Expecting (not at the moment but just wondering what I'll do when I am!)

[Vik2]

For all you mummies out there - what did you do when you got pregnant - did you loan out or did they just take a complete break for a while. It's something that I will need to face in the future but can't think what to do. Would 6-8 months off work in the field be ok for them ????

 

[Hannah.Horsie]

congrats on the new baby!

my friends mum was pregnant then endded up being pregnant again i think its 2 years (or something simalar) shes had beauty (the horse) on loan and will be getting her back this summer cant wait to help out!

 

[palmerlover52]

Congratulations!!!

I'd loan, with something in the contract saying you can visit whenever...it would bring it a little bit of money and stop horse getting fat lazy or learn bad ways?? as long as you find the perfect person it would be fine plus if you give them a complete rest, you've got the problem of maybe having a sharp horse after....loaning would give you a bit of freedom to decorate a nursery, go shopping for essentials etc.
good luck, and let us know your decision
(sorry, very biased argument from me)

 

[chickflick1066]

When you do fall pregnant, perhaps a short term loan would be good, just to keep him ticking over?

Or you could give him a massive holiday

 

[LMS]

Maybe when the time comes, you'll be one of the lucky ones that is allowed to ride during pregnancy. Well for part of it.

I wasn't allowed, so gave my horse the time off. He was very well trained so a year later it wasn't a big deal to get him back into shape.

Loaning your horse is up to you. If your horse is ok with it, you could have someone come to him & ride. At the time, a teen offered to come & take care of my horse & ride (I knew her very well & she was so horse crazy) but had to turn her down because she wasn't experienced enough riding wise & that made my horse anxious.

 

[casey]

I rode as I did previously. Though was more careful in my choice of horse. I really didn't show for 6 months. But put on 5 stone in the last 3 months, so didn't inflict that on the poor horses

 

[varkie]

Well, I'm just coming up to seven & a half months pregnant with my first. I rode as normal ish during my early pregnancy - just avoided buckers & youngsters. Then unfortunately my pelvis began to struggle, so I had to give up on the riding. My riding horses were turned away, apart from occasional riding by friends. I now have sharers for two of them, and my OH is acting as jockey while I am ground crew and we are backing a third. The other two are just worked once or twice a week. We have a small stud and have more than 15 ponies total, and I have continued to do them every day - though that's not too awful as they mostly live out. It has been slightly complicated by our having two mares foaling - one has now, and we're in process of getting them used to living out again, the other mare is keeping us hanging on!

 

[Lucyad]

I rode until I was 30 weeks pregant, had my daughter at 34.5 weeks, thenwas back in the saddle 5 weeks later despite pretty nasty stiches. Riding is what keeps me sane, and my doctor and midwifes were very supportive. I knew the horse (share mare) very well, and she is very well behaved (only fall off when she refuses a jump sometimes!). I stopped jumping right at the beginning, and just took it easy. Trotting in the later stages was difficult, but cantering and galloping in a forward seat was OK, as was walking.

Good luck!

PS. What is more difficult is getting out riding afterwards, until your baby is big enough to go too. My OH refuses to believe that Lily would be OK in a rucksack on my back! So now we take it in turns to look after her and go and ride/sail (his passion), so we never see each other!

 

[Vik2]

ISo now we take it in turns to look after her and go and ride/sail (his passion), so we never see each other!

That's my OH's passion too ! ! ! ! Good idea about taking it in turns !

 

[happy highlande]

I'm another one who rode while pregnant - until I couldn't get off!!! (OK, just before I couldn't get off - I did not give birth on horseback ) I was back up again before 6 week check after the first baby - child care meant it wasn't so sharp after the other two.

What you do with the horse depends on the horse - does it need ridden every day - in which case it has to be a sharer/loan?? Would it quite enjoy staying in the field (most natives and a lot of cobs!!) - then you don't need one!! And can you afford to have it eating its head off when you are not working???

You may well need a sharer more after the birth when you get into the busy mum juggling things state that last about 30 years!!!!

 

[horsey_woman]

I carried on riding with my last 4 pregnancies (I have 6 children). All of them I rode until 1 week before I was due, then on my last I rode a friends horse who took off. I was 20 weeks pregnant and broke my ribs, punctured my lung and knocked myself out. My baby girl was fine.

I personally would advise you to only ride a horse you know (no new ones) inside and out, never hack alone and listen to what your body tells you.