Horses & new babies - how to manage

[PortiaPony]

I'm due to have my first baby in the next two weeks (hopefully sooner rather than later!). We have the horses at home - a welsh cob, TB and two shetlands. This weather isn't helping, here in Scotland it seems to have just rained and rained for weeks and the fields are completely ruined. This morning, mucking out the two big ones was hell, i just can't do it anymore. I dont have anyone to help for free and cant really afford to get a girl in as i'm self funding my maternity leave. Does anyone have any hints, tips and shortcuts for managing having a new baby and keeping the horses alive over winter? How the hell am i going to manage the logistics of baby and needing to go to the stables. sigh just feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all today....

Hey Portia

I have 2 horses (TB and sports horse) and 2dc (3yrs and 12wks)

It is hard, but your advantage is that you have them at home. Can you deep litter them and skip out a few times a day rather than fully mucking out?

TBH if possible i would have an all weather pen/large stable for the 2 shetlands, but have no idea what your setup is.

I found it much harder being pg with horses than having a newborn and horses. Newborns do sleep generally, just prioritize. After having DD i just made sure the horses and DD were sorted each day, sod everything else.

any specific problems/questions i would be happy to help with, but have a baby asleep on me atm, so struggling to type and hold onto laptop.

Tbh I'd invest in turnout rugs and let them rough it for a while.

My warmblood spent 2 winters out in a sub-alpine climate with up to two feet of snow on the ground... as long as they can get out of the wind and in to a field shelter they seem happy enough!

What bedding are they on? If straw deep litter as Alice said. I have just changed to wood pellets are they are really easy, absorbant and quick to skip out, I do have mats though.
Is there anyone nearby that you trust to do stable duties in return for riding just for a few weeks?
The weather has been crappy, our fields are trashed already too so you have my sympathies.
I think you'll probably find this bit the worst ie leading up to the birth and then you'll be surprised how much your baby sleeps and allows you to get things done! The horses will just have to be patient as their routine will be a little bit out but they'll survive and before you know it, it will be spring time!

How much turn out do you have? I find it much easier to look after well rugged horses living out than stabled horses whatever the weather.

If they have to be stabled make it as easy as possible with bedding/forage. I switched to aubiose hemp bedding as it is easier to muck out and lasts longer saving trips to the shop. I also switched to bagged haylage for a few months as it takes up less storage and means less deliveries to organise over the winter.

It will be easier without a bump to do the actual jobs, just bear in mind you will need lots of help with them for the first few weeks, especially if you end up with a C section. After those early weeks you should be able to time jobs to the babies nap times, most babies will fall asleep in the pram and nap for an hour or so at a time.

I'd give them the winter off. Find some nice assisted grass livery somewhere ekse if yuor fields are trashed and send them off for a holiday!

my friend has her own riding school and her kids have both slept outside in the pushchair loads - one was a summer baby but one was a winter one. Make sure you have a good snow suit and blankets, and protective pram - baby will thrive on the fresh air and hopefully sleep loads! Where abouts in Scotland are you? Are you sure you couldn't get someone just for a few weeks to help for free? I know if I didn't have small baby and 2 kids I would love to! Maybe an ad in tack shop or ask around. you will cope honestly, baby is easier out than in!

There are some great Wood chip type bedding out there. Easybed/cushionbed are great. Start with a good layer, pick up poo with gloves or a shavings fork and don't disturb the rest. When the wet starts to show through, either dig it out and add more bed or just add more bed. The most often you need to do this is once a week. If you just add more you need only dig it out when you have time. I agree with the others who have said turn them out for the winter. With rugs it wont hurt them in the least. Or you could set up some kind of yard system where they have their stable and some hard stAnding. Baby will be fine snugged in it's pram whilst you work, or you could put it in a sling. The woman I used to work for used to wear her toddler in a backpack as she mucked out!

I know someone who used to pile up a wheelbarrow with buckets of feed and her baby in a car seat and then trundle off down to the field to see to the horses. She seemed to manage fine in all weathers. It's a lot harder now he's a toddler and wants to fall in the mud and cry 'help' to push the barrow.

Get a good sling if you haven't already - one more thing to research! I liked Wilkinet for what it's worth, but that's not the result of extensive research, just because I was lent one and got on with it.

The only thing (other than riding) you'll struggle to do in it (and if you're like me you might be struggling now) is pick feet.

As Pixel says, it can be harder when they're mobile and want to 'help'.

Good luck!

Find a horse mad, trustworthy teen from your local riding school or word of mouth, who will muck out in exchange for some riding/being around horses. You will still be able to supervise, even more so because your horses are based at home and may appreciate the help in the future.

I was one such teen and was given an opportunity I could never have had otherwise. 21 years on I am still riding with the same family (and occasionally on the same horse!). I hope some day I can return the favour.

As well as trying local riding stables, also ask your local riding club or bridleways group. You may find someone retired who's horsey and who might want an excuse to get out in the fresh air.

PS has baby arrived yet?

Thanks everyone. Sorry for not replying bur baby arrived early! Typing one handed on iPhone as we speak. Weather hadn't helped but horses are rugged up and out at the moment. Husband had been topping up hay and breaking ice on water buckets and that's all we can manage at the moment. The TB is unimpressed at being out but is warm and fed so I just have to not feel guilty. Been a preemie baby is too wee to be out in this weather but will definitely sling up when she's bigger. Thanks again for all the suggestions