Horseriding in pregnancy?

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My sister is expecting her first child and is about 4 months pregnant. She is very into horses and works with them, her employer still doesn't know she is expecting.

She announced the pregnancy a few weeks ago, and I have been worrying since. She fell off a horse (not seriously) about a month ago (we didn't know about the pregnancy then), she intends on riding until she "can't fit on the horse".

Surely this is quite dangerous? Given the high risk of a fall/being kicked plus the chances of infections when cleaning out the stables? She thinks I am being dramatic but I can't see why you'd wwant to take the gamble vs a few months off the riding atleast.

Jesus Christ some people....

Everyone's attitude to risk is different. I rode whilst pregnant without an issue. Others wouldn't choose to.

Butt out and let her make her own decisions.

I rode with mine until 8 months, but GP was on board with it.

Have you shared your concerns with your sister?

Yes and no. Our conversation went a bit like this after she told me she was pg "wow congrats, what will you do about work?" DS: "haven't told her yet, will just be careful I guess", me: "I'd of thought riding would be risky, especially as you get bigger, and what about when you are taking out the horses by yourself what if something happened?" DS: "well (employer) would get funny if I said I wouldn't do xyz now and it will be fine Sandra down the yard rode until she gave birth and baby was fine you wouldn't understand if you don't ride yourself".

I'm finding it hard to "butt out" because it worries me, the most recent fall didn't seem to concern her and she wasn't checked over or anything but had she of had the same fall at 6 months pregnant the baby could well have been harmed and it just seems a silly risk to take?

Many people carry on riding throughout their pregnancy without any issues. It would probably be sensible to steer clear of anything too vigorous / likely to cause a fall but horse riding itself shouldn't be a problem. My instructor was riding up until three weeks before she gave birth with the blessing of her midwife.

You're worrying about something that might never happen. She might get to 4 months, 6 months or whatever and decide herself to stop riding. It all depends how she feels, which neither you nor her know right now.

So your first response to her pregnancy announcement was to police her activity? Wow.

She obviously doesn't want to tell her employer yet and that's her prerogative. You have no idea if she'll still be riding at 6 months, but even if she is, it's her choice. She's discussed it with her midwife and got advice. Leave her alone and let her make her own decisions.

I did state it went a bit like that, I have not put in every word but yes that was one of the first points. I was quite shocked she was pregnant and was not expecting it, then quickly remembering the latest fall only a few weeks back, I panicked and hoped she had a "plan" in place.

I don't need to "leave her alone", we have had one conversation about it, I'm not going to badger her throughout the pregnancy, its her baby, her life but I can't say I'm not worried.

It's not the riding itself that is risky. Plenty of horsewomen ride throughout their pregnancies, including jumping, with no issues whatsoever. They know their horses, they know their own abilities, they are happy to take the risk - it's having a crashing fall that is potentially risky, not the riding itself.

She's a grown woman who rides, and who is presumably able to calculate the risks. I'd leave her to it.

Rather but thats exactly the same as saying it isn't the risk of climbing the ladder but the risk of falling. Thats obvious, but thats why a pregnant woman probably shouldn't be climbing on tall ladders, because of the risk.

Of course there will be many women who safely have ridden, the same with women who have done xyz and been fine in pregnancy will be women who weren't and why would the risk be taken?

I felt like this with my friend who rode (and even competed) throughout her first pregnancy. She’s now pregnant with number 2 and hasn’t ridden since week 4. In her words “once you know how precious the cargo is your priorities change”. Unfortunately not much you can do until she realises herself.

Women shouldn't be going up ladders now either while pregnant? You do know we don't have to stay in bed for the whole pregnancy to be sure the baby will be OK?

She's more likely to get hit by a car or fall down some stairs than she is to fall off a horse. She does it for a career so she is obviously good at riding. I would be selective about which horses I rode still but it's her choice.

1st preganancy I didn’t ride (as I didn’t have a rideable horse) but was up the Yard mucking out and around the horses until a few days before I gave birth with some help from friends. I had a very easy birth. 2nd time round I didn’t ride nor was I at the yard much and I had a more difficult birth.

I rode through pregnancy with DC and even backed a youngster. But I was used to riding every day for a couple of hours

I'm sorry OP but you're sounding very judge despite the vast majority of posters telling you it's not your place to police your sister's activities. I also rode whilst pregnant and made a choice when to stop as to when I could feel the pressure in my uterus, around 5 months in. Nothing at all you can do/say without potentially alienating your sister

i rode until 3 days before. I have worked with them for years and am a competent rider. I stopped riding at work (i used to exercise stallions for a local stud - certainly not suitable) but continued on my very steady, very trustworthy mare and limited what i did to gentle hacking, no fast work and certainly not jumping. TBH I'm not sure I would do it again if i were to get pregnant, depends on the horse etc.

It's none of your business and you should not have brought it up with your sister, especially in such a judgemental way.

I rode to 26 weeks with DC1 and 10 weeks with DC2 but each person makes their own choices. Personally I found handling horses much more dangerous than riding them as I became slower and more unsteady through out the pregnancy.

I've never heard of risks of infection from mucking out. Has the MW perhaps confused mucking out with the risk of leptospirosis from working with sheep?

I didn't, but then again mine are young ex racehorses being reschooled and two youngsters for backing. Prior to falling on, falling off was a most week occurrence between one of the six! Had I have had my old boy I would have quite happily continued, at least until it became an issue mounting and dismounting. Depends on the horse and rider. As to dangerous around the yard, I finished a night shift at 6am the Saturday morning (telephone nurse advice), went home to bed, had an early show of waters when I got up at 1.30pm, phoned hospital who said it was too early to go in and stay home and rest. Drove half an hour, skipped out six stables including hay nets, drove home via KFC, back to bed and went in to hospital at around 3.30am, 4.5cm dilated and little one was born nine hours later. I was home in 24 hours, riding again within two weeks and back at work in under 4. If she's otherwise fit and well with a healthy pregnancy there's no reason to be confined!!

Better getting fresh air and exercise than stuffing your face on the sofa eating for two. I rode throughout my last pregnancy - my own horse, I trusted her, she is a mare and seemed to sense the need to be careful.

Don't worry about my horse - I am a very slim and only put on baby weight, so still well within her comfort zone to carry me. When I felt I was becoming unbalanced I stopped - probably around 32 weeks.

Quick and easy natural birth at home, so no 'perineum of steel' issues. Honestly, people do spout ignorant crap.

Crikey, I wish you'd been around to warn me of the dangers of climbing up ladders whilst pregnant, OP. I've done tons of that and somehow made it to 39 weeks unscathed.

Pregnant women aren't invalids. They can decide for themselves what their bodies are capable of and what risks they're willing to take.

If you're not planning on talking to her about it again, what exactly are you looking for here? You just want us all to agree with you that you're right and she's wrong?

My midwife was quite happy for me to carry on riding. She did say it wasn't something you should take up in pregnancy but if it is something you have always done, then do as you please.
I rode until 33 weeks when my hips started aching and getting off started hurting.

I rode a few times a week until just a few weeks before birth. Only On my steady boy who I have had for many, many years. I would not have ridden a freshly backed youngster or galloped across country or jumped. But your sister may be a better rider than me. I did school, hack out and canter until the end. And popped the odd small jump until 5 months. Luckily I was surrounded by sensible people who weigh up risks sensibly. There are far worse things to do while pregnant. And since I had to give up Alcohol, lots of yummy food stuffs, and was prevented by overly cautious insurers from taking part in loads of activities in a hen weekend (think a bike ride and a go in a kayak) I certainly wasn’t going to stop doing the one thing that kept me sane. Oh and yes I was back on board 2 weeks after a c section. No I am not a hero, just sensible and followed recovery advice well and risk accessed the kind of horse I was riding and where.

Incendently Mary King won a bronze medal for eventing in the world equestrian games when 5 months pregnant.

slightly shocked at the previous poster who thought that tending to horses and mucking out can cause infection to baby in womb. We aren’t lambing sheep in bare hands!!

Anyway statistically there is more chance of a car crash than a fall bad enough to injure baby. So therefore should pregnant women now not drive or be transported anywhere. Perhaps we should remind barefoot and chained to the nice safe kitchen sink.

Anyway babies are pretty well protected in there. If she had a fall it is more likely your sister who can increased chance of injury.

No don’t worry about your sister riding. I would be more worried about her employers attitude. She should declare to her employer, and they should do a risk assessment which should probably include not riding any horses known to be difficult and no jumping large solid obstacles or fast gallop work. And maybe no catching or leading anything that kicks or rears. She is protected by law and her employer has a duty of care to her. She also has a responsibility to tell her employer.

It’s sweet that you are kind and looking out for her. But your sister is right. If you don’t ride and are not used to horses you can’t really understand. (Like when you think you understand what it’s like to be a parent, but really you have no clue until you are one).

I wish your sister a happy healthy pregnant, whilst still enjoying her horses.

Oh as as per poster before me, my midwife and consultant were happy with my decision. There is a big difference at between taking up a new high risk hobby when pregnant and just carrying on as usual.

Horse riding is one of the exercises that is not recommended during pregnancy. There is a high risk of miscarriage in early pregnancy if your sister is constantly riding horses. 😲