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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Horse riding and pregnancy

40 replies

CountryGirl36 · 27/12/2019 17:21

Hi all, i am 7 weeks preg with 1st pregnancy and am a keen horse rider. My horse is very old (27) so we just plod but can’t find much to say its safe and am concerned as am a bit of a risk (36 with long gyne Hx). Not seeing midwife for another 3 weeks to ask - anyone ridden all thro their pregnancies? I also shoot clays but have stopped that as everything i read says to stop 😩

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

GymSloth · 27/12/2019 17:29

I rode until about 6-7 months. My horse was also old and I felt safe so I carried on until I no longer felt comfortable.

Your midwife will probably not be impressed (mine wasn't!) but I think it's up to you to weigh up the risks for yourself. Mary King evented at top level whilst pregnant! I think riding would not be a good idea for a beginner and personally I wouldn't have jumped, but I felt safe enough with gentle hacking and schooling on a horse I had known for years.

Selfsettling3 · 27/12/2019 17:31

Remember your centre of balance changes and you shouldn’t ride if you have placenta previa.

Babbabump · 27/12/2019 17:32

I rode with my first as my pony was super safe - my current horse is a bit of a Wally so I'm.giving it a miss :)

MaidofKent78 · 27/12/2019 17:33

Completely depends on you and your horse. I rode up to 37 weeks and had to stop as bump was getting in the way. But i trusted my horse implicitly and changed what we did.

My midwife wasn't happy so in the end I lied and told her I had stopped.

museumum · 27/12/2019 17:44

Only you can decide. Nobody can tell you it’s safe because anything can happen but it’s also not known to be unsafe. I skied at 12 weeks and cycled throughout but didn’t mountain bike anything technical.

Piplette · 27/12/2019 17:50

I rode until about 5 months with baby 1 (then a freak accident caused me to fall from my sensible cob). With baby 2 I lasted until 4 months when back and pelvic pain put paid to riding - I'm 9 weeks post partum and still not onboard due to emergency section :(

GothMummy · 27/12/2019 17:54

I rode my steady cob through my first pregnancy. With my second pregnancy I stopped as the horse I had was a rearer, and my old cob was too old by then.

cloclo92 · 27/12/2019 18:03

Personal choice. Obviously it comes with a risk of a fall. I haven't ridden but I no plenty of people who have.
I personally wouldn't want to blame myself if I fell and something happened to the baby. It's only 9 months off at the end of the day.

itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted · 28/12/2019 06:09

Depends on how you'd feel if you came off and it resulted in losing the baby? I know I wouldn't have been able to live with the guilt so I stopped and actually haven't gone back - your sense of mortality completely changes when you have children and the thought of coming off now and breaking my back/neck/life terrifies me

T0rt0ise · 28/12/2019 07:57

I'm 7 months and have been riding (including jumping) throughout. There riding is not the risk, it's the falling off onto your stomach. For me I weighed up the benefits to my mental and physical health of continuing to ride (very high) against the risk of me falling off onto my stomach (relatively low) and decided to continue (I reckon I am more likely to fall on my stomach being pulled over by the dog on a muddy walk ) However, it is a choice only you can make and there is no right or wrong answer.

Pegase · 28/12/2019 08:36

I stopped around 7 weeks but I felt incredibly unwell throughout the first trimester and started getting quite a lot of muscle pain when riding so took it as a sign my body wasn't up to it. I would have kept riding if I felt up to it.

Pegase · 28/12/2019 08:37

Agreed with pp that the chance of falling off on to your stomach is not high, plus for most of first trimester, your uterus is tucked in behind your pelvis.

Original poster

CountryGirl36 · 28/12/2019 08:52

Thanks all

OP posts:

Greyhound22 · 28/12/2019 09:26

Think it depends on the horse. My old boy was pretty sharp but I was so used to him that I would have ridden him. My friend actually rode him when she was pregnant and I rode her tit of an animal that had already had her off. He was so sensible with her.

My youngster no way would I have but my son's current pony yes 🤷‍♀️ I wouldn't be getting on anything not known to you for sure.

I was actually kicked when pregnant. Double barrelled by my bastard of an Appaloosa who I was leading in a chifney at the time. I actually think horses are more dangerous on the ground than on top of them so I would be careful leading/turning out etc.

EstebanTheMagnificent · 28/12/2019 11:17

Do you know your blood type? A friend with rhesus neg was advised to stop riding a bit earlier than she intended because of the increased risk of a knock to the bump.

Itsnoteasyfeelingqueasy · 28/12/2019 22:56

I’m 12 weeks pregnant and 37 yrs old with a very calm horse, I’ve ridden three times in the past 8 weeks due to constant nausea. I do intent to ride as and when I feel like it. We have just done short road rides with some trot. I know if I fell it would be a risk but I’ve ridden for 30 yrs and I’ve only fallen off my current horse when jumping so the odds are low. My pregnancy is unplanned and one thing that made me hesitant to have a baby is my loss of identity. My horse is my world and they always have been. Therefore I decided to continue to ride when I felt up to it for my mental well being. I would go with how you feel day to day, listen to your gut. I’m lucky that my horse is still calm if I ride only ride occasionally, hopefully yours is too

Original poster

CountryGirl36 · 29/12/2019 08:43

Thats exactly how i feel! I have ridden since i was 3, my horse is super calm and i’m only walking with occ trot. I feel i need an outlet and its the only exercise i was doing and not allowed to shoot now so feel its helping me. If i get pain i’ll stop but i’ll keep going as long as i can

OP posts:

cherrytree63 · 29/12/2019 08:54

With my first pregnancy I rode until 8 months, was competing until 6 months.
With my second I had to have surgery at 6 weeks (ectopic twin) and by the time I'd recovered and with a toddler to care for I only rode a handful of times.
However with my first I think that all the riding and stable work contributed to a long labour as my ligaments didn't soften easily.
Also I made the mistake of getting back on too soon after birth (day 8 , would have been sooner but in those days you stayed in hospital a lot longer) and strained my back as my body had turned to jelly at that point.
Best advice from an HCP, whatever you're doing, if it hurts, stop!

ChewChewIsMySpiritAnimal · 29/12/2019 09:32

I stopped at 6 weeks but i had a twin pregnancy so i developed pelvic girdle disorder pretty early on. But it was mainly due to the risk. My riding instructor stopped riding when she was about 10 weeks pg so i followed her lead.

Greyhound22 · 29/12/2019 09:51

If you're fairly safe on your horse OP carry on as long as you can then - it's going to be better for your mental health. I had a friend who rode until the day before her C-Section. God only knows how she was massive but still - I know many women who have ridden late into pregnancy. Just control the risks best you can. Don't get attempting Badders.

LH1987 · 29/12/2019 11:39

I don't ride, but it sounds like its only a risk if you fall off. Similarly, I'm sure driving is dangerous if you crash but no-one seems to have an issue with that.

Nowisthemonthofmaying · 29/12/2019 11:45

I've been wanting to start riding again after a few years off and my dh bought me a load of lessons for Xmas but just found out that I'm pregnant! Can't decide what to do - I think I'm pretty unlikely to come off whilst riding in a school as I'd likely only be doing walking and trotting but I just can't decide. Is it likely that I'd even be allowed, or would it invalidate the riding school's insurance?

happycamper11 · 29/12/2019 11:52

I rode and drove til about 24 weeks. A friend of mine who trains race horses was still riding one of hers up the gallops at 31 weeks though.

happycamper11 · 29/12/2019 11:56

Mary King evented at top level whilst pregnant!
I'm sure Zara Phillips did too....

Cohle · 29/12/2019 11:56

Obviously it's your choice, but it seems odd that so many posters are blithely ignoring medical advice.

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