Riding Safely: Through Pregnancy and Early Motherhood

Whether to continue riding and for how long while pregnant is very personal decision. Four riders share their stories on how they navigated pregnancy and their equestrian goals.

By Helen Townes

Pregnancy and parenthood are guaranteed to transform a woman’s life. For equestrians, whether they are amateur or professional, the changes can be monumental. Pregnancy brings on new concerns about safety, and whether it will be physically possible — and for how long — to continue riding. For many, the thought of giving up riding for several months is daunting, as it may impact emotional wellbeing, competitive status and even livelihood.

Whether to ride or not during your pregnancy is very much an individual decision, said Dr. Mark Hart, USEF Human and Equine Safety & Welfare Committee Chair.

“Riding during the first trimester is generally considered safe, as the uterus is well-protected within the pelvis,” he said. “There may be hormonal changes even early in the pregnancy, however, that can affect heart rate and breathing and even cause some ligament laxity.”

Riders should not start a new discipline or do anything more demanding than normal during pregnancy, Dr. Hart said. Groundwork eliminates the risk of a fall, but safety while grooming or doing ground exercises is still important.

“A kick to the abdomen or being knocked down if your horse spooks could pose a significant risk to the fetus,” Dr. Hart warned.

Grand Prix jumper Alison Robitaille of Middleburg, Va., who has represented the U.S. at the FEI World Equestrian Games and in many FEI Jumping Nations Cups, was competing at a very high level when she got pregnant with her first daughter, Ava, who is now 15.

“I had some trouble getting pregnant, so I was on fertility drugs. Because of that I was more focused on getting pregnant than on competing,” said Robitaille.

She competed throughout the first trimester, including in FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifiers, and continued doing flatwork at home until she was about five months pregnant.

“But then I thought, ‘Why am I even doing this?’ knowing that I’d be due about the same time as the World Finals,” Robitaille said. “It just didn’t feel that comfortable, so I stopped riding. I continued strength training to stay fit, and my training business was growing so I was busy teaching clients in the ring,” she added.

With her second pregnancy (younger daughter Zoe is now 13), Robitaille stopped riding even sooner.

“My belly was showing more quickly, and I just didn’t feel comfortable. I stopped competing before anyone knew I was pregnant,” she said.

Dressage rider Kasey Perry-Glass, who was on the bronze medal-winning U.S. team in 2016 at the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, always knew she wanted to be a mom but planned her pregnancy with husband, Dana Glass, around her Danish Warmblood gelding Goerklintgaard’s Dublet’s retirement.

“We got pregnant in just a couple of months, but I ended up having a miscarriage early on, and that took some time to process,” said Perry-Glass, who splits her time between Wellington, Fla., and Northern California. She became pregnant again a few months later but was surprised at how difficult the pregnancy was.

“I thought I would love it, honestly. I couldn’t wait. But then, even though I was so grateful to be pregnant, I did not enjoy it at all. I was insanely tired and completely unmotivated,” she said.

Perry-Glass rode through her seventh month of pregnancy, despite her discomfort, because she had a very reliable horse who she knew well, but then she decided to back off.

“I didn’t feel safe — I had a belly, and I just felt uneasy about it. Right around that time my blood pressure started to shoot up, and they were monitoring me for pre-eclampsia,” she explained. Perry-Glass’ daughter, Tru, was breech so she was born via caesarian section.

While the pregnancy and birth were hard, fortunately, “everything afterward has gone smoothly,” she said.

Stephanie Danhakl, an adult amateur hunter rider based outside of Boston, Mass., also struggled with her first pregnancy, as well as stepping away from competitive riding.

“In my 20s and early 30s, I was always more focused on training and competing than on having a family,” Danhakl said. “While I knew I would regret not having kids, it was hard to take time off from my horses.”

However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the show season slowed down, it seemed like the right time to start a family with husband, Peter.

“When I was pregnant with my son, I have to say I was very unhappy,” she said. “I didn’t like being pregnant at all, and I couldn’t wait to be back riding and competing. I had some health complications that required me to take a break from riding early on in the pregnancy. When I came back to ride again at four months pregnant, I felt my balance was compromised, so I stopped raiding.”

With her daughter, Lydia, who is now one, Danhakl rode throughout most of her pregnancy and competed at Devon when she was six months pregnant.

“I felt great during my second pregnancy. I rode and exercised almost every single day, so my balance was able to adjust to the changes happening to my body. I’ve been riding all my life, and I ride based on feel. I could always tell if my horse was too fresh, and I just wouldn’t ride that day,” she said.

"My balance was able to adjust to changes happening to my body." - Stephanie Danhakl

Grand Prix jumper Molly Ashe-Cawley and her rider/trainer husband, Chris Cawley, waited until she was in her late 30s to start a family. Her first pregnancy went smoothly, and she was able to ride throughout most of it.

“Taylor [her daughter, now 17] was so easy as far as riding while I was pregnant with her,” said Ashe-Cawley, who is based in Wellington, Fla., and also trains in Dover, Mass. “I showed in Europe all summer with her in my belly … I didn’t stop until my belly was hitting the pommel!” Her second pregnancy, with son Connor, now 15, was more difficult, however. “I didn’t feel as comfortable riding when I was pregnant with him, and I gained so much weight,” she said. “When you get pregnant, your body’s going to do what it’s going to do and there’s nothing you can really do about it.”

Returning to Riding

After giving birth, when to get back in the saddle differs greatly from mom to mom and is dependent on medical guidance. Women can generally expect to return to at least light riding within the first couple of weeks after natural childbirth, Dr. Hart said, while it’s recommended that those recovering from a caesarian birth generally should hold off for four to eight weeks before resuming their normal riding regimen.

Perry-Glass was back in the saddle eight weeks after Tru was born and was surprised at how good she felt.

“I was going to get on and just walk, trot, do a little bit. But then I was cantering around, and my body just felt so good! It was like muscle memory for me,” she recalled.

Perry-Glass returned to training clients and competing within a year of giving birth, and Tru has joined her at the barn since she was able to walk.

“She’s a barn girl, and she loves it. She comes with me to the barn in the morning and cleans buckets, and does little things like that,” Perry-Glass said.

Robitaille returned to riding after four weeks with her first pregnancy.

“The very first time I jumped a fence [after giving birth], I think I chipped and screamed a little, but it was funny more than anything,” she said.

Robitaille waited longer after her second child, partly because she had several young horses who weren’t ready for competition — and because she had her hands full with a 2-year-old toddler as well as a newborn baby.

“It took a while to get back in the groove,” she explained.

Danhakl rode in the Washington International Horse Show seven weeks after her daughter, Lydia, was born. With her son Miles, now 3, she took a little more time to come back to the saddle.

“I didn’t feel as good physically after having Miles. It took two to three months for me to feel myself again on a horse.”

Now she prioritizes bigger shows in the northeast that are closer to Massachusetts, and brings her children to Wellington, Fla., for six weeks in the winter so she can ride while also having quality family time.

Ashe-Cawley had planned caesarians for both of her children and was eager to get back in the saddle as soon as she recovered.

“I rode six days after I had Taylor, and seven days after I had Connor,” she said. “And I was back in the show ring within four weeks or so, although I didn’t start with the Grand Prix competitions right away,” she recalled. However, she urges women to listen to their bodies, both during pregnancy and afterwards.

“As a professional, the tendency is to keep going,” Ashe-Cawley said. “When I was pregnant with Taylor, I did everything I normally did, which was riding! But with Connor, I didn’t feel comfortable, and that was fine too. You have to trust your gut.”

Perry-Glass advises pregnant riders to “take your time in the baby stage."

"Looking back, I didn’t value it enough. It was hard balancing having a new baby and trying to be at the barn. I hope next time I can just relish it,” she said.

While mom-of-two Robitaille continues to compete internationally, she is realistic about the limits that pregnancy and parenthood place on competitive riders.

“I don’t want to discourage anyone, but it’s probably more than you think it’s going to be. With horse life, you have early mornings and late nights, and with kids on top of that,” she said. “The biggest advice I’d give to other riders who are pregnant is to do what feels right for you.”

Looking back, Danhakl said she wouldn’t change anything she did during her pregnancies with Miles and Lydia, but she might take a little more time off if she and Peter have a third child.

“The key is to always keep an open mind, and listen to yourself and your body,” she said.

“I tend to push myself too hard and feel like I have to always do the most. Now that I have two kids, I am realizing that it’s OK to take it a little easy sometimes. It’s OK to not ride at all during pregnancy. It’s your choice. When my friends ask me for advice about when they should stop riding during pregnancy, I tell them that there is no right or wrong. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to ride while they were pregnant if they felt scared. If you feel fearful and are trying to think of all the possible things that could go wrong, it’s no longer worth it or enjoyable at that point,” Danhakl stressed.

“It was hard balancing having a new baby and trying to be at the barn.”– Kasey Perry-Glass

Riding well into pregnancy and after is possible, even at the elite level. However, the decision of when to curtail riding during pregnancy, and when to restart after giving birth, is an individual choice that should be made with your obstetric practitioner.

“There are both benefits and risks to continuing to ride. First and foremost, it’s important to have close communication with your health provider throughout your pregnancy for their recommendations regarding your physical activities,” Dr. Hart said.

The FEI offers guidelines on riding while pregnant, which includes the following warning signs on when to stop.

The occurrence of any of these signs should be reported to your obstetrician.

• Excessive shortness of breath
• Chest pain or palpitations
• Fainting or dizziness
• Painful uterine contractions or preterm labor
• Leak of amniotic fluid
• Bleeding
• Excessive fatigue
• Abdominal pain
• Pelvic girdle pain
• Reduced fetal movement
• Breathlessness before exercise
• Headache
• Muscle weakness
• Calf pain or swelling

“My balance was able to adjust to the changes happening to my body.” – Stephanie Danhakl

What to expect when your mare is expecting

Monitoring a mare’s welfare during and after pregnancy is equally as important as that of her rider’s. Dr. Peyton Draheim, DVM, MS, DACT, an equine veterinarian at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., said that during the first four months of gestation, a pregnant mare can generally maintain her normal workload, including competing. However, in the first 30 days of pregnancy, it is crucial to avoid heat stress, as high heat and humidity have been linked to early embryonic loss before the heartbeat stage. Dr. Draheim advised that riders should avoid working a mare to the point of full sweating to minimize risk.

Aside from overheating, mares can continue the level of work they were comfortable with before breeding — including high-level disciplines — during the first few months of pregnancy, according to Dr. Draheim.

“If she was doing Grand Prix jumping up until breeding and she’s still at that level, she’s fine to maintain that for three to four months as long as it doesn’t overheat her,” she said. “It is actually beneficial to have mares undergo exercise throughout gestation.”

However, once the mare reaches the four to five-month mark, her exercise routine should transition to lighter work. Dr. Draheim advised riders to closely monitor the mare for signs of discomfort.

“If she’s getting fatigued earlier in the ride, if she’s not collecting as well, not bending as well — certain cues like that guide you to tailoring her specific program,” Dr. Draheim said.

For the final six weeks of pregnancy, however, Dr. Draheim recommends ceasing all riding and lunging. During this period, mares should still have turnout opportunities to move freely and maintain some level of physical activity without being pushed beyond their comfort zone.

Dr. Draheim outlines several red flags that riders should watch for while riding a pregnant mare. If a typically well-conditioned mare suddenly struggles with breathing, takes longer to recover after exercise, or shows unusual behavior such as refusing jumps or reacting negatively to bending exercises, these could be signs of discomfort or underlying issues.

“Also, while you’re doing groundwork, see if she’s carrying herself differently, especially as the pregnancy progresses and she starts gaining the weight, because that alters her natural way of carrying of herself and her natural balance,” Dr. Draheim said.

“The other thing to keep in mind later into gestation, is her abdomen shape,” she continued.

As her abdomen shape changes, it is important to make sure her tack fits properly and watch for signs of pinching or pressure points. Dr. Draheim also advised against using spurs on pregnant mares and cautioned against making unnecessary tack adjustments unless the mare shows signs of discomfort.

If a mare displays signs of discomfort or a sudden change in temperament at any point in pregnancy, Dr. Draheim stressed the importance of contacting a veterinarian. Certain pregnancy-related conditions, such as a sudden increase in fluid volume within the placenta (hydrops), can cause symptoms like colic, reluctance to move, and difficulty breathing. Since these conditions can develop quickly, it is essential to monitor the mare’s behavior both in the field and under saddle. Any unusual signs, such as standing still for prolonged periods, reduced social interaction, or symptoms of colic or fever, should prompt a veterinary visit to ensure the health of both the mare and the foal.

After the foal is born, Dr. Draheim said that it is possible to begin light work with the mare before the foal is weaned, depending on the barn’s setup.

“You can start working her sooner than weaning with the foal still on her side. The thing to keep in mind is that you don’t stress out mom or baby,” she said.

If the facility has an enclosed indoor arena, the foal can be brought along to observe while the mare is exercised. Dr. Draheim recommended starting this process about a month after birth, allowing time for the mare to bond with her foal and establish her milk supply. It is important to acclimate the foal to the arena environment before resuming the mare’s training under saddle to minimize stress, and be sure to remove any objects such as mounting blocks, lunge whips, etc.

For those who wait until the foal is weaned before the mare returns to work, weaning typically occurs around five to six months postpartum. Dr. Draheim noted that resuming work at this point can be beneficial for the mare, giving her a new focus and aiding in her transition out of motherhood. Riders should begin with conditioning exercises and groundwork to gradually build the mare’s fitness before returning to more intense training.

“She won’t snap right back into it. Some mares are faster than others, of course, but start with some groundwork, lunging and good conditioning work before asking her to really get back into a true training program,” said Dr. Draheim, who likened the process to rehabilitating a horse after stall rest, emphasizing the need for a gradual approach.

Dr. Draheim also highlighted the importance of monitoring the mare’s musculoskeletal health and hoof care as she returns to work. Pregnancy and nursing can cause changes in the mare’s body, and her feet may require different shoeing than before.

“Remember to readdress her feet as you get ready to start putting her back into work,” Dr. Draheim said.

Riders should ensure that the mare is moving comfortably and using her body correctly, paying close attention to any signs of lameness or discomfort. Ultimately, Dr. Draheim advised riders to listen to their mares, as they will often indicate when they are ready to resume work or if they need more time to recover. By taking a mindful and gradual approach to exercise during and after pregnancy, riders can help ensure the long-term health and well-being of their mare and foal.