Re: RC: Fw: Riding Pregnant Mares

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

Joan and Janet--

Pregnancy is not an illness!  It is a natural state.  Mares turned out to 
pasture are more often than not VERY active until they become quite 
heavy--bucking, kicking, sprinting, twisting, turning, etc.  I have 
personally endurance ridden pregnant mares, including one up to almost 8 
months, and have found that they have healthy deliveries, healthy foals, and 
breed back easily.  They WILL tell you when something becomes 
uncomfortable--the first thing that I noticed with the one who was near 8 
months was the beginning of some reluctance to go downhill, which makes 
perfect sense when one considers that the weight of the uterus and fetus 
would be pushing the abdominal contents forward against the diaphragm in that 
position.

Don't push your mare to do anything new, but I would certainly not alter her 
routine appreciably at this point in her pregnancy.  If she is used to 
10-mile rides that include short gallops, there is certainly nothing about 
being pregnant that would preclude her from continuing to do so until she 
becomes awkward enough to be reluctant.  Just play it by ear, and listen to 
any clues she may give you.

Heidi


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