Pregnancy and Horses (opinions, experiance's please

[Activemumtobe]

Hi I am new here and wasn't sure where to post this, so took a guess and hoping for some fellow equestrian out there.
I am 28 weeks pregnant, a professional Dressage rider/trainer, I also suffer from epilepsy. So that's me,
I chose to stop riding and competing at around 12 weeks as it became uncomfortable and no longer wanting to take the risk (as fit comp horses know when your not right and take every opportunity to have a good ping! )
I am lucky enough that owners care for their own horses for me, but i do still have my broodmares ( 2 ) to care for (much to my other half's disgust!) I was wondering how other people have found doing the day to day jobs thought their pregnancy's?? So far I am finding it ok, on go slow but perfectly manageable, taking care with lifting etc
What has been other peoples experience? Have you managed full term whilst doing 'normal' (DIY) jobs or have you had help or someone to take over?
I am quite happy to carry on as I am and am coping well i think, but getting more stressed by others insisting I am doing to much, so basically looking for a little background ...................am I doing to much?...................or have others done the same with ease? ( i say the word 'ease' lightly as i know its never easy)
Sorry for the ramble and hope it makes sense.

 

[rose.]

I'm not sure about horses, but I am still managing to keep on top of the housework, which my husband doesn't help with - except the hoovering! I am sure if I moaned enough he would do some but sometimes I just like to get it done myself in the way that I like it. I have suffered from pelvic pain for quite a while which flares up if I do too much in one day, but I just try to pace myself and take it easy. I'm still able to bend over to wash the bath, crouch to sweep the kitchen floor, and lift a basket of washing up and down the stairs (as long as my hips are not at their worst) so it is possible to keep doing the things you would normally do! I think the key is knowing your limits and not overdoing it, as this just leads to a worse day the next day.

I am also still at work and finding that ok - although I'm glad to be finishing this week. However I do an office job so its a lot different to caring for horses!!

 

[iwantabub]

I also havent ridden since pregnant.. I personally dont have horses at the moment but I have had and will after pregnancy...

As far as duties go.. I havent and wont chnage anything im doing at all ... other than extreme lifting or if I start to feel uncomfy...

I feel like if u can do it and feel fine and your fit and healthy then as far as im concerned the more u can do that u have always done the faster and better your recovery and after bubs will be...

All the women I know who have carried on with their hobbies and jobs even if physical have had healthier babies and healthier labours and recoveries...

If u feel sick or like u are pushing your self then stop...
Other then lifting heavier hay bails and stuff I personally wouldnt stop doing anything if I had my horses...

Hope that helps

 

[Lownthwaite]

With my first pregnancy I carried on doing everything day to day myself (apart from riding) until my horse went on loan at 6 months. Tasks took more time and I was careful with lifting and straining etc but I still mucked out etc myself. To be honest I probably would have carried on past 6 months if he hadn't of gone on loan.

I ended up needing an EMCS though and there was no way at all I could have cared for him day to day for at least 8 weeks after surgery. It's a good job he was being taken care of.

He is now closer to home, however still on loan, although I still see him and ride (although I won't during pregnancy) and muck out etc when I get chance between work and looking after my toddler.

I think so long as you take it easy and know your limits then there are no real risks. Obviously riding is a personal choice and I think consideration has to be given to the temperament of horses being handled for bolshy bargers etc. but generally I'd say you can carry on as you are used to.

 

[hollie87]

Like the other ladies have said, if you feel fit and well, carry on until it starts affecting you. With my first pregnancy I rode until 8 months (only on my safe mare, my other I didn't trust to ride full stop in pregnancy) and carried on stable duties until I gave birth, I felt fine, just took my time with everything. Jus ignore everyone saying your doing too much, only you know your own body and how your feeling. I firmly believe keeping so active in my pregnancy made it a lot easier on my body.

 

[Hannah11]

I am still doing all of the yard work with my horse who I keep on DIY. I stopped ridding at 17 weeks tho after speaking to some people wjo rode when pregnant said they would not do it again as they now realise how precious life is!! He is an ex racehorse and although very well behaved I thought it was not worth the risk. To be honest yard wise I am not doing anything different, still lifting feed bags hay bales etc. My plan is to hopefully turn him away for the summer ( if and when the weather improves) and then bring him in in August after I have had my baby. I like to think being on the yard is helping me to keep me fit and healthy and I wouldn't dream of stopping. People have said that as long as u are used to doing the lifting before you are pregnant you should be ok.

 

[JessicaM123]

I stopped riding about 12 weeks. Duties i couldn't of got this far in my pregnancy, but i think everyones diffrent. A 24/7 turned out hardy horse you'd have little problem with, a stabled warmblood however, different story!

 

[tonibzac]

Hi,

I have two horses (my 14.2hh PBA and my 16.2hh Anglo). I was going to keep riding until my 12 week scan but as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I became over cautious and wasn't riding my youngster effectively so stopped at 8 weeks. I got my BFP in April.

I managed to find a local girl to keep my 14.2hh ticking over for a few months but then when winter hit, surprise surprise she wasn't interested

I actually found that keeping active and out in the fresh air really helped me keep positive. My midwife said that because I was active, it contributed to my 'textbook' drug free labour. I walked my dogs everyday. I got signed off at 33 weeks as baby was being a pickle and there were concerns over her size. I poo picked every day until 35 weeks when my lower back started hurting too much so hubby (bless him completely unhorsey) went down at a weekend and poo picked my field for two hours! But I still stabled, brushed, lead them in/out etc

When E arrived, my mum took over for two weeks, which was a godsend. I went down when E was 4 days old in the evening to give them a brush off but mum went alone in the mornig to turn out and muck out. She went home when E was 3 weeks and by that point my bleeding had lightened up and E was taking a bottle of expressed milk so I was fine going down twice a day. Hubby went back to work when she was 5 weeks old but luckily she sleeps in the car seat so I have always managed to get things done.

I started riding again after our 6 week check up and it has been fine. I time the morning slot at 9-10am when she is due her nap so she sleeps in the car whilst I poo pick. Hubby comes home at 5-5.30pm and I go and ride. He gives her a bottle of expessed breastmilk and I express as soon as I get home to keep my freezer stash stocked up my medela electric pump is amazing!

 

[babyhopes2010]

the thought of it fills me with dread

but if ur fit and healthy theres no reason to stop ur duties x

 

[Anthrogirl]

I'm 27 weeks with #3 and also a professional horseman (horsewoman). With baby #1 I continued training (only fine-tuning, no gentling) until I was about 22 weeks when I stopped. I might have gone longer, but I quit my job and went back to college.
With baby #2 I managed a TB farm here in KY. I rode young horses and galloped (at the farm, not the track, too many idiots there) until winter break, right up to about 23 weeks. I stayed away from the horses that I didn't feel comfortable getting on, but continued to ride about 6-8 a day 5 days a week. At that point it was time to quit as my center of balance was shifting, and tbh, the round ligament pain was brutal at times. I continued with all other farm duties (mucking, rehabbing, med duties, holding for vet/farrier, and first saddling babies in stall) until the day my water broke at 37something weeks when I was holding one for the farrier.
With this one, baby #3, I quit riding at about 14 weeks. I was not riding professionally this time, only my own 2. I have those two and manage a herd of 15 on 150 acres. Most of them are simply yard art, but I do feeding, mucking, blankets (not many wear clothes), turn in/turn out and all other responsibilities. I find this time around the horses to be the most trying. Maybe because I'm in my late 30s, much bigger, and trying to write my doctoral dissertation. I dunno??
One thing that I gave up fairly early with horses for all 3 pregnancies was heading up into the hayloft, it just felt wrong to be climbing over rafters and through bents!
You have to be much more careful and aware, especially in a herd dynamic where there's more than a couple of the beasts to keep an eye on. This time of year it's also more difficult with the mud/slush/snow making the footing slick. Although I know my OB was a little mortified with the last one, I was also not her first pregnant horseman and she resigned herself to accepting my judgement. With this one (to be born at home) my MW shrugs it all off as her family runs a producing farm and horse/cow/goat/ and other farm responsibilities are a part of day to day life.
Do what makes you feel comfortable and safe and as always, pregnant or not pregnant be careful!

 

[Little Ducky]

Big mare is away on full livery until I take her back after the baby has arrived, and I'm still doing the shetland. He comes in over night because all the others do, so I'm still up early before work to turn out/muck out etc, but he's a lot less hassle to handle, so no risk of being booted in the tummy with him

 

[missmayhem]

were we previously stabled horses we had a friend in a similar position, she owned the stables and her job was to re-school/break in horses. Mostly high blood line competition stock.

she rode up until the day before she gave birth and 2 weeks later was back on.... at 40 weeks pregnant she was still a wash board stomach, and in size 6 jeans were she hid that baby i have no idea lol.

It's a personal choice, our friend couldn't afford to give up work, she'd lose her business/house. personally, you know your own body and the animals you work with. Some horses i woudn't think twice about riding when pregnant and others theres not a hope in hell i'd even enter there stable.

 

[9jawife]

I have ridden horses off/on in the past. I haven't for the last couple months, not because of my pregnancy but because it's been so cold out and some issues with the place where I was riding. I know there is a risk, but if you think about it, there's a risk with anything in life--even riding in a car, there could be an accident and baby could die, does that mean we should all be confined at home? Yes, the risk of a fall happening when riding is greater, but one can minimize their risks. Being an experienced rider, and making sure to be on a "dead head", the chance of me falling is minimal. Riding makes me feel so happy that to me it isn't worth giving up on the slight chance that something could happen.