't want things to go wrong !
 
I'm 29 weeks and I only deal with my own horse, I don't actually have time to do anything with her at the moment (trying to redecorate our new house before we move in), but at 31 weeks I'll be loading her up to move to full livery, there I'm going to teach her about to go on a horse walker (don't think she's ever been on one before) and probably try and get her out on a walk or two. New yard is much better laid out with her a short walk from the yard.

She can be sticky to load but she's safe, will need to give non-horsey OH a lesson in how to do the back bar quickly but apart from that I feel safe dealing with my own horse.
 
I am 32 weeks and I lead/handle my 16.3 CBx type, pick out feet, groom, lunge. But I stopped riding at 3 months pregnant after nearly falling off. I wouldn't load her anymore, and I am careful when I bandage her legs ready to be ridden (by instructor) - if she is on her toes I just put boots on so I'm not spending any more time than necessary around her legs. Similarly, if she is really on her toes I won't lead her.
 
I'm 20 weeks and plan to continue riding my 4 year old as long as possible. I do all yard jobs, groom, pick out feet, lunge, hack and school. I feel completely safe and if I ever felt unsafe would stop what I was doing straight away. Only rule I've agreed is that I won't hack out alone. If she needs hacking and I haven't got a buddy I walk her out in hand.
 
I have 3 young boys and have always had horses. First pregnancy I rode till 30 odd weeks and did everything till baby was born. 2nd baby I didn't have a horse to ride so riding wasn't an issue and again did everything else till the birth. 3rd baby I had an elderly mare and a very boisterous youngster. I didn't have any help at home so I put my youngster on full livery and coped gr8 with my mare. Then I got my youngster back when baby was about 8 weeks. I still couldn't cope with him being unpredictable so I sold him :-(
 
I rode up to about a couple of weeks before I had all three of mine, not very often, just a hack when I really fancied it, riding was fine it was dismounting that posed the biggest problem. I mucked out and handled all of our own horses but I trust all of ours as much as its possible to trust any horse. I wouldn't worry about what other people do to be honest, just do what YOU feel comfortable with.
 
I think everyone is different OP, if you don't feel happy then don't do it - ask someone else to do your horses meantime. Personally, I rode (and competed dressage) up to 7 months and only then stopped because my horse damaged his tendon in the field. I did them (fed/groomed/changed rugs etc.) up to the very morning I ended up having an emergency c-section that night (nothing to do with horses).
 
I rode properly up to about 30 weeks, then just hacked quietly after that. Did all normal stable chores/lunging/took my older horse and his sharer out to shows though right up til due date.
 
MagicMelon said:
I think everyone is different OP, if you don't feel happy then don't do it - ask someone else to do your horses meantime. Personally, I rode (and competed dressage) up to 7 months and only then stopped because my horse damaged his tendon in the field. I did them (fed/groomed/changed rugs etc.) up to the very morning I ended up having an emergency c-section that night (nothing to do with horses).
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I completely agree with this. It's all very individual as to the risks you are willing and comfortable to take, and also the horses you are handling. I have no option (and to be honest wouldn't really want any other option) but to continue sorting my mare each day as I am on a tiny yard DIY. I did make the choice to stop riding at 3 months gone because she's a big spooky girl and I didn't feel secure enough on her to take that risk once the pregnancy became more 'established' in the second trimester. I won't load her any more until the baby is born because she is nervy to load and travel, and being so big I don't feel it's safe to be leading her in and out of the trailer now. I squeezed two shows in up until July, and then I called it a day showing wise this season. I will have a bit of help from my instructor, who has kindly offered to help bring her in once the baby is born for the first week or two, as she will be back stabled again by then probably and obviously I don't know how quickly I will recover etc from the birth. The only things I am slowing down on really other than riding are poo picking, which I find I have to just do a barrow or two at a time now instead of clearing a paddock in one go, as I can feel my stomach pulling a bit and my back starts seizing up!
 
You do as much as you feel comfortable and confident to do so. It is not worth taking any uneccessary risks with human life.

Personally I rode up to 32weeks with my first, had a bit of a scare when after giving him a quick sort out (he'd been really lazy for the person riding him extra for me) I had severe braxton hicks, I thought I'd gone into labour! I carried on doing everything as normal with the others as long as I could. I showed in-hand at 6months but called it a day as it was too much to try and run the pony up. LOL

With my 2nd I rode up to 29 weeks then as he was sitting lower it was uncomfortable so stopped riding. I sold both my young ponies as I didn't have time for them. I still climbed over the gates right up the to end. In fact it was a trip down the bumpy track and heaving myself over the 5 barred gate that got my 2nd labour going, he he;)
 
Falconers said:
You do as much as you feel comfortable and confident to do so. It is not worth taking any uneccessary risks with human life.

Personally I rode up to 32weeks with my first, had a bit of a scare when after giving him a quick sort out (he'd been really lazy for the person riding him extra for me) I had severe braxton hicks, I thought I'd gone into labour! I carried on doing everything as normal with the others as long as I could. I showed in-hand at 6months but called it a day as it was too much to try and run the pony up. LOL

With my 2nd I rode up to 29 weeks then as he was sitting lower it was uncomfortable so stopped riding. I sold both my young ponies as I didn't have time for them. I still climbed over the gates right up the to end. In fact it was a trip down the bumpy track and heaving myself over the 5 barred gate that got my 2nd labour going, he he;)
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Lol, yes I showed in hand up until 5 and a half months, but trying to run my 16.3 large paced mare was a bit much by that point and I really struggled by the end of the day so called it a day after then. It's been really frustrating, but at the same time a lot of good has come out of it because my instructor has brought her on no end schooling wise so I can't wait to get back on and feel the difference in her now. I was climbing over gates too up until a few weeks ago but have tried to stop myself lately just in case.
 
First one was a piece of cake. Rode up to 8 months, did everything imaginable with no problem.
30 weeks right now with 2nd and had to stop riding at about 3 months due to SPD (a complete curse).
We had 3 3yr olds to get started. 2 did all the ground work and sent for backing but the last one I am sending to a friend start to finish as if I get pulled about I get too sore.
2 older horses are being kept going; one will go to friend/trainer for 3 months and the other is going out jumping with a friend. I keep him ticking over the week lunging and getting someone else to do a couple of days.
I can manage most of the yard work in small doses and travelling grooming lunging etc but suffer for it if I push too much. Again SPD is a curse!! Hopefully it will be a distant memory after the baby is born.

From experience it is entirely individual to the individual pregnancy. My 2 were chalk and cheese. With the first I thought every other pregnant woman was a light weight :) Lesson learned now!
 
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