Backing horses - weight of jockey

[Wagtail]

She's lovely & I'm a light weight rider!!

Where are you based? Lol

She may grow a little more - wb are late to reach full maturity anyway, so don't lose hope just yet!

Fingers crossed.

If you are tall you will not be sitting like a 11 stone dumpling in the saddle, you must have a lot of leg! I would get yourself properly weighed at the doctors and go from there, if you think half a stone might make all the difference.

Yes, I think I need to get an accurate idea of what I really weigh.

But who is going to be her rider when shes backed? Theres not much point, surely, in sending her to a lighter person if when shes backed in a couple of weeks you are going to ride her yourself.

Good point. She is currently 420 kg. I think that horses should carry a maximum of one sixth their weight so I'm not too heavy once she is backed and ridden away and matured a little.

 

[HBB]

Find a light weight rider. Don't leave it. You are by no means heavy but the thing that separates the real horsemen (women) from the rest, is the realisation that we cannot do everything ourselves. Sometimes we have to stand back and supervise the training. All the best racehorse trainers I have known did their training from the ground.

This ^^ Or do all the ground work, start her and wait until she is 5 to bring her on.

 

[blowsbubbles]

I think given her age and daintyness it would be better to start off with a lighter rider (9 stone) then once she has matured and built more musclke she would be fine. The last thing you want to do is damage her.

I think the saying of going for a heavier first jockey more applies to tall horses/ cobs or flashy ones

 

[Wagtail]

This ^^ Or do all the ground work, start her and wait until she is 5 to bring her on.

I think given her age and daintyness it would be better to start off with a lighter rider (9 stone) then once she has matured and built more musclke she would be fine. The last thing you want to do is damage her.

I think the saying of going for a heavier first jockey more applies to tall horses/ cobs or flashy ones

Exactly. It's the very last thing I want to do. I think if I could see if I could find someone light to help me back her, and just pay them to ride her for a while. Then wait until she is strong enough.

 

[Shutterbug]

I am currently backing my 3 year old Trotter x Cob - he currently stands at almost 15'3 at his bum and, as I have a few pounds to lose (ok, ok fine...stone but I am currently killing myself to lose weight) I have opted to have my friend sit on him for the first time, which we did with great success today, as she is a fair bit lighter than me so I would agree that a lighter rider would be more suitable with you on the ground. I do not wish to send him away to be backed besides I have done a ton of groundwork with him and I want to see his backing process through. I, much like yourself, do not want to sit on him at my current weight but I anticipate I will be light enough by the time it comes to doing any proper schooling. Its a little disappointing watching someone else taking that important step with him but I'm still awfully proud of him for being a complete and utter superstar and its driving me to lose the weight. Good luck - shes very lovely

 

[Wagtail]

I am currently backing my 3 year old Trotter x Cob - he currently stands at almost 15'3 at his bum and, as I have a few pounds to lose (ok, ok fine...stone but I am currently killing myself to lose weight) I have opted to have my friend sit on him for the first time, which we did with great success today, as she is a fair bit lighter than me so I would agree that a lighter rider would be more suitable with you on the ground. I do not wish to send him away to be backed besides I have done a ton of groundwork with him and I want to see his backing process through. I, much like yourself, do not want to sit on him at my current weight but I anticipate I will be light enough by the time it comes to doing any proper schooling. Its a little disappointing watching someone else taking that important step with him but I'm still awfully proud of him for being a complete and utter superstar and its driving me to lose the weight. Good luck - shes very lovely

Thanks. Your boy is a hand bigger than mine and heavier built. From the pictures in your sig, you don't look as though you would be too heavy but I agree with you, a lighter weight rider is best for backing.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I didn't back my 14hh ish NF til she was 4 as she wasn't very mature and only lightly backed her anyway before the weather turned wet! I lost 2.5 stone in order to back her, just got to keep it off til I restart her in a few months.

 

[Shutterbug]

Thanks. Your boy is a hand bigger than mine and heavier built. From the pictures in your sig, you don't look as though you would be too heavy but I agree with you, a lighter weight rider is best for backing.

Thank you for your kind comment but that pic was taken a few years ago and I have put on about a stone since then lol apparently I carry it well but I am 2 stone overweight and I think I would feel bad subjecting my poor baby to that extra weight :lol: I look forward to seeing pics of your girly in action

Here he is from today with my friend sitting on him

 

[Wagtail]

I didn't back my 14hh ish NF til she was 4 as she wasn't very mature and only lightly backed her anyway before the weather turned wet! I lost 2.5 stone in order to back her, just got to keep it off til I restart her in a few months.

Blimey! That is really good going! I think horses can be a real incentive for weight loss, but to lose as much as you have is amazing.

Thank you for your kind comment but that pic was taken a few years ago and I have put on about a stone since then lol apparently I carry it well but I am 2 stone overweight and I think I would feel bad subjecting my poor baby to that extra weight :lol: I look forward to seeing pics of your girly in action

Here he is from today with my friend sitting on him

At least you know that as a cob, he will be well big enough soon. He is adorable.

 

[Cheiro1]

I think if you got down to 10 stone you'd be fine, but agree 11 is a bit heavy for her as she looks at the moment.

That said, she may mature loads in 6 months and you will be fine

I wonder if your friend meant it is harder for a baby to buck off a slightly heavier rider and that is why they would use a slightly heavier rider?

 

[Wagtail]

I think if you got down to 10 stone you'd be fine, but agree 11 is a bit heavy for her as she looks at the moment.

That said, she may mature loads in 6 months and you will be fine

I wonder if your friend meant it is harder for a baby to buck off a slightly heavier rider and that is why they would use a slightly heavier rider?

Yes, I think that's probably what she is referring to. She had just been hunting a pony and is probably the same weight or slightly heavier than me.

 

[windand rain]

You are probably going to disagree but I think as long as you leave her until she is over 4 and dont expect to get straight on do plenty of muscle building work and keep away from gadgets as the make the horse go on the fore hand you will be fine doing it yourself You are a balanced rider with the correct experience she will be done your way and if anything is too much you can be sensitive enough to stop. I would be surprised if she did not put on a lot more bulk and even some height and will be more than suitable for you to ride. The short sharp spells on board wont hurt her and you will have a horse you have made without anyone else spoiling it. I have always felt that I was too heavy to back a horse so have always had someone do it for me but there have been a lot of compromises along the way not all good not all bad but mostly not how I would have done it and have left me slightly cheated. The most recent one was the most successful as I did all the ground work and she stayed with me throughout the whole process and the rider was a trusted friend who did as I asked. Sadly she is too busy to keep it up so now the pony needs more work there is no one willing to do it

I hate pessoa type systems and the like because people think they build muscle but they dont they simply shove the horse onto its forehand making the back muscle weaker still it has been a case of good marketing as they seem to provide endless hours of misery for horses and smug expression from their users

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Thanks, it was hard work Wagtail but worth the effort to do my girl herself. I think it best sometimes depending on the nature of the pony to keep them at home in familar surroundings with people they know and trust to take the relationship further.

I knew that she would be best staying at home so I had to do something about my weight. I did get weird looks off non-horsey friends as to my main reason why though!

I think if you left her to grow on a bit over the spring she could come up enough for you to back. It's not like you're going to be cantering and trotting round for ages initially is it?!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I am the rider in the pics and im currently sitting at 9.9at and im 5ft1.

Personally yes a lighter rider is preferrable to a heavier one but you have to tailor it to each horse. Putting 8st on a big built horse to back is folly to me for obvious reasons.

Your girly looks light in the pictures but by summer may have shot up and out and you may find that at 10.7st you will be fine on her if balanced and in a well fitting saddle.

If you have a smaller slightly lighter friend with you in the ground like shutterbug has done then you may find its done sooner than you think and you will be on board happily

 

[Wagtail]

You are probably going to disagree but I think as long as you leave her until she is over 4 and dont expect to get straight on do plenty of muscle building work and keep away from gadgets as the make the horse go on the fore hand you will be fine doing it yourself You are a balanced rider with the correct experience she will be done your way and if anything is too much you can be sensitive enough to stop. I would be surprised if she did not put on a lot more bulk and even some height and will be more than suitable for you to ride. The short sharp spells on board wont hurt her and you will have a horse you have made without anyone else spoiling it. I have always felt that I was too heavy to back a horse so have always had someone do it for me but there have been a lot of compromises along the way not all good not all bad but mostly not how I would have done it and have left me slightly cheated. The most recent one was the most successful as I did all the ground work and she stayed with me throughout the whole process and the rider was a trusted friend who did as I asked. Sadly she is too busy to keep it up so now the pony needs more work there is no one willing to do it

I hate pessoa type systems and the like because people think they build muscle but they dont they simply shove the horse onto its forehand making the back muscle weaker still it has been a case of good marketing as they seem to provide endless hours of misery for horses and smug expression from their users

I am the rider in the pics and im currently sitting at 9.9at and im 5ft1.

Personally yes a lighter rider is preferrable to a heavier one but you have to tailor it to each horse. Putting 8st on a big built horse to back is folly to me for obvious reasons.

Your girly looks light in the pictures but by summer may have shot up and out and you may find that at 10.7st you will be fine on her if balanced and in a well fitting saddle.

If you have a smaller slightly lighter friend with you in the ground like shutterbug has done then you may find its done sooner than you think and you will be on board happily

Thanks. I think the thing to do is not make any plans until say May time and look again at my weight and how she's grown and go from there. I do think once she's matured and strengthened, that she should be able to comfortably carry me, but I will have a couple of years to wait before being able to do too much with her. I do have a couple of very lightweight friends (7 and 8 stones) who could ride her for me once backed, but neither would want to do the actual backing due to confidence.

 

[FfionWinnie]

She is going to change dramatically over the next few months into Summer. Don't panic don't panic

 

[Wagtail]

She is going to change dramatically over the next few months into Summer. Don't panic don't panic

I really hope you're right! Thanks for giving me hope

 

[Goldenstar]

I would think a ten stone max for starting her .

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

sry, got cut off, I would not expect her to do other than light work till she is 5 yo.
This summer give her lots of long reining using hills to use muscles and this will lose your weight.
Once she is looking like a well muscled animal send her away for 3 to six weeks. The more handling you can do [ bitting, get used to someone above eyeline, slip a leg over back, and so on] and the fitter she is the quicker the backing and riding away will be. You can decide what to after a few weeks backing, you can have a sit on after a few weeks. She is a nice type so you must not rush her.
She looks like she will benefit from a tiny feed and minerals all year round to keep her development steadily improving.
She is very like my boy at this age and he was very, very slow to mature, but he had good bone, which is essential. This is what will determine the weight to carry and do all activities. At a guess you should be down to 10stone, no more

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

P.S. are the front feet balanced? I would consider feeding micronised linseed and minerals and go for barefoot, though this means progressive exposure to roads and tracks.

 

[Sukistokes2]

As said before 6 months is a long time and it might be ok.
For me it was clear that I would be too big to back my lad. He also has an issue where, when he grows, his back legs become weak and sticky. ( this is being monitored by a Chiro Vet) I looked around and found an experienced, light weighted, professional backer. She came to the yard and worked with me to start him. I had of course done all the ground work and the desensitizing so he was ready to go at four. ( all under supervision of the vet) He was backed and worked lightly from April until November, then he entered a real growth spurt, so I turned him away from November to April. His rider brought him back in to work and built him up and I started sitting on him in July. I have really enjoyed this way of backing my horse. I sent my last lad away, this horse I have been there at every point. I have made a new friend! Also I have a lovely confident (if slightly over confident at the mo) little horse, who is now more then capable of handling my weight. His rider still rides twice a week to keep him ticking over. I have watched her work for over a year so I am completely happy with her being with him on her own and her having access to all my equipment.
What ever happens that is a nice little horse, I am sure it will work out.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I really hope you're right! Thanks for giving me hope

Was she the mares first foal incidentally?

 

[Wagtail]

I would think a ten stone max for starting her .

Yes you are probably right. I am going to the docs next week to discuss coming off my medication. This will be very hard because it really helps me sleep, but it is one of the worst for weight gain with many people putting on four stone or more. Normally I have no trouble keeping weight off (am too skinny - natural weight is 9st and I am 5' 10"). I have put on two stone over the 3 years I've been on it. I have been dieting now since Christmas and have only lost one pound despite keeping my calories really low and doing 4 hours a day very hard work single-handedly caring for five stabled horses plus riding.

sry, got cut off, I would not expect her to do other than light work till she is 5 yo.
This summer give her lots of long reining using hills to use muscles and this will lose your weight.
Once she is looking like a well muscled animal send her away for 3 to six weeks. The more handling you can do [ bitting, get used to someone above eyeline, slip a leg over back, and so on] and the fitter she is the quicker the backing and riding away will be. You can decide what to after a few weeks backing, you can have a sit on after a few weeks. She is a nice type so you must not rush her.
She looks like she will benefit from a tiny feed and minerals all year round to keep her development steadily improving.
She is very like my boy at this age and he was very, very slow to mature, but he had good bone, which is essential. This is what will determine the weight to carry and do all activities. At a guess you should be down to 10stone, no more

Thanks. I will get someone light to back her. The two places I would want to send her to do not have a rider light enough so I think that unless staff change, I will need to advertise for someone to come here.

P.S. are the front feet balanced? I would consider feeding micronised linseed and minerals and go for barefoot, though this means progressive exposure to roads and tracks.

I am planning to keep her barefoot if I can. Her feet are rather small, especially the front ones, though they have grown in the year I've had her. I will ask my sister to look at them next time she's here as she's a barefoot trimmer. I just have my farrier trim her at present every 6 weeks. He is really good at balancing feet when they are shod, but tends to take less care over the trims.

As said before 6 months is a long time and it might be ok.
For me it was clear that I would be too big to back my lad. He also has an issue where, when he grows, his back legs become weak and sticky. ( this is being monitored by a Chiro Vet) I looked around and found an experienced, light weighted, professional backer. She came to the yard and worked with me to start him. I had of course done all the ground work and the desensitizing so he was ready to go at four. ( all under supervision of the vet) He was backed and worked lightly from April until November, then he entered a real growth spurt, so I turned him away from November to April. His rider brought him back in to work and built him up and I started sitting on him in July. I have really enjoyed this way of backing my horse. I sent my last lad away, this horse I have been there at every point. I have made a new friend! Also I have a lovely confident (if slightly over confident at the mo) little horse, who is now more then capable of handling my weight. His rider still rides twice a week to keep him ticking over. I have watched her work for over a year so I am completely happy with her being with him on her own and her having access to all my equipment.
What ever happens that is a nice little horse, I am sure it will work out.

Thanks. I have seen pictures of your boy. He is beautiful.

Was she the mares first foal incidentally?

I think that she is, yes. The mare is now 22 so she was also quite old when she had her. She did very well in showing qualifying for HOYS and also did quite a bit of eventing. My filly was born 3 weeks early in June.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I agree with FW, I think that she's still got a lot of maturing to do. I was surprised by how different my grey looked between 4 and 6 years of age. She didn't get a huge amount taller, but oh boy did she get wider and longer. I'm certain that her leg bones thickened up too, but I never measured so this is just from judging by eye. She did change from a scraggy, slip of a thing to a real 'leg at each corner' strong looking mare though.

 

[Wagtail]

Hopefully my girl will be the same. Otherwise my nephew is going to get a slightly big second pony!

 

[Tiddlypom]

How much bone has she got, Wagtail? She's a very pretty girl but she seems rather fine. Whilst she will fill out and strengthen on top, I can't see a rising 4 yo putting on more bone.

If you're going to the GP, than get yourself weighed whilst you're there (the scales should hopefully be accurate). You may be worrying yourself unnecessarily about excess weight, if your parents scales are the inaccurate ones, and not yours .

 

[Apercrumbie]

This is potentially a really stupid question - but are you 100% sure about her sire? If you hadn't told us her breeding I would have said she has a fair bit of native in there. Is it possible that there was an accident around covering time? It certainly would explain why she isn't as tall as her parents. As I said, probably a very stupid question and I hope I won't cause offence by asking it. She is a gorgeous little filly but I was just quite surprised at her breeding.

RE your question, as others have said, a lot can happen in six months, she might have a huge growth spurt and you may lose some weight. However, you don't sound too overweight at all. Make sure to get an accurate reading on a doctor's scales before starving yourself - your health is far more important than being able to back your girl, as much as we want to do these things ourselves.

 

[D66]

Ask if your local branch of Boots has a set of scales you can use. They are much more likely to be checked regularly.
When I was pregnant the doctors scales had me a whole stone heavier than the hospital's and a stone and a half heavier than mine. Eventually she bought new ones.

 

[Wagtail]

How much bone has she got, Wagtail? She's a very pretty girl but she seems rather fine. Whilst she will fill out and strengthen on top, I can't see a rising 4 yo putting on more bone.

If you're going to the GP, than get yourself weighed whilst you're there (the scales should hopefully be accurate). You may be worrying yourself unnecessarily about excess weight, if your parents scales are the inaccurate ones, and not yours .

She has more bone than it looks from the photograph. Just measured her and she has 21cm which is 8.26 inches.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

She has more bone than it looks from the photograph. Just measured her and she has 21cm which is 8.26 inches.

That is what I would expect from photo, its not a lot, so really 10 stone is your target.