Pregnancy and my horse

[Helenflynnx]

So I'm currently about 14 weeks pregnant and over the moon.

I do also have a 15hh Arab gelding in my life who is my absalute world and has been for the past 9 years. I'm just wondering what everyone's experience is with owning horses whilst pregnant/with a new born?

I don't need to keep riding he is quite happy to have some time off and he's the type of horse you can jump on after months of not doing anything and he won't have changed one bit. He's an absalute star on the ground and even young children can handle him (with my supervision) everyone loves him and I have a couple of people that have said they can help out but not full time?
I don't really want to put him on loan as he is a quirky individual and he does mean everything to me. My other half is pretty supportive however I work shifts and he works long hours so it's not always doable having him there with me to help out (he isnt horsey at all though but he does try)

Is it actually achievable to be able to carry on doing my jobs throughout the pregnancy and then afterwords or am I living in a fantasy world?

Thanks

[Daytona79]

I sold my horse when my son was 4 months old, I paid to keep her in work through pregnancy as assumed id manage fine once baby came along and even with her on full livery I had no time to ride her 😥.

[Helenflynnx]

It's not about the riding he's 15 and quite happy to not be ridden as long as he's fed and loved and have friends who could ride him from time to time.
It's the jobs, the mucking out etc and having the time and energy to do this?

[JontyDoggle37]

I mucked out every day until day before I gave birth. I stopped carrying whole bales of straw/hay at a time and broke them up or put them in a wheelbarrow instead. I also got husband to push wheelbarrows of poo out of the field as that can get really heavy, but I had two large Warmbloods at the time so there was a lot of poo, your boy might not do so much. Basically, listen carefully to your body, if something feels too much, get help, if not then crack on. Midwife told me if you're used to doing a form of exercise already there's no reason to stop doing it. And congratulations

[IsItTimeForGinYet]

Don't panic! I was still poo picking the field the evening before I went into labour and was fine. My horse kept me sane! Post birth all fine.

[horseygeorgie1]

I kept riding up until the day before I was induced. I had 3 youngsters and a big hunter when I had my DD. I sold the hunter as she wasn't happy sitting in the field but kept the others. My DD came to the yard with me, she either sat in the pushchair or I had her in a sling. Once she was old enough she went into one of those wheelie seat thingys (!?!). It's good for them I think and doable.

[Helenflynnx]

Thanks everyone :)
I was starting to panic and worry it wouldn't be realistic for me to keep him without getting a loaner or sending him out on on grass livery to live out (which he would hate as he dispises rugs and rain lol)
I'm glad other people have managed, as all I'm getting from people is when am I getting rid
Which would break my heart he's family at the end of the day

[Puppymouse]

I have a 2.5 DD and got a loan a year ago and then bought for first time in April. It's been so so hard. I think it would have been easier if I hadn't been so new to it all, but trying to keep a toddler who won't stay in pushchair safe on a (pretty quiet) yard has not been easy. I never ride when she comes with me, I get her "helping" as much as I can safely and I use snacks and the iPad in the car if raining. Another livery at our yard brings her newborn down but I think she's managed to ride only a handful of times since he was born and her horse is out 24/7 as she didn't have time to muck out.

[Northernmum12]

Don't panic it's absolutely doable. I have a 2year old and all through pregnancy and post birth I had 3 large warmbloods to look after. Baby came with me in pram and I soon got the hang of pushing pram with one hand and pulling wheelbarrow with another. It's when they are toddling it gets tricky. I locked baby in stable whilst I turned out or brought in and eventually got him his own wheelbarrow and tools so he could join in with mucking out

[Helenflynnx]

Yea like I've said it's not the riding, he can have a year off, it won't do him any harm. He's happy being fed and looked after, and lunging is always an option to stop him getting tubby while I'm too tubby to ride lol

I have a friend at the farm who has already said she will mind baby for half an hour while I do something with my horse so I'm hoping things will work out.

And yea when baby is a toddler I was already thinking of getting a small wheelbarrow and they have mini forks too! So can help out to keep them busy :)

Thanks

[Rollingdinosaur]

I think it depends how much you want to make it work. It is not easy. My experience was that it was all fine throughout the pregnancy, and while I was on maternity leave. I really started to struggle when I went back to work. I felt like I was constantly trying to juggle horse and baby, in the time I wasn't working, and letting them both down. My horse was on loan to me, so after struggling on for about 6 more months it was a fairly easy decision in the end to give her up. It was 4 years until DS was at school that I felt able to get back into it, and it was no problem again then, as I also work shifts, so have lots of time to ride in the mornings. I hope you can find a way to make it work. I do know several people that have done it.

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

Rather than a loan how about offering rides for jobs? I know that you'd need to be careful to find someone suitable but there may well be someone local to you who would bite your hand off. I used to be a riding instructor and I know I would! And infact I did do similar for someone once with small kids. Used to help with mucking out and poo picking in return for rides.

[froubylou]

I was bathing dds ponies and taking her to shows until I was 7 months. I would have gone on for longer but the season finished. Pregnancy is easy. Especially if you are on a yard where other people will help with the odd heavy job.

With a newborn or baby it's more difficult. Does your yard do assisted livery? If not I would look for some paid or very reliable help for at least the first few months.

I would also get myself into slings. They were invaluable for me when ds was tiny. I could turn out while he was in the car, then sling him to get jobs done. And we went to shows with him only coming out of the sling for feeds. I personally think they are safer in yards than prams. Especially a busy livery yArd.

And then I would just see how you get on but never be afraid to say it's too much. Mine are on full livery these days as it was too much with babies and work and dd. But we now get the best of both worlds. They are looked after by a very close friend and we get to do the nice things with them.

[zombiemum123]

I'm a big believe in if you want to do something you will find a way of doing it! When I went in to labour I went to the stables and did a full muck out as I didn't know when is be able to get back up.. Not gonna lie in the last couple of months it's not easy and takes ages but it's do able! I rode until 28 weeks but very gently! Midwife way happy for me to continue the only reason I stopped was because my bump was too big to get off the horse! I could get on fine! I found that once had lo that it was great to just have that 1 hour initially to have me time- even though I didn't want it as I didnt want to leave lo! But every day it got easier and my partner loves having his alone time.. I started riding again a week and a half later! My lo is 4 months now he goes to bed at 7 then I go to the stables for a few hours , and don't feel guilty cos he's in bed! He does come with me now and again but this is just the routine I have got in to! If your passionate about your horse and it sounds as if you are you will make it work one way or another.. Just to add a friend at my stables turns her out in the morning and I bring hers in at night This works great X