Fat people...

walkingman said:
Weight is weight is weight.

A fat person will not have the range of movement, flexibility or speed of movement that a person who isn't overweight will have.



Exactly this.

And no comment from anyone about Alainax's post? But no surprise there, it'd put an end to all the bitching with no solution that you all seem to love so much.
Click to expand...

The trouble with that is that my 13.3 pony with over 8 inches of bone comes out with a value of just under 75 if you put 15 stone of rider and saddle on him. So he'd carry me easy peasy (and did so). Putting a photo of me and him on here caused no end of a row with people telling me I'm a big fat woman and that the pony would be better off shot than carrying me. I don't dispute that I'm a big fat woman btw.
 
Doh!! I thought I'd killed this thread.....

There I was thinking I should take up post as 'HHO Resident Threadkiller'.
 
Dobby said:
I always internally cringe when I see properly fat people riding at all. Even on the stockier horses it can't be good for them. If you are a little bit overweight, ok it's probably fine, but if you are genuinely fat then you should think whether you are suitable for horse riding or not. People don't like to be told this but horse riding is simply one of those sports that not everyone can do regardless of size.
Click to expand...

Totally agree.

I said something along these lines on a thread about riding clothes for big people being hard to find. I said if you're so big you struggle to find riding clothes to fit, perhaps it's time to go on a diet!
 
yorksG said:
While the Body Mass Index isn't that reliable a method of deciding correct weight, it is the best tool available to most. Overweight is usually thought to be a BMI of over 25. BMI is worked out with a height weight ratio, there are some good calculators on the web. I think 9st. would only be obese for someone under 4' 11" :D
Click to expand...
BMI is total testes.

When I was competing in my teens my BMI would have been about 30 with virtually no fat but lots of muscle on a large frame.
Now I measure slightly more but still have a BMI of 30.

I chose a horse to suit my size & shape and I am very careful to check saddle fit and balance.
When I was looking to take BHS exams in the early 90s I was unable to do so as the reasonably local ( within 50 miles) exam centres all had a 12st limit at that time and I was not fat.
I can understand not wanting RS horses to have to carry sloppy weight for hours a day but a sensible approach would be to do assessments for anyone larger than the scrawny types these schools encourage which in turn leads to threads like this.

Jenni, you are similar to me in proportion.
 
I'm 5'2 and weigh 8.5 st. I am what I would call fit.

What I do not understand is how overweight people can horse ride and then continue to be over weight. I find horse riding a very good cardio work out and this alone keeps me pretty slim and toned.

PS I also have a 17.3hh TB that is faaaaaar to big for me :D
 
I'm sure not too many folk would object to the very slender William Fox Pitt riding a lightweight horse.

Lets not forget he was very successful with Tamarrillo, an anglo arab standing at about 16hh if my memory serves me correctly.

But I'd be willing to bet that at 6ft4" or thereabouts he weights considerably more than many of the overweight women being discussed who are about a foot shorter than him. Many of the opinions are prejudice based on aesthetics rather than any scientific grounds.
 
Weight is weight is weight.

A fat person will not have the range of movement, flexibility or speed of movement that a person who isn't overweight will have.
Click to expand...

No, weight isn't weight isn't weight isn't weight :p

Weight can be from a large skeleton, from a lot of muscle, from a lot of fat, or from a combination of all of those. Same weight on the horse's back, yes, but much different results when you put it into action combined with a rider's skill and ability.

If weight is weight is weight, an averagely, fit averagely muscled man @ 16 stone should not be allowed to ride according to some of you. That would rule out a lot of the population of male riders.

Personally, I think fit or fat, 16 stone is okay if you have the right horse underneath you, and the right skills.

As for the range of movement, whilst great in therory, we're talking horse riding here, not gymnastics or valuting!

smelly_horse said:
Fat people shouldnt ride if they dont have the correct size/weight horse to accommodate them....
Click to expand...

Thin people should't ride if they don't have the correct size/weight horse to accomodate them. You can be all skin and bones and still be too heavy for, e.g. a show pony. You can be too light to be any use on a huge hunter, too.

Horses for courses, I don't understand why this thread has got so long but hey ho...
 
i think the point being made is about being overweight or fat, not being tall or muscley. maybe 'Fit to ride?' would have been a less outragous title lol!
 
Not this old chestnut...Again!

You go out and buy a horse that can carry you if your a fat heffer like me...Simples ;) I can jump, compete, perhaps not as well as others but I can and have done. I choose my horses to my weight and take my eye away from some horses I have liked the look of because of it. It is easy to find good looking horses of the right bone/build to take the weight.

It is hard to watch any unsuitable rider horse combinations though, and as some HHOer on my FB will testify to I have become insecure a few times about my weight and riding. These type of threads don't help.

Mind you if a fat heffer like me had not have bought Mr Darcy he would still be in a mud only paddock, covered head to tail in mud with no rugs and no loving owner. At least on my farm he is spoilt within an inch of his life in the best the tack shop I own has in tack, HW rugs, vits and supps ;)
 
Katt said:
I'm sure not too many folk would object to the very slender William Fox Pitt riding a lightweight horse.

Lets not forget he was very successful with Tamarrillo, an anglo arab standing at about 16hh if my memory serves me correctly.

But I'd be willing to bet that at 6ft4" or thereabouts he weights considerably more than many of the overweight women being discussed who are about a foot shorter than him. Many of the opinions are prejudice based on aesthetics rather than any scientific grounds.
Click to expand...

Spot on !
 
Always amazes me how these threads are started by the under 8 stone, size 6's.

We all have to see things every single day in our lives that we probably don't agree with- just butt out and mind your own blinking business......
 
Kao said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9FLSNaMzE&feature=related

I resteth my case -.-
Click to expand...

If people think that person is fat then evidently I shouldn't ride either :p

Yes there are limit, yes you should find a horse that suits you best but sometimes you do stumble across a horse that is a little too tall for you, for example.

I NEVER thought I could ride a TB, I haven't but I've had people say they would be happy for me too, even when I were 13st. Luckily I much prefer coblets ;) Lightest type of horse I've ridden was an ISH :p

But judging by some of the rates (20% of bodyweight) then Phil could carry 17st. I would have to judge the person on a personal basis but in my mind I straight away think "17st - too much" there are horses out there much fitter, stockier and heavier in bone than him and just because he could, doesn't mean he should. I even told myself if I reached 14 1/2 stone then I wouldn't jump him :o

I think if anything, bums eating saddles makes me cringe more, and even a slender person can be guilty of this! Whole lot of issues :(
 
Toast said:
Im not saying you should start another argument, that just seems to have been the nature of the thread from the beginning ;)

And i dont like fattists. So. there. :P
x
Click to expand...

What, telling my opinion to other hho'ers? Some people take it offensively, some dont. Just cant justify why anyone knowing they're to big/fat to ride the specified horse carry on doing so on a day to day basis when in a few years time the horse will most likely have back problems and joint problems. Its totally different being taller and heavier, easier to balance, equals out more. But being fat and nothing else on a little horse, not being balanced and not being able to use aids/seat etc correctly clearly isnt beneficial for the horse.
Anyway, im off to take my skinny self ( ;) ) to ride my horse.
 
I haven't read all the posts od this thread but as its been done so many times, I get the general picture of what the majority of people think. I would be classed by many of you as a large rider..you decide from the pictures below if it 'turns your stomach or not!' I am a very considerate rider (I hope), consider myself to have choosen the 'right' type of horse for my built and try to be as active as possible. Its hard not to be with three horses to muck out every day, poo to pick every day, general repairs around the stables etc....not to mention going to work, housework, school run etc!

Still I beat myself up about riding and have been on the receiving end of some negative comments from what I woull class as 'completely uneducated' people! They hurt my feelings for a long time but it gets easier with age and a certain amount of wisdom that comes from having the correct knowledge. My cob (who is 14.2hh and has 10.5 inch of bone) and I complete at dressage, hack out, do pleasure rides, showing and basically have fun. She is my friend and I trust her completely. I'm not overhorsed or underhorsed but would like to think we're well matched. My time in the saddle is a small part of why I own her.....I'm honoured to share my life with her and we have shared some very special times together. Here we are, please feel free to tell me what you think and why!

IMG_0778.jpg

IMG_0272-1.jpg


I suppose basically what I feel is that there are a lots of larger riders out there, like me, but we're not too big! However, being surrounded by very negative people and comments could easily lead to you never having the courage to put your foot in the stirrup again......how sad would that be!
 
cblover said:
I haven't read all the posts od this thread but as its been done so many times, I get the general picture of what the majority of people think. I would be classed by many of you as a large rider..you decide from the pictures below if it 'turns your stomach or not!' I am a very considerate rider (I hope), consider myself to have choosen the 'right' type of horse for my built and try to be as active as possible. Its hard not to be with three horses to muck out every day, poo to pick every day, general repairs around the stables etc....not to mention going to work, housework, school run etc!

Still I beat myself up about riding and have been on the receiving end of some negative comments from what I woull class as 'completely uneducated' people! They hurt my feelings for a long time but it gets easier with age and a certain amount of wisdom that comes from having the correct knowledge. My cob (who is 14.2hh and has 10.5 inch of bone) and I complete at dressage, hack out, do pleasure rides, showing and basically have fun. She is my friend and I trust her completely. I'm not overhorsed or underhorsed but would like to think we're well matched. My time in the saddle is a small part of why I own her.....I'm honoured to share my life with her and we have shared some very special times together. Here we are, please feel free to tell me what you think and why!

IMG_0778.jpg

IMG_0272-1.jpg


I suppose basically what I feel is that there are a lots of larger riders out there, like me, but we're not too big! However, being surrounded by very negative people and comments could easily lead to you never having the courage to put your foot in the stirrup again......how sad would that be!
Click to expand...


Lets steal cblovers horse! It's faaarrr to pretty for her!!!!! :D:D:D:D

(You are well horsed, but I just want your horse.. I'll send you an SAHB*)

*Stamped Addressed Horse Box
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top