Comments at Christmas cause I choose to carry on riding whilst pregnant

I couldn't decide how to vote. YANBU to make your own risk assessment but YABU if you expect your husband's granny not to be concerned about it if mentioned to her over dinner.

But it’s her risk to take. If you don’t want to ride a horse whilst pregnant then you don’t have to but the OP has made a different decision 🤷🏻‍♀️

She’s not show jumping! Or doing eventing.

I rode in my pregnancies. I also walked and crossed the road. I rode my horse a well known horse and I wasn’t lifting and climbing up either later. It made me fitter.

Your horse isn't a gentleman.

Your horse is a horse.

And choosing to ride it while pregnant is a silly unnecessary risk imo.

I hope you're feeling better now - my BIL has just had emergency surgery for Cauda Equina. He was admitted to hospital on Christmas night.
It's a terrifying and painful thing to go through.
I'm at risk of it because I have Spinal Stenosis and I'm in awe at how well my BIL is coping - already up and walking on crutches but still in hospital.

Ros Canter won Burghley this year when she was 4-5 months pregnant.

It’s possible.

If you know your horse and your capabilities, then keep on doing it.

Welcome to a lifetime of people telling you what to do and not do as a parent!!

It’s like exercise- if it’s already something you do then crack on - it’s good for you.

time for you to practice your smile and ignore.

you will be do this for the next couple of decades as every parenting decision you make will attract unsolicited advice and opinions

There's a 'tiny risk of danger' such as jogging or cycling and there's a bigger risk of danger such as climbing on a massive animal that you could fall off and get trod on. Watch those emergency 999 programmes there are always horseriders seemingly surprised to be on their backs in a field unable to get up with a 'placid' horse nearby.

I hope you didn't drive or get in a car while pregnant then, as the average driver has a 1% chance of being in a collision every year.

As soon as you’re pregnant the world and his dog will be judging you for pretty much everything. My ex-MIL was forever on at me for continuing to go to the gym, for driving around in my tiny classic car and thought we should get rid of our pets in case they ‘suffocated the baby’. Needless to say, I completely ignored her and carried on my life as usual.

If you feel safe continuing to ride then why would you stop because of what other people think. I’m sure some lovely hacks out in the countryside will do you the world of good. Just don’t do what I did once and get caught by a low hanging branch and fall off backwards breaking a bone or two. You’d never hear the end of it.

Like with all these things I say to myself if something happened or the worst happened would I still be okay with my choice?

Im not an anxious or overly cautious person but while pregnant I made choices that I could live with if the worst happened (miscarriage for example and when it did I was easy that I hadn’t done anything to contribute).

For me it’s no as if the worse happened I would regret my choice to continue to ride but you do you.

Ros Canter literally won Burghley at 5months pregnant...honestly it's a totally personal decision and I'm sure you are more than capable of weighing up the risks yourself. I rode until about 20 weeks (part loan) and then felt it was time to step back. No jumping/hacking for us because horse wasn't that experienced in either. There were also times when I got on and just wasn't feeling it and lunged instead.
It's really not fair of them to pressure you that way. As long as you are comfortable with it, crack on. Freak accidents can happen at any time (equestrian related or not).

Oh op come on, your horse may be lovely but they still are unpredictable and you could be thrown off. I bet all the horse riders who have fallen off thought it wouldn't happen to them too.

Doesn't matter if you're a doctor or a cleaner so no idea why you've included your job title. Tbh you should know better what with risk assessments etc.

I think it’s normal to express concern as presumably they love you. They’ve said their opinion now though and they shouldn’t mention it again. If they do, tell them it’s not up for discussion.

I say this as someone who actually did stop doing a sport when I was pregnant, but it was my choice to make, no one else’s. I carried on running and some people commented negatively on that though. 🙄

I got told off by a family member for running in pregnancy.

YANBU if horse riding brings you joy, and keeps you healthy physically and mentally then carry on.

YANBU. I don’t think it’s that risky to ride a calm horse that you know well away from public roads. Not completely risk free, but nothing is. People have been round Badminton and Burghley when pregnant.

I rode until 30 weeks in my first pregnancy, stopped at 13 weeks in second pregnancy as I was suffering with occasional lightheadedness so didn't feel as safe.

Life is risky, if you're sensible and take the necessary precautions (which it sounds like you are) then there isn't any reason why you can't continue riding whilst you feel safe.

People do seem to expect pregnant women to stop doing anything that could be perceived in any way risky to the baby - it doesn't stop after birth, then you'll get slated for indulging in a 'risky' sport when you've a baby at home!

I’m not a horse rider, but I see this like any other “advice” given in pregnancy, you’ve been given the advice, taken it on board and made your own informed decision. It’s no difference to women who compete sports, they know their bodies, they know the risks some choose to carry on some don’t. There are risks everywhere in life as long as you feel safe do what your happy with.

i agree with whoever said welcome to a lifetime of unsolicited advice about you, your body and your parenting. Just don’t let it get to you.

Do what you are comfortable with. I had 2 horses whilst I was pregnant - one highly strung competition horse who I immediately decided not to ride, and one pony who although not the easiest, I'd had him 10 years and we knew each other inside out and back to front.

I rode him until 6 months until one day it was really painful dismounting (even though he'd taught himself to line up with the mounting block, and I'd then swing my leg forwards over his neck and step off) and I then stopped completely.

No regrets, and my daughter was sat on him (well held on obviously) by the time she was a week old! RIP Tang, forever missed 💔

Exactly. The surgeon who operated on my back told me to go away and live (to avoid rollercoasters and high impact jump exercises)
I herniated my disc so badly I got cauda equina from - turning round in the kitchen

Doctor told me not to take up anything new like rugby or horse riding but to carry on as normal otherwise

if it’s something you already do , you can carry on

I mean it’s no good wrapping women in cotton wool and not letting them leave the living room because of risk - stairs, cars, boiling kettles - risk everywhere

Because if you don't do anything where there is a tiny risk of danger, you'd really struggle to live a full life.

I think the benefits of being physically active and outdoors outweigh the risks. Provided you're sensible and you know the horse, carry a phone and there is someone on the yard with you I'd carry on as long as you are comfortable.

Because it’s about balancing that 1% risk against the implications of not doing the thing eg poor mental health

@NuffSaidSam no, just saying it's not about her skill and a horse or whatever because all sorts of other shit happens