Horse rider & pregnant?

[Nazz10]

Any fellow pregnant horse owners/riders out there?
Do/did you ride while pregnant?
My horse is as sane as can be and in the 8 years I've had her, I've never fell off (touch wood!). So I'm not TOO worried about having a fall (obviously wouldn't be doing any jumping/cross country or galloping across fields etc).
But just wondering what other people's knowledge/views on this is?
I haven't ridden since I found out I was pregnant and would like to know what others did/are doing.
Please no criticism or hate comments. Thank you 😊

Unfortunately I don't have a horse so I'm not riding now as I wouldn't ride a horse I'm not familiar with (I do occasionally ride friends horses), but I think if you do as you say and don't do anything crazy, and it's a horse your trust then go for it for as long as you can. I have friends who have ridden right up until they go into labour, so I'd say just do whatever you're comfortable with but just stop if you find you're not enjoying it or can't get on anymore!!

Not a horse rider but I am a downhill mountain biker and I kept riding forest trails until 26 weeks.

I stopped because the set up of my bike has me forward over the bike and to be honest, I just felt cumbersome and wobbly.
.and my bum would hurt loads because DH seats are hard!

If I had the option to horse ride, even now at 33 weeks, I would.

If you feel safe, keep going. It's really, really important physically and mentally to keep doing what you love.

If you feel safe, keep going.

That's really crap advice. If she "felt safe" skiing black runs or drinking vodka would that be ok?

OP, I don't know you or your horse, but I'd be cautious once the baby is out of the protective cradle of your pelvis. I continued road cycling till 28 weeks because I wasn't showing till then, but it's unique to every mother - once the bump pops out I'd stop.

I think it's a really personal choice and totally depends on you and your horse. I have a 12 Yr old warmblood who I do a bit of eventing with and had my second baby 4 months ago. I rode throughout both pregnancies up until around 38 weeks, but didn't suffer with any pregnancy complications and still felt comfortable riding. Both times I only did flatwork at home and hacked around the woods next to the yard, both of which I felt were very low risk. Stopped when I didn't feel confident I could sit a spook without losing balance. I've had my horse since he was 4 so know and trust him, but didn't want to be out on the roads because I didn't trust drivers. I did also wear my air vest (I'm aware they are not tested for pregnant women), although wouldn't really protect bump once it was quite large. I actually think riding is great for maintaining core strength and preventing diastasis recti, although the midwife thought this was why my first was back to back! I don't think non-horsey people understand the vast differences in risk with different horse/rider combinations and activities. I didn't risk jumping but Mary King won gold in the Europeans at 5 months pregnant... She's a much better rider though! I also think you need to consider your mental health, you give up so much in pregnancy and with young children. For me, having time with my horse while I could still ride kept me happy and positive.

I appreciate other people have different views and respect that too.

I’m still riding at 24 weeks & plan to keep going till it becomes uncomfortable 😊

If my horse had still been alive (died of old age) when I was pregnant I’d have ridden until the bump showed. I had a very steady horse that I only fell of once and it was my fault in all the years I had her. (I lost my balance she wasn’t impressed but did wait for me to get up and get back on)

I will add I was still handling and turning sheep over at 38 weeks pregnant as I felt I could handle the heavy work

I was planning to continue to ride throughout - have had my horse 5 years and trust him totally. I rode when I first found out, just at home on the flat, round the fields and some small grid work type exercises. As it happens, I have had the most horrendous sickness and fatigue from about 9 weeks and haven't ridden since, barely even managing to go to the yard. It sucks

I can only speak from personal experience - I train dressage to advanced level and have two lovely old warmbloods. However occasionally they still like to think of themselves as wild three year olds and unfortunately I don’t truly trust either of them!

I also started to get PGP symptoms at 14 weeks and riding felt very wrong, so I stopped.

I always thought I’d be one of those who rode until really late, but it hasn’t worked out that way for me at all!
My DH turns them out, mucks out - does everything, because of my PGP and he also doesn’t want to risk it.

So if you do decide to stop, don’t feel weak or bad in any way. It’s such a short time. You’ll get back to it.

1 year after my last DC was born, I went and did a PSG, which was almost as much of an achievement as having a baby

I rode until about 20 weeks, then I had a bleed and was advised to stop as my cervix was irritated. My mare has a big trot which probably didn’t help.
I felt fine apart from that and had planned to ride for as long as I was comfortable but in reality I couldn’t have gone much after 26wks anyway.

I'm 21 weeks and still riding at least two/three horses 6 days a week for work (racing).
As soon as I found out I was pregnant I stopped riding any youngsters or anything known to be a bit dodgy. Plan to keep riding until I no longer feel happy to, no idea when that will be and had fully expected to have stopped by now, however next to no bump showing and I feel no different in myself so happy to carry on until that changes!
Everyone and every pregnancy is different and only you can decide what is best for you.
I know people who stopped as soon as they found out to some who have ridden until the final weeks. Likewise for after the birth, some will never sit on a horse again and others are back on board after 10 days!
Each to their own and there is no right or wrong answer x

@Itllbeaninterestingchristmas
Pleased I don't stand alone with the sheep! We will be putting rams on a bit later so baby will be here a month before lambing and I don't have to worry about being around the ewes too much beforehand. I did get a raised eyebrow from the OH the other evening when he asked what I'd been up to that afternoon, apparently I wasn't supposed to reply docking lambs and doing the rams feet?!

I had always thought I would continue to ride throughout my pregnancy. However fell pregnant with my first at the very start of lockdown earlier in the year.
My horse is pretty sharp and spooky, which after 10 years together doesn't phase me, but I decided having to get back on after she had 12 weeks off (our yard shut and took care of the horses in house) probably wasn't the best idea, so she's enjoying coming in daily for a pamper and feed. Friends have ridden her now and again to keep her ticking over.
I've actually quite enjoyed doing things like taking the dogs for a walk and bringing my mare along on foot :)

Thank you all so much for your responses on this. I thought it might have been frowned upon because when I told my mum that I was thinking of having a ride on her she was like 'I don't think you should be doing that' so it left me feeling a bit guilty (she's not a horsey person though).
She is a great horse and I broke her in and brought her on myself from a 3 year old so I know her inside and out. I know when she's going to spook at something before she even sees it and have a way of making her feel safe so that she doesn't spook so we do have a bond and trust each other. The only thing I think I'm worried about is that she can be quite lazy and requires a lot of leg and seat to keep her 'upbeat' in the school and suppose I'm just worried that I would be over working my lower abdominal muscles when schooling and then it causing some problems that way.
She does have a part loaner 3 days a week who has been with us for the last 5 years but those 3 days aren't enough for her. She's prone to weight gain and can see that she's putting on weight already (typical Welsh D 🙄 and I haven't ridden for 13 weeks!). I think I may have a ride today and see how it goes. If I don't feel comfortable I may just lunge when I go or try hacking out with others (she's more forward going when out with others).
Thanks everyone 😊

I rode at a riding school to about 14/16 weeks with both. With my first, getting off was the limiting factor (bump in way), with my second my core strength/change of balance meant I couldn't make my pelvis do what it was told. Both times I felt safe while on board, it was just getting off (and frustration that I couldn't progress).

I went skiing at 11 weeks with my first.

I know people who have in pregnancy and I would have thought if you know the horse well and don't jump your chances of falling off are very low. I would still ride a bike in pregnancy unless I felt off-balance, I just wouldn't ride on difficult trails as I know I sometimes fall off on those. Riding on smooth trails or roads I've never fallen off so the risk is tiny.

I rode until I was 41 weeks with my first but I only rode one mare that I trusted. I competed BS up until about 14 weeks. This time I’m probably going to stop competing about 16 weeks (jumping up to 1.20) but the plan is to ride throughout again. I’ll ride 2-3 a day 5 times a week.
I think what you’re suggesting sounds absolutely fine.

I had a horse while pregnant with my little boy 2 years ago...in the early stages of pregnancy I continued to hack out only as she was old anyway...I had her since I was 15 and I was 29 when pregnant so knew what I could and couldn't trust her with...I did have a freak accident the once before I was pregnant where I was hacking out on a quiet lane and she fell over while In trot so we both went over head first in the middle of the lane...I broke my cheek bone and badly bruised my arm and ribs...due to this I couldn't face the fact of anything like that happening while pregnant and putting the baby in any danger so I stopped riding after around 8 weeks of pregnancy and just continued mucking out etc...in the end we had to have her pts 5 months before I was due as she had an accident on the yard xx

I rode (complete advanced medium dressage on my WB) until 5/6 months with my first pregnancy, until I felt I was ineffective and starting to get uncomfortable.

Am now 14 weeks into second pregnancy and had a bleed this week - the night after a dressage lesson - everything was fine but a question mark over low lying placenta possibly being the cause (although another Dr and sonographer said you can’t tell if it is or isn’t LLP at this stage). It has shaken me up and I’m going to take it easy, do only hacking and light/stretchy schooling and lay off the dressage, sitting trot etc until 20 week scan when they can look at the LLP again. I would have never considered any of this last time as all was well apart from feeling sick. If you are an experienced rider you will know when it’s ok and when to step back. Don’t worry about what other people think, unless it’s on medical grounds from a professional x

I’m currently 17+3 and still riding my mare. Just hacking and light work but still feel comfortable and safe so hope to continue until At least 20 weeks

I am a barrel racer. I am currently 17 weeks and still riding, and I plan to keep riding until it is uncomfortable. But my mare is very safe and I trust her, not a lot bothers her. But honestly, I am a little more cautious now and I only walk/trot/long trot with her and just stick to arena work as I don't feel comfortable going out on a trail ride, and I no longer am running or working barrels, Just too much can go wrong!