Negativity riding horse when pregnant

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How do you deal with this? I completely accept people are entitled to their own opinion and I am accepting riding my horse is a risk. But I also have owned her for 5+ years. I know them inside out. I wouldnt ride if I felt like I was putting myself at risk in any way. I am sick of the negative comments from people including my partner. I ride once a week in walk on a short hack round my farm. I have just hit 24 weeks and want to ride as long as I feel comfortable doing so.

You won't change it....people worry...

(Just remember your joints loosen up through pregnancy...especially around the hip area...that's why you are more prone to injuries that really don't heal well...)

I rode all the way to the end. Now I think it was foolish. Noone is right. Noone is wrong. People will judge. Do what you think is right

Of course you are putting yourself at unnecessary risk. It doesn’t matter how well you know your horse, riding accidents can and do happen that could have devastating consequences. I would judge you too.

You have a responsibility to your unborn child to keep them safe.

There are necessary risks you take when pregnant. Driving a car to get from one place to another for example. Horse riding isn’t one of them. You can go without it fir a few months, surely?

@Bernadettebleu I completely get your points but I would be putting myself at risk riding a bike. For me it's good for my mental health, it keeps me sane. I planned to stop at 12 weeks but have felt comfortable so have carried on once a week. I just think as much as people are entitled to their own opinion people have to accept that so am I and I am sick of the arsey comments.

I carried on riding until the end along with mucking out, poo picking etc. It was a bit hard getting off my horse by the end though

I was happy to ride all the way through, as was my midwife and also my partner. All 3 of us were happy, so I didn't care about anyone else's opinion.

Carry on and don't listen to the neigh-sayers.

It's your partner's baby too, so I think his/her opinion should be heard. Sorry. Not what you want to hear!

Random other people making comments... they mean well, but I understand they are just random people.

You partner making comments.... presuming the baby is theirs too I think they are 100% entitled to say they don't think you should be doing it. Your opinion is your opinion but that baby isn't just yours, y'know.

🤣

If you fall from a bike you are closer to the ground and don't have the additional risk of being kicked by it.

You could if you wanted find an alternative to riding for your head you are chosing not to.

That's an additional risk, pregnant women tend to fall the other way and remove risks.

It's your choice but seeing someone take a risk in pregnancy can be very triggering for many.

Its not something I would do.

It's your partners baby too. If the baby is disabled or worse because of a known and unnecessary risk you took will he forgive you? Should he? Just from a relationship standpoint I wouldn't set this precedent. You're telling him loud and clear that it's your baby and his opinion doesn't matter. It's not exactly going to set him up for success.

I have seen a pregnant woman getting harassed when running. Apparently they were supposed to sit on a couch and eat their way through pregnancy.

UK climber Shauna Coxsey had her fair share of trolls when she continued climbing when pregnant www.itv.com/news/2022-05-03/olympian-shauna-coxsey-defends-decision-to-keep-climbing-while-pregnant

Your baby, your choice. Keep riding if you feel comfortable doing so.

Your (and your husband’s) baby. Your choice. I don’t know enough about the risks. We all take some risks when pregnant. It’s an individual decision.

I ride until 34 wks with my first and 28 wks with my second (due to hideous sciatica). It’s your choice and it sounds like you are managing the risks. Living life is a risk - we all have to find the balance we are comfortable with. If you are comfortable then keep going. Some people seem to expect pregnant women to sacrifice all their own needs and desires - something that continues way beyond birth, in my experience

You are a grown woman who is perfectly entitled to ignore the busybodies sticking their noses in because you're pregnant.

You've said you're happy to accept the risks so crack and and tell anyone who comments to wind their neck in.

For what it's worth I had similar comments about swimming too much, it being dangerous to run, bad to cycle etc over my 3 visible pregnancies so don't assume that changing exercise would give any benefit in that regard.

That's a really dangerous road to go down.

OP - it's fine.

I don't have DC but my riding instructor rode up until a week or so from birth each time, and was back riding ten days afterwards

As you know, it's not the riding of itself that carries the risk - it's the possibility of a fall. But you know the risk, you know your horse - there is a risk attached to walking down the pavement in that you could get mown down by someone having a heart attack at the wheel of their car and losing control.

If you are happy then crack on. Your partner is obviously worried about you which is fair enough but you are perfectly entitled to not let his opinion influence you.

I rode with my eldest until I was 28 weeks - the only reason I stopped was because my bump was so big it kept hitting the front of the saddle! However I had been used to riding every day up until that point. My midwife was horrified and told me I was putting myself and the baby in all sorts of danger but 1. I was riding in a school 2. only doing dressagey stuff 3. my horse was an absolute poppet who 'read' his rider and behaved accordingly. eg pre pregnancy he would always muck about with me and canter flat out - when mum was on his back he plodded along like a seaside donkey!

I think the biggest danger is starting to ride again too soon after the birth when your ligaments are still all stretched and loose. I rode 3 months after my c section and suddenly realised how much I used my (now non existent) stomach muscles when riding

I rode until quite late on with my second ( too ill with the first ) but I only rode in the school as it was safer to do that with the horse I had , I do think there are more dangers with hacking even off road . I rode a 4/5 days a week , I’m not sure I’d have bothered if I was only doing it once a week .

I didn't ride throughout my pregnancy. There is no getting around the fact that it is a dangerous activity at the best of times and you are risking your babies safety.

I do judge women who ride when pregnant and I say that as an avid rider.

@RatherBeRiding Is she perfectly entitled though? It's her partners baby too and by riding she's increasing the risk of harm to it.

How far do you want to extend that level of control?