Find a horse for a 18stone + rider

The wife said:
People may see a 14st lady riding a light 15hh tb and not blink an eye because perhaps that animal is capable of carrying them. Why shouldn't a heavier rider be able to have the rights to having a horse than anybody else? I mean if we were talking about the above 15hh light tb carrying 18st I might baulk but on a heavy horse, what's the problem. These animals were designed to pull tonnes of weight over their shoulder and backs.
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Yes, pull tonnes of weight, agreed... but not carry it. The horse's back is a suspension bridge, the bones are only held in line by ligaments, tendons, muscles. The reason most old horses get sway backs is because the heavy weight of their gut pulls their back down (weakens it so that it sags). A heavy weight on top can do the same thing. A short back is stronger than a long one, but the fact that a horse is 'heavy' does not mean it should be used for carrying very heavy riders.
I have seen the result of a nice short-backed young coloured cob x horse being backed and worked far too young (2 yrs old onwards) by a clueless woman, who was also not super-light (if she had been, she might possibly have gotten away with it). He had a terrible sway back, true lordosis. :( :(
 
Beans2000 said:
sorry please read my post in full, i am not 18stone+
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Poor Beans, half the forum hasn't read it properly and have you down for 18 stones!

I personally think quite a lot of horses would carry that weight. What I don't think would cope is a modern day saddle... I've put a few stone on over the last few years (work is in progress to shift it) and while I'm not near that weight, I have noticed that my saddle sits lower quicker than it used to, and needs restuffing more often. I also don't feel as balanced as I did when I was fitter and firmer, and wouldn't compete for the moment as I just don't feel as good a rider.
 
BeesKnees said:
Wow, so up to 10.5 stone on a 13.2hh? My first pony was 13.2 Welshie sec B. I can't imagine her carrying that weight but maybe I'm too soft! Is there any breed difference or is it 13.2hh across the board?
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That's just for games, I don't think there are weight rules for other disciplines, just age ones. Games ponies tend to be lightweight, speedy little ponies though, not cobby types.

Good to know I could still ride 12.2s if I so wanted (and wasn't ancient ;) ) :D
 
The wife said:
There was an interesting letter in H&H last week about weights of children and ponies... Surely if a 13hh SHP can carry a 10st child (I've seen them!) would a heavyweight 18hh horse not manage 18st?? I'm being hypothetical now before.

Tin hat at the ready...
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Knowing the lady that wrote the above letter and the classes her children compete in I think some the sights she would be referring to would be adults on Section A's and B's. There is no age limit in M&M classes - or weight limit - and a signifiant amount of adults compete in these classes - when quite frankley they should not be because they are too big

Going back to the original question of finding a horse suitable for an 18stone rider if its a genuine request and you are looking for a quality horse have a look at

Horse quest - show horses - county level - scroll not too far down - heavyweight hunter Shanteram (sp)

Not my horse and I have no connection to him but he would happily carry that weight
 
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I’m a bog girl and ride a 15.3 TbxshirexID and she has no problems, I've ridden her for a year and had a chiropractor out to see her and she said she has no problems carrying my weight my farrier constantly tells me she could carry much more than I weigh. A riding instructor has said she copes just fine and even the vet has said she would not struggle and we tear up and down together and she is always ready for more. So who is going to go against 4 professionals positive opinions?
 
Surely if a highland pony can carry the weight of a red deer stag down from the hills it can carry the weight of an overweight child?? ok maybe not in pony games but certainly as a happy hacker? Red stags aren't light even when they have been prepared for the larder or game dealer.

Sometimes I do wonder if we underestimate the abilities of our ponies and horses it wasn't so long ago they would have been expected to pull the cart and farm machinery and do the odd days hunting.
 
To whoever made a comment about a 10 stone child... Yes it's possible!

My weight went like this -
7 yo = 7 stone
8 yo = 8 stone
9 yo = 9 stone
10 yo = 10 stone

I was 5'7" by the time I was 11 - people thought I'd be well over 6' unfortunately that's how I stayed. I did ride and did receive a lot of comments about my weight (from both adults and other kids) people didn't seem to take my extra height into account and as a result I was concious about my weight from a very young age. Many of my teenage years in particular were spent thinking I was fat, I'm still not completely comfortable.

I'm now 24 and weigh 10stone - I'm the same weight I was when I was 10 - this is obviously my bodies natural weight. The heaviest I've ever been was 10stone 10lb and that was after some serious xmas eating, it came off in 6 weeks.

As for ponies, I was off ponies and on to horses by the age of 8/9. I believed for a time I could only ride horses over 16.2hh with lots of bone, because of comments. Since that time (when I was still in the horsey world) I've quite happily bombed round a course f jumps on a hw 13.3hh pony - I felt I was going to squish him at first, and told my RI how much I weighed and her words "don't be stupid get on, they are stronger animals than what you give them credit for".

Saying that - 18 stone is probably pushing it.
 
Honey08 said:
Poor Beans, half the forum hasn't read it properly and have you down for 18 stones!

I personally think quite a lot of horses would carry that weight. What I don't think would cope is a modern day saddle... I've put a few stone on over the last few years (work is in progress to shift it) and while I'm not near that weight, I have noticed that my saddle sits lower quicker than it used to, and needs restuffing more often. I also don't feel as balanced as I did when I was fitter and firmer, and wouldn't compete for the moment as I just don't feel as good a rider.
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Totaly agree about the saddles. There are far too many people calling themselves saddlers who frankly havnt a clue. There are many things a good saddler can do to negate the effects of weight ,and there are many modern saddles that can damage a horses back with even a light rider .
 
Oh dear!!! All I can say is well done OP for recognising the fact that you need to work at your weight. Well done, you are not denying the issue; you are actually facing up to it and intend to deal with it. So I wish you well.

However, I would very respectfully suggest that - for this interim period before you achieve the necessary weight loss - that you enjoy all things "equestrian", but not actually get into the saddle. Whilst you are losing weight, you can improve your general fitness, agility, co-ordination & balance through both cardio-vascular exercise AND things to improve suppleness such as Pilates and Yoga. A combination of these things will help you! Also have a look at the Jon Pitts "Fit to Ride" website as he recommends the use of bounce-balls for improving balance.

As someone else has suggested, carriage driving might be something which you could get involved in??? Try your local "British Driving Society", or perhaps if you want to be a little more adventurous you could try the "trials" driving!! Like the stuff Prince Phillip did!!! What a wonderful example he was of the sheer zest of the sport!

Good luck to you, and I hope we hear from you perhaps later in the year to see how you have got on!
 
Most men weigh 15st plus if they are 6ft or over, my OH at his lightest was 15.5st and he is 6ft4. I have shared pictures of him riding my very fit 14.3/15hh Welsh sec D x on the photos thread. He was not fat just broad and muscly.

we see plenty of male riders competing professionally and not all of them are exactly racing thin ?
 
rhino said:
Sorry :) 128 = 12.2hh (and a little bit!), 133 = 13hh and 138 =13.2hh
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Interesting, these are quite high. About 9 stone 6 lbs for a 13 h pony, I would not think that many children weigh that much even dressed to ride. Does it maybe include the tack?
 
Ok so where do we all actually sit on the horse welfare vs human mental health or cultural approach to horse husbandry balance? Is it ok to advocate for heavy riders wanting to ride when maybe they are compromising a horse's current and future well-being while condeming people who hoard/negect their animals due to mental health issues or treat their horses in a way many if us would find unacceptable but is a cultural norm? What trumps what and where do we draw the line in what is a highly charged ethical issue? Discuss.
Off to have another glass of wine and hide........
 
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