Being asked to get on the scales..would you be offended??

Also, the type of establishment we are means that are horses are quality horses (ISH,WB's) ect that are well mannered enough to take a novice, however, there is a limit to what I think they should have to carry.
 
I think the idea of weighing everyone, with a prior warning when the book, is the best. Could you also have a chart of all the horses weights and how you've calculated what they can carry? If people are faced with the horses as individuals, they might be more accepting of the weight policy. Perhaps you could also have a 'correction factor' once you've seen how well they ride, for example someone at Stage 1 level could be 1/2 stone over the normal weight limit of a horse because they can carry themselves..... or perhaps that's getting a bit too complicated!!
 
charlie76 said:
Also, the type of establishment we are means that are horses are quality horses (ISH,WB's) ect that are well mannered enough to take a novice, however, there is a limit to what I think they should have to carry.
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Then I really wouldn't worry about weighing people. Like others above have said, mentioning it on the phone when booking is a v good idea, as it letting people know in advance that you expect to re-weigh ever x months.

I'm off to a riding school soon (talland) for a treat lesson - they don't know me from adam so I would totally expect to be weighed first and have a chat about my riding ability so they can match me with an appropriate horse.

If you expect something to lug your ass around then the least you can do is ensure you aren't overloading the horse!
 
Some people have been commenting that they think a 12 stone limit is too low. Keep in mind though that many riding schools also have mainly smaller horses/ponies, if most of their clients may be children and young adults.

I also see why a school would want their horses to carry a lower % of their body weight compared to a privately owned horse, since their horses and ponies have a high workload, are used to teach novices jumping etc.

Some times, riding schools also have some horses and ponies with slight issues... (most riding schools cannot afford to buy expensive school horses and hence compromises may need to be made?)

I would be a tiny bit offended to be weighed, if it would imply that I look over 12 stone.. (I am only 5.2"...) but as long as I knew the weight limit in advance I don't think it is a problem, and I'd rather be a bit embarassed than being made to ride something too small.
 
No but I was really shocked when I took OH on adult ridng break and they said it was 12 stone. Honestly there were 6 adults there and with tack, boots etc it was only me that would have squeaked through - no-one was fat, just normal.
 
I wouldn't be offended, saldy far too many people lie about thier weight plus personal judgement is not always the best way as alot of people look at me and think i'm alot lighter than i am i have a scarily deceptive body as am flat stomached and look quite slim so people will guess my weight a good 2 or 3stone lighter than i am. I am honest and i will happily give my weight but people don't believe me when i say how heavy i am lol
 
I agree about weighing people somewhere others can't see the scales/hear results, and to weigh everybody so that individuals won't feel hurt/offended.
Bear in mind that underhorsing someone could result in an insurance claim if they had an accident as a result of the horses inability to carry them, as well as possibly injury to the horse.
 
I wouldn't be offended or embarrassed. I do believe there should be weight limits in place, it is my duty to make the ride as comfortable for my horse, through tack, how I carry myself, how I use my hands and legs, and how much I weigh. Especially with riding school horses. However I do honestly believe a 12st rule is 100% ridiculous! IMO riding schools should cater for a range of people but I can fully understand why the have weight limits. If you lie, then you're lying to yourself and potentially doing damage to an animal that isn't even yours.
 
Hawks27 said:
I wouldn't be offended, saldy far too many people lie about thier weight plus personal judgement is not always the best way as alot of people look at me and think i'm alot lighter than i am i have a scarily deceptive body as am flat stomached and look quite slim so people will guess my weight a good 2 or 3stone lighter than i am. I am honest and i will happily give my weight but people don't believe me when i say how heavy i am lol
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Same with me - I get underestimated by about 2 stone so I suppose it does make sense. You have to be weighed for some small aircraft flights
 
charlie76-what are you basing your 'limit to what they should have to carry' on out of interest? On what you think is 'fat' or on scientific evidence?
 
Personally I don't have a problem, but can see how some people may be embarassed/uncomfortable....
Could you get scales that give only a weight band? Like a coloured section? That way it's not the actual number of stone/pounds, but 'in the yellow band/green band' etc, to match them to a horse capable of carrying that weight band?
 
I wouldn't be offended at all. But even if I were to be...Tough! The horses have to come first and if people are seemingly lying about their weight, then scales will tell the truth. Some people will get offended about anything and everything these days, so there will be some who take offence.

:)

ETA I like Crazydancers idea of the coloured bands. You could put up a notice explaining how it works.
 
An old rule of thumb was that horses should carry max 20% of their body weight.

I found an article which discusses this, which also points to 15-20%: http://www.horsesciencenews.com/horseback-riding/how-much-weight-can-a-horse-carry.php

If a riding school prefers that their horses carry max 15% that sounds reasonable to me - I see why a school may want to be at the lower end of the 15-20% bracket, since they have a higher workload than privately owned horses.

Then even a 600kg horse would just take 90 kgs...
12 stone is around 76-77 kgs... but one would need to add on the weight of the saddle etc.

So having a 12 stone limit at a riding establishment does not sound unreasonable to me, in particular if it is aimed mainly at younger riders and hence would have mainly smaller horses and ponies.
 
I think it's fair enough to ask people to get on the scales - horses welfare is paramount. Especially if that horse has to earn a living at a riding school, yard owners often can't afford for that horse to be out of work and not earning it's keep.

My sister is desperate to have some lessons at a local school but she is over the upper weight limit although she doesn't really look it. She's lost 1.5 stone in the last few months and still has a bit to go before she can have lessons, but she's getting there.....it's a good incentive for her!

I've had the opposite problem in years gone by as at only 5'1'' I used to weigh just under 8 stone (a bit more now since having 2 kids! wink wink!) and consequently got put on all the naughty school ponies that the kids couldn't handle as I was fairly competent and confident. I didn't used to mind as I got to ride all sorts and it improved my riding no end....but it would have been nice once in a while to ride some of the bigger, better behaved and schooled dressage horses! But hey ho!
 
Lisamd said:
I wouldn't be offended but it all depends on how they ride. I'm just over 14st and comfortable in a size 16 dress. But i ride all mine without any trouble (pic below is on a 16.2hh) so would be offended by a 12st rule. All 3 of mine compete and cope with my weight, never have sore backs and manage to event with my big lump on their backs! So i think it's at the discreation of the person in charge. I think there is alot off difference between a 12st 'heavy' rider and a 14st 'balanced' rider :)
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this
 
I don't think its unreasonable at all. Agree you should warn people.

12st is low though but obviously depends on size of your horses etc. Will eliminate a lot of men. On the calcs above 15 per cent of 600 kg is 90kgs which is about 14 stone and tack and kit doesn't weigh 2 stone. Obviously small horses weight less and can carry less.

Thankfully I have my own as I wouldn't be allowed on any riding sch horse, am like some people above a lot heavier than I look but less than 20 percent of my horse's weight (phew!!)
 
I wouldn't be offended and even though I'm a lightweight, I wouldn't agree to getting on anything I thought wouldn't carry me (little ponies) regardless of if theoretically they could.

It would open a few eyes to put the riders on the scales with their clobber on and THEN hand them the horse's saddle, complete. Their guestimated weight plus the extra they omitted to mention, plus their hat and boots AND the saddle...might give them food for thought. Awful, unintentional, pun. Sorry!
 
I'm 12.5st so I guess with my heavy riding coat and hat etc I would be 13st. I would be devestated to be told I was "too heavy" to ride at a riding school. I'm not super slim by any stretch of the imagination but I know the majority of horses that aren't lightweight wouldn't buckle under my weight.

You could well put off a great many people by having scales, as some people are genuinely unhappy climbing on those scary ole things! I like the idea of having bands on the scares rather than weights, makes people a bit more confident about getting on the scales and not being judged by others.

Would it not be advisable to get a couple of heavier weight horses which could carry up to 14 or 15st? You eliminate a huge amount of people having the cutoff at 12st. Most men I know are over 12st and it appears that with the quality horses you were talking about, your market is not only children. Therefore, having a few horses (ID or cob types) that would take the "heavier" riders might actually be a good investment and widen the horizons of your clientele?
 
Of course I wouldn't be offended but if they were my stables I'd make it a point that on first contacting the stables, you make a point that new people will be weighed and our limit is ?? stone because of horse welfare. They then have the choice to either carry on or not and you're not springing it on them; it's their own fault if they're above the limit. I'd also have somewhere quiet where the weigh in can be done away from prying eyes rather than in the main office.
 
wouldn't be offended and I am quite small (5ft2 and size 8 - I have no idea what I weigh!)

I know a 4* event rider who weighs his grooms to make sure they aren't to heavy for his horses it's their horses backs that are at risk. I think you are quite right to weigh people and to ask to repeat it at regular intervals.
 
That does eliminate a lot of men though... My OH weighs about 11st but is not weighty at all and is fairly fit. He's been riding my 16.3 Anglo Arab and I don't feel it is an issue at all.

He is balanced for a novice being an ex snow boarder, but I think he would be a bit annoyed to be told he would be over the weight limit - which he would be with all the clobber & tack or would that not count?
 
flamehead said:
12st is FAR too low though, ive never been anywhere where it hasnt been 15st.
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To be fair, I should have clarified that this particular riding school is pretty much totally geared to children on ponies. Their biggest beastie is a super Supercob, of about 15hh. I did enjoy the cob snobs' reactions when she floated into medium, or half pass!
 
12 stone weight limit would put most men out - of course if riding needs to be perpetuated as a women only hobby, that's fine. 12 stone would be borderline underweight for a 6'2 man - My OH at 6' is about 12.5 and about in the middle of the "Normal" line, and he's a very slim build with light bones. An average built man would probably be over at 6' tall.
 
I wouldn't be offended. The horse's welfare comes first. Most riding schools I've been to have a 12 stone limit, but it wasn't always well enforced and they didn't have scales. The receptionist at one school I used to go to booked a lesson for a considerably-heavier-than-the-weight-limit person, the instructor didn't know what to do about it since the lady had already paid, so the horse took matters into his own hands by promptly bucking the heavy lady off. :(

It was far more humiliating and painful for the poor lady than asking to step on the scales. She wasn't injured, but she was very upset. :(

The horse by the way was a 15.2 hand cob.
 
Nope I wouldn't be offended at all. I have been asked to step on the scales at an indoor ski centre so they could get the right sized ski gear for me - similar to making sure you get the right horse.

Another more life and death one was being weighed to do a bungee jump - so they can get the length of the rope right, something you CANNOT lie about! :D

I was mortified when they wrote it on the back of my hand in marker pen though :eek: :D
 
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