Juggling pregnancy, work and your horse?

Question

Question to you ladies out there who are/have been pregnant, work full time and have horses. How do you do it? I feel horrible that I haven't been on my horse at all lately and haven't had the time or energy to work with him. He is a little snot to start but I can just imagine what he is gonna be like if I don't get my hands on him soon. I can't ride which is killing me and I don't trust too many people to ride him. My hubs is tall and 180 which is pushing it for my little arabs limit. So what do you all do with your horses for 9+ months that you can't ride?

Answer 1

I am not pregger but plan to be soon.  As long as your Dr says it ok I would still go out and love on your horse.  I wouldn't ride unless you knew you had a bomb proof horse.  I have a friend who has had two kids and rode most of her pregnancy for each child.  The kids were find and the horse got some attention too.  If you can't ride, just give them extra TLC so they know they are still loved...

Answer 2

I was pregnant with twins and although my little OTTB is trustworthy he was also headshaking and unsafe to ride for the time during my pregnancy when I was small enough to ride.

This really depends on your horse. My horse is too sensitive for me to have just anyone ride him, he learns bad things and unlearns years of training too quickly, so no one rode him. I got on him in November, my kids were born in August, and he was okay. Because of the craziness of life with twins, a full time job (that is an hour away one way) I have had to carve out a special niche in my day for my horse and I'm still infrequent.

Your horse won't forget anything and if you're feeling really guilty about it lunge your horse or give lessons to someone you DO trust to ride.

Answer 3

Are your horses turned out most or all of the time?  If so, don't feel bad, just cut the grain out of their diet (if their getting any and are not in need of weight).  They won't be worried about having 9 months off!

If you're worried about their manners going to pot, do you have a friend or neighbor who is a good horseperson who would be willing to do concentrated ground work 2 or 3 times a week, just to keep them tuned up?  Do you have a roundpen?

At any rate, don't beat yourself up over not being able to ride, on their account.  If you're providing a turnout, good food and general care, your horses are doing better than many other  horses (sad to say).

Edit:

50 acres - that's great!  They'll be happy for a vacation!  If I were in your situation, I 'd be tempted to do a little groundwork, because I can be a little obsessive - but really, it's a risk you ought to think twice about.  I know first hand of 2 people who were killed by a well-placed kick.  (Not that they were pregnant, but they were very experienced horse people, so that's a very real risk).  Not to scare you, but just a fact to keep in mind.  I do know, also, of riders who continued to ride right up to 7 months!

Answer 4

I've done it 3 times, but never had to quit riding until the last few weeks of the pregnancies.  However, I have had periods where months passed without riding, and it never hurt any of the horses.  Some times they actually do better with some breaks.  As long as your Arab is handled it shouldn't matter whether or not you ride.  Also, he is better off not ridden than to be ridden by someone you don't trust completely.  He'll remember whatever was happening the last time you rode him.

Answer 5

I didn't ride while I was pregnant either.  I allowed my trainer to use him for lessons since I trusted her to put someone on him with the correct experience.   If you don't trust anyone to ride him, then you are pretty much stuck.  

You can continue to work him on the ground and lunge him for quite awhile, at least until your 7th month (when your stomach really pops out).  Then you should probably give it a rest with regards to working him.  Just some brushing and loving will have to do at that point!

Answer 6

Unfortunately, you will have even less time (and sleep) after the baby comes. Can you send him to a trainer? You probably shouldn't get on him if he's a brat, pregnancy messes with your balance and loosens your muscles. If you haven't been on in a while, it might be harder than you think!