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pregnancy and diy

7 replies

feekerry · 18/10/2011 18:51

Hi all. So, i'm currently 18 weeks pregnant with my first. Working quite well as my comp horse is out of action for now and needs at least 8 months off. I'm totally gutted about this as spent a fortune on him and he's young but slowly i've come to terms with his injury. Anyway, i'll prob start bringing him in this weekend over night. Honestly how difficult will I start to find mucking out etc as the winter goes on? I've invested in decent bedding and rubber mats and extra long mucking out tools etc. Auto drinker in stable so dont need to worry about lugging water. I'm due on 19 march so he is likely to still be in then. Will I be able to do him until I give birth? He's very easy to do, excellent in stable. Can be a bit of a pratt to bring in but nothing major. What do you think? How hard will I find it? I'll just add i'm used to doing at least 2 or 3 all winter on diy and keeping at least one comp fit so this year will be the first where I only have one and he's out of work.

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Pixel · 18/10/2011 20:25

Congratulations! Smile
Honestly, it depends on your pregnancy and whether there are any complications. First pregnancy with dd I had no trouble looking after horses. Up to two days before giving birth I turned out three horses mucked out stables, filled water buckets, took a bale of hay to the field etc with no problems. Second time around with ds I expected to carry on just the same but it was a completely different experience. Couldn't poo-pick without feeling sick when I bent down, was in pain from sciatica and my bump was much lower and bigger so whenever I moved something heavy I felt like I was about to have the baby there and then! I was lucky that my mum and sister were able to help with the horses, especially when the ground got very icy.
You will probably be fine, especially as you are used to the work and it sounds like you have decent facilities but it wouldn't hurt to have a back-up plan just in case. Good luck!

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CluckyKate · 18/10/2011 20:43

It really depends on you and how your pregnancy develops - some people are completely unable to do it very early on whereas others are mucking-out a dozen horses until the baby arrives.

I found that by 36 weeks I was struggling - I could fill the wheelbarrow but struggled to lift/push it, my bump got in the way of tying-up haynets and I couldn't bend over to pick-out feet. As for leading a prat - nah....you are much more susceptible to injury so be careful or, better still, get someone else to do it.

Have you also considered what you'll do one the baby arrives??? Even getting out of the house in the first few weeks is a minor miracle, especially if you're breast-feeding, and it'll be at least a couple of months before the baby is in any sort of routine. Also, if you end up needing an emergency CS that rules out any kind of horse-work for a good 6 weeks.

Does the injury require box rest/stabling or do you have the option to turn your horse away? Either way, a good contingency plan is essential [nods]

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mollythedogsmum · 18/10/2011 21:30

Huge congratulations!!
Defo depends on how you feel but I was still up at the yard every morning including due day.... found mucking out only poss on hands and knees and could not cope with 2 water buckets at a time in last week, picking feet not an issue but I am v short anyway so not far to go. I did have to deal with 2 big morons (16.2 & 17hh sports horses with no brains) and to be honest if they had started to go I would have had to let them get on with it and dealt with the drama later - luckily enough they were good to me.

Good point about what r u going to do afterwards .... I had 2 weeks off ( full livery) as DS had terrible colic from the word go ......
What ever you do good luck!! How exciting

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feekerry · 19/10/2011 17:46

thank you all!
some good points raised there. I have hypermesis (extreme sickness) which is now under control with medication so to be honest after pretty much ignoring my horse for the first part of my pregnancy (as i was hospitalised due to the hypermesis) i'm quite looking forward to having something to do again. even it is mucking out etc!
afterwards- i have 2 options. there is a cob who usually goes out overnight middle of march and the owner has kindly agreed that when i give birth she'll put my lad and hers out overnight and she'll do the rugs/feed/hay etc for a couple of weeks as i dont plan on leaving the house for a couple of weeks afterwards! if the weather is horrific in mid march or i give birth earlier then i can pay my friend (groom) for a couple of weeks full livery. I'd prefer the first option as want to avoid any aditional expense as far as possible!
i got some lightweight shavings/hemp type bedding (cost me a fortune) but think it'll be worth it as much easier and lighter to muck out. also, i'm not going to be anal about the bed. if i can only manage a quick skip out then so be it. it wont kill him! although he wont be impressed!

other things i've done- got a sturdy step thing to stand on so dont have to chuck rugs over him, teaching him to pick up his feet on command so i dont have to bend down so far. Also not going to bother with haynets in the end. will just chuck it on the floor!
i've kindly been given the winter paddock closet to the yard, its literally 20 sec walk from yard so if he's a knob to lead in i'll not have far to go. also have put grass mats down in my winter paddock so no mud in the gateway for me to contend with!

any other tips you lovely ladies can give me?

also, thinking ahead and praying my lad fixes himself whilst having his holiday when did you start riding again after birth? he'll be coming back into work too so wont be anything physicall. probably just starting off with 10 min hacks......

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Loika · 20/10/2011 13:13

I mucked out right up till the end, My horse was due to go on full livery on the monday because the yard owner thought I was pushing my luck so close to my due date and my waters broke midnight monday morning!! How lucky was that! She had three weeks full livery, as I was in for 5 days and had a week while I got used to DH being back at work after his 2 weeks paternity. I rode after 4 weeks, just weekends and had no problems, just felt like I should be super quick doing everything and get back to DD!! Then my horse started roaring! So no more riding til january!

Anyway, I think as you have said your horse can be a twit bringing in that you should probably get someone else to do that if you can, when you are ready. I know from my own experience that I was determind not to need help and do everything myself but you do need to accept the help. I was secretly pleased and relieved when YO laid down the law about full livery because I had had enough by then! Like everyone has said, each person's experience is differant and whilst it is a but surreal, your passenger needs to be thought about in everything you do now!! Good luck and how exciting!!!

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Booboostoo · 20/10/2011 14:00

Each pregnancy is different so it's very difficult to tell, but here's my experience.

My first trimester was perfectly fine, continued riding, lessons, etc. and then it went downhill from there! Despite a determination to continue riding I gave up at 5.5 months. I just couldn't school effectively so that was pointless and mine are a bit sharp on hacks which made me scared when I was pregnant.

Around 6 months I did my back in pushing a wheelbarrow full of water, and that hurt for the rest of the pregnancy (could not take anti-inflammatories and physio couldn't do much due to pregnancy!), so I really regret not taking more care. Mine all lived out (one of the advantages of the south of France!) otherwise I would never have coped. By the third trimester I felt huge, slow and awkward. Even lunging was a problem because I was unstable on my feet and my reactions had slowed a lot.

I gave birth by c-section and felt fantastic afterwards - light, energetic and athletic! I got on at 7 weeks (I think I could have managed sooner but I was worried I would hurt myself and be unable to look after the baby), by 9 weeks I was schooling fairly competently although I still don't have the core strength I had before the pregnancy (19 weeks now). The main problem with returning to riding is that the breast feeding takes up an enormous amount of time and no one else can do it for you (also tits are huge and I have to re-adjust my position for them!!!).

Best of luck and remember having a break is not going to harm your horse.

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JustJazz · 21/10/2011 21:33

Congratulations! Here's my story....

I was mucking out until the day before I gave birth...although I was very slow towards the end and walking got very painful if a walking more than a few metres at a time without a rest (it was like my insides where going to fall out).

DH skipped out & turned out on the way to the hospital when I was in labour (I trained him up while I was pg). We then had full livery for a month. I had a c-section so couldn't drive anyway for 6 weeks after (I felt great though- must have been the hormones). Rode about 7 weeks... had a jumping lesson at about 10 weeks after. DH helped out a lot.

DD happily slept in the car (which was really near the stable so I could hear her/ check on her) while I did chores, or sat watching me in her car just outside the stable if awake, then in the car again when horse was brought in.

I found it difficult when we got to the weaning stage...DD was/ is a fussy eater and suddenly we had to have a routine whereas BF....she had what she needed on demand, so I didn't have to faff with keeping bottles clean in a stable environment.

We eventually shifted from DIY to a full grass livery option. It had more to do with traffic & my ponies needs than anything else, but I do miss DIY still. DD is now 2 and likes to have a 'ride' around the field, 'help' pick out feet and loves watching the farrier. She loves going to jumping competitions with me & will happily watch Badminton etc. on the TV.

Gosh that was long....hope you find it helpful!

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