# Can you ride when you're pregnant?



## Fizz (Jun 3, 2011)

I've heard terrifying old wives' tales about riding when pregnant. Is it ok? And for how long? Does it make a difference if you're jumping or just riding on the flat?


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## BlondieHorseChic (May 6, 2011)

I think walking on a extreamly calm horse is ok. But trotting and faster may end up jumbling the baby up and possibly causing some damage. And there is always the risk of falling off and hurting the baby. I'd ask a doctor for more deffinate answers.


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## Hidalgo13 (Dec 24, 2010)

Well, depends on the person and body, and how pregnant you are. Some people are more sensitive.
There was another thread like this before and some people mentioned how they stopped riding (walk, trot) at 6 months because they were too big and it wasn't comfortable anymore. Others trotted and cantered until 7 months... others barely rode at all. Really depends.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Depends on you, how you are carrying, how stable your pregnancy is, wht your horse is like and what you are doing.

Mum rode when carrying me, she was very fit and active, healthy had no issues with her pregnancy, she stuck to walk for the first 3 months and then continued to hack out and ride on the flat in the school on safe older horses practically up to the day I was born with absolutly no issues. It is the standing joke that I was nearly born in the saddle as mums waters broke at the stable yard.
With my brother on the other hand mum had a difficult pregnancy and did not ride at all.

I would take advice from your doctor and midwife, they will be more likely to know your unique situation and how well your body is likely to tolerate it. I personaly would not be jumping (couldnt live with myself if I had a fall and miscarried) but several top eventers have continued to compete whilst pregnant and I'm fairly sure one top dressage name did as well.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

Everyone I know stopped riding after they found they were pregnant, under the principle that horses are unpredictable and one could fall at any time.


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## Fizz (Jun 3, 2011)

You're right Faye. Anky van Grunsven did dressage while pregnant, and MAry King and Daisy **** both evented - and did really well - until 5 months or so. Can't work out if that's amazing or mad!


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

I'm working on the presumption that Mary king and daisy **** are slightly mad any way, I think you have to be mad to even attempt a 4* XC in the first place.


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## RoosterDo (Feb 11, 2009)

I listened to my body and rode almost my entire pregnancy, I really maintained the same activity level my entire pregnancy. I moved several hundred bales of hay with a few friends just a month before I delivered! I did not consult with my doctor on really anything that I did because I feel they always lean towards being overly cautious out of fear of being sued.


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## Fizz (Jun 3, 2011)

Ha! No doubt you were fit and strong and had a really short labour?! That sounds very impressive, I thought pregnancy was a good excuse not to do the dirty work!


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

My sister was a month overdue so my mum shifted a ton and a half of fire wood. 2 days later she delivered in 20 mins flat!


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_There was a lady riding in the international ring still at 4 months along a few years ago._


_The best thing to do would be talk to your doctor about it though, because some women will be able to do it, and some women won't. It will depend on a lot of variables, and would most likely be different for each individual person._


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Whether or not to ride when pregnant depends on a lot of different factors, the most important of which is your doctor's advice. Old wives' tales should be pretty far down the list, though they're unavoidable when pregnant. 

For what it's worth, I rode until my 7th or 8th month, with my doctor's support. Here's what influenced that decision - I was very fit and healthy, and had a easy pregnancy, even though technically I was considered "high risk" as I was pregnant with my first child at 39. I was an ex professional and very experienced rider. I had a very safe and reliable horse. I just hacked lightly and trail rode, no jumping. I was advised not to get my heart rate above a certain level. Doctor also told me that during the first trimester, the risk in riding was primarily to the baby, but in the second and third trimester, the risk was mostly to me - the baby was well protected, but if I fell, I could sprain or tear an already stretched abdominal ligament and then have a painful delivery.

I stopped riding when my balance was so affected that I couldn't climb up on a fence to mount.  

I know a lot of folks with similiar stories to mine; and I know a lot who stopped riding as soon as the pregnancy was confirmed. Neither is wrong, it's a highly personal decision. 

Try searching this forum with "riding while pregnant" there are a bunch of threads on this subject and you'll get an even wider variety of opinions.


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## Fizz (Jun 3, 2011)

Thank you Maura, that is inspiring and helpful advice. Medical opinion seems to conflict!
And sorry, I'm a new member, hence why I hadn't seen all the old threads. Thanks for the tip.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Congrats on your pregnancy, and good luck, whatever you decide.


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## corporate pride (Feb 23, 2010)

i know a rider that was competing up to 115cms up until she was 6 months pregnant!!

depends on the rider and the horse


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

I didn't read the other posts, but i didn't ride when i was pregnant because i was simply too lazy, i also found out i was pregnant in December and i don't like to ride in the cold, so then once the weather warmed up i was too big, hot and uncomfortable to ride lol. had i found out i was pregnant in say, april or may i probably would have rode. I know a lady who rode when she was 7 months pregnant and some even longer. I would say just flat work, jumping seems to risky to me.


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## tbstorm (Dec 16, 2010)

my grandma read this and told me to write.... that it would depend on the rider, your condition while pregnent, the horse etc. basically what everyone else said, but she wanted me to say that theres always a risk, just like regular riding, but with riding while pregnent theres two of you at risk!


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

This is a highly personal decision that you need to decide using the judgement of your dr, baby's daddy (if he's in your life), and you. Every person and every pregnancy is different, what works for one person may not work for another. I was very fit and used to ride several horses a day 5-7 days a week and I barely showed until about halfway through. I stopped jumping the bigger stuff around the end of my first trimester and stopped jumping altogether sometime in the middle of my 2nd. About 7 mo or so it hurt to trot so I quit riding. I know another trainer who was doing grand prix at 7 mo and another trainer who rode 3 horses the day she delivered! I know 2 other trainers who quit riding the day they found out. Figure out what's best for you and your child and beware the old wives tales! 

Something to add to what Maura said... your baby is actually protected well, but should you get hurt it is not good for the baby for YOU to get an xray or surgery and a lot of pain medications are off limits.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

VelvetsAB said:


> _The best thing to do would be talk to your doctor about it though, because some women will be able to do it, and some women won't. It will depend on a lot of variables, and would most likely be different for each individual person._


This and what Maura said.


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