Is it Safe to Ride Horses while Pregnant?
Disclaimer: I am not a physician or healthcare professional. Please make all decisions about your health and pregnancy with your healthcare team.
When I first found out I was pregnant my mind went right to riding. Is it safe to ride horses pregnant? I took my question to google, and didn’t find much. I then spent my pregnancy asking every OBGYN, midwife, equestrian mom, and anyone else with any credential the same question.
Even after all of that, I have to be honest, the determining factor for me was the day I found it difficult to mount, uncomfortable to ride. I decided in the middle of my first trot lap that this would be my last ride, and enjoyed a few moments. And then, I found myself on top of a 16.2hh gentle giant and not sure how I was going to get down…that solidified the decision, and began the longest riding hiatus I had ever experienced.
If you are also struggling to decide when to stop riding while pregnant, here is some information that might help you decide, or at least be safe in the meantime.
It is safe to continue to do whatever physical activity you were doing before pregnancy…with a few caveats.
The general rule of thumb for workouts and physical activity is that it is safe to continue doing whatever your body was used to before you became pregnant. However, your lifting capacity is diminished by at least 60% (if you could lift 100lbs before now you shouldn’t lift more than 40), and some women need to restrict even more. This is an important conversation to have with your healthcare provider early in your pregnancy, and to continue revisiting as you go along.
Additionally, abdominal separation during pregnancy poses risks to your postpartum recovery, and therefore any activity that involves a lift and twist (or twisting at all for that matter), or a crunch-type motion that causes any abdominal “doming” is risky and should be avoided. This may include saddling or mucking, for example.
Running, bouncing, and bumping are all safe, so presumably so is a sitting trot.
It is found that (as long as you were doing these activities prior to pregnancy) running and bouncing are safe for you and your baby. And therefore the actual bumping around from a sitting trot or canter should also be relatively safe. You’re not going to “shake your baby loose” or anything like that.
The risk of falling is much greater.
Once your belly starts to show your baby is at risk for injury. Of course, most of us that ride often are pretty careful about falling. But it’s important to remember that even the best riders fall from time to time, and even the best horses have their moments. Make sure to assess your risk level carefully, and work closely with your trainer (unless, of course, you are the trainer) to determine the safest options.
Add to this changes in stamina, blood pressure, and balance, and you may find that you are just not as strong or stable in the saddle as you were before. I remember walking my dogs when I was around 6 months pregnant and feeling like my center of gravity had shifted so much that I needed to lean back a bit to stay balanced, just walking down the driveway. I was also quite winded and struggling to keep up with my partner who was just walking a normal pace. We all know that when in the saddle if we get behind the vertical we’re in trouble on a spooking horse.
Relaxin is doing some weird things to your pelvis.
Relaxin is pumping through your body, helping to prepare you for birth. However, this hormone also can make you prone to injury, particularly in your pelvis. Symphysis Pubis Pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, and other general pelvic misalignments are common during and after pregnancy, but can be exacerbated by activities like riding.
Hopefully this helps you wade through some of the factors that might help make this decision. The big takeaway here is that this is a decision to be made between you and your doctor. It’s incredibly difficult to even think about stepping back, as riding is often our therapy, our main form of movement, and our lifestyle. However, take it from me, 9 months postpartum and back in the saddle, this is a short time in your life. If you need some ideas of ways to cope while not riding, check out this post. And if you want more support throughout your equestrian pregnancy, I am here for you with lots of resources and even one on one support. Hang in there, mama, and be well.