Heaviest weight on the horse most suited to weight carrying?

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shiresrus123

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Assume the horse is perfect height wise and behaviour wise for a rider, is a weight carrier as much as that term can be applied (ie up there with the best weight carriers in taking the biggest riders), and is 100% fit and healthy in every way.

Rider is experienced and has ability and horse and rider suit one another in every single way but rider weight.

What would be the maximum weight said rider should weigh to ride said horse under those conditions?

In other words, whats the maximum riding weight that should ever be applied to a rider on a horse, assuming all other conditions are favourable? Is there a weight whereby horse riding just is not possible, no matter what the horse's status? Is that 20 stone? 25? 30?

(totally theoretical, just wondering what thoughts are :) )
 
I personally think that 20% is too much. But that is my personal view. Anyone over sixteen stone, whether fat or all muscle, I would say should go get an elephant if they really want to ride. Remember, most people weigh themselves without clothing, boots, coats etc. All this could easily add 2 stone and so making my 'personal' opinion of maxium weight into 18 stone all in.
 
Wagtail said:
I personally think that 20% is too much. But that is my personal view. Anyone over sixteen stone, whether fat or all muscle, I would say should go get an elephant if they really want to ride. Remember, most people weigh themselves without clothing, boots, coats etc. All this could easily add 2 stone and so making my 'personal' opinion of maxium weight into 18 stone all in.
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Rubbish. There are plenty of horses out there who'll carry 16 - or 18 - stones easily! I have one - he's 17.1 - out of a BIG Percheronx mare out of a BIG RID stallion. He's very short backed, broad and deep, with 10.5" of bone. He'd carry an 18 stone novice - or 2 stones more of a balanced rider! He WON'T win the Grand National while doing it!

I don't HAVE a proper pic of him - but you'll get the idea. The rider on him is nowhere near that weight - but IS 6' tall - so from his leg position you can see the depth and breadth!
lofty-buck.jpg
 
20% of a 600kg horse is 120kgs which is 18.9 stone.

A 700kg horse = 22st!!!

War horses probably carried that.

I'm not sure I agree with the 20% rule, seems too high for me. I have always gone with 15% as I think that is about how much a mare carries with a foal (for months!) but we are sitting atop, not hanging below..

The horses I ride are approx 500kgs. 20% max weight = 15st 10lbs

15% is 11st 11.5lbs.

I am 11st and 5'6. Gulp!
 
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Wagtail said:
I personally think that 20% is too much. But that is my personal view. Anyone over sixteen stone, whether fat or all muscle, I would say should go get an elephant if they really want to ride. Remember, most people weigh themselves without clothing, boots, coats etc. All this could easily add 2 stone and so making my 'personal' opinion of maxium weight into 18 stone all in.
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2 stone for boots and coats and clothing? Are you mental? What are your coats made out of? Chainmail?
 
I am slightly obsessed with this subject as I have a rather large bottom myself.

I think 20% of a horse's ideal weight is a good maximum....for a balanced decent rider. Less if a novice.

I recently had lessons at a riding school which has a weight limit of 15 stone, which I think is generous.....as most people lie about their weight and novices are much harder for the horse to carry.


I am 5ft 2/3 ish and wear size 18 clothes, 13 (ish) stone (more with tack). My 14.3 hh rising 6 year old traddy cob (9 inches of bone) keeps up with my friends fit thoroughbred on a lively hack, carrying my bottom. I would certainly not ask him to jump, or do any hard schooling but he seems fine for hacking and lessons and I am reassured that I am fine on him (by vets and instructors)....I remain paranoid I am too heavy and on a permenant diet!
 
JanetGeorge said:
Rubbish. There are plenty of horses out there who'll carry 16 - or 18 - stones easily! I have one - he's 17.1 - out of a BIG Percheronx mare out of a BIG RID stallion. He's very short backed, broad and deep, with 10.5" of bone. He'd carry an 18 stone novice - or 2 stones more of a balanced rider! He WON'T win the Grand National while doing it!

I don't HAVE a proper pic of him - but you'll get the idea. The rider on him is nowhere near that weight - but IS 6' tall - so from his leg position you can see the depth and breadth!
lofty-buck.jpg
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lolol look at the riders face,seems totally cool!
 
Marley&Me said:
I think 20% of a horse's ideal weight is a good maximum....for a balanced decent rider. Less if a novice.
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Genuine question, would you put 16st of rider on my gelding? (He has 8 1/2" inches of bone and is 15.1hh). 15% of his bodyweight is approx 12 1/2 stone. I rode him at my heaviest of 13st 5 and felt too heavy for him.

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I think 20% is too much IMO. And I do think there is a definite limit. I know I personally wouldn't expect a horse to carry me if I weighed more than 18st (plus a bit of room for tack/gear).
 
My friends in the US, 14 - 15hh Quarter horses, heavy western saddles, adult cowboys/girls, carry them all day working, no problem.
 
I did say 20% MAXIMUM and that's just what I read somewhere, and following OP guidelines that was a fit horse and an experienced rider. My OH is 14 stone and rides a 15.3hh cob, she weighs 700kg.
 
I think it all depends on conformation, my lw 16hh tb would carry more than a badly put together cob because although she's light of bone she is v square - I would put 14 st on her if an experienced rider - she carried 12 stone pointing! A lot of the heavier horses aren't designed to carry riders but a decent ID will easily carry 17 st all day hunting :) My 13.2 connie would have happily carried 13 st when he was fit :) I know tbs who hunt for years with 15 stone men happily!

The riding school I used to teach at had a weight limit of 17 st. We had 3 that would carry that fine for an hours lesson with a novice :) I used to teach a 6'6 guy who was very lean but 16 stone - I don't believe anyone would have said he was too heavy to ride full stop!
 
JanetGeorge said:
Rubbish. There are plenty of horses out there who'll carry 16 - or 18 - stones easily! I have one - he's 17.1 - out of a BIG Percheronx mare out of a BIG RID stallion. He's very short backed, broad and deep, with 10.5" of bone. He'd carry an 18 stone novice - or 2 stones more of a balanced rider! He WON'T win the Grand National while doing it!
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The Westphalian mare in YorksG's 'Am I too big for this horse?' thread has over 12" of bone and carries an 18st short beginner without even noticing, at walk and some short bursts of trot. She's 16hh.
 
thanks all, so is 20 stone the limit for any horse i wonder?

(also, meant in the nicest way possible and not related to any one above :) but please no 'im 7 stone am i too heavy for this 18hh giant)
 
Honestly, honestly, does anyone think I'm too big for my pony? I'm 9.5 stone and 5'7 and she's 14.2hh, I'm so so paranoid I'm going to harm her joints :( My mum and instructors say she's fine but I don't think they want to offend....

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I think the 20% rule is more than generous with no need to go higher than that!

I have three serious weigh carriers, one I would put no more than 16stone on and the other two could take up to 20 stone. They don't have too but they could.

A 20 stone person is less likely to be athletic or balanced though. I speak from experience having weighed that much. I never did more than walk with my boy and I have already lost 8 stone so can feel the difference in my riding. I was uncomfortable at that weight and even though I was an experienced rider I had vey little balance. So yes horses can carry that much. But should they is the question.

Please note that I said less likely! I know a bloke who rides a 17hh medium weight hunter and he hunts him hard! The bloke is big but athletic and weighs 18stone! The horse has no trouble carrying him.

The light brigade were 21 stones with armour!

The drums that a drum horse carries weigh 60-100lbs each!

A decent western saddle weighs three stone!
 
Solo1 said:
Honestly, honestly, does anyone think I'm too big for my pony? I'm 9.5 stone and 5'7 and she's 14.2hh, I'm so so paranoid I'm going to harm her joints :( My mum and instructors say she's fine but I don't think they want to offend....
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No, you are not too big. You look perfectly suited to your lovely pony!
 
Alphamare said:
The light brigade were 21 stones with armour!
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I'd love to know where you heard that, because I'm sure it can't be true! The clue is in the name - the light brigade were "light" cavalry, which meant they were lightly armed, lightly armored and mounted on lighter, faster horses.
 
has any one ever known of a horse damaged through being ridden by a too heavy rider? was it permanent?

is there ever a mount for someone nearing 30stone? or is there a weight limit to horse riding full stop for any horse's welfare i wonder

ETA nice work alphamare on your 8stone loss, how did u do it?
 
How can you tell if a rider is too heavy for a horse?
Are there any obvious signs that the horse is struggling, or is simply uncomfortable carrying the rider?
 
shiresrus123 said:
has any one ever known of a horse damaged through being ridden by a too heavy rider? was it permanent?

is there ever a mount for someone nearing 30stone? or is there a weight limit to horse riding full stop for any horse's welfare i wonder

ETA nice work alphamare on your 8stone loss, how did u do it?
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Why would anyone of 30 stone want to ride? At that weight they would struggle to walk. Are you actually asking a serious question? :confused:
 
Wagtail,

Dont be so stupid, people of 30 stone do not have time to ride horses.

Getting to that size involves full time commited eating!

Interesting though, has anyone on here ever seen what they considered to be a 30 stone rider? what were they riding? Dont think I ever have.
 
guido16 said:
Wagtail,

Dont be so stupid, people of 30 stone do not have time to ride horses.

Getting to that size involves full time commited eating!

Interesting though, has anyone on here ever seen what they considered to be a 30 stone rider? what were they riding? Dont think I ever have.
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But if, as was suggested earlier in the shread, humans are getting bigger in general, how long until 30 stone is a reasonable and realistic weight for a person - and until a person of 30 stone or more could be quite active?
We've certainly grown since the 40s and dress sizes are getting more and more generous every year.
Will we be able to continue to breed horses bigger and bigger to cope with that? Or have they about maxed out now?
 
I wouldn't put more than 18st in a SADDLE becasue it has finite area under it. Unless you start looking at 20" saddles, the pressure under an average 18" saddle with more the 18st would damage muslce pretty quickly. In fact 16st for the average saddle is enough. It doesn't matter how well the rider rides, they cannot levittate and there will always be 18st being pressed down into their sensitive back muscles.

The same applies to lightweight 10st adults riding in 13" saddles on ponies.
 
I guess about 20 stone is a reasonable limit.

No carbs. Low calorie. Very strict.


I however have a serious hormone condition and did not eat my way to 20 stone. I've read a few of the threads in soap box and didn't eat half what people who were half my weight we eating.
 
Wagtail said:
Why would anyone of 30 stone want to ride? At that weight they would struggle to walk. Are you actually asking a serious question? :confused:
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Dunno......I often ask why people who are digging a hole won't put the shovel down.....even when its pointed out what they jot down is pure twoddle, but there you go:rolleyes:

JG The face on your rider is fabulous. Couldn't actually be more unbothered! Love it!
 
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