Fat people...

It's not always about weight per se, but also about balance. My husband isn't light at all - a large proportion of that is muscle due to his job, and some is fat. He rides fine, because he's still able to move freely etc. We're careful about what he rides, but those he does are ok with it. I've seen short women of a similar weight, where the fat is so all-encompassing that they can't move and bend properly. I've seen him and them on the same horse (different times, different lessons), and the horse looks far happier with him.
 
Toomanyhorses you're like me. I weigh a good 12 and a bit stone and am 5'3 on a good day. No one ever believes how much I weigh. Good isn't it?

Love your beast and his immaculately pulled tail!
 
Popcorn anyone?

How horses survived in the days of yore carrying knights in full gear.......

How horses cope with two plus people on (vaulting)......

How horses manage to leave the ground with their 'overweight' riders......

Oh I really need to go and stick my head in a 'fridge.

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I saw a girl once at a county show, in the Intermediate show ponies.
She was most definately in "show condition" - I would have a fair bet she weighed the same as her horse - a fine, lightweight tb of about 15.1hh.

I felt SO sorry for the horse. Must have been alright though, since she won the class!

Some riders do not help themselves though - why oh WHY do obese (not even overweight!) riders squeeze themselves into 4 sizes too small jackets - I trot round warm ups in fear of getting attacked by a flying button!!

Thats what irriates me more tbh; at least wear a jacket that fits!!
 
I just wish people would be honest about their weight with themselves... I weigh about 10st now and have a 14hh welsh x arab. I am in the process of drastically trying to reduce my weight so it is fairer on her. Just because she can carry my weight doesn't mean it is fair...
 
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MrsMozart said:
Popcorn anyone?

How horses survived in the days of yore carrying knights in full gear.......

How horses cope with two plus people on (vaulting)......

How horses manage to leave the ground with their 'overweight' riders......

Oh I really need to go and stick my head in a 'fridge.

h040.gif
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Yer but no but... those horses were quite specific to the job, they were draught crosses and those horses died whithin a few years if they didn't die in battle and went lame and ended up as farmers horses and a paupers ride often... what you see in films is quite romantic really and we here are talking about the average domestic tb or so. Also, horses were much fitter... i.e. used ALL the time, not just an hour a day or once a weekend or similar by the average horse owner in the UK with work, kids and a husband to look after too.

p.s. I haven't got kids or a husband (do work my socks off tho..) and still struggle to keep a horse and myself fit enough for a weekend out riding/rc/fun stuff to do on horseback.
 
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mrs M your character did make me laugh and smile!!! Love it!!!....now listen...you can be fat and fit.....I have always struggled with weight....but I believe the original post was..how much weight can a tb hold...??? Well there are many factors that come to mind...fitness, condition, middle weight, lightweight, et etc..
In short: Horses that carry 25-30% of their bodyweight (including rider and tack) have more physical problems related to exercise than those horses carrying 20% or less. In particular, horses carrying 30% body weight showed a significant increase in muscle soreness and muscle tightness scores.

The test was conducted using 8 horses that each performed a standardized exercise test in an indoor arena. The regime was judged to by typical of a 45 minute work period for an intermediate level riding school horse.

so there is a point where too much weight is tooooo much granted.............and those who choose to ride a horse who can not carry their weight will obviously see the destruction....BUT I am sure that most who know they are overweight will err on the side of a tb/x..........the few that do not .....we can only help them to understand..but I believe most people know if they are overweight...and will buy accordinglyxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
FREESTYLER said:
mrs M your character did make me laugh and smile!!! Love it!!!....now listen...you can be fat and fit.....I have always struggled with weight....but I believe the original post was..how much weight can a tb hold...??? Well there are many factors that come to mind...fitness, condition, middle weight, lightweight, et etc..
In short: Horses that carry 25-30% of their bodyweight (including rider and tack) have more physical problems related to exercise than those horses carrying 20% or less. In particular, horses carrying 30% body weight showed a significant increase in muscle soreness and muscle tightness scores.

The test was conducted using 8 horses that each performed a standardized exercise test in an indoor arena. The regime was judged to by typical of a 45 minute work period for an intermediate level riding school horse.

so there is a point where too much weight is tooooo much granted.............and those who choose to ride a horse who can not carry their weight will obviously see the destruction....BUT I am sure that most who know they are overweight will err on the side of a tb/x..........the few that do not .....we can only help them to understand..but I believe most people know if they are overweight...and will buy accordinglyxxxxxxxxxxxx
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FS, you are not entirely unintelligent!! :D:D
 
FREESTYLER said:
mrs M your character did make me laugh and smile!!! Love it!!!....now listen...you can be fat and fit.....I have always struggled with weight....but I believe the original post was..how much weight can a tb hold...??? Well there are many factors that come to mind...fitness, condition, middle weight, lightweight, et etc..
In short: Horses that carry 25-30% of their bodyweight (including rider and tack) have more physical problems related to exercise than those horses carrying 20% or less. In particular, horses carrying 30% body weight showed a significant increase in muscle soreness and muscle tightness scores.

The test was conducted using 8 horses that each performed a standardized exercise test in an indoor arena. The regime was judged to by typical of a 45 minute work period for an intermediate level riding school horse.

so there is a point where too much weight is tooooo much granted.............and those who choose to ride a horse who can not carry their weight will obviously see the destruction....BUT I am sure that most who know they are overweight will err on the side of a tb/x..........the few that do not .....we can only help them to understand..but I believe most people know if they are overweight...and will buy accordinglyxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Is there somewhere I can see that data. I do believe you but I'm a bit of a stickler and like to know exactly how the trial was designed. It's a very small data set to be concluding anything significant from. Sounds interesting though. Were all the riders of the same ability?
 
I'm going to bobble off this thread.

It comes up time and again.

There are far more pressing and urgent matters in the equine world to be worrying about than the occasional rider who is over the weight carrying capability of the horse they are riding.
 
See you on another then MrsM...

That aside, there are more pressing matters that lots of people can do nothing about. Discussing weight happens all the time yet I still see the same sights I saw 20 years ago!

One of those things I guess.
 
only_me said:
I saw a girl once at a county show, in the Intermediate show ponies.
She was most definately in "show condition" - I would have a fair bet she weighed the same as her horse - a fine, lightweight tb of about 15.1hh.

I felt SO sorry for the horse. Must have been alright though, since she won the class!

Some riders do not help themselves though - why oh WHY do obese (not even overweight!) riders squeeze themselves into 4 sizes too small jackets - I trot round warm ups in fear of getting attacked by a flying button!!

Thats what irriates me more tbh; at least wear a jacket that fits!!
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THIS EXACTLY!

Someone I know wears a 32" jacket where she needs at least a 36". It's not nice to look at, there's a big bulge in the middle of the jacket.
 
No no, my original post wasnt how much can TB's weigh. Its more why do fat people insist on riding little TB's and other small fine type horses and think its perfectly acceptable ;)

Would you let a fat (whatever your definition of fat is) person ride something around this size....

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P.s. I am abdnormally small, and weigh less than 8 stone, but that horse is around 15.2hh :p
 
Well then, anybody want to buy Genie? She'll be crippled in the near future after two years of being ridden by somebody fat.

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Anybody fancy guessing how much I weigh? She's 15hh and I'm 5'3 or so.
 
PoppyAnderson said:
toomanyhorses - if you're pushing 15 stone then I'm the blimmin Pope.
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ditto that!;)

Hmmm, well this thread has done one thing for me, inspired me to enjoy a last supper of chips and cheese before beinging the diet , again,:p

I feel i owe it to my horse to be the best i can be and that means among other things being fit as i can be to ride him , after all he does the same for me....i owe him that much at least , after all i can carry a back pack with a sack of potatos in it, its a very comfy backpack , but i feel much better cayying something lighter and like it or not so will your horse.
 
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fihunt said:
Well then, anybody want to buy Genie? She'll be crippled in the near future after two years of being ridden by somebody fat.
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Nonsense. She is a cob and can carry you perfectly comfortably. Especially considering that you can ride and she is fit. I'll buy her though if you're offering. She is one of my HHO favs!

And tallyho, I am only four foot so probably count as obese!
 
jesstickle said:
nonsense. She is a cob and can carry you perfectly comfortably. Especially considering that you can ride and she is fit. I'll buy her though if you're offering. She is one of my hho favs!

And tallyho, i am only four foot so probably count as obese!
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lol!!!!! :D :D
 
I think threads like this are just a tad spiteful!!
Fi, you and genie look great together :)
I have battled with the idea of weighing to much for the ned's I ride but I am yet to find one that struggles with my 15stone, whether it's a 16.3 TB or a 14.2 highland/ cob!
If you guys hate the idea of fat people riding, what do you think to the guys that show jump for our country? They aren't exactly small now are they?
You really shouldn't judge people on their size but their riding ability! A 7 stone heavy handed person can cause miles more damage to a 16stone light handed person!
 
Chellebean said:
I think threads like this are just a tad spiteful!!
Fi, you and genie look great together :)
I have battled with the idea of weighing to much for the ned's I ride but I am yet to find one that struggles with my 15stone, whether it's a 16.3 TB or a 14.2 highland/ cob!
If you guys hate the idea of fat people riding, what do you think to the guys that show jump for our country? They aren't exactly small now are they?
You really shouldn't judge people on their size but their riding ability! A 7 stone heavy handed person can cause miles more damage to a 16stone light handed person!
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Don't be silly. Geoff Billington was the skinniest man I ever saw in my whole life!!!!! (sarcasm? me? surely not) I think you're spot on in honesty.
 
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