A question of weight - no offence intended

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Ziggy_

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So I had a potential loaner come to try my horse last night. She was nice and amenable, with a fair bit of riding experience. She rode nicely too, with really nice quiet hands and really liked the horse.

I had just one hang up - the lady weighed about 15 stone. She rode 'light' but had a bit of trouble getting into the saddle in the first place. The horse is 16.2hh, half TB with about 8 inches of bone, and is fit and healthy. She went nicely for the lady but grunted when she scrambled up into the saddle. (yard doesn't have a mounting block which is why I mention this - I use a jump block which is a bit precarious!)

This post isn't intended to offend anybody so I apologise in advance but I need blunt honest opinions - will she be ok to ride my horse on a regular basis?
 
not sure on the if she willl be ok to ride him question but if she does I would definitely invest in a mounting block you can get them quite cheaply of if you know someone who can/will do it you can get one made.
 
Yes, should probabaly will, assuming she's a balanced rider and your horses saddle fits and is big enough. A 16.2hh soild TB cross is a pretty big horse.

However, I would not be happy with her hauling herself into the saddle regularly, esp if your mare made a comment on it. You could maybe buy a mounting block or have one made?

I had this problem when I advertised my 15.3 standardbred for share. I had one lovely lady come to try him but at 15st+ she was just far too heavy
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I hadn't asked her weight over the phone but when she arrrived it was clear she was going to be too heavy: it was hard to tell her she couldn't ride him because of her weight. I'd had 13st friends on him and he didn't like it as he wasn't a good weight carrier.
 
So long as she rides well i'd think she'd be ok. My 16.1 middleweight used to be ridden by a 15 stone lady who was only a beginner so not very balanced at all! But he managed her fine. So long as the horse looks like she can carry her fine then it shouldn't be an issue. I would definately try and find her a mounting block if she comes again though!
 
OK the mounting block is definitely something I will get sorted - but the saddle is only 17" as I can't ride in anything bigger.

Any other comments?
 
Personally I wouldn't want someone of 15 stone regularly riding my horse but then I know I'm a bit precious about these things. My feeling is that Daisy is a horse for life and I'd like to be still riding her well into her twenties. You can never be sure about these things but I reckon that the best way to aim for this is to minimise the stresses and strains that I put on her body.

In terms of mounting blocks I'd buy a 5 breeze blocks and stack them up, works well for me
 
Hum, 15st in a 17" saddle is quite a bit of weight concentrated. You don't have a bigger saddle that fits the horses? I'd would ideally use an 18" saddle.
 
Sounds fine to me, you say she rode nicely. I would invest/get her to invest in a mounting block, or use a jump block.
 
As has been said above, if she is well balanced and rides lightly she is probably fine.

I am surprised she fits into a 17 inch saddle (I don't and I'm not as heavy as that). Perhaps make it a condition of the loan that she gets a larger saddle of her own properly fitted?

All depends on your horse really - if she is fairly strong in her back she will be fine. She will tell you if she is unhappy (watch out for tension in her work).

Good point about the mounting block - they aren't very expensive.
 
Given the proportions and sizing of horse and rider i would say it would be fine, i always think a mounting block is best, no matter what the weight of rider and height of horse, just to save the horses back, sometimes you cant do it and i appreciate that, i mount from the ground sometimes if i have to out hacking(but i will try find a raised bit of ground or a natural/man-made step ) but i much much prefer a mounting block if there is one there to use

i understand your thoughts/concerns on the matter, i would have a weight limit for riders of my horse, i prefer lighter riders now she is older, years ago i would have allowed heavier riders, but not now, she is very precious to me and one can get very protective of their horsey's
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I akways use a mounting block.
If she rode well and likes the horse can't see a problem.
If money is an issue suggest she purchases a larger saddle as agree 15 stone bum in 17" saddle sounds abit tight.
 
As most people have said, if she is well balanced then there should be no problem. An 8 stone beginner that sits like a sack of spuds can do more damage than a 15 stone balanced rider that holds her weight through her torso and diaphragm, also a large percentage of male riders, especially hunters would weigh around this sort of weight too.
 
You didn't say how tall this lady was!!

I take it it wasn't just her weight that gave her trouble getting on board???

My mare is about the same size as yours and I always mount from a block but I also always atke her for a walk, tacked up, to warm her muscles before I get on and I insist that anyone else who rides her does the same.

If this lady rides nicely then I don't see a problem.
 
personally i wouldn't but mine is full tb and a bit fine. even if it is chunkier, i think it is a bit of a risk really. i appreciate that she is a nice balanced rider and rides light etc, however, 15 stones is 15 stones. as for the saddle, you would have to make sure that the horse could take it. then what if her weight creeps up? what weight do you think your horse could handle.
if it looks like the lady is getting heavier or the horse is struggling, it would be an awkward conversation to have.
like dwi says i want to be riding my horse for a long time so i keep my weight down, so not to put any extra strain on.
 
Agree with the weight being ok, if the saddle fits the rider. I ride my mare in a 16 1/2 inch saddle as any longer is too long for the mares back.
 
I wouldn't let anyone mount my 16/2 from the ground.... Or my smaller one for that matter....

I suppose you could see how she gets on with a mounting block, and how the horse reacts then.

Interestingly
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when I asked here about my 16.2's weight carrying ability, then people all said 15 stone max - and she is *far* more solid than yours by the sound of it...

BTW - do you know this woman's weight for sure, or are you guessing?
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she might be 15 stone but without an ample bottom?
1 of my neighbours is around that weight, but she still has quite thin legs and an average sized bum. she's really top heavy.
TBH i'd like to see a picture of the horse before i could really give an opinion.
we have a 16.2 hh TB x who has plenty bone, and i'd feel 15 stone would be too much for him, but he is 16 years old, and is lacking top line on his back. he's also really long in the back, so wouldn't be as strong compared to a shorter backed horse.
as others have said 15 stone is still 15 stone, the fact she's a light rider will only mean she won't be feeling like anymore than 15 stone to the horse.
i was looking for riding lessons a few years ago and most of the riding schools around here won't take anyone over 13 stone. and they have weight carrying horses.
i was about 13 stone at that point so i booked a lesson and the lady advised me not to over do the eating until after my lesson the next week
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i decided not to ride there after all
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Umm I have a chunky (Irish) full TB. He is probably about 16.1. I have an ample bottom (all the better for landing on!) and probably weigh close to 15 stone. (given up on scales!) He is fit, healthy has a saddle made for him and has no back problems. (checked regularly) He is only in light work (hacking and light competitions) and I have been told I ride light. I feel he carries me well and that I am not too heavy for him, he is 17. Oh and I am 5 9'.
X
 
My mare is a 16hh TB x Criollo, ex polo pony. I would say she's a middle weight. When she was fully fit and muscled, she easily carried me at 16stone, in a 17.5 inch saddle (flat work only though). I wouldn't want any more than that on her, and as she's got older, I've stopped riding her (partly because I don't feel she's up to my weight, and partly due to arthritis from her polo days - she is 26, so I don't feel bad about retiring her).

I would be more concerned about the mounting issue to be honest - even in my lighter days, I used a mounting block for anything over 14hh. Much better for horseys back.

Someone posted a while back saying that an average horse should be able to carry approx 20% of its body weight (lower if bad conformation or unfit, higher if well built and muscled up). For my horse at approx 550kg, that's around 17st (to include rider and saddle).
 
She wouldn't be riding my horse I'm afraid.

Two reasons -

1. Too heavy
2. Will she stay on if the horse has a whoopsie??? Probably not.
 
"She wouldn't be riding my horse I'm afraid.

Two reasons -

1. Too heavy
2. Will she stay on if the horse has a whoopsie??? Probably not. "


Does being heavier automatically make her a [****] rider then? Just curious...
 
No, not at all. But there is most definately a balance issue for the bigger rider. And they can become unseated very easily on the sharper horse.
 
Hmmm, have to give my point of view here as a heavier rider. I gained quite a bit of weight a few years ago as I had pneumonia which nearly killed me and then became depressed as a result:

1) A 17 inch seat will suffice if the horse can take no longer. George was in a saddle too long for his back after a master saddler decided that dispersing my weight was more important than making sure the saddle did not cause pain to his lumbar region. A new saddler, who has been a master saddler for 40 years, measured G up and told me his opinion. Then he gave me several saddles of 17" to try explaining that it was the way the horse went that would tell me who was right, and the one I bought bore no difference to me than my 18" bates really. Having said that, as the weight falls off (yes, I am losing weight), it will become more comfy, but so would the Bates have done. George goes much much better in the saddle that is the right length for his back.

2) I have a very good seat. This may be because I am so heavy that no horse can unseat me lol. I have owned George 6 years and come off 4 times, never on a hack, despite the fact he was a very, let's say exciting ride to begin with. I've been riding a 17.2hh warmblood who is mega spooky and as can be imagined, when he spins, it's a bit different to a 15.1hh cob spinning! Weight and fitness/agility are two separate issues. A larger person CAN be fit and more than capable of handling a spritely horse. I would not put a fat, unfit rider on a horse, but would have no problems putting a fat, fit person on there. Similarly, I would not put a thin, unfit person on a horse that was known to be a bit spritely. This is all to do with the ability of the horse to carry the weight, not the rider's ability to stay in the saddle. Any rider, as these boards will show, can be unseated by any horse unexpectedly. Them's the risks you take with riding.

3) A 15 stone person does not look like this:
http://argville.com/images/funny-pictures/fat-under-dress.jpg
It depends on height and build of the person. A 15 stone person can look like this:
http://www.rediscoverni.com/michael_black_rugby_player.jpg
or this:
http://bigrikcouk.brinkster.net/images/other_192.jpg
or this:
http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2007/02/mccreaddiePA_175x125.jpg
We are all different shapes and sizes, and that includes people of the same weight. A short 15 stone person is likely to have a bigger ass than someone who is my height - about 5'10" - and 15 stone.

Here *I* am at EIGHTEEN stone:

scan0001.jpg


Apparently, so is this person:
http://www.teesbally.co.uk/images/ingleboy-pic.jpg

I guess what I am saying is that you can't look at a person and know what weight they are; and you can't know the weight of a person and assume they will look a certain way and not fit a saddle.

Saying ALL of that, I am always very realistic abotu the weight carrying abilities of a horse. As such, I would not ride a fine TB; I ride weight carrying horses who are fit and well, with correct fitting tack. I ride well and I am balanced and agile in the saddle.

I'm still not happy with my weight, hence I am losing weight quite quickly.

You know the weight-carrying ability of your horse. George has 9 inches of bone, is short backed and fit. He carries me easily, but I do get his back checked. If you feel uneasy then just say that you have changed your mind about loaning her or something.
 
I ride a 16.2hh WB of medium build and a 16.3hh WB of a slightly lighter build. I weigh well in excess of 15st...as do many male riders...and my horses are both fine with me and my weight and my style of riding. In fact they both happily jump up to around 5ft without the slightest feeling of struggling and both horses (touch wood) have remained fit and well for the years we've been together. They can both be sharp horses and I don't believe I have any more likelihood of being 'ditched' by them than any other rider...regardless of size or weight.

Does this horse look unhappy to anyone ?

264-7-0012.jpg


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I'm a weedy person myself
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, but I would personally prefer to see a 15 stonne rider on my horse, with good hands and balance.
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Than someone light and skinny, who pulls on her mouth or bumps up and down on the saddle.
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re weight
a rider should weigh no more than 1/6 the weight of the horse. or you can measure it as the total the horse carries, ie rider, boots, hat, saddle etc should be no more than 20% of the horses weight.[ this works out at the same thing] End of story.
I for one am sick of seeing large people riding horses who are too light for them, especially fat women on arabs,seen then at endurance events and hunting. Yes the horse can [just about in most cases]manage, but so can I ,strugging across the yard with a bale of hay. Doesnt make it right and importantly it causes LONG TERM DAMAGE to the animal. there are rules regarding weight carrying at work re health and safetly, its about time the 20% [1/6] rule was enforced by law for horses too. And if anyone else tells me arabs can cope coz they are weight carriers I'll scream.
end of Rant.
 
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