when to stop riding my mare?

scaremcclare

Active Member
Joined
12 June 2007
Messages
34
Visit site
my mares just been scanned in foal, when should i stop riding her? shes loves her work and i dont want her to be wasted in the field just cos shes in foal and is happier when worked. i dont want to over do it on her later on in her pregnancy, but dont want her not excercised. help!!!!!!
 
my vet advised me to just gently exercise my mare no mad gallopin/jumping etc for as long as shes happy to have you on her back! my mare let me know when she had had enough as soon as she seen saddle was like you aint puttin that on me!! we just hacked out and only stayed at her pace, if she wanted to trot i let her, if she only wanted to walk fine..............didnt stop her bucking and buggering of with me when her boyfriend (who is a geldin!!) went ahead of her!!! i stopped (well she let me know when) when she was 8 months gone, just make sure you have nice big girth though!!!!
 
I ride mine until the last 3 months, no reason why she shouldn't work reasonably hard in the early stages once the preg is established then tail it off. This is assuming she is fit and working already
 
I rode my mare for most of her pregnancy. I was jumping as normal and even did the McKen run which is like an informal hunt when she was 4 1/2 months in foal! I stopped riding her at 8 months. The guys who foaled her for me said that the fact I rode her for so long really helped her when it came to the labour
smile.gif


Good luck with your mare
smile.gif
 
We ride ours gently up till about a month or two before the due date. All depends on the horse and usually they will let you know whether they want to go out or whether they don't. The minute ours don't want to go out anymore is when we stop riding them.
 
I agree, if the mare is happy to be ridden, it is better for her own good. I rode mine till 8 months pregnant, she still managed to take off with me even then!
 
I didn't ride my current arab broody, but always rode my other arab mare, she let me know when she'd had enough and didn't want to go out. Gentle exercise and mental stimulation does them the world of good I believe.
The only time I stopped riding her earlier in her pregnancy was when we were both almost 9 months pregnant and then it was because I had to stop for a pee every 10 minutes and couldn't get back on!
 
Top