Championing the Change Needed - Rider Weight

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Just scrolled past Facebook, well done them! It’s a hard thing to be the ones to stick your neck out and enforce but it’s SO important. Nice to see mostly positive comments too.

Their weight limit is 16st for a 6ft person, closer to 14.5st for someone 5ft6. Less than that for their riding weekends.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Totally agree with them. People do need to view it as horse welfare rather than fat shaming. I'm currently trying to lose a few pounds to get under the 15st weight limit that my riding school has...Im 5ft 11' so don't look that heavy but looks are deceiving.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Totally agree with them. People do need to view it as horse welfare rather than fat shaming. I'm currently trying to lose a few pounds to get under the 15st weight limit that my riding school has...Im 5ft 11' so don't look that heavy but looks are deceiving.

Completely agree, the reason I got a youngster is to give me time to lose the weight I need to to be able to back him.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Scrolled a bit further and saw this too… is something finally being done about this?

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

Completely agree, the reason I got a youngster is to give me time to lose the weight I need to to be able to back him.

I did this two years ago thinking it would give me a good incentive to actually lose weight. I've lost the grand total of about 8 pounds

My pony is capable of carrying me but I'd be right on the limit and I don't want his first riding experiences to be with someone so heavy and unfit so I've got a small light person coming throughout the summer to back him and get him out and about while I burn some calories doing the groundwork. I also need to stop the chocolate just falling into my shopping basket!

It does worry me that so many people have told me that I'd be fine to ride him and he could carry me easily, I know he could do it, hes a strong well built pony, but he shouldn't have to and I don't want to harm my pony, I want him to have a long and healthy life of adventures together not end up with problems later on because I rode him when I'm to heavy.

 

[Gloi]

Scrolled a bit further and saw this too… is something finally being done about this?

View attachment 116992

Most of these are adults riding in the children's show ponies before a class. That this needs to be done is a separate issue which also needs addressing. If a child's pony needs an adult to ride it before it is safe or going correctly for a child is it really a top child's pony?

 

[J&S]

I agree with Gloi. We run (ran) a local show with a ring specially for the small children. I regularly saw, and commented on, mothers/trainers lunging small ponies for AGES b4 a child could get on. This is small, local show, goodness knows what goes on at bigger more important shows.

 

[Gloi]

I agree with Gloi. We run (ran) a local show with a ring specially for the small children. I regularly saw, and commented on, mothers/trainers lunging small ponies for AGES b4 a child could get on. This is small, local show, goodness knows what goes on at bigger more important shows.

At my livery yard a while ago some parents bought an absolutely beautiful section a for their novice 4year old to ride and do lead rein. They got a trainer in who lunged and rode it before the child was put on. Pony was sharp and the kid was scared of it. They weren't short of money and employed the trainer several days a week.i felt sorry for the kid. Sadly the kid came off and broke her arm and refused to ride again and pony was sold.

 

[marmalade76]

Totally agree with them. People do need to view it as horse welfare rather than fat shaming. I'm currently trying to lose a few pounds to get under the 15st weight limit that my riding school has...Im 5ft 11' so don't look that heavy but looks are deceiving.

Indeed. I am just over 11 stone now, I've come across people who look a similar size or bigger than me claiming to weigh less than I do. I've come to the conclusion that most people lie about their weight.

 

[Tiddlypom]

It's absolutely right for riders to be weighed, but I do hope that the weighing is done in private.

I've followed their page for years and had no idea that they weighed riders. Adventure Clydesdales (now sadly shut) were much more open about it.

Post here from a client who was taken by surprise about the weigh in.

Cumbrian Heavy Horses really you need to speak to me like that, as an owner and lover of all animals not just horses I agree with protecting their welfare, and weight restrictions should be made more clear at point of booking, our first visit we didn't know anything about weight restrictions my husband was just under, wasn't made aware at point of booking, but happy to take £400+ not difficult to make it more clear at point of booking SIMPLES

 

[maya2008]

At my livery yard a while ago some parents bought an absolutely beautiful section a for their novice 4year old to ride and do lead rein. They got a trainer in who lunged and rode it before the child was put on. Pony was sharp and the kid was scared of it. They weren't short of money and employed the trainer several days a week.i felt sorry for the kid. Sadly the kid came off and broke her arm and refused to ride again and pony was sold.

My kids have section As. I’m only 5ft4 and I couldn’t get down to the 20% weight limit including tack unless I was so thin I would have no energy to ride! I have told them they’re on their own with a pony that small, learn to ride it yourself, I’m too big.

 

[teapot]

Indeed. I am just over 11 stone now, I've come across people who look a similar size or bigger than me claiming to weigh less than I do. I've come to the conclusion that most people lie about their weight.

Very much so and what weight can actually look like - I'm tall and slim but my actual weight would surprise people!

It's absolutely right for riders to be weighed, but I do hope that the weighing is done in private.

I've followed their page for years and had no idea that they weighed riders. Adventure Clydesdales (now sadly shut) were much more open about it.

Post here from a client who was taken by surprise about the weigh in.

Cumbrian Heavy Horses really you need to speak to me like that, as an owner and lover of all animals not just horses I agree with protecting their welfare, and weight restrictions should be made more clear at point of booking, our first visit we didn't know anything about weight restrictions my husband was just under, wasn't made aware at point of booking, but happy to take £400+ not difficult to make it more clear at point of booking SIMPLES

In my experience many people said they had no idea about weight restrictions and either book anyway, or lie when asked to give their height and weight details, sadly.

 

[paddy555]

I'm a bit new to this weight limit stuff. If 20% (or any other percentage) is that based on the weight of the horse?

if so you could have a horse whose weight should really be around say 500kg but who has been allowed to get fat, or into "show" condition ie very fat who could be say 575kg. Perhaps I haven't understood it correctly.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The horse's weight should be taken at its healthy weight, not just what it currently weighs on a weigh bridge. My own wonky mare has weighed in at the vets variously from 610kg (too skinny) to 695 kg (obese), with an ideal of around 635kg.

So for horse/rider % weight calculations, it's me dressed for riding plus all horse tack and equipment, compared to her ideal weight.

I work to 15% or less. But 20% should be an absolute maximum in anyone's book.

 

[marmalade76]

The horse's weight should be taken at its healthy weight, not just what it currently weighs on a weigh bridge. My own wonky mare has weighed in at the vets variously from 610kg (too skinny) to 695 kg (obese), with an ideal of around 635kg.

So for horse/rider % weight calculations, it's me dressed for riding plus all horse tack and equipment, compared to her ideal weight.

I work to 15% or less. But 20% should be an absolute maximum in anyone's book.

Agreed, and being the maximum for a pootle round the block is one thing, but asking the horse to do more with that percentage of weight on its back is quite another.

 

[Gloi]

Agreed, and being the maximum for a pootle round the block is one thing, but asking the horse to do more with that percentage of weight on its back is quite another.

Same with a little ball of fit muscle against a gangly legged unfit creature.

 

[Jambarissa]

I do broadly agree with this, you see far too many larger people riding ponies and small horses these days. I do also think that how you ride matters though, a well balanced 16 stone will be a lot better than an unbalanced 14 stone.

I climb and interestingly we have people who lie about their height, which is a touch more obvious!

 

[toppedoff]

with the 20% rule, id be able to ride a welsh A (going off of this chart: https://www.horslyx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/HX-Average-body-weights-chart-2020.pdf) but i dont think id be so comfortable doing so? i follow someone on ig whos welsh a carries her so well and they hack, jump and compete so im not really sure - i only put this here because i was offered to ride a welsh A a few weeks back and the thought of getting one has crossed my mind a few times to be a "happy hacker"

funny enough i feel the same with welsh B, though ive been told those have been bred to be too thin boned. though i am glad something is being done, too many people use fat shaming as a way to get around it, its not it is just welfare basics

oh and arabs too, i feel like im doing something wrong

this may be because have so many cobs at the RS though?

 

[maya2008]

with the 20% rule, id be able to ride a welsh A (going off of this chart: https://www.horslyx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/HX-Average-body-weights-chart-2020.pdf) but i dont think id be so comfortable doing so? i follow someone on ig whos welsh a carries her so well and they hack, jump and compete so im not really sure - i only put this here because i was offered to ride a welsh A a few weeks back and the thought of getting one has crossed my mind a few times to be a "happy hacker"

Going by that chart, you, saddle and boots/hat etc need to be 48kg maximum. Saddle approx 5kg (I’ve sold a few recently and that’s the weight they come up at), boots, hat and coat together 4kg. Girth and stirrups another kg. So you need to weigh 38kg fully dressed in normal clothes minus shoes/coat. That’s just under 6 stone.

 

[Fluffypiglet]

Last year at the July Hickstead show I stopped watching a showing class as a very overweight lady was riding her horse who was struggling to trot well. It was a class that had been qualified for in earlier days. If I could have found someone official to complain to I would have. It was awful. however as Im tall and slim, I do worry that people will think I’m “fattest” or fat shaming as clearly her weight had been over looked in previous classes which I just can’t understand. Such a sweet horse trying its hardest. She had friends cheering her from the crowds (stood next to me). but No one had said anything. So sad.

 

[Kaylum]

I am not sure why people on the fb post are arguing with them. It's their rules their horses. There is a weight limit at riding schools there has to be.

 

[Jenko109]

There is a woman on Tiktok who rides a haflinger I think.

Regularly tries to justify horses carrying heavy loads; more than 20%.

'My horse has her ears forward so is obviously happy carrying me'

Had to block her. Just couldn't stomach it, along with all her merry followers bigging her up (pardon the pun) and enabling what can only be considered abusive practices.

 

[Kaylum]

I have seen some terrible tiktok ones. They don't even justify the weights.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I hate it when people try to make the point 'a balanced heavy rider who rides light is better than a light rider who bounces around'. I'm never quite sure how they think that riding light bends the rules of gravity and physics to make them any less than too heavy to be sat on a 17inch piece of a living animals spine - 17 stone is 17 stone, no matter how light you feel you are

 

[ycbm]

I'm a bit new to this weight limit stuff. If 20% (or any other percentage) is that based on the weight of the horse?

if so you could have a horse whose weight should really be around say 500kg but who has been allowed to get fat, or into "show" condition ie very fat who could be say 575kg. Perhaps I haven't understood it correctly.

If the horse is overweight then you need to take the amount it's overweight by away from a max of 20% (I use 15%) to find out what weight rider and kit it can carry. So if it could carry 100kg at a healthy 500kg but it's 550kg, then it can only carry 50kg of rider and kit.

ETA a very fit horse like Charisma could carry more because it's not carrying any fat of its own. That allowance can go to the rider, if the rider is balanced well.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I actually agree that a heavier but balanced rider is better for the horse than an unbalanced lighter rider, but with the strong caveat that neither rider should be too heavy for the horse.

So no using that argument to go over 15% (ideally) or 20% (abolute max) - but it is an argument for reducing the weight limit for novice riders.

A beginner who can't rise to the trot and crashes back into the saddle will be applying more force to the horse's back that a balanced educated rider.

TP (who scraped a physics A level a very long time ago ).

 

[rabatsa]

I hate it when people try to make the point 'a balanced heavy rider who rides light is better than a light rider who bounces around'. I'm never quite sure how they think that riding light bends the rules of gravity and physics to make them any less than too heavy to be sat on a 17inch piece of a living animals spine - 17 stone is 17 stone, no matter how light you feel you are

True 17 stone is 17 stone but one that is in self carriage only weighs 17 stone, one that is not in self carriage/balanced will be a dead weight and feel a lot more than 17 stone to the horse.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I actually agree that a heavier but balanced rider is better for the horse than an unbalanced lighter rider, but with the strong caveat that neither rider should be too heavy for the horse.

So no using that argument to go over 15% (ideally) or 20% (abolute max) - but it is an argument for reducing the weight limit for novice riders.

A beginner who can't rise to the trot and crashes back into the saddle will be applying more force to the horse's back that a balanced educated rider.

TP (who scraped a physics A level a very long time ago ).

I agree with you when differentiating between riders who are both below 15/20%, but someone who is above 20% is above 20% - and this argument is used mostly by those people to justify why it's fine.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I agree with you when differentiating between riders who are both below 15/20%, but someone who is above 20% is above 20% - and this argument is used mostly by those people to justify why it's fine.

I've seen that too, and far too often. They are deluding themselves, and the one to suffer is their horse .

 

[SantaVera]

I hate it when people try to make the point 'a balanced heavy rider who rides light is better than a light rider who bounces around'. I'm never quite sure how they think that riding light bends the rules of gravity and physics to make them any less than too heavy to be sat on a 17inch piece of a living animals spine - 17 stone is 17 stone, no matter how light you feel you are

Hear hear! Completely agree