When should I stop riding Solo?

[makebelieve]

As she's 10 months pregnant, when should I be stopping...or ever?

One person I talked to told me 7 months. 2 others told me to the week before and then an instructor told me right through the pregnancy (Riding with the foal alongside if the mare allows.) I still currently ride Solo, and I jumped her over 2 poles stacked up last Tuesday.

For those of you who have had pregnant mares...how long before the foal was born did you stop?

[casey]

When my mare was pregnant, I stopped at 7 months. Its alot of weight for them to be carrying unnecessarily, what with a 100lb foal and a rider. She needs all the rest she can get now.:)

Just to add, I didn't plan to start riding again until the foal was weaned.

[chev]

Generally a mare will let you know when she's had enough. She might start getting girthy, or reluctant to do as she's asked. If she's still happy to be ridden at this stage though, I'd be inclined to call a halt myself - apart from anything else, her saddle won't be fitting as well as it should at this stage.

I also wouldn't be jumping her - while it's a good thing to keep in-foal mares active jumping is a bit too much this late into pregnancy. I'd be walking her out in-hand until she foals now, and then bring her back into work slowly after the foal is old enough (I've ridden mares quietly round the field with foals at foot before now).

[makebelieve]

I didn't think it seemed right to ride her with a foal by her side whenever I did ride. It just seemed-odd and I didn't think the mare would like it at all.

[chev]

Back in the days when mares worked for a living and time off to have a foal was a luxury, they came back into work as soon as the foal was old enough to keep up! It wasn't uncommon (and still isn't in some places) to find mares in harness with foals happily trotting alongside!

I found that if the mare in question was happy to be ridden it was actually pretty nice to go for a plod round the field. Baby generally tagged alongside, until they got bored and found something more interesting to do. It was a nice way to ease the mare back into riding without taking her away from the foal, or waiting till weaning (which tends to be quite late, with my foals!)

I didn't do it as soon as they foaled! Usually when the foal was around three months or more, and the mare was happy to do some gentle plodding.

If you don't like the idea that's fine.... but don't worry about mares not liking it. Mine were all perfectly happy. By three months foals are actually surprisingly independant too.

Hope all goes well with Solo and her foal. :)