Fat Competition Riders

[lucemoose]

If the horse is expected to compete as an athlete, then the rider too should be an athlete. Whether that horse is a cob, WB or pony, then the rider should be fit for their size and I believe that all riders have a weight/size where they are fittest. Be that they need to loose weight, maintain weight or gain weight...

at the other end of the scale, some Pro riders are noticeably tiny and could do with a little more muscle mass to ride effectively rather than purely off the hand and spur..small continental females..

 

[Kao]

This is a touchy subject, but when it comes to weight I'm extremely open about it.
I do find it very annoying to say the least when I see an overweight person riding say a TB, competitively and expecting to get somewhere. As said before if the horse is an athlete then the rider should buck up and become perform in tune with the horse.
I'm size 6/8 (depending on the brand I guess) and own a cob. Now while he can carry a adult man or the larger rider I would NEVER put an extremely overweight person on him.

People are sugarcoating weight issues to the point they are becoming issues in everything. In the press/media there's the odd article on "Fat Britian" or whatever but it NEEDS to be addressed in Equestrian sports.
Instead of telling people to be "big and beautiful" or proud of who they are. Just don't. It's encouraging them to be BIGGER and eat more, if these people don't want to lose the weight then that's their problem. But enforcing it onto the horse is just bang out of order and cruel.

*breathes*

 

[scatty_mare]

The thing is that we need to be healthy and fit in order to perform at our best.
Some people's healthy weight is bigger than others, and it is equally unhealthy to aspire to be twiglets. Look at horses- we are just as critical, maybe even more so, of a slightly underweight horse than an overweight one.
However when weight affects our ability to perform our chosen sport/activity/live our lives as we should then it NEEDS to be addressed. It is not only blooming hard work for a horse to carry around someone who is seriously overweight (and I do mean seriously, not just a bit wobbly as most of us probably are) but it is also very hard on your body all the time.
And it makes me sad when I see people throwing everything at getting their horse to its physical peak, and completely neglecting their own personal fitness. It's crazy.
In the main though I think people need to understand what is a healthy way of living and what is not, and that it is up to them what they put in their body and how much exercise they do. Not up to anyone else.

 

[kerilli]

I know a couple of riders who need to eat a bit more and lift a few more water buckets to enable them to be as effective as they want to be, being slim and of a weak build hinders riding as well.

Sorry, I don't mean to pick on you in particular, you're not the only one to post along these lines, but jeeez, we seem to be criticising everyone here - some who are too fat, some who are too skinny! I wonder who everyone thinks has the 'perfect physique' for riding? I bet we'd even get dissent on that...!
I think super-slim looks great on a horse and being skinny absolutely does not equate to being weak. Just look at mountain climbers for examples of that!

Finally, and most importantly, equestrians are constantly trying to get our "sport" taken seriously. How can riders expect to be respected as athletes if we lie to ourselves that we can still do as well when unfit and overweight?

I cannot agree enough with this.

It is, as stated up there, a growing problem. I'm old enough that when I was at school there was one, just ONE, obese kid in the whole school. Honestly. (And if anyone cares, he lost all the weight at Uni, has kept it off, and is a good friend of mine.) Nowadays there are a lot of obese children, and a lot of them turn into obese adults. When they then want to be 'athletes' on top of horses going at speed and/or over jumps, I think this becomes a problem.

 

[Thelwell_Girl]

I think that as long as the horse is happy and healthy, than rider weight does not matter as much. However, if you're riding ability is affected than I think you should do something about it. If my instructor thought my weight was affecting my riding, she would tell me, just as we have spoken about other things, best joddies/sports bras etc.

Now I am certainly not skinny, but the horses I ride can easily carry me and a little bit more. I am much fitter right now than I have ever been, after a summer of riding as much as I could.

 

[SusieT]

so... Fat is bad.. What about those with a dodgy knee or ankle who can't balance properly? And those who get left behind and jab horse in the mouth?

 

[bigboyrocky]

I think super-slim looks great on a horse and being skinny absolutely does not equate to being weak. Just look at mountain climbers for examples of that!

Im going to stick my neck out and say i disagree with this imo its a bit different with men, because they are naturally bigger and taller,, a hefty rugby player say, would not look right on a horse, however women... i would much rather see a strong rider than a stick. My best friend for example (she doesnt ride), many people take her has being anorexic... trust me shes not anorexic/bulimic or anything else, she eats as much as i do, she just has a very fast metabolism (lucky sew and sew), however, she sat on Rocky, and looked stupidly skinny and out of place. (she is the same height as me if not a bit taller)

I think it works both way - riders need to find a happy medium of being strong enough to cope with the horse and have enough about them that the horse feels them on thier back(!), but not grossly overweight so that it hinders thier performance.. Just my opinon

 

[BBH]

so... Fat is bad.. What about those with a dodgy knee or ankle who can't balance properly? And those who get left behind and jab horse in the mouth?

Well they're also unlikely to excel.

We are talking in the main about anything that impedes the horse and weight in the main is controllable whereas knee problems etc aren't. Unless of course someones heavy weight is putting pressure on the knee joints.

People have a choice to make and if you can be a healthy weight thus be able to ride better thus helping the horse, be fitter and look better why on earth wouldn't you.

 

[kit279]

so... Fat is bad.. What about those with a dodgy knee or ankle who can't balance properly? And those who get left behind and jab horse in the mouth?

Well, not to be a complete pedant, but an overweight person is much more likely to have a dodgy knee/ankle in the first place, no joke.

A very funny GP friend of mine says that he often has overweight patients who swear they only eat salad. To which he replies that elephants only eat grass His point is right - it is all about portion control and sometimes people don't realise how much they are actually eating. I'm not going to point the finger, there are people who have to work damn hard and basically starve themselves in order to be just a regular size and weight - they are unlucky and definitely drew the short straw. But it's the same principle as horses. Some get fit by strolling around the field (Kauto Star) and some take months and months of slog to get fit (Denman). You just have to work with what you've got.

 

[Mistletoe-Kiss]

, however, she sat on Rocky, and looked stupidly skinny and out of place. (she is the same height as me if not a bit taller)

I think it works both way - riders need to find a happy medium of being strong enough to cope with the horse and have enough about them that the horse feels them on thier back(!), but not grossly overweight so that it hinders thier performance.. Just my opinon

I agree with the happy medium bit, but not the start!
I'm a size zero, and I don't *think* I look out of place on horseback, in fact I'd say that with my health issues it's the only place I look normal!

 

[BBH]

You look stunning.

 

[kerilli]

you look great. that, to me, is the perfect physique for riding.
i teach a girl who is about 5'6" and size 6 ish, she looks awesome on a horse. even when she very occasionally loses her balance due to horse being naughty, her long skinny legs HELP her, where a more experienced rider with short fat legs would be all over the place. sorry, but i've seen it, many times!

 

[Baggybreeches]

*aargh* point missed completely!
We are talking about competition riders, not what a horse is capable of carrying.
I know for a fact that when I am riding at 12st racing weight my horse will be about 20 seconds slower over 3miles than when I am 11st 7lb, same horse, same jockey, ergo, weight affects performance!
ETA My horse would quite easily carry someone of 14st plus on account of him being a giant old fashioned type of TB, but that doesn't mean its good for him!

 

[bigboyrocky]

I agree with the happy medium bit, but not the start!
I'm a size zero, and I don't *think* I look out of place on horseback, in fact I'd say that with my health issues it's the only place I look normal!

Sorry ive been talking just with eventing in mind... I think if you have a horse to get around a XC course you need to have a bit of something about you. Just look at all the people at the very top... Pippa funnel, Piggy French, Tina cook etc... i think they all look great on horses, but i wouldnt consider any of them to be 'skinny', just fit...

My best friend is skinnier than you! To me you look healthy and not weak, there arent many people that could be a size 0 and still look as healthy as you do imo. I think dressage is all about look elegant aswell, and tall and slim does look lovely.

 

[CrazyMare]

I do believe people should be told if their weight is hampering their health or their competitive desires.

Overweight & healthy are two words that just do not go together, although at any given time, there may be no symptoms of poor health, but carrying excess body weight is scientifically linked to a long list of health problems.

My instructor HAS told people that are too overweight for what they want to do - specifically for sidesaddle lessons. I have no doubt she would tell me although has no need at present - she has told me when I have lost muscle tone.

As for skinnies on big horses - I am 5ft7, 9st with spindly legs and a BMI of around 18/19, I ride a 13.1h and a 17.1h regularly - Of course the big horse doesn't recognise me - his Daddy is about 11 1/2st. Solution - he rides in a snaffle, I ride in a 3 ring gag.

 

[Baggybreeches]

you look great. that, to me, is the perfect physique for riding.
i teach a girl who is about 5'6" and size 6 ish, she looks awesome on a horse. even when she very occasionally loses her balance due to horse being naughty, her long skinny legs HELP her, where a more experienced rider with short fat legs would be all over the place. sorry, but i've seen it, many times!

As a short fat person I agree entirely with this. I am eternally jealous of tall thin people who also manage to look elegant and effortless!

 

[SusieT]

Oh that is priceless.. size zero is the perfect physique for riding?
I can see plenty of riding 'errors' in this thread in signatures etc.. Do I comment on them or say they must be stopped for the good of the horseworld?
Nope.
Anyone who says it is 'better' to be underhorsed is wrong. But where the rider is enjoying their sport, the horse is not suffering (and I mean by putting a massive rider on an unfit horse) unduely (they are ridden what..1hr a day? ) why don't we let everyone enjoy their horse as they wish?
If you feel that your performance or your pupils performance could be helped by losing a few pounds-go for it. But don't force your opinions on others or make them out to be gospel or 'common sense' when they are just your opinions.
How many fat 5-a-side football/rugby playing men do we think there are out on a Sunday? A few anyway. I don't think there are that many massively overweight riders, at least I don't see them, podgy yes, but that's their business.

So dodgy knees etc. are fine because you can't find a simple solution to say like 'stop eating pies' (I'll ignore the 'overweight people more likely to have these problems-old people are more likely to have these problems-Shall we limit competitive riding to teenagers??)

 

[SusieT]

Ah and to the 'short fat legs would be all over the place' well score one for tall people...No matter how little i eat I will never have long legs, (and they're not fat either for the record, I'm normal for my height) perhaps I should give up on this riding lark as I will never look as elegant as your size 6 friend? Oh dear.

 

[kerilli]

Sorry ive been talking just with eventing in mind... I think if you have a horse to get around a XC course you need to have a bit of something about you. Just look at all the people at the very top... Pippa funnel, Piggy French, Tina cook etc... i think they all look great on horses, but i wouldnt consider any of them to be 'skinny', just fit...

Hmmmm, well, for the sake of my argument, please can I mention Sharon Hunt, Ingrid Klimke, Karin Donckers, Mary King, and absolutely loads of other top event riders who are enviably slim and don't seem to have any problem at all with the strength required to ride around a 4* course once or twice in a day.
Of course, we're concentrating on women here. I can probably name 100 or so skinny male Pro event riders, and only 2 non skinny. I bet a lot of people will know who I mean, as well!
Skinny can mean strong and fit, it doesn't mean weak and emaciated...

 

[Thelwell_Girl]

...short fat legs...

Well...

Ah and to the 'short fat legs would be all over the place' well score one for tall people...No matter how little i eat I will never have long legs, (and they're not fat either for the record, I'm normal for my height) perhaps I should give up on this riding lark as I will never look as elegant as your size 6 friend? Oh dear.

I agree! However, I am ridiculously short My legs are short but toned (to a certain extent) and my calves are big

 

[bigboyrocky]

Hmmmm, well, for the sake of my argument, please can I mention Sharon Hunt, Ingrid Klimke, Karin Donckers, Mary King, and absolutely loads of other top event riders who are enviably slim and don't seem to have any problem at all with the strength required to ride around a 4* course once or twice in a day.
Of course, we're concentrating on women here. I can probably name 100 or so skinny male Pro event riders, and only 2 non skinny. I bet a lot of people will know who I mean, as well!
Skinny can mean strong and fit, it doesn't mean weak and emaciated...

i wouldnt consider any of them to be skinny. just very fit and toned... most of them are all at least size 8.. and skinny to me does mean weak and emaciated (thin, underweight, not much to them accept skin and bone etc), prehaps where our difference in opinion lies!

 

[kerilli]

Ah and to the 'short fat legs would be all over the place' well score one for tall people...No matter how little i eat I will never have long legs, (and they're not fat either for the record, I'm normal for my height) perhaps I should give up on this riding lark as I will never look as elegant as your size 6 friend? Oh dear.

As I said up there, short slim legs can do a really great job. Ginny Leng was a perfect example. She rode big horses, perfectly balanced, she never struggled. I never said it was necessary to have long legs to be a good rider. Far from it.

What the hell does "normal for my height" mean? Seriously? That cracks me up.
I know two guys of 6'6". One is an ectomorph and weighs about 11.5 stone. another is an endomorph and weighs about 22 stone.
which is "normal for that height"? Either. Or, anything in between. There is no set point. If you think there is, I don't know what to say really.

 

[SusieT]

Kerilli-don't you see you're saying the same thign as others are saying about larger/fat riders.
There can be perfectly good skinny riders, and perfectly rubbish ones. Same as there can be perfectly good fat riders and perfectly rubbish ones. And some of hte fat riders will be better than the skinny ones. And some of the skinny ones will be better than the fat ones...

 

[JenniferS]

Yeah, what does "Normal/Average for my height" mean ??

 

[SusieT]

Within the normal range, e.g you would not consider someone wat 15st and 5"3 a normal healthy weight for their height... Weight has to be taken in accordance with height as for a 6"6 rugby player 15st might be considered a normal weight

 

[Hemirjtm]

I have lost 2 stone over the past 6 months (thank goodness as I weighed too much for what I wanted to do!). I'm a balanced rider (even when I weighed 2 stone more), but the difference in my horse is amazing ! I think he really appreciates the fact I have lost weight, and I feel 100% better for doing so !

I'm never going to be a skinny minny as I have 'proper' thighs, muscly calves and I have got quite broad shoulders. I am pretty muscly and not much wobbles ! I do feel as though I should lose another stone at least to get down to my 'perfecet' weight BUT I'll do it carefully ! I eat healthily, cycle loads and ride 2 / 3 horses a day at the moment So I'm pretty fit !!

I think that everyone is different, but agree that to ride properly you shouldn't be over weight or underweight ! There is also a huge difference to the heavier rider riding lighter than the lighter rider riding heavily !

 

[siennamum]

I think we are talking about two different things tbh.

1. An amateur hobby rider should surely not be so concerned with the level of detail people are getting into here. If people should only be riding heavy horses when they are over 13st, then presumably lots of men should stop riding QH's in the US. Unless they are adversely affecting the horses welfare - does it matter what weight they are.

2. People expecting their horses to be equine athletes will need to also be althletes, and it seems to me they are - you don't see overweight people going round Badminton.

I do agree that when someone's weight affects their riding siginificantly they should be given guidance by whoever is training them. Not just in terms of pointers about their gigantic thighs, but maybe about their unsuitable mount, or about their bad balance - stuff can be done about that. (I think it does affect riding - it badly affects mine now I'm a middle aged fatty)

We are much softer than other countries about this. In Germany, friends/family openly state that only very thin, tall women are any good as dressage riders, and men. Fatter women (and I mean normal/slim women under 5 ft 10) cannot sit properly because their thighs get in the way - so most people on this post would be buggered.

 

[kit279]

Yes, I weighed in for my medical the other day and I was totally horrified to discover I weighed at least 1.5 stone more than I thought I would! Seriously, I'm not naturally big framed and the doc and I were a bit non-plussed to say the least. I haven't changed size, all my clothes still fit (and not tighter), I just seem to have become mysteriously denser...

 

[mbequest]

are we talking event riders here? or SJ /DR?? For me there would be a difference. I am a big rider, and dont shirk away from it. I used to event, to a very high level, but I now feel that a horse carrying me for 90secs round a BSJA course is much more appropriate than a typically more lightweight one, think event stamp, carrying me for 5-7mins full tilt round the XC.

This is the same reason I dont hunt.

I think that Becky Holder is a nice exmple of the larger event rider competing at the highest of levels..........

 

[little_flea]

are we talking event riders here? or SJ /DR?? For me there would be a difference. I am a big rider, and dont shirk away from it. I used to event, to a very high level, but I now feel that a horse carrying me for 90secs round a BSJA course is much more appropriate than a typically more lightweight one, think event stamp, carrying me for 5-7mins full tilt round the XC.

This is the same reason I dont hunt.

I think that Becky Holder is a nice exmple of the larger event rider competing at the highest of levels..........

Agreed - Jan Tops for example, and of course Geoff Billington are not exactly of the tall, slim type and their horses don't seem to struggle too much! Maybe the problem is more prevalent amongst us women who are unfortunately more prone to the fat thigh syndrome, which unfortunately does sometimes affect our seat? :-D