Pregnant horse owners

[Itsnoteasyfeelingqueasy]

Hey, I’m 31 weeks pregnant with my first baby at 37years old. The pregnancy was a big surprise! I have a lovely horse who I adore. She’s on DIY livery so I do everything with help from friends and husband if needed. Unfortunately she has a minor tendon injury right now so I’m still mucking out etc. I’d love to hear from any fellow pregnant horse owners about how you’re getting on x

I rode until 38 weeks and mucked out until the day I went on to labour (horse on DIY). I then had an EMCS so she moved to a friend's yard as I wasn't able to do anything useful. Original idea was that she was there for three weeks then with my instructor for three weeks and then I'd get back on. However with lockdown etc I decided just to take shoes off and leave her with my for an extended holiday. Baby was born at the beginning of March and I'm thinking about bring her back to my yard beginning of June. I miss her and riding a lot but it has meant I've had one less to rush about doing which has given me time to work on my own fitness before getting back in the saddle.

I’m 15 weeks into my second pregnancy and after suffering with SPD badly last time, I no longer muck out - I have found it to be the absolute worst thing for my pelvis! No wheelbarrows or forking the muck heap either! So my DH does all the care of my 2 horses now, lovely man!!

I managed to get back to fitness after my last pregnancy using an online physio called the O.P Clinic, and I am doing a lot of their exercises including some weight lighting, to keep my SPD under control in this pregnancy. So far it’s working :) :)

My horses are just chucked in the field, what with corona plus pregnancy there was no point trying to ride.

Last time I was back to riding a tiny bit about 2 months postpartum, I don’t encourage anyone to rush back, there are no medals for doing so and you have to be so careful with yourself after going through pregnancy and labour

When I read your title, wasn’t sure whether the horse was pregnant or the op!

I rode up to the day my baby was born at 38+4. Was back on 6 days after giving birth but, I'm not going to lie, it felt internal organs were about to fall out of me and I had a very straight forward labour. Day 10 was much more comfortable when riding. Now nearly 8 weeks since I had my baby and I am riding most days.
I am very lucky that my DH is working from home so he can take the baby for an hour during the day while I go and ride. It is a lot harder than I anticipated to fit in the horses due to my baby being EBF but I manage. I got up at 5am yesterday to ride after feeding the baby and putting her back to bed. Hopefully it will become much easier once she is weaned 🤞🏻
One of the big pluses about all competitions being cancelled at the moment means it takes a lot of the pressure off so you just do what you can.

I’m 16 weeks, hoping to keep poo picking and doing usual jobs throughout, but not riding for now (old sensible boy retired, and younger one is a bit daft )
And then hoping I’ll rope in some help while baby is young, then can bring him/her down to help me poo pick from spring haha!
Will be an experience, but luckily mine are used to living out, are barefoot already, and my younger one is a fatty ex-racer and a proper hardy thing! I think my old boy might be put to sleep this summer though as he is getting stiffer and not sure I want to put him through another winter. If I had the cash I’d send him off to a track livery like Gawsworth for the first 3 months or so, but can’t afford that on maternity pay!

I'm 29+4 pregnant with my first at 33 and owner of a cheeky connemara. I've not ridden since around 14 weeks as my horse can be sharp in the bad weather and we had a lot of it around that time. I've turned her away and taken her shoes off and she seems very happy. I have to say I was poo picking and saw everyone on my yard head off for a ride yesterday in the glorious weather and I was sick with jealousy. But on the plus side (very selfishly) all our local shows and my favourite sponsored ride were cancelled because of COVID, so I haven't missed them! I'm hoping to be back on soon after I have my boy, but I will need a saddle fitter out as I suspect she will have expanded at least a gullet size 😂 xx

Great to hear how you’re all managing. My horse is currently turned out on the flat starvation field ( there is some grass just not much so fatties can use it) at night and in during the day for hay. Tonight she was the only one in starvation and it was so windy she was calling and a bit unsettled. Normally I would lurk about hiding to check she was ok but I really feel like after 20 yrs of horse ownership I’m done with stressing! It really made me question if I can cope with her on DIY when I have the baby. I desperately want to keep my identity and keep being me but I am worried it will cause me so much stress trying to do it all. I did realise that worrying about my horse isn’t actually helping her or changing anything. It’s just a new experience for me to not worry about her constantly but with being pregnant I just can’t keep obsessing about her!

Hi! I’m 28+4 with first baby and only just stopped riding due to feeling dizzy and a bit wobbly! I am lucky my horses are 20 & 27 and very good plus they are out 24/7 so no mucking out for me! We rent 7 acres so is fully diy! I was cutting back brambles and mending stuff til recently . Last few weeks have started suffering with spd so can’t do as much as i was (i’m an animal osteopath too!) which is really frustrating me and missing riding already

Hey,

I'm not pregnant now but I had 6 rescues through my pregnancy (and still do 2 years later).

They lived out but were my babies as I wasn't meant to be able to have human ones. I muck picked daily (even in labour lmfao) and all the horses had a full groom daily and were immaculate but I think some of that was denial I was having a baby.

Never forget the day I decided to duck through the fence like normal except I got stuck due to the bump 🤣

For me, pregnancy with horses was fine.... The first 3 months was fine the problem came when baby was a tad older. A baby and baby horses who live out didn't work too well so I had to completely let go of my high standards for a while there which was v hard. 2 years on and it's much, much, much easier as my daughter can help.

What helped me through the hard times was to look at it like this.... Most of my horses are young and being rehabilitated, they'll be with me for the next 25 years so 2 years of munching in a field being ornaments isn't going to do them much harm....and it hasn't.

I know I'm lucky because I rent land (fairly cheaply) and my horses are good doers. Whatever happens, just remember through the tough bits that it does get easier.

Ah congratulations!
Lovley to hear other mums & horse owners!
I’m 35/40 with my second. Both horses turned away on grass livery at mo. Mainly as my sons only just turned 1, Iv small age gap so putting kids first at mo. With my first & this one I rode till 20 odd weeks. The first I kicked out till the day I deliverd, but it was painful with spd. It all depends on ur delivery I think & ur recovery, I had sepsis & exclusively bf so took a while to get back sorting horses but was probs back to normal 4 months after. There’s no medals, just enjoy ur horses & ur babies are only young once, enjoy them too. For me it’s nice to have horses as ur both just ‘mum’ or the milk machine hehe

I'm with you 100% @Lemonpink88 having the horses and that bit of my identity has been a wonderful, wonderful thing. Especially at the moment because it's the first time since my daughter was born I've managed to get everything back to how it should be and how I was before. I was saying to my partner the other day... I feel like I've got my equilibrium back!!

Sometimes it's been so, so difficult and I've seriously considered rehoming...... The baby that is (THIS IS CLEARLY A JOKE MUMSNET POLICE) but I'm so glad now that I didn't!

Hello! I'm very early on, 7 weeks. Our yard was on lockdown until 2 weeks ago, not been back on her yet as she is pretty sharp and I've not been feeling great.

My aim will be to move her back to my old yard once lockdown eases so one of my friends can ride her for me as her horse is out of action, and once I'm feeling up to it I can start hacking to keep her ticking over. Having to muzzle during the day and she's in at night for a feed and haynet, but she's looking brilliant for it. Ideally I will have her out 247 from next week

Great to hear from more horse owners. I’m 34 weeks pregnant now and still going to the stables twice a day most days, occasionally a friend will do one end of the day. The plan had been that my horse would live out and be low maintenance for the next few months while I had the baby. Unfortunately she had other ideas and has a tendon injury meaning she’s in a small, flat paddock at night and in to eat hay during the day. So pooh picking and mucking out continues for me! I still feel fine doing it and I know people will help if I need it. I’ve already written a plan for who can help when for when I go into labour. I’m planning on maybe stopping going to the yard when I’m 38 weeks pregnant so I have a good rest and also isolate from the virus more strictly. The fact that that would mean I would stop going in four weeks time is a bit freaky to be honest!

@ItsMischerWavy we know you meant the rehoming the horse of course! - wink wink 😉

OP we must be due at similar times! Goodluck with everything! Be great to hear how you, baby & the horses do

What age did you or plan to, start taking the baby to the stables with you?
I was wondering if a carrier would work, while I take hay up in the wheelbarrow? Impossible to push a pram and wheelbarrow at the same time? 😂

She came with me from birth..... I planned to use a carrier for muck picking etc but she HATED it. I just muddled through the early days tbh, what worked with me might not with you as I was v lucky with my daughter being a good sleeper! I used to put her in pushchair one side of the gate while I groomed or push pushchair and take my bigger one for walks (she's voice trained and bomb proof)

The big kick up the gonads for me was my daughters horse allergy..... She's starting to outgrow it thank goodness! Xx

Hi everyone,

So far I am 9+1 weeks, no scan or anything yet so presuming everything is ok as I feel fairly rubbish most of the time...

I have a 7yo ISH that I event. Probably somewhat irresponsibly, I thought this year would be a great year to crack on because the entire eventing season has been pretty much cancelled! I think in the back of my mind I didn't actually believe it would happen... but anyway here we are!

I am still riding at the moment, though work has been so busy for me during lockdown and I just generally lack motivation that I haven't been riding quite as much. My horse is pretty predictable and sensible so have not really changed what I am doing at this stage. I hack, school and jump too. He is on DIY but living out over the summer and probably won't come back in until end of October (hopefully if the weather stays kind). I haven't told anyone yet so I'm not entirely sure what my plan is! I'm hoping things will fall into place as I have lots of people that might help at the yard... I usually give the horse a holiday from Oct-Jan after the end of the season anyway so this also fits quite nicely! He might just have a little longer than usual and I am considering looking for someone to hack him out a couple of times a week after everything.

It's so interesting to hear how everyone has dealt with having horses and encouraging that on the most part, things haven't hugely changed! My horse is very much my escape, so I am hoping it won't be affected too much.

xx

I was running a horse and carriage business (in 40c heat ) when pregnant with DD1. And doing all the driving yard work, hitching trailers and transporting horses alone. It was well timed as the work peters out after September with only a handful in October and dd wasn't born til December but I carried on caring for the horses. Bit easier than a stabled horse in the UK though.

What age did you or plan to, start taking the baby to the stables with you?
I was wondering if a carrier would work, while I take hay up in the wheelbarrow? Impossible to push a pram and wheelbarrow at the same time? 😂

Mine came in the buggy and loved it when she was little - inconveniently as a toddler she suddenly hated horses and needed held the entire time. Holding a 2 yo while changing rugs/poo picking etc wasn't the easiest 😆

@Lemonpink88 I’m due 6th July, how about you?

@ReocBr welcome and congratulations! I feel so awful until about 16 weeks pregnant so hardly rode. I managed a weekly hack until about 25 weeks pregnant and then my horse went lame, the virus hit and that was the end of riding! If it wasn’t for lame horse and virus causing riding restrictions at my yard then I feel I would still be managing a walking hack now at 34 weeks. My bump is small and I feel pretty normal.

This post is definitely reassuring me that hopefully I won’t lose my horsey identity once I become a mum. I feel it’s really important to have your own interests aside from the baby.

@itsnoteasyfeelingqueasy I'm sorry to hear your horse is lame
Although probably the timing couldn't be better - hopefully it will all be sorted in time for you to ride again!

I also don't know if I'm the only one, but I don't have many intentions to take the baby to the stables... For me, the horse is 'me' time and as I will probably need to reduce my visits from twice to once a day (and shoulder the costs incurred), I will fully expect my husband to cope for a couple of hours on his own! This is obviously a personal decision and I am very pro-husband being 50% involved, so probably won't exclusively breast feed if I can help it to allow me to do this... From a safety perspective also, it would be different if I had the horses at home, but our yard is also quite busy and I think I would just worry too much. There are lots of members of the public around so I definitely wouldn't be able to leave a pram at the gate to go into the field etc.

What age did you or plan to, start taking the baby to the stables with you?
I was wondering if a carrier would work, while I take hay up in the wheelbarrow? Impossible to push a pram and wheelbarrow at the same time? 😂

Mine live at home so DD has been out to the stables from day 1!
I started with a Caboo carrier which was fantastic for when she was tiny. Super supportive over her head when I was bending over to poo pick etc. I think on day 5 I was out in the field fixing a load of fencing that my Shetland companion had ripped down with her strapped to the front of me 🙄
Now she is almost 12 weeks, I find I can't get on with the Caboo anymore. I just can't seem to get the right fit. I then struggled on with a cheapy buckle carrier but that have me a bad back after an hour or so. I have just picked up a secondhand ergo baby 360 on Facebook for £45 (I'm too tight to pay £155 for a new one 😂) and it has honestly been great. Very supportive for both baby and me so highly recommend that for horsey mums.

@ReocBr ohh you have timed it right! Any other year, I would have been spot on too but it is just so typical that a global pandemic would happen when I went on maternity leave and had planned a lovely season full of eventing 😩 as it happens my mare had to be retired from competing in April anyway so I suppose it was for the best. Think I have found my new one though, just waiting for the vetting to happen and then I will be back up and running and might scrape an event or two at the end of the season 🤞🏻
I keep joking with my DH that we will need to have another baby so that I can have a do-over on the maternity leave and have another year off to play ponies 😂