Am I too heavy for my horse?

I'll make it easier
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PaddyMonty said:
OP - it's not so muc the height of the horse you should focus on, rather the build.
These pics are all of me but very different horses.
What height would you put each at? (I'm 5'10")
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Ooops forgot last one
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Ok...in for a penny, in for a pound...

No 1...15h
No 2....16.2
No 3...15.2
No 4...16.3
No 5...16.2
No 6...16 h
No 7...16 h
No 8... ? Jumping so can't tell
No 9...16 h
No 10... 17 h
No 11...17.2
No 12...16.3
 
cobgoblin said:
Ok...in for a penny, in for a pound...

No 1...15h
No 2....16.2
No 3...15.2
No 4...16.3
No 5...16.2
No 6...16 h
No 7...16 h
No 8... ? Jumping so can't tell
No 9...16 h
No 10... 17 h
No 11...17.2
No 12...16.3
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Not Bad.
No 3 is way out as is No 6
Couple of others are a hand out.
10 and 11 are same horse but in 11 he is muscled up.

Number 3 just scrapes up to 14.1 and 10/11 is 17.3
 
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[deleted user] said:
I agree, the fetlock thing is ridiculous! Look at any video of any horse jumping and the fetlocks bend a lot.
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If you want to buy a horse whose ergot is touching the floor in front of the fence, not even on the landing foot after a fence, you go ahead. I wouldn't touch a horse with such lax fetlock ligaments with a bargepole if I wanted to hunt it, which the OP does.

Can I ask how many horses you have owned and jumped and how many decades you've been involved with horses? If you want to call my opinion ridiculous, it would be nice to know how much experience you've got to base that decision on?

I have no problem with you disagreeing with me, as FW has, but there is no need to be rude about it, is there?
 
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PaddyMonty said:
Not Bad.
No 3 is way out as is No 6
Couple of others are a hand out.
10 and 11 are same horse but in 11 he is muscled
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LOL...devious putting the same horse up twice when one photo doesn't show the face!
No 3 ?....well I reckoned you'd have a lower limit....was wrong there!
 
cobgoblin said:
LOL...devious putting the same horse up twice when one photo doesn't show the face!
No 3 ?....well I reckoned you'd have a lower limit....was wrong there!
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Kinda made my point though that the horse looked bigger just because it was muscled.
The little chestnut was my OH advanced dressage horse (she's 5 foot) during one of the play sessions she had just to keep horse happy.
As I suspected the chunky horses seemed bigger. No 9 barly makes 15hh
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14.1
16.0
16.1
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17.0
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17.3
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only_me said:
Depends on bone.
You're not heavy, muscle weighs more than fat and you sound mich fitter than a lot of riders :p

I think part of the problem with the picture is that there she doesn't have a big shoulder neck so there isn't a lot in front of you. Personally i hate that so tend to choose a horse with good shoulder/neck in front.
The saddle seems very far forward though, which also makes her look small.

How tall are you?
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It doesn't matter if it feathers or lead it is still 12 1/2 stone plus tack
 
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If we are going to be pedantic about density I think people should at least get their mass versus weight definitions right :p

P+M I can't believe you aren't wearing a hat! ;)
 
Much too big OP - I am a stone lighter than you and I wouldn't buy a horse that size/build. Disclaimer: YOU aren't big at all, just not a good horse/rider match!
 
This one is 15.3hh (on his tippytoes). He is also Welsh x TB, but more of a middleweight build. I would perhaps think something his size might suit you better. Personally I prefer a bit more horse in front, don't whip around as quick!!
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Weirdo post alert :p PaddyMonty you do ride nicely, some lovely pics there! OP you have a fabulous smile - but I do think the horse is a little small for you and I would probably be looking for something slightly bigger? Buddylove - he is gorgeous :)

I'm not a weirdo really I promise.... :)
 
ycbm said:
If you want to buy a horse whose ergot is touching the floor in front of the fence, not even on the landing foot after a fence, you go ahead. I wouldn't touch a horse with such lax fetlock ligaments with a bargepole if I wanted to hunt it, which the OP does.

Can I ask how many horses you have owned and jumped and how many decades you've been involved with horses? If you want to call my opinion ridiculous, it would be nice to know how much experience you've got to base that decision on?

I have no problem with you disagreeing with me, as FW has, but there is no need to be rude about it, is there?
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Haha!!! Calm down!!

Well, I first rode at the Olympics in 1988. I was master of the local hunt at age 5. Last year I rode in the Grand National and 5 of my horses (I have 27) have won at HOYS.
 
It's hard to tell from the photos tbh, but I think you look fine in the videos. Is there someone experienced, perhaps your instructor, that could see you and the horse in real life and give you an honest opinion rather than people on a forum?
 
The pictures are hard to judge, but as previous posters have said, she has very little shoulder in front of the saddle. It doesn't help that in the video, you are riding with very long stirrups for jumping. I would say regardless of weight, that you are quite tall on her - she has quite a slight build and your conformation (with quite a long upper body) makes her look smaller than she actually is. It's more an issue of aesthetics, to be honest - a horse that is either sturdier, or taller, with a better front end conformation - would look better.
 
[deleted user] said:
Well, I first rode at the Olympics in 1988. I was master of the local hunt at age 5. Last year I rode in the Grand National and 5 of my horses (I have 27) have won at HOYS.
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Now that's a smackdown. Thanks for my evening chuckle!

FWIW I think OP looks fine, fromt he jumping vids. I'm perhaps biased but I'm about the same weight and most male riders are surely our weight too. I think flexing fetlocks are totally normal. At this rate, Exmoors, Dales, Icelandics etc. can all pack up and go home, lads! Doomed!
 
buddylove said:
This one is 15.3hh (on his tippytoes). He is also Welsh x TB, but more of a middleweight build. I would perhaps think something his size might suit you better. Personally I prefer a bit more horse in front, don't whip around as quick!!
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this is good for a comparison! Owner clearly not as good a photographer however...

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A good comparision - if you look at buddylove's picture, you can see how much front her horse has - the rider would be sitting in the middle of the horse - he has a fabulous shoulder and a really good length of neck. Your photos show exactly my point - that the mare has a small shoulder and a weak front, so not a good length of rein, and not a lot of horse in front of you. She appears to be a similar build to buddylove's but in fact is just carrying more condition (particularly in the grazing photo) so in fact is much lighter framed - she has a smaller skeleton. Given her conformation and your height, I would say that you are underhorsed - you are too tall for her (regardless of your weight)

In this picture, I am 5'7 and the mare is 14.2hh - I am definitely underhorsed! She is TB x Connemara/Welsh

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She got the welsh middle and arse but not the shoulder or bone. I wouldn't buy her on the basis of how she is put together as welsh body on TB legs is likely to become an issue at some point anyway more than you being too big on her (as a 5'5 not currently skinny owner of a 14.2 welshie :p). I would also say that I was fairly skinny when he was bought 11 years ago, I wouldn't buy him now with me as I currently am.
 
I think you should go for a horse that you can enjoy riding without any niggling doubts that you may be asking too much of it .
Owning a new horse brings enough worries at times.
It may also hold you back from trying new and exciting things!
 
There are plenty of horses around that would carry you comfortably-why buy one you are doubtful about? ( Yes I think you would be too much for her to carry hunting or jumping although a light hack would be ok)
 
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