Are these riders too big?? *Pics*

zsmm4 said:
yes,all are too big. Some look too heavy and some look too tall,some look both too heavy and too tall.
Click to expand...

Wow, I can't believe you haven't been snapped up for haute ecole. I can't wait to see you performing levade on your perfectly proportioned lippizaner.
 
I think it's down to the riders weight and the breed of horse/pony as to whats important, obviously a very tall person on a small pony is going to look stupid, but may not be overweight for it, I dont think anyone needs to be an expert when looking at an enormeous chubster on a small horse/pony to "know" it's obviously wrong and basically ill treatment of the animal.
 
MuckyMeech said:
Picture 9.
toobig4.jpg
Click to expand...

Gosh. *swoon*.
 
Suzie86, yes, I was serious. Riding is a privilege not a right and we have a responsibility to be as in control (in terms of weight, tone, temper and coordination at least) as possible. There is no reason why most vaguely healthily sized people shouldn't find horses in proportion. And if they can't they shouldn't ride. Simple as.

The Spanish rising school one was one of the few I thought looked OKish as rider looks light, just tall. The particular polo rider on that pony, no, I don't like the proportions much.

The last two have fat riders. No amount of experience/skill can make fat ride 'light' as it isn't muscle or bone etc - it wobbles!
 
Tickles said:
TBH I'm slightly shocked at the number of people on here who think so many of them are OK. Compared to nearly all snaps I'd certainly not feel happy getting on anything that small in relation to me.
Click to expand...

I must admit I agree with this - it's all very well to say that people ride light etc., etc., but a heavy rider is a heavy rider no matter what. I watch my weight for appearance sake but also because I ride.. I think it is strange how some people don't consider their horses when it comes to their weight and even stranger how some overweight people consider horse-riding as a method of losing weight. Surely there needs to be a change of mindset here - lose weight BEFORE sitting on a horse!!
I know plenty pros who are obviously fantastic riders, but they also watch their food intake and weight because their profession requires a living animal to carry them around.
 
Tickles said:
No amount of experience/skill can make fat ride 'light' as it isn't muscle or bone etc - it wobbles!
Click to expand...

Remember that, especially in faster work, the fat is organised above two cantilevers and sprung. That's where experience, balance and skill come into it. Also fat doesn't move around like, say, petrol in an unbaffled tank. It is majorly attached to one spot on the body. In my case that would be my stomach.
 
QR

PLUS, I can't wait to see the posters who have said that all the photos are bad (thus implying impaired performance for the horse) not only performing haute ecole, but also competing FEI and CCI, as our dear Mr Fox-Pitt must be really damaging his chances! Luckily the posters know better, and so are out beating William every weekend!

Look at the poor things, they can barely stand:

WFP1.jpg

WFP2.jpg


How the ever-suffering horses manage to lift a leg astounds me
foxpitt_sat02.jpg

WFP3.jpg




Now it's a good job the members of HHO who know better are out getting people like WFP told, as his horses cannot possibly be expected to perform under his frame!
 
Last edited:
I genuinely find this a really interesting post. I'm a 5'11" female that weights in at 12.5 stone.

Because I reached this height by 14 I skipped from ponies to horses purely because riding schools told me I was too tall for anything under 15.3hh.

I've had a complex about this ever since and although I'm much happier on something closer to 15 hh TB than a 17hh warmblood I'm always worried that I'm too big / heavy for them.

What do people think? Most of my height is in my legs so I have a tendancy to looked very gangley!:confused:
 
Gluttonforpunishment said:
I genuinely find this a really interesting post. I'm a 5'11" female that weights in at 12.5 stone.

Because I reached this height by 14 I skipped from ponies to horses purely because riding schools told me I was too tall for anything under 15.3hh.

I've had a complex about this ever since and although I'm much happier on something closer to 15 hh TB than a 17hh warmblood I'm always worried that I'm too big / heavy for them.

What do people think? Most of my height is in my legs so I have a tendancy to looked very gangley!:confused:
Click to expand...

My 14.2 connie would carry you easily! No problem at all.

If you are happier on smaller horses then i would ride smaller horses. You are not too heavy for a pony/small horse the same type of build as mine :D
 
zsmm4 said:
regarding weight, I read a veterinary paper ---wish I could find it to do exact quote---- but it stated that the total weight a horse should carry ,that is rider dressed to ride ,saddle and bridle should be a maximum of 20% (1/5)of the horses own weight.
For example, a 500kg horse should carry no more than 100kg .
The old cavalry book I have says rider weight should be no more than 1/6 of the horses weight. I've tried both methods and they work out almost the same, pound for pound,(or kilo for kilo if you prefer).
Click to expand...

I remember being taught that years ago to. So for my boy at 545kg thats 136kg, 299lbs or approx 21 stone. Roughly the same as it came out from the bone measurement calculation.
 
natalia said:
Not really, but a fair few of them need to lay off the pies.
Click to expand...

Am I right in remembering that in the middle ages we mainly had small horses and ponies native to Britain - as in 13hh-15hh? And so they would have been carrying some weight with regards to carts and armoured riders. But then, I think the life span was about what 8 years?

As for the fat wobbling. It does, but not like a jelly. I am 17st, but the majority is a 'covering' of fat and HUGE boobs. I don't wobble when I am riding as its all squished in my jods and again on the horse. However, I only ride say, twice a month due to being overweight. And until I start to lose some I dont do more than 30 mins at a time - even though I know he can carry me - mainly as he is a working horse so needs to be usable. But even when I bought him I was 16st, and he never had a bad back or back problems, and was never unhappy to work. He did prefer it when I was lighter though - it meant we could jump. I never jumped him when I was over 15st.

But then you have to remember that some men weight a bit when they are fit/muscly. My OH is not fat, but at 6ft1 he is about 15st - so therefore cant even go to a riding school. But he is only 22% fat, so he isn't overweight at all.

So therefore size isn't a definate indication of weight.

How much would you say I weighed here? I am a size 10-12 clothes in that pic - my jods are black, thats not 1 thigh there its 2. .
fwfif.jpg
 
http://www.learn-horseback-riding.com/how-much-can-a-horse-carry.html

For example, a 1,000 pound horse should easily carry 200 pounds of rider and tack. The 20% rule typically applies to competitive or otherwise "hard" riding. For pleasure riding, many use a 30% rule, so this 1,000 pound horse could carry 300 pounds for shorter pleasure rides.
 
I recon a rider is only too big for a pony when they prevent it being able to do the job asked, well. Many riders look big but they are not to heavy/don't interfear - its just an appearence issue!
 
http://www.olympics.org.uk/athleterecord.aspx?at=3365
Mr Fox-Pitt's vitals :p
^ So that would be what, 6"4 or 6"5 and 12 and a half stone? Would think that is about "right" for his height,certainly within healthy limits.
There are not many horses that would struggle with his weight,athough as an eventer he rides a lot with TB breeding-last time there was a thread like this I remember laughing at people saying a TB should never take over 10 :p

I can understand riding schools being a bit "precious" about the weights their horses carry.They are often working long hours with unbalanced begginers on top and they need them working.It owuld be stupid to ask them to carry large weights or riders at the top end of what the horse can carry every days of it's working life,no one wants to see them hurt or end their working life early because of back problems :(
As I said before,I do think we owe it to them to stay as light as we can without damaging our own health(ie,middle range of recomended BMI) but there are plenty of horses who ARE more then able to carry full grown well built men all day.Too tall is a cosmetic issue,the riders weight is still spread evenly over the back and wont bother the horse.
If you are getting towards the upper limits of your horse weight carrying ability then you need to limit the hard work and/or drop some weight but being 15 or 16 stone does NOT mean you cant ride a horse.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top