Fat Competition Riders

LEC

LEC

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Possibly controversial ;) but I was running some unaff dressage a few weekends ago and watched a pair doing their test. It was shocking. The rider was far too fat. There was no balance, no core and it just looked absolutely awful. I spoke to the judge as I was collecting the score sheets and throughout the test the judge had written lost balance. This rider clearly knew what they were doing but their weight was really hindering their riding.

Before you think what a cow I am, I would like to add that I am not in anyway a skinny mini being built like a brick outhouse and having the thighs of a rugby player. Size 12 to me is a far and distant dream! In April I hit 13 stone and was shocked by photos but more than that I could not ride properly as my thighs hindered my seat , I normally have great core strength but I was flabby, all over the place and my balance was not as good. After that I have made a huge effort to lose the weight, get fitter and my riding is better as a result though I seem to have ruined my best breeches by squeezing my lardy arse into them!

So do you think instructors should be harsher and point some of these things out? Are we in a society now that tries to soothe too much? If you are entering a competition to be judged on your riding would you accept these comments? How can we educate riders better as this problem will surely only keep on growing? Thoughts?
 
I'm possibly not going to comment on other riders weight but i too agree that i felt more 'together' and balanced when i was a dress size smaller (was 14 now 16) i have evented this year and produced 2 youngsters so on the face of it, i'm 'quite' fit but know i could ride more effectively if i was a bit lighter and not built like a show cob!
This winter is going to be fun - i want to be a size 12/14 for the start of the 2011 season as i have 2 to event... :)
 
I agree with you, I have no problem with bigger riders as long as they are truly able to balance themselves and not hinder the horse. I too am not a skinny person, but make a real effort to stay fit to ride, and am very aware of how my weight/balance can affect the horse.

The problem is, whose resposibility is it to tell these people? Instructors have a living to make, so they won't risk upsetting a client as that's lost income, and some people are too thick skinned to take more subtle comments.
 
Quite a contraversial post, but I do understand what you are saying. I too have seen riders who are unbalanced due to weight problems, and also they seem to ride "heavy" if you understand what I mean.
Conversley, I have seen the "larger" rider who rides very light on the horse. As to how it can be "policed" I'm not too sure. It would really depend on the person and the relationship they had with instructor/friends or whatever.I for instance would be grateful if it was pointed out tactfully, but others could easily take offence very quickly.
mmmmmmmmmm. A difficult one.
 
Like you, im no skinny mini, but i think its a real shame that people cant 'dicipline' them selves if you like, to try and watch what they eat/exercise more for the sake of thier horses. Like you say, you see so many large riders who just cant balance themselves, and therefore the horses way of going is affected too.

On the other hand, i am glad im not a skinny mini, because i have seen so many people who are riding horses who they cant control because they just dont feel them on thier backs! Ive gotten over the fact i have solid thighs and arms like a man, cause i know ill be greatful when im sat on a mega strong horse who trys to tank off with me... Dont get me wrong, outside of horses, i always think to myself, ahh id love to be lovely and slim, but i think riders to have to have a *bit* of something about them.
 
To me it seems an endless circle and actually no one will do what needs to be done. This rider will endlessly get comments about being unbalanced and so will work on that yet no one will just state what needs to be said?

Why has fat become such an untouchable subject in society? Both horses, dogs and humans?
 
I agree on both points, riders that are too big that they hinder themselves and the horse, and also riders that are so skinny with no muscle tone you wonder how they even stay on!!

To me i couldn't care less how big or small someone is, but when it hinders the horse and their performance i just don't get it. If you are serious enough to put the time into training and competing, then you should take it seriously enough to make sure you are physically at your best to do the job?

ETA - and why is it ok to say someone is really skinny to their face, but it's not ok to say they are really fat??
 
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I do see what you mean, however i have also seen some skinny riders seriously hindering a horse performance due to poor balance etc. Obviously if you are on the larger side it will affect you and will probably result in not being as fit as someone who is skinnier, but i have seen some very graceful larger dressage riders about aswell.

I think if the instructor thinks that weight is affecting a riders ability to perform to a certain standard then they should tactfully say something. However i teach and i can imagine it would probably be quite hard to tactfully say something like that without possible hurting someones feelings.
 
I would applaud the bravery any instructor/judge who could say to someone their weight was the main cause of loss of balance. Unfortunately if they did they will almost certainly cause major upset which will do them no favours at best and lose them business/reputation at worst. Very few people can take a comment about weight well however subtle the delivery!

I agere it is an issue though. When I tried to loan my old (17h2!) lad back in the days he was sound, one lovely lady wanted to loan him but at 5ft nothing and noticably overweight, and knowing she already had balance issues with her smaller horse there was no way she would ever of been able to hold him in dressage frame never mind collect and perform the lateral work she wanted to do with him. I made an excuse other than her weight as to why I didn't think he would be appropriate for her but felt bad all the same.
 
I do understand where you are coming from but how to we regulate it etc??
Someone i know who is at least a size 24 showjumps her horse (BS), in all the time i have known her the longest she has kept a horse is 6 months. She spends alot on them (cheapest was 8k) and they all eventually end up stopping due to the fact that she is just far far to heavy (the horses are all lightweight WBs).
You would think that after 6+ horses she would realise that her weight is out of control but obviously not and that is the problem.
 
Great post, Bravo! I totally agree with you, and think we are all too politically correct about it now. fat thighs in particular get in the way of the muscles doing their job imho. most seriously overweight people do not have very good balance either, some are very top heavy. I think they're more likely to get into difficulties and perhaps to fall off, and to fall off harder, if they are seriously overweight.
if all someone wants to do is sit on the sofa, fine, but if they are riding a competition horse (and, presumably, getting that as fit as it needs to be to compete) then it's a no-brainer to be fit (= not very overweight, imho) themselves.
and yes, this isn't holier-than-thou... I've got about a stone to lose before next year's event season starts... it requires willpower, but so does riding! ;) ;)
 
Is it any of your business at the end of the day? Call it a welfare issue for the horse-but no welfare organisation is going to get involved. Yes by all means instructors tell your clients if you think their riding could be helped by losing weight-they are paying you for your advice. At the end of the day we see people kicking their horses too hard/incorrectly, hauling their horse on the mouth, giving it a good smack when it didn't deserve it. All are 'welfare' issues if you choose to call them that, or maybe they're just a consequence of being ridden..
Maybe a campaign to educate riders on oh... softer hands? Affects many more riders..
I nearly pmsl when I saw the comments on WEG eventing thread that these top eventers were 'too fat' and it was 'so unfair' on their horses. Horses that have qualified with these riders (in majority of cases) to be there. Riders who are better riders than all but a very small handfull (if that..) on this forum. Riders who are intelligent adults and probably know that a few pounds off would make them quicker but it's their life and nobody's business but their own.
 
But this is a 'growing problem'. Horse riding itself burns very little calories. Mucking out you will all be pleased to know burns the most followed by vigorous grooming.

As for WEG I think any rider who was not fit for that would be just stupid. I saw larger riders but all looked fit/toned for purpose.
 
It's very hard to tell anyone that they are on the fat side because obviously it will hurt/cause offense to some degree no matter how tactful you try to be about it.

I think another reason for instructors not mentioning it is obvs the possibility of losing a client, bad word of mouth etc

and also the fact that not many people have such a close relationship with their instructors, which includes all aspects of their training. By this I mean how many people have an instructor who coaches them on what to eat before an event, how many hours sleep to get, how much water to drink etc If you had this close a relationship then I think you would expect them to say 'look you need to get fitter and lose weight, lets talk about diet and an additional exercise regime on top of riding'

That's more the realm of a coach which is the sort of thing you only really get at the much higher levels imho
 
SusieT said:
Is it any of your business at the end of the day?
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Well I suppose it depends on whether you think it is right to ignore the issue, or take some responsibility for the horses that we ride?

I think we all have a responsibility to do the best by our horses by being fit and up to the job. That doesn't mean starving yourself down to 8 stone but it does mean being able to maintain your own balance and being able to get off the horses back for the length of time to complete a XC course. My view is that if you can't do that then you've got work to do.

It's not always about being fat - it's about being fit and of course having a suitable horse.
 
i weigh quite alot and my riding instructure has no problem with telling me to loose some of it and i fight to keep my weight under my horses limit as i dont think it would be far. the horse btw has never complained about my weight and we jump 120 when we want to. i also have to make sure that my balance is spot on so i dont cause her any problems. i dont think people should be pinalised for being big and riding and i dont think just because ur bigger means you cant ride. you just sometimes need a bigger horse. i think its also the same that william fox pitt rides but he has perfect balance even tho hes tailer then 'he should be'. people can be all shapes and sizes and as long as they can ride and work hard theres no reason to stop them or change them
 
Quadro said:
I do understand where you are coming from but how to we regulate it etc??
Someone i know who is at least a size 24 showjumps her horse (BS), in all the time i have known her the longest she has kept a horse is 6 months. She spends alot on them (cheapest was 8k) and they all eventually end up stopping due to the fact that she is just far far to heavy (the horses are all lightweight WBs).
You would think that after 6+ horses she would realise that her weight is out of control but obviously not and that is the problem.
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Size 24 is truly shocking :eek: What is she thinking. Fat is not elegant to look at no matter how good your balance etc. I knew a rider who made it onto the British Dressage Team and she was incredibly weight / appearance aware. To me if you are serious about your riding and the welfare of your horse you will be fit and do the best to help your horse out and that usually means being a healthy height appropriate weight.
 
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The questions were:

So do you think instructors should be harsher and point some of these things out?

I think and expect instructors to look at every element and make any relevant comments. I am not paying for their kindness and tact, I am paying for their knowledge, experience and judgement based on this. My instructor advised pilates to strengthen my core muscles. Was I offended? No. I know from my own experience that when I was at the gym every day, my riding was so much better and my horse went amazingly well!


Are we in a society now that tries to soothe too much?

Yes - but probably better not to start on that one. The world's gone PC mad!!!!


If you are entering a competition to be judged on your riding would you accept these comments?

If the comments were that increasing core stability would aid better balance and effectiveness of the rider, then I would think this would be fine. At the end of the day, surely if you have entered a competition to have your riding judged - and someone makes any comments to help you to improve your riding, then those comments are surely as valid as any about soft hands etc...

How can we educate riders better as this problem will surely only keep on growing?
I guess you hope that people become a little more honest with themselves... and others.



Thought provoking...

I'll have to go and look up the pilates class....
 
Fully agree with DaniP
As a tall bloke I constantly have to be weight concious but I only have larger(16.3 mw) horses.
No burgers get into this boy!!!!
 
I type this having just returned from the gym.... I consider myself too fat and not fit enough to do the job I want (eventing). I want to produce similar results to the professionals yet I only ride one or two horses a day so I have to look elsewhere for my fitness. I have joined a fantastic gym, have got a fitness plan tailored specifically for riding to work mostly on aerobic capability, leg and shoulders and most of all core strength.

The lady who teaches me dressage is always commenting on my 'mid-section' being loose and wobbly so I am striving to improve this - the fact that I can see this wobble in her mirrors is an extra incentive! I'd also like to get my weight down a little as I have a couple of smallish horses to ride and I think it's only fair.

When I go to competitions - eventing or dressage - and look at the pros I see a group of successful people who ride well, but who are also all pretty thin and pretty fit (despite the atrocious diets and 20 a day!). I suppose I'm a bit like the 11 year looking at Cheryl Cole (or whoever) for a role model but to me if I want to compete with these guys I've got to make every effort on every front. If that's being 10% fitter and 10% lighter then I'm willing to try!
 
If you sit at the finish of the XC of a BE event, you will see the vast majority leap off thier horses, loosen girths and nose bands and walk their horses off towards their stables/lorries.

However, time after time I have seen an over weight unfit rider come wheezing through the finish and ride their poor horse all the way back to the lorry. Seemingly too knackered to walk back themselves. IMO being fat and unfit and going XC is as bad as making a fat and unfit horse go XC.
 
I will use an example of a very top rider. It was very noticable when Lucy W got help on world class with all the extras about nutrition and fitness for riding because she lost weight, I watched her jog round several cross country courses in her running gear, ate properly at events and her results went from good to being outstanding. A mere coincidence?
 
LEC said:
So do you think instructors should be harsher and point some of these things out? Are we in a society now that tries to soothe too much? If you are entering a competition to be judged on your riding would you accept these comments? How can we educate riders better as this problem will surely only keep on growing? Thoughts?
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Judges can point out a lack of balance etc, but it takes a third party to make the connection between such issues and weight. For such comments to carry weight (no pun intended) the third party really needs to be an instructor/similar, but I can't see many being brave enough because weight is a taboo subject.

I *hate* the fact that it's taboo to discuss weight. I know someone who is rather large and whose health suffers as a result. Her riding (and horse) would also benefit from her losing some weight. But can I say this to her?? Of course not, because she would be horribly offended and I would be labelled a b*tch (not helped by the fact that I myself am quite little). We can talk endlessly about how my various (small but significant) physical imperfections impede my riding, but somehow can't talk about this glaringly obvious physical imperfection of hers!

I don't think that there is any solution, other than for it to become more generally acceptable to discuss weight and for it to be less socially acceptable to be overweight.
 
I agree with OP comments.

At a recent show I and my horse where entered into the weight carrier section which was followed by the light hack class. I witnessed a poor horse having its mouth "held on to" by the rider who couldnt ride a twenty meter circle in trot who was vastly overweight (sounds bitchy but I could barely see the saddle, harsh but true and doesnt help the balance cause at all). This hotse was in the light hack class..... Is it fair to ask a light hack to carry approx. 20 stone of unbalanced "dead" weight? I would say no and something should be said.

How often do you see people struggling over the last jumps of a XC/SJ course due to lack of fitness, regardless of size? Is this not dangerous riding? In particular, jumping XC when completing unbalanced yourself meaning you are hindering the horse.

"ETA - and why is it ok to say someone is really skinny to their face, but it's not ok to say they are really fat??"
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That peeves me off big time!

Rant over :) Steps off
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LEC said:
I will use an example of a very top rider. It was very noticable when Lucy W got help on world class with all the extras about nutrition and fitness for riding because she lost weight, I watched her jog round several cross country courses in her running gear, ate properly at events and her results went from good to being outstanding. A mere coincidence?
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And seeing as I've got a lot larger margin for improvement than her just think what my results could be like next year! :D

This is pretty much what I was trying to say I think, though rather better put!
 
I work at a college which has equine on the curriculum. There are several students who can only ride 3 horses due to their weight being over 13 stone. These horses are weight carriers but as such do not give them any experience of riding competition horses. My colleague who teaches them said they all lie on their applications stating they are 11 stone. This is the supposed future of the equine industry?
 
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