Mare in foal

[PonyGirl]

Hello. Got a question here. I have a Welsh Cob that is bred to a gypsy cob. www.mydalespony.com/baby.html
I just got here. Had her all of a month. She has been ridden and jumped. However, not on a regular basis. I have been riding her now 6 days a week. 10 - 50 minutes and ground schooling. She moves like a lipizzon. (I need spell check) with very forward movement. Sometimes forward up as she is not liking the idea of being rode. I can't believe I stayed on.
Anyway, my question is how long do I ride her. Up until a month before she is to foal? What do ya'll do?
Please advise.
Anne

[Deleted]

Anne,

If she is use to being ridden, and is in shape, keep ridinging her, it will help her to birth the foal in the long run. Riding her up until the last month will be good for her, just not too long nor hard and I would not do too much jumping.

[Daftmare]

Personally I wouldnt want to ride a pregnant mare, I wouldnt have appreciated it when I was pregnant. However I know a lot of people do ride their mares but I would stick to gentle hacking walking and trotting nothing too strenuous.

[bevbob]

We had a new mare on the yard that was ridden quite a lot before they knew she was pregnant (bit of a suprise!) and she was fine. They didnt ride much when they found out, just gently I think, didnt do her any harm though.

[jacquidales]

I was always told to avoid the first 3 months, ride the bit in between, 5 mths or so and then let the mare have the last few months off work as she will be too big to be comfortable when ridden. It is unlikely the saddle would fit her as she is in he last few months of pregnancy and it would be unfair to ride the horse in an ill fitting saddle.

[Deleted]

The veterinarians here say to keep them fit if they are use to being fit. In other words, ride them if they are use to being ridden, but do not over do things. Keeping them fit, not fat helps with foaling.

[PonyGirl]

Thanks for the advise. I will send updated pictures of her. So pretty.
Anne

[shiatsudales]

I've also been advised not to work in the first two months or the last three months. The former is to help the embryo 'take' and become established. The latter is due to the fact the mare gives so much to the foal in the last three months that it's not fair to ask her to do two jobs at once and do ridden work as well as foal growing work.

I'm toying with the idea of doing some long lining with Rose as I can't keep the weight off her now she's getting two hours grazing a day

She's hopefully 4 months pregnant so I can do some long lining between now and end february when I'll stop.

Usually mares seem to say when they've had enough by wither getting funny about being caught, being tacked up or evading when you want to mount. They also get slow and puffed out quickly. All signs to watch out for to say when it's time to ease back.

I would also say don't jump her at all. Her balance will be changing as her body shape and weight changes so she'll not be as stable in her jumping position and efforts as usual and will be more likely to stumble and pull tendons or things. Ask any human woman how the bump and weight chnages affect balance.

Rose is also already having to use much more effort than usual to do her spins, rears and bucks in the field due to her baby belly (I HOPE it's a baby and not just fat!) so more athletic ridden work would be hard for as well.

[claudia]

we didnt ride claudia for the first 3 months then i rode her gentle hacking. I knew that she would tell me when she had had enough and just after xmas she didnt feel right out on a hack. She is normally very bouncy and forward going but i ended up getting off her 3/4 of the way round because she just felt like she couldnt be bothered. I just walked her out in hand after that. She foaled 1st june.

[PonyGirl]

Feather has been so much better to ride. I only ride every her other day now. I will ride her less and less as time gets close. She thinks she is the princess of the barn. (okay....she is) I don't want to work her hard and lose her or the foal.
Anne