Heavy Rider School

Gosh emotive topic this one is!! IMO a heavier person who can ride competently is no problem on a mature balanced horse. But a heavy novice is a different story.

I know everyone has to start somewhere, but I really feel for riding school horses; they lead a hard life. A simulator is a great idea. So many people lack balance - I have a friend who has been riding at an RS for years and she still balances with her hands on the poor horses mouth. You cannot necessarily teach lightness and athleticism.
I also believe lunge lessons with no rein contact should be a necessity when you start riding and lots of no stirrup work. Also videoing the person riding and replaying to show where things are good and bad and need working on. If teaching riding was taken to a more thorough and serious level one would hope that this could only be beneficial for everyone particularly the horses.
 
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I've not read much, so sorry if this has been said already, don't regular riding schools want to make money out of and meet the demands of heavier riders? I'm surprised at least the larger schools don't have a handful of real weight carriers.

OP, if most schools really do only cater for up to 12 - 13 stone riders, then yes its probably a good idea. People are getting bigger so the demand is likely to be there IMO.
 
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It is a hard one, I am 5ft 7 and weigh just inder 13 stone this morning. Admittedly I am dieting to lose a stone, but honestly, no one who saw me would say i was nearly 13stone. I am not really fat, quite muscular and am a competant rider with a reasonable seat. My pony (yes pony!!) manages very well at hacking, schooling, dressage, and jumping up to 2ft 6 (i'm a wimp at jumping) He is a 13.2 very chunky welsh.

Shold I go to a fatties RS?
 
To be honest, I would base it very much on individual cases. For example, my boy is lightish weight 16hh Thoroughbred and I know for a fact that he would prefer a heavier weight rider, sitting correctly, in the right position with sympathetic hands, rather than a lighter weight rider hauling him all over the place (not dissing beginners because we were all one once, nevertheless, there are riders of all shapes and sizes and levels of skill who will or will not be instructed.

Some horses are more tolerant than others. I'm 5ft 4 and just over 9 and a half stone, I would like to be lighter, on saying that, I am an experienced rider but some horses I have ridden have viewed me as a "pea on a mountain" and disregarded me.........

Different horses for different people, if you can make a match with a regular larger clientele, reckon it'd be fab. Have you been in touch with Fuller Fillies to see if you could get any marketing feedback?
 
With regards the lying about weight thing:

I was very upfront when looking for my share- In my add i said "must be capable of carrying 16 stone +"

ALL three owners of the horses I tried said "there is no way you are 16 stone"...... I was 15 and a half at the time.

I am surprised riding schools do not insist folk get on the scales prior to them getting on their horses.
 
I dont think that marketing a riding school as aimed at heavy people is a good idea but I do think it is a good idea to be able to cater for people over 12 stone. As several posters above have said a lot of people are over that weight.

Horses can carry some 20% of their bodyweight. Now I appreciate that its different with novices and horses who are working several hours a day than having your own horse and being a competent rider, but nevertheless 12 stone is only about 78kgs which will be a lot less than 20% of the bodyweight of many horses. Im very glad I dont have to deal with this, as I have my own horse. I wouldnt sit on anything under 16hh or that I didnt think was up to carrying me even though I am a good rider. I am a heavy person (but Im less than 20% of my horse's bodyweight!). Having been to the dietician I have about another 2 stone (12kgs) to lose on top of what I have already lost (about 2 stone) and that will take me to a normal bodyfat percentage and importantly is what the dietician said would be about right for me and I should aim for. I do need to lose that fat (and its not easy!!) but I am pretty muscular and presumably my bones are made of lead or something - the lightest I have been as an adult was at uni when I weighed around 13 stone - and you could see and feel my ribs.
 
anniearab said:
I keep this as a reminder of what working army horses, usually between 14.3 & 15.2, used to carry and stay sound.

The late Major Wilton kept the cutting, as an example of what the troop horse was actually carrying on active service.

South Africa. Weighed in the Field, from The Times of the 7th March 1901. Name of the Regiment not given.

Saddle, wallets carbine bucket, etc 31lb 6oz
Bridle 7lb
Shoes and nails 2lb
Lance 4lb 8oz
Carbine 8lb
Sword 3lb 14oz
Ammunition for carbine, 150 rounds 9lb 6oz
Bandolier, mess tin and waterbottle (full) 7lb 4oz
Knife, etc. and towel 8oz
2 days' groceries and 1 days meat 3lb 4oz
1 days' corn (horse feed) 10lb
Great coat, forage nets, saddle blanket and numnah 27lb
Emergency ration 1lb
Total 115lb 2oz

Average weight of man 166lb

Grand Total 281lb 2oz
Or 20 stone 1lb
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If they lived long enough to be assessed, that is! Who really cared/was able to speak up for the unable ones anyway? It was a tough and urgent job and I would imagine a bullet would be the answer to those unfit or unable to cope. Poor things. We at least have humanity nowadays and consideration for their comfort under saddle and bridle.

I do not have any doubts a properly bred and well put together animal of substance and fitness IS up to carrying 17 stone of reasonably adept rider, but a 16 hand misfit with dodgy legs and a lardy novice? Asking for trouble IYAM. Put it this way, I'd buck one off! ;)
 
MrsO said:
ollyorse.jpg


OH having a lesson, by the laws of some of you - he shouldn't be riding as he is nearly 15stone :D

xx
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He shouldn't be riding a Section B, but he isn't!
 
MrsO said:
I 'know' Rainbowsandtoffeee from another forum ... she aint no troll! ;)

I like your idea, perhaps not a specific school for chubbers, just one with big fit horses that welcomes the larger rider - I like the idea of the simulator until your balanced enough to ride 'kindly'

xx
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Another one here who knows rainbowsandtoffee from the other forum, she's not a troll!
Oz :)
 
charlie76 said:
without wishing to be rude( I am not a skinny minnie by any stretch of the imagination) but riding is a sport,. unless you are in the sport of Sumo wrestling, you don't see 20 stone people competing in any other sport so why is it widely accepted in the equestrian world?
If you want to partake in sport then surely you should ensure you are fit enough to do it?
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Because there are people out there who would love to ride, but can't at a riding school because they're too heavy. I'm one of them. I am overweight- not from stuffing my face all day but because of a couple of stupid health problems.

If I could ride, it would give me added incentive to get fitter- it's very hard to think 'oh, yeah. I'll be able to start riding again once I drop a few more stone,'. Plus, riding and the work that comes with it is exercise in itself. Now, I'm not twenty stone, but I am over the limit for every riding school in my area.

(Before anyone bashes- I am working to lose weight, and have dropped three pounds in the last week. I have a pair of bad knees and a bad ankle which makes too much walking interesting. ;))

I think that short lessons on properly prepared horses would do the rider good and the horses no harm. The key thing is to chose horses that are suitable, and make sure they're well conditioned enough to cope with the work. For example, quiet hacking may be better for the horse than riding in the school, because there's not so much turning involved.

You could also include stuff like stable management skills, lunging and groundwork. Honestly, I would love something like that.
 
20 stone. Thats a lot. No offence- but 20 stone is too much in my opinion for riding- once youve added the tack, the body protector and hat etc thats 21 stone. Riding is effectivly a sport. I have a tall, muscular OH and he rides abd weighs 13stone. If he was 20 stone and a complete novice most horses would stuggle.
 
EAST KENT said:
Maybe hire out dromedary`s for the "overweight",don`t inflict them on horses though.
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Well, that's a lovely attitude to have.

Maybe all of us 'overweight' fatties should just go and live in a cave somewhere, were we can shovel food down our gullets 24/7? /sarcasm

I honestly don't see what's so wrong with an overweight person riding, so long as they're properly mounted on a well prepared horse.
 
RunToEarth said:
Rugby players and weight lifters at 20st do not sit on top of other animals.
I agree there are light larger riders, but 20st is 20st, light rider or not, you have to question a 20st person's fitness and their effect on the horse they are competing on, seriously.
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some of us do. with advice from vet and farriers and back experts taken into account they all said its fine and my mare says its fine to

i have been riding since iwas two btw and ive had my 16hh sport horse mare a year and been riding her for 2 and a half she has never been lame and never had any heath issues. i am 18 stone with all my tack in hand and clothes and she as i said before clears 1.20m and loves it. she can also gallop with ease and always comes to the gate to be tacked up willingly. she has also worked in a riding school where the weight limit is 16stone but this is not enforced if the staff think the horse can manage. i rarely comment on these fat posts as they just wind me up but i really want people to realise that being 11stone for some people isnt going to happen and doesnt need to. btw i was 11 stone about 4 years ago and it makes me a size 6 which is rediculous as im only 5,7 im just suppost weight more then the average person and if you took my horse of my i would kill myself so please stop judging and commenting. i think the riding school is a good idea but i dont know how practical it is.
 
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madeleine1 said:
some of us do. with advice from vet and farriers and back experts taken into account they all said its fine and my mare says its fine to

i have been riding since iwas two btw and ive had my 16hh sport horse mare a year and been riding her for 2 and a half she has never been lame and never had any heath issues. i am 18 stone with all my tack in hand and clothes and she as i said before clears 1.20m and loves it. she can also gallop with ease and always comes to the gate to be tacked up willingly. she has also worked in a riding school where the weight limit is 16stone but this is not enforced if the staff think the horse can manage. i rarely comment on these fat posts as they just wind me up but i really want people to realise that being 11stone for some people isnt going to happen and doesnt need to. btw i was 11 stone about 4 years ago and it makes me a size 6 which is rediculous as im only 5,7 im just suppost weight more then the average person and if you took my horse of my i would kill myself so please stop judging and commenting. i think the riding school is a good idea but i dont know how practical it is.
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Well said.
 
hhhmmm

my horse has a lot of bone, never measured but more than a cobs, he is always seen as a weight carrier. I got him vetted when I purchased him and was told he should not carry more than 12stone ! horses with big bone etc are generally bred for pulling not for riding.

I am not saying it is not viable, but you may want to factor in that the horses you have only do a max of 2 years of the heavy weight workespecially if they do several ours each day. This way there will be no lasting damage on their bones etc and have a chance to recover from it. Dont go for young horses, get ones where they are fully grown and strong already. Also ensure they have a fullfilled life, it will help if they are taken for a blast experiences rider etc, spons rides.

Mine got wise and went lame everytime a saddle was put on him, retired him and has never been lame since.

He was in a riding school and used as a weight carrier before I purchased him, his legs will be the first thing to go on him, farrier and saddler say each time I have them out, he is not designed to be ridden.

It is a good idea, i see that everyone should have the opportunity to ride no matter what, but of you have no horses you have no business
 
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My partner was competing Intermediate team chasing on his TB weighing 13 stone. He is quite a small built guy of average height, i'd guess about 5'7" ish and fit and its all muscle. We have 2 TB's and they both carry him with ease, even over the size of intermediate team chase fences!

Not all people who "weigh" more are big people, but I do understand how hard it can be for a horse to carry an unbalanced "heavier" person.

Personally I think it all depends on the height/weight/shape of the person. I think its very difficult to have specific weight limits without meeting the person in question.

:-)
 
JosieB said:
Well looking at the cumbrian horse site which uses clydesdales, the prices are not cheap and they always book up their rides etc.. might be worth checking out their site and what they offer ..
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these guys have a 12st weight limit too, I am sad becasue I am 16.5 st and love clydesdales, if you check my pics in my sig I am hardly a puffing blowing fatty, I play badminton 3 times a week and netbal twice a week and ride 5 times a week. I had a 14"3 cob who I rode at this weight whose back I had checked regularly, no problems and I now ride a 17"2 ISH who also has no back problems. (PS I was a novice when I got the cob).

Problem is that weight isn't everything, I weighed 12st at a size 12, I have a muscular body from lots of sport.

From a business point of view I think you would struggle to keep the animals in good health and get the business to make it worth while though it is an admirable idea.
 
My dad is just over 6ft3, he is very fit and healthy ran a half marathon in a decent time recently, however in theory he couldn't ride at many riding schools. We have a 17.1hh clydesdale x and I would no longer let very heavy beginners on him. He is now 18 years old and has had lameness issues. I think it would need a lot of horses in order to be viable and older schoolmasters generally have a lower weight limit.
 
Ive been following this thread and it is close to my question about weight. I want to buy a horse for my OH who is 6ft and 13 stone. What height, breed would be appropriate? Dont really want a big clydesdale type just a chunky cob type?
 
spottydottypony said:
Ive been following this thread and it is close to my question about weight. I want to buy a horse for my OH who is 6ft and 13 stone. What height, breed would be appropriate? Dont really want a big clydesdale type just a chunky cob type?
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We bought a 17.3hh TB :D

That was when my OH was around 13.5 stone. Now, after all the lambing/farm work he's done his muscle is up and he weighs 15 stone.... so I am bending his ear trying to get him to buy himself another horsey :)
 
spottydottypony said:
Ive been following this thread and it is close to my question about weight. I want to buy a horse for my OH who is 6ft and 13 stone. What height, breed would be appropriate? Dont really want a big clydesdale type just a chunky cob type?
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The YO where I ride's husband is 6"2 and 14st and he rides all sorts, Just make sure you get a well put together heavyweight type, a good hunter type, ISH all sorts will be suitable. :)
 
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