15 Miles on Saturday

I've still been trail riding with Arabee, and on Saturday we met up with Jacke at Versailles State Park to ride A loop twice, totaling 15 miles of trail. It was a great time.

I've been having tremendous amounts of fun riding. It's been SO BENEFICIAL. I have noticed increased balance, stamina, strength, greater toning in the core muscles, sexier legs, increased confidence, and greater happiness.

All that said, riding a horse is a risky thing. So is driving your car on New Year's Eve. I found this article talking about the risk/benefits of continuing horseback riding through pregnancy. It seems to leave a lot of questions, not giving any real conclusion.

Do the benefits of continuing riding while pregnant outweigh the risk to the baby in case of a fall??

That's something we'll try to decide at the doctor today. I'm going in for the first ultrasound, and I hope we'll get to talk to one of the doctors. I really value this new life God has begun, and I do not want to put it at undue risk. The benefits I've listed above I've found through riding are strong reasons to continue, but I will not hesitate to stop if I learn how risky a fall truly is.

Matt and I have been discussing it at length ever since we learned I was pregnant. He is truly supportive of me riding at this point.

It is not the riding itself that is the trouble. The problem with riding a horse while pregnant is the risk of falling off. Horses are animals, and as such are unpredictable. You never know when a deer will leap out of the woods and spook your horse, or if they will slip and fall in the mud. Accidents happen and spooks occur with even the most steady animal.

All that said, since I have begun riding her out on the trails, Arabee has proven to be an excellent trail riding mount. She is confident in her surroundings, very willing to listen to my cues, and has shown herself to have excellent footing. When it comes to safe horses, she is. She is very very well behaved and knows what the word "Whoa" means. I also am a very safe rider. I do not take hardly any risks. I am sure that the conditions are near perfect before I ask for things of my horse, I want to set us up to succeed.

We'll see what the doctor says. What I need to find out this afternoon is what could actually happen at 8-16 weeks of pregnancy (I'd definitely stop riding by Mother's Day, probably earlier) if I would happen to fall off. I'm guessing that the risk to the baby from falling (from anything, even slipping while walking on ice) would be greater at 30 + weeks than at 8-16 weeks. However, like I said before, protecting this new life within is much more important than any horseback riding goals or fun I may be having. I am praying for heavenly guidance and the best judgement in this scenario.