Am I too heavy

Antw23uk said:
Really? I see fat people riding unsuitable horses and ponies all the time. I cant bear it!
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You're not alone in noticing this, especially amongst those who ride cobs (says the cob owner :D ). I'm a member of lots of cob groups on Facebook, and every time someone asks to see a certain height rider on a certain height horse, I'm appalled by the number of morbidly obese individuals who think it's fine to get on their mounts, despite the fact that they're spilling out of the saddle and putting pressure in all of the wrong places. Just because a horse can carry you, doesn't mean it should!

I'm not including you in this, OP, as the fact you're asking at all suggests you're probably sensible enough to recognise whether a horse can or can't manage your weight.
 
I love these threads :D

Allows the fat bashers out

OP sounds fine to me, wish you ever success with your horse. :) However if you are concerned check with your vet.

I’m a fat rider , I’m probably one of those who oozes all over my saddle, my poor horses. They must be sobbing in to their hay.
However fat doesn’t alway mean too heavy, although it might be hard to visualise if you have a problem with those you deem obese. For example I’m only 5ft high ( yes I know I bought a Clydesdale, what was I thinking) so at my current weight I am lighter then the average male weight quoted on this thread. However look at me and I am plainly fat, obese even. So the point I’m making is, that it is often not possible to look at riders and truly judge , by looks alone ,if they are too heavy for their mount. I think it’s wrong for people to do so and then state their opinions as fact. I agree there is a point when even I see stuff I do not agree with, however how can I truly tell from a photo alone. When in doubt I would consult a professional. :)
 
Well thanks everyone. I didnt want to get into a long debate. Personally I was surprised when the seller said I might be too heavy but going to look at the horse tomorrow and will decide after I have ridden it. I intend to do groundwork, hacking and a bit of dressage so I think the workload shouldn't be too much for a horse that age. As to weight my daughter who is 30 years younger than me and the same height and weight has no issues competing her irish sports horse who is just 15h, medium build and quite happy with her rider.
 
Tiddlypom said:
I wonder if the horse has issues of some sort if the owner thinks you may be too heavy at 11.5 stone. Dodgy conformation, bucks, cold backed or some such. Best proceed carefully, OP.

You should be fine on a normal healthy horse of that type.
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Agree, but I also agree with other posters about being too tall or feeling too large. Plenty of people are happy on shorter horses or ponies, but that doesn't mean it's universally comfortable- I'm 5'8" and feel too tall / large on anything under about 16hh, and more comfortable on about 16.2hh. You won't know until you're on board. Good luck with the viewing!
 
Sukistokes2 said:
I love these threads :D

Allows the fat bashers out

OP sounds fine to me, wish you ever success with your horse. :) However if you are concerned check with your vet.

I’m a fat rider , I’m probably one of those who oozes all over my saddle, my poor horses. They must be sobbing in to their hay.
However fat doesn’t alway mean too heavy, although it might be hard to visualise if you have a problem with those you deem obese. For example I’m only 5ft high ( yes I know I bought a Clydesdale, what was I thinking) so at my current weight I am lighter then the average male weight quoted on this thread. However look at me and I am plainly fat, obese even. So the point I’m making is, that it is often not possible to look at riders and truly judge , by looks alone ,if they are too heavy for their mount. I think it’s wrong for people to do so and then state their opinions as fact. I agree there is a point when even I see stuff I do not agree with, however how can I truly tell from a photo alone. When in doubt I would consult a professional. :)
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And on the converse of this- at 20% body fat (measured by the doctor, and is low) I weigh well on the other side of the male figure here! People never believe me when I tell them how much I weigh! I am 5'7 and size 12, sometimes a 14. I have been offered rides of small horses and had to decline due to the fact I think I am far too heavy, I won't give you the exact number as I would probably get berated for riding at all! It has taken me a lot to be comfortable with my body and the fact I am just heavier and theres nothing I can do without eating air! and the last time I weighed the "average female weight" I was 14!
 
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Sukistokes2 said:
I love these threads :D

Allows the fat bashers out

OP sounds fine to me, wish you ever success with your horse. :) However if you are concerned check with your vet.

I’m a fat rider , I’m probably one of those who oozes all over my saddle, my poor horses. They must be sobbing in to their hay.
However fat doesn’t alway mean too heavy, although it might be hard to visualise if you have a problem with those you deem obese. For example I’m only 5ft high ( yes I know I bought a Clydesdale, what was I thinking) so at my current weight I am lighter then the average male weight quoted on this thread. However look at me and I am plainly fat, obese even. So the point I’m making is, that it is often not possible to look at riders and truly judge , by looks alone ,if they are too heavy for their mount. I think it’s wrong for people to do so and then state their opinions as fact. I agree there is a point when even I see stuff I do not agree with, however how can I truly tell from a photo alone. When in doubt I would consult a professional. :)
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Dont you even want to be fitter and leaner? Stronger and in shape for not only your own health but also to get the best out of your horse and riding experience? At 5ft with a light build you could have your pick of most types of horses and ponies (lucky you, I rarely ride anything under 16h as it doesn't feel right and im 5'8) but instead it seems you have brought an over sized Clydesdale so you haven't had to do anything about your weight (Im just guessing of course)

I dont care who argues about fat/ overweight people riding and it being 'acceptable'. If your body is covered in excess fat you arent carrying the muscle and strength and if you aren't bodily strong you arent properly balanced on top of a horse. Im not saying we should all be stick thin skinnies but shouldnt we at least strive to be as fit as we can for the sake of our horses and our own health? After all we expect them to be fit and strong enough to carry us.
 
Antw23uk said:
Dont you even want to be fitter and leaner? Stronger and in shape for not only your own health...
.. If your body is covered in excess fat you arent carrying the muscle and strength and if you aren't bodily strong..
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Wait, being fat doesn't mean you are not strong or are lacking muscle. Fat and muscle are not mutually exclusive. Many overweight people can be physically stronger than their lean counterparts, as they require the muscles strength to carry heavier weights around with them all day. It's rare to see a lean physique in the worlds strongest man for example.

I carry excess fat, but I am also very strong with plenty of muscle. More core strength and balance than lots of my thinner friends.

I'm not starting the fat and fit argument, and of course lean people can be just as strong, but being overweight does not mean you must lack muscle or strength.
 
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OP- I think you are probably fine weight wise, but difficult to tell without seeing the horse.
I do believe that as riders we owe it to our horses to be in the best physical shape to make their lives as easy as possible, but people come in all shapes and sizes and weight loss is not always easy for some. I do however, think that people need to choose the right type of horse for their build and most people do.

I do occasionally see a rider who I consider too heavy for the type of horse they are riding but thankfully it's fairly rare. Even in these situations, for what most people do work wise, the horses manage fine. Perhaps they wouldn't if they were out hunting all day, but a half hour hack or light schooling session isn't asking much.

Good luck OP x
 
alainax said:
Wait, being fat doesn't mean you are not strong or are lacking muscle. Fat and muscle are not mutually exclusive. Many overweight people can be physically stronger than their lean counterparts, as they require the muscles strength to carry heavier weights around with them all day. It's rare to see a lean physique in the worlds strongest man for example.

I carry excess fat, but I am also very strong with plenty of muscle. More core strength and balance than lots of my thinner friends.

I'm not starting the fat and fit argument, and of course lean people can be just as strong, but being overweight does not mean you must lack muscle or strength.
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Quite, neither does being 'overweight' if going off the usual measure mean your body is covered in excess fat. Yes I still want to loose a bit in order to open my options riding other horses/lesson places etc but that doesn't mean I am not currently the fittest and strongest I have ever been (and I've never been that unfit as have always cycled 12 mile round routes to work on top of the gym and the horse etc. )
 
Cassy said:
Well thanks everyone. I didnt want to get into a long debate. Personally I was surprised when the seller said I might be too heavy but going to look at the horse tomorrow and will decide after I have ridden it. I intend to do groundwork, hacking and a bit of dressage so I think the workload shouldn't be too much for a horse that age. As to weight my daughter who is 30 years younger than me and the same height and weight has no issues competing her irish sports horse who is just 15h, medium build and quite happy with her rider.
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OP, I would question the seller very carefully about this horse's medical history. Unless this horse is very fine, poorly conformed or can only take a very small saddle there must be some reason for the seller to say that you are too heavy... Perhaps previous tendon problems...

Of course you may find the seller is a 4st midget.
 
Being old my specialist asked me if I did any weight bearing exercise bar walking my overweight body around my response was if pushing a barrow with 80 kilos of feed up a hill and an 80 kg barrow of poo down one is weight bearing exercise then yes I do his reply was that I am probably a lot stronger than he is and he is half my age. I can also lift a 25kg bag of feed from the floor and pop it in a bin easily on my own and can spend an hour unloading a trailer load of hay However I am still over weight I eat fewer than 1000 calories a day as I dont like food and walk rather than drive anywhere I dont ride anymore but am happy to have a sit on from time to time and I weigh approximately 12 stone my pony is a 23 year old 13hh highland pony who has carried me all her life whatever my weight was and has never had a days illness apart from having an accident (which required extended box rest and surgery) while jumping with a 6 stone 9 year old rider
 
I think it has a lot to do with the horse’s conformation. I am 5ft9 and a bit, weigh 10 stone and after years of proper big horses, find myself currently riding a 14.2 and a 15.2! The 14.2 is a chunky Connie, lots of bone, really good strong wide back, big shoulders and big long neck that comes right up out of his whither and I feel much smaller on him than the 15.2, who is a warmblood/ish cross, not so much bone, and very downhill, all bum and no front. I don’t think he carries me so well, if you know what I mean. The little Connie feels like he could carry me all day. And I’m told I look fine on him, but a bit too tall on the 15.2, which is odd isn’t it!

So in answer to your question OP, then no, in theory, you shouldn’t be too heavy for a 15.2 cob cross, but if he has poor confo, or is light boned, then it might not work. And if you do get him, you need a very well-fitting saddle, which may not be the one he comes with, so you have that to factor in also.

I response to the other posts about fat people and riding, I’d just like to say, if I were a horse I’d much rather have a nice soft bottom gently massaging my back than a skinny bony one bumping up and down.
 
I don't know how anyone can say whether the rider is ok on the horse when we have no clue what the horse looks like! It is part bred - it could resemble either line or even be a throwback to a pure t.b. with a cob head! Everyone gets defensive on this most tricky topic...

There are lots of people riding at the wrong weight for their horses, which is why the weight study referred to earlier, published in H+H,has been undertaken and which is funded by several equine organisations, which suggests they must think there is a problem?
 
The build of the horse will answer the question but I am 5.8 and would find a 15.2 far to small for my legs but that's just me
 
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