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Sparklin Cowgirl
Posts: 4379
  
| Friend of mine wants to plan something for her birthday in April. She wants to go horseback riding (like a guided trail ride). She is pregant. How far along into your pregancy did you ride?
She asked me as her friend that knows horses. I know horses, I don't know about having babies or pregancies..... |
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Location: Not Where I Want to Be | until 2 weeks before my due date
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Location: Central Coast Cali | Honestly I think it depends on your body. I rode until I was 7 months competed until I was like 5 1/2 months. My doctor told me to do what felt comfortable to me. I only rode my old faithful and yes even with the old faithfuls things can happen. I was pretty small but at around 6 months got huge and still tried to ride but when my belly was hitting the saddle horn figured it was time to quit. |
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 Heeler Hoarder
Posts: 2067
| I'm 18 weeks now and haven't rode since I was four weeks it's to wet out and not taking a chance of horse falling etc. plus I really only have colts and I don't trust any of them enough. If your friend isn't a experience rider I wouldn't recommend it way to much can happen ! |
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| I am going on 16 weeks and I am hoping to continue riding/competing until the end of March. (24 weeks) I quit riding the colts and have just been on two horses I feel the most safe on. The doctor told me to listen to my body and I'll know when it's time to quit. If I have to quit riding earlier than I planned, then oh well.
Does your friend normally ride? If she doesn't, that sounds scary to me and I wouldn't feel comfortable taking her if she is inexperienced. My doctor basically told me it was okay for me to continue riding because it is something I have always done. |
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Veteran
Posts: 285
| WrapN3MN - 2016-02-02 5:07 PM
I am going on 16 weeks and I am hoping to continue riding/competing until the end of March. (24 weeks) I quit riding the colts and have just been on two horses I feel the most safe on. The doctor told me to listen to my body and I'll know when it's time to quit. If I have to quit riding earlier than I planned, then oh well.
Does your friend normally ride? If she doesn't, that sounds scary to me and I wouldn't feel comfortable taking her if she is inexperienced. My doctor basically told me it was okay for me to continue riding because it is something I have always done.
I've never been pregnant, but one day when I do decide to have a family, I hope I will be able to keep riding. As long as the baby is healthy and I'm able too. I do agree with the above poster, I would think it would depend if she has rode before or always rode. I think with us who ride all the time, our bodies are use to it. If she hasn't rode before, I would be leary to recommend it. We've all seen people who ride for the first time or few first times and how different their body posture is compared to us. I would just be scared if my friends who never rode wanted to ride while their pregnant. |
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| It depends on your body and what horse you ride. I could ride a smooth horse a month before I gave birth but had to quit riding my quick footed fast mare at about 6 months.
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 495
Location: Washington | Two weeks before I had the first one and was put on bed rest with the second at 33 weeks. Rode up to that point with her, I had sciatica REALLY bad and riding helped! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2135
Location: Somewhere else | I rode up until 2 days before I had mine. I was 2 weeks overdue and my doctor who also rides said I could ride as long as I wanted to as long as I had a good horse that wouldn't go crazy on me.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | 7 months but that was my choice. I was young, in shape and knew how to ride so I wasn't as concerned as I would be if someone wasn't horse savvy. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1162
Location: White Mountains of AZ | I'm 6 months ( well 5 months and 3 days ) and the weather has been so crappy that I have barely ridden at all. I think I may just take it easy until the baby comes because I am a bit scared if my horses were to slip on the slick ground. So i have just stayed to ground work with them! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 393
| I am 18 weeks and I am going to try and ride/compete until the end of March if at all possible! I am not as big right now with this pregnancy so it isn't so bad! I am not planning on making any NFR/rodeo runs, just some jackpots to get some qualifications done. But I will know when it is time to quit, my body always tells me! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: IA | If she doesn't normally ride, she best find another activity to plan. My Dr. was fine with me riding as long as I felt okay about it, but only because I was already riding a LOT every day. He said the the biggest thing he discouraged was taking up with something new while pregnant--like you wouldn't start training for a marathon if you weren't already running pretty regular.
I had TERRIBLE motion sickness in my first trimester, but did ride until I was 18 weeks--then the snow and ice came, and I didn't like my tummy touching the saddle horn. Your body will tell you NO. It's a time that you probably need to listen.....
Congrats on becoming an "auntie" by the way!! |
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Sparklin Cowgirl
Posts: 4379
| Turninfly - 2016-02-03 9:10 AM
If she doesn't normally ride, she best find another activity to plan. My Dr. was fine with me riding as long as I felt okay about it, but only because I was already riding a LOT every day. He said the the biggest thing he discouraged was taking up with something new while pregnant--like you wouldn't start training for a marathon if you weren't already running pretty regular.
I had TERRIBLE motion sickness in my first trimester, but did ride until I was 18 weeks--then the snow and ice came, and I didn't like my tummy touching the saddle horn. Your body will tell you NO. It's a time that you probably need to listen.....
Congrats on becoming an "auntie" by the way!!
She doesn't ride normally. I don't feel so bad discouraging her from planning a ride. She would be about 25 weeks when her birthday rolls around. She doesn't have a horse so she would want to go to one of those trail ride places. It just made me nervous. I thought maybe I was just bring a worry wort! |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | The day before I was induced.....even though it took me like 10 minutes to lug myself up onto my horse lol |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 312
Location: KS | Im only 10 wks and my Dr. said no. And she didn't care how often I had been riding, she says some people still ride but she would rather me not, says its not worth the risk. She also told me no 4 wheeler, which Im having a hard time with, I check cows all summer on 4 wheeler, I even told her I don't drive crazy, she was a little more flexible on the 4 wheeler, but still told me shed rather me not. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: IA | Since she doesn't already ride, I would bet her Dr. would say no as well.
And you are not being a worry wart!! Just concerned and that is good! I always weigh out that if I were wrong, and said it was okay, if something bad happened, I would have a hard time with it.
Hopefully you can get her to change her mind, maybe suggesting to plan a fun trip like that for AFTER the baby is born? At 24 weeks in April, she will have about 16 more to go, allowing for at least the 6-8 week Dr Recommended timeframe (I know, there are gals that get back on sooner, but she is not used to it) would put you in for a nice October ride. Having some "gal time" would be a good thing for her to look forward to, and take the worry out of riding pregnant.
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 Expert
Posts: 3534
Location: Stuck in a cubicle having tropical thoughts | As the mother of a stillborn at almost 37 weeks, I NEVER recommend that it's a good idea to ride a horse. No mother would ever forgive herself if something happened to their baby because they choose to ride a horse.
My stillborn had nothing to do with riding horses, but I've learned that 1 in 4 women will have either a miscarriage, stillborn or infant loss and it's just not worth it. So many things can go wrong, the horse jumps or spooks or stumbles or anything, it twists your body, you hit the horn, etc you could tear the placenta, etc. It's just not worth it. I know people do it, but after going through what I did, I think riding while pregnant is the one of the dumbest, most dangerous things a mother can do. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | Honestly most doctors will tell you not to ride at all or do anything "dangerous" like ride a fourwheeler, side by side, or other mode of "Fun" transport just to cover their butt if something were to happen to you or your baby. That way you can't go back and sue them saying they told you that it was ok and safe to do.... At least that's what my midwife told me and it makes sense now that I think about it.
She told me that I knew my body and I knew my horse and I would know when to stop. However, I remember riding my mountain bike 5 miles on the trails every day for exercise at 9 months pregnant LOL 
It's all personal preference really. Women know their bodies and their horses. Most women feel comfortable riding up until the due date while others don't want to risk anything, or some just don't feel comforatble or have enough energy to ride after certain points. I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer on this subject.
But I will add that if your friend is not an experienced rider with a trustworthy horse, I would say it doesn't sound like a good idea given the information I've read  |
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| IRunOnFaith - 2016-02-03 1:14 PM
Honestly most doctors will tell you not to ride at all or do anything "dangerous" like ride a fourwheeler, side by side, or other mode of "Fun" transport just to cover their butt if something were to happen to you or your baby. That way you can't go back and sue them saying they told you that it was ok and safe to do.... At least that's what my midwife told me and it makes sense now that I think about it.
She told me that I knew my body and I knew my horse and I would know when to stop. However, I remember riding my mountain bike 5 miles on the trails every day for exercise at 9 months pregnant LOL It's all personal preference really. Women know their bodies and their horses. Most women feel comfortable riding up until the due date while others don't want to risk anything, or some just don't feel comforatble or have enough energy to ride after certain points. I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer on this subject.
But I will add that if your friend is not an experienced rider with a trustworthy horse, I would say it doesn't sound like a good idea given the information I've read
Thank you  |
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 Blaines and Beauty
Posts: 1431
| I rode with my first up until 7-8 months and didn't compete, just rode. On my second, they saw at my 20 week appointment that I had a low lying placenta so I stopped riding completely. I would say with your friend not used to riding and being 24 weeks along, I personally would not recommend it. |
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Member
Posts: 35
| I would strongly strongly discourage it. My barrel horse slipped and fell down on me when I was pregnant and I miscarried a few days later. She only landed on my leg, didn't hit my stomach at all and I was only 8 weeks along. I have a history now of spontaneous miscarriages but that was my first and it's always haunted me. Not worth the risk, in my opinion the consequences are too big if something were to happen. |
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Veteran
Posts: 169
| She needs to ask her doctor. If riding is something she does often and her body is used to it then it should not hurt, however; is this a horse that she knows and trusts? I would have never rode anyone's horses, but my own, when I had my boys. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 312
Location: KS | majiksummer - 2016-02-03 5:06 PM
I would strongly strongly discourage it. My barrel horse slipped and fell down on me when I was pregnant and I miscarried a few days later. She only landed on my leg, didn't hit my stomach at all and I was only 8 weeks along. I have a history now of spontaneous miscarriages but that was my first and it's always haunted me. Not worth the risk, in my opinion the consequences are too big if something were to happen.
So sorry to hear this, that must have been awful.
This was my Dr.'s concern though, she said any jolt can cause placenta to tear. Its not worth your babies life or health, its only 8-9 months of no riding.
Again im so sorry for your loss. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1162
Location: White Mountains of AZ | Peewee212 - 2016-02-04 8:19 AM
majiksummer - 2016-02-03 5:06 PM
I would strongly strongly discourage it. My barrel horse slipped and fell down on me when I was pregnant and I miscarried a few days later. She only landed on my leg, didn't hit my stomach at all and I was only 8 weeks along. I have a history now of spontaneous miscarriages but that was my first and it's always haunted me. Not worth the risk, in my opinion the consequences are too big if something were to happen.
So sorry to hear this, that must have been awful.
This was my Dr.'s concern though, she said any jolt can cause placenta to tear. Its not worth your babies life or health, its only 8-9 months of no riding.
Again im so sorry for your loss.
That's heartbreaking.....but that's my take on this. Something so special as life growing inside of me, I can afford to take some time off riding even though I miss it. But my horses will be there after baby is born, and I just couldn't stand it if something happened while i was riding. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 520
Location: Lone Star State | I never ride during pregnancy. It's tough but it is not worth the risk. During my first pregnancy, the urge was too strong so I had to ride once. I was 8 months pregnant and the plan was to just ride a circle in the pasture on my safe horse. Within 2 minutes, we jumped up a snake by almost stepping on it. Luckily, I don't think my horse ever saw it but I was shaking. Just not worth it. Anything can happen. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 959
Location: Borger, Tx | 7 months but stayed in the arena and only did slow work on an older horse. Doctor allowed it but wasn't real happy about it. I was 40 with my first child, anything can happen at any time even with an older horse. Looking back on it, I wouldn't do it again. |
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How far along in your pregnancy did you ride?