Am I too heavy?

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Jarviscat

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Hello

I am 5’4 and roughly 10stone. I started riding 3 years ago in my 30’s and lately I’ve been worried that I’m too heavy for some of the horses I’ve been riding. I’ve mostly been hacking out on a piebald and highland pony they both seem fine but sometimes after a canter uphill I get worried that I’m too heavy.

Any advice would be much appreciated!
 
Jarviscat said:
Hello

I am 5’4 and roughly 10stone. I started riding 3 years ago in my 30’s and lately I’ve been worried that I’m too heavy for some of the horses I’ve been riding. I’ve mostly been hacking out on a piebald and highland pony they both seem fine but sometimes after a canter uphill I get worried that I’m too heavy.

Any advice would be much appreciated!
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Your height is irrelevant to knowing whether the horse or pony can carry you. If these are riding school animals, your instructor should put you on one that is suitable for your level of proficiency, confidence, and the conditions (heat, terrain, length of ride). Your weight, 64kg, doesn't seem excessive to me.

There are figures like "rider + tack should not exceed 20% to 25% of the horse's weight". I'm guessing that would mean around 70kg for you, so the horse should be around four to five times that, so 280kg to 350kg... That's not a big horse...

But that's only if you believe the 20% rule. I don't remember my instructor ever asking me how much I weight (around 95kg).
 
At your weight most RS horses will be more than happy to carry you, especially the Highland, they will have been chosen for their ability to take novices as well as their ability to carry a reasonable amount of weight otherwise they would never earn their keep.
I suspect they are not overly fit, most RS horses will be used to doing loads of walk and trot with less sustained canter work so may blow a bit after a good canter uphill which makes you think they are struggling a little but it will be very unlikely it has anything to do with your weight and more to do with having to work a bit harder than normal cantering uphill, it has also been very hot recently which will effect most horses ability to cope with their workload.
 
As an instructor you learn to assess someones height and weight and pick suitable horses. Weight can be hard to guess, but while you are teaching you are watching so you can assess the horses way of going and see if they struggle. Good school ponies work hard, they get looked after because they are such a valuable commodity.
 
Highland ponies are designed to carry much more weight then you. I am sure you weigh less then a dead stag. Enjoy your ride and trust in the experts mounting you.
 
A fit - not fat- and well put together highland should not struggle with 10 stone... Unless it's actually a 10hh bonsai highland of course :p
 
wasnt there someone on here that had Shetlands x Highlands? they looked amazing (a bit like goats, amusing when you dont own them yourself).

Sorry OP, at 10 stone there's not alot that cant carry you tbh unless its a mini or something weird like a Caspian or Section B and I'd trust the people who's horses you are riding.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
wasnt there someone on here that had Shetlands x Highlands? they looked amazing (a bit like goats, amusing when you dont own them yourself).
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When Fergus was a mere lad of a colt, he was sent to graze on a shetland breeder's land, and broke out of his field and sired a few monstrosities himself, so I'm led to believe ;)
 
JFTD said:
When Fergus was a mere lad of a colt, he was sent to graze on a shetland breeder's land, and broke out of his field and sired a few monstrosities himself, so I'm led to believe ;)
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scary exchange of genes. I did know of an Exmoor x Shetland and that is bad enough (liked kids, hated adults lol)
 
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