What do people do - pregnancy (human)?

[UKa]

I know this has come up in the past but I do wonder what people do with their horses when they are pregnant and how soon have you got back on afterwards? Hubby and I have been thinking about having a baby and I would like the idea of a family later when offspring gets into horses too

(they wont have a choice, mind!)but my main fear is that I dont want to let my horse down (forget about the pains of pregnancy and birth but she is only 11 so in her best age!) - plus I love my riding and cannot see myself stop for long, any experiences would be greatly appreciated please tell me that it is all doable (I also have horse on DIY so hubby will have to learn the jobs around the yard) but otherwise -

 

[ArleyMoss]

My wife was still mucking out and hacking upto 1 or 2 weeks before giving birth and she was 1 week late!

Back mucking out 2 weeks later and i think it was about 2 months before riding again.

 

[GinaB]

I know a girl who is currently 5months preganant (20 week scan last week) and she stopped riding about a month and a half ago, in saying that her horse is quite unpredictable. She hasn't yet decided when to get back into riding. She is getting someone to ride her horse (probably her mum/dad as they both have horses that are currently out of work) so he is still kept fit.

Would having someone else ride your horse for you be an option? Means you can get back to riding without having to worry about getting your horse fit again. You only have to worry about getting yourself fit!

 

[UKa]

Was thinking about getting a sharer but I have recently decided not to get a sharer for a while and I don’t really want to worry about them doing the wrong things while I have to worry about myself if that makes sense. I know there are sensible sharers out there but I also know how hard it is to find them … that’s why I was hoping I could get through without, maybe using lots of work from the ground in the last weeks when the bump is too big (long reining does do her good in any case). Suppose it is a bit of a “not know beforehand” situation as everybody is different …

 

[UKa]

I like the sound of this

 

[Maesfen]

Everyone is so different, until you are actually pregnant you won't know which type you will be!
You could either ba a sail all through it with never a bad day or you could be unlucky and need to be off for the whole nine months! It really is a suck it and see type thing!! I know of both types even though they have both been incredibly fit/healthy/strong/ in every other way but the sickness of it brought them to their knees and one that would be in bed at the sniff of a cold was still riding a fortnight before and after the birth so you just can't tell.
Good luck anyway!

 

[johnsongreyhorse]

It's doable, I have had 3 kids, first my hubby started doing all the jobs then friend took over jobs & riding, 2nd kid friend did again with help of enthusiastic teenager, 3rd kid friend did again although he wasn't ridden that time due to his arthritis getting worse, each time I stopped riding at about 8 weeks due to bad sickness

(not morning as got worse as day went on!) and started riding again when kids were 8 weeks old, (get a good bra if breastfeeding!)

 

[Dogbetty141]

I have a horse opn loan at the mo and his owner was pregnant so it was planned that i would have him for a yr but i have had him nearly 2 yrs now. Supposed to be going back to owner in late may. I suppose it whether you can find someone who will look after him. Id find a sharere who is interested in taking him on full time once baby is due.

 

[Dogbetty141]

I mean untill you are ready to take him back properly. The only thing with the sharer is that you would have to let her know that is waould not be a permanent thing if you want him back to yourself once baby is old enough. Sorry to babblex

 

[UKa]

Oh, I would hope I can get back on soon after birth ... well, plans can work out differently but this is my illusion at least

 

[bellaboo]

I have 2 children, one is 5 years and i rode up to about 5 months with him and ran into complications so a friend shared my horse with me untill i was fit to ride again which was about 6 weeks after ( had a c section).
My second child is now 11 months, stopped riding at about 3 months preggers ( had to), instructor and my friend took over the riding and i continued to lunge. I did all the care for my stabled horse right up to the day i dropped

!!! and was back down again two or three days later, and riding two weeks later!!!

Depends on what sort of pregnancy you have, couldnt do anything with my first child, doctors orders but no probs with the second.
Good luck in whatever you decide

!

 

[siennamiller]

Hiya

I am actually 16 weeks now and I stopped as soon as I knew. Horses are unpredictable animals and I would never have forgiven myself if I came off and caused a miscarriage or something. At the end of the day I am not a pro and so I don't see the point in continuing to ride, plus I have been SO KNACKERED!! Also my gran told me she kept on riding and went jumping one day and had a miscarriage.
In my case (and maybe yours cos I think yours is an EPSM as well??) I am giving him a full year off as this apparently is the time it takes for muscle damage to heal completely. He is in at night and out during the day so I am having to muck him out. My mare is going off on loan to someone who will breed from her so that makes it much easier for me?
If you have any questions I would be happy to help you?

 

[claire1976]

When I was pregnant I decided to continue riding my mare whilst ever it was comfortable for us both. I fell off her when I was 10 weeks pregnant (no fault of her own), thankfully as it was early stages it was OK. I then carried on riding upto around 5 and half months. On the whole my mare is very good and there were no more probs. I only walked and trotted though. I carried on all stable duties upto day before I went in, I had a planned C section at 37 weeks.
I was back riding after 2 months.
Though, as someone else said, everyone's different - I had a really easy pregnancy and I wanted to maintain fitness levels as much as possible but this is not always poss for everyone.
I ended up putting my mare out on loan to my sharer as I wasn't getting enough time to ride and my mare needed more than I could give. I got her back off loan when my son was 2.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

I know people who rode till the day before they gave birth! But that wasnt first child so not as bad! And i know a lady who was on a week after with first child... It all comes down to you.. and your child really!

 

[lornaA]

I have a son who is 4 now and 2 horses although i only ride one. I rode right through my pregnancy up to 10 weeks before my son was born and i only stopped then cause i was finding it difficult getting off again. leaning forward to swing your leg over the back was getting difficult. towards the end i found it uncomforable to trot with babys weight bouncing about inside but perfected my walk canter transitions. I was doing all my stable chores rite up to the day i went into labour. You might think i must of had a perfect pregnancy but it was terrible, i was sick and dizzy and exhausted all the time and suffered from bleeding on and off throughout which was scarry as i'd previosly had a miscarriage. I just decided if this baby was meant to be fate would take its course. Being with my horses kept me busy and stopped me dwelling on what might happen.

I had a big baby boy 9lb 8 after a very long labour 29 and 1/2 hours and a difficult delivery with forceps and an episiotomy. I was back riding after 5 weeks although it was only short rides to start and i was very stiff.

If i have more kids i would certainly like to think i could contiue with my horses again as long as possible, the thing to remember is everyone is different but you will probably find your body will tell you when its had enough and you will either be too uncomfortable od won't feel safe.

I would like to say that my horse is fairly sane and i didn't jump or do anything likely to upset or alarm my horse unnessesarily.

 

[clipclop]

The best advice I can give is just don't get hung up on anything.
You never know how your pregnancy will go.
For me the beginning was the awful part, the end was the best. LOL.
On my due date I was out repairing broken electric fencing.
I had a difficult birth and ended up having my boy by emergency C-Section. This meant a longer recovery period, but to be totally honest it has done me so much good. I have slowly plodded my way back in to life again. I really have a good idea of what is important and I am about to bring my horse back in to work.

He has had a great time

. I think he looks blooming awful.

No muscle, hairy overgrown donkey. :s

He however thinks all is great. He is very much more chilled out, he has had the greatest break ever and he will come back into work fresh and eager. We have had a couple of random hacks and he was so bouncy and happy. LOL.

I have waited till my baby is 7 months old to get started again. I didn't want to start my ridden work with time limits. (I breast fed)I would be stressed and I would stress out my horse. So now I can happily leave him with Daddy for hours and relax and enjoy my horse again with a clear head.

Go for it hun. Just go for it. You won't regret anything

Oh by the way, I was very anti having babies for years and years. I am a convert!! LOL.

 

[clipclop]

Congratulations SM

What great news

 

[eekmon]

I rode up till about 5-6 months with the first, and about 5 with the second! Didnt get huge and doc told me to ride 'til I was comfortable, so I did. Had a part sharer and put him on livery as I was on my feet all day as a hairdresser. As for when to get back on...

Was weeks with the first ( V bad time!) second one was about 10 days later!! ( much better second time around!)

|It s all a personal thing and how you feel in yourself, I don't think its anymore dangerous getting on a horse pregnant than driving up the motorway!! Good luck

 

[TGM]

I rode up until 5 weeks before I had my daughter (on a quiet horse, no jumping) and was back on board after a week, despite lots of stitches

!

 

[cobwithattitude]

As people have said depends on horse and how your pregnancy is going - you'll know! I rode and mucked out up to birth of first one and then only rode for 3 months with twins (had to stop on medical advice) but i continued to muck out/turn out/lunge etc etc up to day of birth - they were 6 weeks early......! Pregnancy is not an illness! Good luck - after you have had them the fun REALLY starts!!

 

[k9h]

My Mum use to rise till she was preggers with my brother, she carried on early in term & had a fall & though tthis isn't wise so stopped till she had him (poor lass she was 5' nothing & weighed 6 stone pi** wet through) My brother was 10lb they broke his collar bone getting him out normal delivery (ouch) Anyhow (hope I havent scared you).
After she had him later on she started riding (dont know how long after) but again she had another fall & decided it wasn't worth it & never sat on a horse again sadly. Though I did try many times!
The other whip in our hunt had a baby last July & she was still hunting at end of season (so 4 mnth preggers)
Had another friend she rode till 81/2 mnth though you could never tell she was preggers all the way through if she put a baggy jumper on (Green with envy size 8 madam!) & other instructer stopped as soon as she found out.
You will know yourself when you want to stop & when you want to start again. Hope you have an easy term & congratulations!

 

[siennamiller]

thanks bonza bean

 

[UKa]

Hiya, thanks for your post - may contact you some time when it gets to that stage for some advice

best of luck to you and your baby first of all! and the horses - yes, mine is also suspected EPSM case (although never tested but she has had episodes of EPSM) so any knowledge you have on that and resting horse (with turnout of course) much appreciated indeed!

 

[burtie]

Congratulations Siennamiller and UKa, looks like their will be a few H and H human babies next year as well as horsey ones!!

 

[UKa]

thanks -

early days for me though so not getting over excited just yet

Will be interesting to hear different methods of dealing with horses and human babies - I for one see much less danger in riding my horse who I know fairly well or crossing the road every day with unpredictable cars so as long as I can - if this works out - I will be out with my girl if she bears with me (but hold on of course if I need to revise my comments ...)

 

[burtie]

I rode my older mare whom I've had since a yearling until she went out on loan at 14 weeks, I also rode other peoples that I knew well until around 12 weeks. My only other horse is an unbacked 3 year old so no riding there!

I stopped after my mare went on loan as I do this only for a hobby and didn't see any point in just riding other peoples, however small the risk.

I have been quietly long lunging and lunging my 3 year old until a week or so ago, but he is actually very good. I am now around 30 weeks and the youngster really needs to do a bit more so he went off to be backed and started properly last Friday.

He will stay there until after the baby is born and I feel up to having him back on DIY livery. I am lucky as OH agreed that we really don't want to sell, so is happy to pay for the training livery for the next few months.

I think every situation is different, so no hard and fast rules. I have to say I am missing riding a lot at the moment and dreading how unfit I'll be when I finally get back on next year!!

 

[UKa]

[ QUOTE ]
II think every situation is different, so no hard and fast rules.

[/ QUOTE ]

this seems to be very true indeed... Everyone is different.
I am also glad at least that OH agreed that selling the horse is not an option (mind, it was my strict "terms and conditions" before planning a family

)

 

[freckles22uk]

Hi,
I rode until the day before I had Roxanne, (and she was my first and only!!)
but I was riding a horse that i trusted, we had owned Sherry for 12 years, (shes 25 now!!)
you have to trust your own judgment, and only ride up until you feel you have had enough,
as for mucking out etc... Sherry was in full livery, so I did'nt have to worry about that, though picking out feet when you get bad heatburn (which I did) was a KILLER.
I started riding again after about 2 months, and still riding now.

and Roxanne now 13, has turned out horsey too.

 

[UKa]

Fabulous! Thanks for this uplifting post, freckles!!!