|
|
Discussion on How soon can I ride a mare after birth?
|
| Author |
Message |
New Member:
cndlscen
|
Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 11:27 am:
Hello! My mare had a foal almost 4 weeks ago now. This is my first time, and it was an unexpected birth (we didn't know she was pregnant when we bought her), so I wasn't really prepared. I have had lots of questions to lots of people, but I keep getting different answers on this one. How soon can I ride my mare again? I have been told that if I ride too soon that it can cause her to dry up. Does anyone have any advice on this one? Thanks!! Terri
|
Member:
mrose
|
Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 12:03 pm:
Where are you planning to ride and how hard? You shouldn't take her away from her foal yet, imo, but a gentle ride around the pasture, for instance, would be good for her and the foal could tag along. I wouldn't go out on any trails yet as the foal is to young to pony and too young to leave alone.
|
New Member:
cndlscen
|
Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 12:46 pm:
It would just be a nice, easy ride in the pasture. I would be afraid the take the foal out anywhere yet. And I don't think she would be a whole lot of fun to ride if I left the foal behind anyway, so I wouldn't take her without him for sure. She still doesn't let him get too far out of eyesight.  This is her first time too! Thank you for the advice! I miss riding!
|
Member:
dres
|
Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 2:23 pm:
Terri, i have always ridden my broodmares after foaling.. usually around the 4-6th week.. I have a set up that i can leave the foal in a large paddock right next to my arena.. so after the mare and foal get used to the idea of mom being ridden, i leave the foal in the paddock with some extra goodies to munch on.. they can still see one another..
Remember tho.. her primary job is being a mother.. so don't over tax her ...
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
|
Member:
cndlscen
|
Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 4:02 pm:
I have a paddock area attached to my pasture as well. I will consider that after they get used to me riding her. And I won't over do it with her, I just want a nice slow easy ride with her! Thanks for the advice, I may try riding a bit this weekend if the weather permits me to!
|
Member:
morg1
|
Posted on Friday, Jun 1, 2007 - 9:13 am:
My first mare was broke to ride and I bought her with a one week old foal. I didn't really know any better, so I gave her a week to get used to the place and started riding her, but only in the pasture (which was pretty big). I took it slow and easy and kept it to 20-30 minutes at first (mostly because she hadn't been ridden for 2 years). By the end of the summer I had taken her on numerous trail rides some with the foal some with the foal at home. Once the foal was out of site and hearing she could have cared less where he was he was about 3 months old by this time, but I made sure that he was in a safe place with another horse nearby for company. I'm not saying I did the best thing because I really didn't know any better and will probably never ride a mare with a foal that much again, but it didn't hurt either of them and got the foal used to so much. We were then able pony him everywhere we rode as a 2 year old, so he could care less what we came across when he was finally broke to ride.
|
Member:
ilona
|
Posted on Thursday, Jun 7, 2007 - 12:49 am:
I suspect its like people, different horses respond differently. There is no-way I could ride my mare now. My foal is 4 months old and I am STILL the only one the mare lets near her foal. She is extremely protective and vigilant and if I tried to constrain her to bridle and saddle her I believe I would loose her trust and then even I would not have access to her foal. As it is, she watches me like a hawk as I handle the foal, which I do at least 3 times a day, and if another person comes to the corral fence she immediately runs interference, herding the foal away. The foal, by the way, becomes very annoyed with Mom and finds all sorts of ways to find her way back to me.
|
Member:
hiddenhe
|
Posted on Sunday, Aug 8, 2010 - 4:29 pm:
How soon can one start riding a mare after weaning? The filly was weaned at 4 mo old. Mare and filly seemed relaxed after 24 hours. They both have good friends with them and can see each other periodically. Mare is a 6 year old Clydesdale and was in moderate work about 6 months into her pregnancy. She was field hunting once a week and being ridden for fitness two more times a week. When can I start putting her in light work and when can I start ramping her up to field hunting ? Filly was huge and healthy at birth and still is. Both mare and filly seem healthy. Mare is out of fitness. Thank you.
|
Member:
morg1
|
Posted on Sunday, Aug 8, 2010 - 5:03 pm:
I think that you can ride her as soon as her bag has reduced to a more comfortable level. Probably a few days or a week. Just make sure that the foal isn't too upset to have mom go out of her sight.
|
|
|
