Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Riding pregnant mare

From: Mark Sobania

Jessica,

I have an eight year old Quarter Horse mare I am getting bred in June. How much and how long into her pregnancy can she be safely ridden.

Thanks for your column and the information.

MJSobania

Hi Mark! Your vet will be able to give you the best advice about your particular mare, but generally speaking, you should be able to ride her for the first eight months or so of her pregnancy. The foal will do most of its growing in the last three months, especially during that final month.

As a rule of thumb -- again, talk to your vet about this! -- you should be able to continue your usual riding program, whatever that may be, until your mare is five or six months along. At that point, if you usually jump your mare, it will be time to stop jumping until after the foal is born -- and weaned. But you can certainly go on riding, as long as you are sensible -- just don't start teaching her any new sport, and don't work her too hard. ;-)

After nine months, she will begin to get larger and less comfortable, and it will be hard for her spine to handle the weight of the growing baby hanging underneath it, plus the weight of a rider sitting on top of it. Light hacking at a walk and jog is probably as much as you would want to do during the ninth month, but as long as the mare is comfortable and your vet agrees, there's no reason NOT to ride her then. For the last two months, let her exercise herself in her field.

If she's quite fit NOW, you shouldn't have any problem riding her during most of her pregnancy. If she is unfit, it would be a good idea to start a low-key, moderate exercise program to make her more fit -- but once she is moderately fit, don't push the program to try to make her EXTREMELY fit. Talk to your vet and get his advice about her current fitness level. At the same time, you can find out exactly what you need to feed her at the various stages of her pregnancy, and when she should get her shots, and which de-worming products you should use, and when (timing is very important toward the end of gestation). He'll be glad to help you out with good advice -- vets LOVE to answer questions from horse-owners who actually ask for advice AND THEN FOLLOW IT. ;-)

Best of luck, and congratulations on breeding at such a sensible, natural time of year. She'll probably take on the first cover -- and the baby will be born at the best possible time next year, when there is spring grass. ;-)

Jessica

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