How heavy is too heavy?

firstponyMinto said:
I must say that I found diet 2 ride's last link really painful to watch, poor horses mouth! & his stressed out eyes.......
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Not trying to be be mean or nasty or anything,but "diet to ride" you can clearly see you were much too heavy for that horse in your video.Good luck on your weight loss. Hes a lovely horse by the way.

Theres a video on youtube somewhere,where a woman who is massively huge,trying to get on a SMALL ponio.

Oh before I forget,I wanted to add that " Muscle" weighs heavier than fat.Someone can be lean but weigh heavier than a bigger person. Look at these body building women for example.
 
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Muscle and fat weigh the same, fat just takes up more space, if you had a pound of fat and a pound of muscle you would have more fat than muscle, which is why body builders are trimmer and a fat person, but can weigh the same.
 
bugbee717 said:
Muscle and fat weigh the same, fat just takes up more space, if you had a pound of fat and a pound of muscle you would have more fat than muscle, which is why body builders are trimmer and a fat person, but can weigh the same.
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Which is exactly what she said! :D
 
marmalade76 said:
Inappropriate links/content removed.
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Poor horses. If a person is happy being obese and are otherwise healthy and fit then I don't have a problem wth it. It is their choice. However, there are some things that physical size prevents you from being able to do. I am five foot ten and weigh ten stone. I would not ride ponies that were not very well built and at least six times my weight with agood amount of bone. I would LOVE to ride ponies. I prefer them to horses. My ideal size horse is around 16 - 16.3 hh, but I prefer smaller. However, due to my weight and height, this is the size horse that I buy and ride. I think that being obese means that some people may have to accept that they cannot ride at all. They have that choice. A horse does not. Even if someone is obese through drugs or food addiction, that is no reason to inflict that burden on their horse. Luckily, the people in my life who are obese and horsey, do not do that. I am shocked and stunned at some of the videos linked to in this thread. How can a person do that to their horse? Shocking. Why not use horse riding as a great motivator to lose the weight. Work out what weight your horse can comfortably carry (and stop kidding yourselves they are happy carrying you!) then riding can be the reward for losing the weight.

Please note that I am not referring to all those heavy, but adequately horsed people out there. People coming on this thread and saying they are 12 stone etc. You are in a different league! Don't worry about it.
 
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Wagtail said:
Poor horses. If a person is happy being obese and are otherwise healthy and fit then I don't have a problem wth it. It is their choice. However, there are some things that physical size prevents you from being able to do. I am five foot ten and weigh ten stone. I would not ride ponies that were not very well built and at least six times my weight with agood amount of bone. I would LOVE to ride ponies. I prefer them to horses. My ideal size horse is around 16 - 16.3 hh, but I prefer smaller. However, due to my weight and height, this is the size horse that I buy and ride. I think that being obese means that some people may have to accept that they cannot ride at all. They have that choice. A horse does not. Even if someone is obese through drugs or food addiction, that is no reason to inflict that burden on their horse. Luckily, the people in my life who are obese and horsey, do not do that. I am shocked and stunned at some of the videos linked to in this thread. How can a person do that to their horse? Shocking. Why not use horse riding as a great motivator to lose the weight. Work out what weight your horse can comfortably carry (and stop kidding yourselves they are happy carrying you!) then riding can be the reward for losing the weight.

Please note that I am not referring to all those heavy, but adequately horsed people out there. People coming on this thread and saying they are 12 stone etc. You are in a different league! Don't worry about it.
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Totally agree - poor poor horses and the lady who "liked" that last video showing a poor horse in total agony and distress - unbelievable :mad:
 
Wagtail said:
Poor horses. If a person is happy being obese and are otherwise healthy and fit then I don't have a problem wth it. It is their choice. However, there are some things that physical size prevents you from being able to do. I am five foot ten and weigh ten stone. I would not ride ponies that were not very well built and at least six times my weight with agood amount of bone. I would LOVE to ride ponies. I prefer them to horses. My ideal size horse is around 16 - 16.3 hh, but I prefer smaller. However, due to my weight and height, this is the size horse that I buy and ride. I think that being obese means that some people may have to accept that they cannot ride at all. They have that choice. A horse does not. Even if someone is obese through drugs or food addiction, that is no reason to inflict that burden on their horse. Luckily, the people in my life who are obese and horsey, do not do that. I am shocked and stunned at some of the videos linked to in this thread. How can a person do that to their horse? Shocking. Why not use horse riding as a great motivator to lose the weight. Work out what weight your horse can comfortably carry (and stop kidding yourselves they are happy carrying you!) then riding can be the reward for losing the weight.

Please note that I am not referring to all those heavy, but adequately horsed people out there. People coming on this thread and saying they are 12 stone etc. You are in a different league! Don't worry about it.
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!00% agree.
 
Wagtail said:
Your horse is unsound in the first clip. He is swishing his tail continuously in the second. He is clearly struggling with your weight. I am sorry, but it is obvious.
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I too am sorry but I noticed exactly the same. He cannot trot!

While I do agree that weight problems are similar to depression etc, and I really do feel for you but it is still down to the individual to do something about it.
In your case I am so glad you are not riding BUT I would not ride him until you are less than 18st and then make sure you get him checked out

Lots of luck with trying to lose the weight XX
 
darkhorse123 said:
Muscle weighs more than fat which is why when you exercise you can look like your loosing weight as in gettign thinner but actually weigh more
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Thats what I said in the 1st place.For example I have gone down 1 and 1/2 clothes sizes.Doctors said Id gained a little bit but to keep the walking up.
 
To be a bit pedantic:cool:...

1kg of muscle weighs exactly the same as 1kg of fat - both weigh 1kg. However muscle is a denser tissue, so 1kg of muscle takes up less space than 1kg of fat. But both are the same weight - 1kg.
 
sharon1959 said:
Thats what I said in the 1st place.For example I have gone down 1 and 1/2 clothes sizes.Doctors said Id gained a little bit but to keep the walking up.
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Ditto this as well I have I originally lost 15 kilos put on a couple of kilos but gone down another dress size, doc says it is muscle and toning and not to worry.
 
Wagtail said:
Your horse is unsound in the first clip. He is swishing his tail continuously in the second. He is clearly struggling with your weight. I am sorry, but it is obvious.
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i think the last video is awful to watch!!

have to say, i'm overweight myself-but agree that horse in the clips is clearly unhappy and was horrified to see her onboard. :mad:

i'm losing two stone myself but i'm only two stone overweight and my horse doesnt have problems carrying me...yet-but what if i got bigger? she's only 13.3

i know how hard it is to lose weight so i wish her lots of luck and hope she does really well with her weight loss but she just shouldnt be riding that horse til she has lost weight and if she really wants to ride she should use him as motivation...
 
I am happy for you to guess what weight I am! People often assume I am lighter than I am however, I am quite fit and ride between 2 and 6 horses a day (schooling and jumping). I do have a big horse at 18hh but I would also be happy to ride a 13.2hh pony for a while.
My husband is 13.5. stone and I banned him from riding our 16.3hh TB until the horse had built up much more muscle as although he would carry him happily, his weight made the TB unlevel.
I can't get my head round anyone that thinks its ok to ride when very overweight. In no other sport ( and this is a sport) do you see overweight people. But it seems readily accepted in this sport.
I run a riding school and we have to cater for over weight people, although the horses 'carry' the riders it doesn't mean that they are coming to know harm. Every one of our weight carriers have to have treatment for sore backs very regulary.

Here is some pics for my guess the weight!
meekadressage002.jpg

On my 18hh boy

bronsondressage2.jpg

On my 16hh horse

http://www.youtube.com/user/Zoebbz05#p/u/19/RqpSVbzZPPU
And on my 16.3hh TB
 
charlie76 said:
I can't get my head round anyone that thinks its ok to ride when very overweight. In no other sport ( and this is a sport) do you see overweight people. But it seems readily accepted in this sport.
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no comment on guessing your weight but your 18hh boy is lovely! :D

you have a point there though, i think its because in other sports you have to be fit and support yourself if that makes sense.
with horseriding i suppose people are happy to let the horse carry them about and they think they don't have to do much work etc, thats one theory...
 
charlie76 said:
I am happy for you to guess what weight I am! People often assume I am lighter than I am however, I am quite fit and ride between 2 and 6 horses a day (schooling and jumping). I do have a big horse at 18hh but I would also be happy to ride a 13.2hh pony for a while.
My husband is 13.5. stone and I banned him from riding our 16.3hh TB until the horse had built up much more muscle as although he would carry him happily, his weight made the TB unlevel.
I can't get my head round anyone that thinks its ok to ride when very overweight. In no other sport ( and this is a sport) do you see overweight people. But it seems readily accepted in this sport.
I run a riding school and we have to cater for over weight people, although the horses 'carry' the riders it doesn't mean that they are coming to know harm. Every one of our weight carriers have to have treatment for sore backs very regulary.

Here is some pics for my guess the weight!
meekadressage002.jpg

On my 18hh boy

bronsondressage2.jpg

On my 16hh horse

http://www.youtube.com/user/Zoebbz05#p/u/19/RqpSVbzZPPU
And on my 16.3hh TB
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Charlie no idea at all of your weight but you look balanced and the horses look happy and comfortable, in total contrast to some of the video's linked to this thread.
 
charlie76 said:
I am happy for you to guess what weight I am! People often assume I am lighter than I am however, I am quite fit and ride between 2 and 6 horses a day (schooling and jumping). I do have a big horse at 18hh but I would also be happy to ride a 13.2hh pony for a while.
My husband is 13.5. stone and I banned him from riding our 16.3hh TB until the horse had built up much more muscle as although he would carry him happily, his weight made the TB unlevel.
I can't get my head round anyone that thinks its ok to ride when very overweight. In no other sport ( and this is a sport) do you see overweight people. But it seems readily accepted in this sport.
I run a riding school and we have to cater for over weight people, although the horses 'carry' the riders it doesn't mean that they are coming to know harm. Every one of our weight carriers have to have treatment for sore backs very regulary.
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Im guessing about the 11stone marker? you look about the same weight as me (but taller).
I know that I am never going to be 9stone, the lightest I've been in about 8yrs is 8stone 4 & although a "healthy" weight for my height I can tell you I was far from healthy as I could barely walk. So 10-10.5 stone is my target & I feel there wouldn't be many horses out there that would object to that weight.. & possibly a few strong ponies for things like hacking.
 
diet2ride said:
I try to stay clear of these kinds of threads... Purely because I don't want a public flogging. And I also think most of them are started just to cause a witch hunt.
What does annoy me though when you put into a search engine how much weight can a horse carry you get directed to these kind of links. Where you get a lot of personal opinions and not much in the way of real answers, and as for the ‘science bit’... I’ve also read that report and tbh I don't think it stands up. No one knows for sure if my horse will be sorer going out for a 4hr hack with a 9st rider or me riding him for 15mins.
For me personally there is a limit at 25st I couldn't ride. At a fitter 23st yes I can walk around and do a few strides of trot. I have taken the personal decision to wait until I am less than 300lbs before I get back on him, there is no science in this I just know in my heart I will feel more comfortable. If I happen to get there and still feel an inadequate rider I shall wait until I have lost more.
I spent the last four years of my life searching the Internet for an answer that isn't here. If I had followed my gut I would of been riding but instead I listened to the kind of waffle I have read on here, when the issue of overweight riders comes up why do people who obviously don’t have a weight problem even post!!!
I am not mean to my horse at all; I have a lot of respect and love for him, so why should I be ridiculed because I am overweight – being fat isn’t a lifestyle choice, its something that happens to you the same as ocd kicks in on some people, Or even depression.
As for long term health issues, We all know of a horror story where a dressage horse has a breakdown after years of training... Someone even said to me as they advance it's to be expected that they develop problems. Should we all start flinging stones at Carl Hester! it happens in every discipline. And no matter how fluffy we might like to treat our horses some are bought to do a job and be worked to the end of their limits.
This is me when I first got Nas…

http://youtu.be/Nanm06LnHB8

Four years later…

http://youtu.be/42p4qcpQI3Y

And this one just because, I think it shows the partnership between horse and rider isn’t all about fluffy bunny slippers…

http://www.nowness.com/day/2010/9/2/nacho-figueras-by-matthew-donaldson
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YOU need bariatric surgery,for your own health and longitivity.You will then find just how little you actually need to eat,been there myself,but never as overweight as you.Your horse is struggling..you must be struggling too,get it fixed girl..you`ll never believe the difference it will make to your life.
 
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Wagtail said:
Poor horses. If a person is happy being obese and are otherwise healthy and fit then I don't have a problem wth it. It is their choice. However, there are some things that physical size prevents you from being able to do. I am five foot ten and weigh ten stone. I would not ride ponies that were not very well built and at least six times my weight with agood amount of bone. I would LOVE to ride ponies. I prefer them to horses. My ideal size horse is around 16 - 16.3 hh, but I prefer smaller. However, due to my weight and height, this is the size horse that I buy and ride. I think that being obese means that some people may have to accept that they cannot ride at all. They have that choice. A horse does not. Even if someone is obese through drugs or food addiction, that is no reason to inflict that burden on their horse. Luckily, the people in my life who are obese and horsey, do not do that. I am shocked and stunned at some of the videos linked to in this thread. How can a person do that to their horse? Shocking. Why not use horse riding as a great motivator to lose the weight. Work out what weight your horse can comfortably carry (and stop kidding yourselves they are happy carrying you!) then riding can be the reward for losing the weight.

Please note that I am not referring to all those heavy, but adequately horsed people out there. People coming on this thread and saying they are 12 stone etc. You are in a different league! Don't worry about it.
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I was so, so shocked that I couldn't post!
Thankyou wagtail as you have said what I couldn't.

Sorry diet2, but no, you should't ride your horse even though he's so lovely. Have you thought about a gastric band? We have a few ladies that have successfully had one in our town. They even have a support group and it is very successful too.

You are not happy with your weight are you, it has disabled you and stopped you from enjoying life as you should?
My OH suffers with MS and can't do, so I know how you feel and it's just awful. At least you can get better and it is possible.
 
diet2ride said:
I try to stay clear of these kinds of threads... Purely because I don't want a public flogging. And I also think most of them are started just to cause a witch hunt.
What does annoy me though when you put into a search engine how much weight can a horse carry you get directed to these kind of links. Where you get a lot of personal opinions and not much in the way of real answers, and as for the ‘science bit’... I’ve also read that report and tbh I don't think it stands up. No one knows for sure if my horse will be sorer going out for a 4hr hack with a 9st rider or me riding him for 15mins.
For me personally there is a limit at 25st I couldn't ride. At a fitter 23st yes I can walk around and do a few strides of trot. I have taken the personal decision to wait until I am less than 300lbs before I get back on him, there is no science in this I just know in my heart I will feel more comfortable. If I happen to get there and still feel an inadequate rider I shall wait until I have lost more.
I spent the last four years of my life searching the Internet for an answer that isn't here. If I had followed my gut I would of been riding but instead I listened to the kind of waffle I have read on here, when the issue of overweight riders comes up why do people who obviously don’t have a weight problem even post!!!
I am not mean to my horse at all; I have a lot of respect and love for him, so why should I be ridiculed because I am overweight – being fat isn’t a lifestyle choice, its something that happens to you the same as ocd kicks in on some people, Or even depression.
As for long term health issues, We all know of a horror story where a dressage horse has a breakdown after years of training... Someone even said to me as they advance it's to be expected that they develop problems. Should we all start flinging stones at Carl Hester! it happens in every discipline. And no matter how fluffy we might like to treat our horses some are bought to do a job and be worked to the end of their limits.
This is me when I first got Nas…

http://youtu.be/Nanm06LnHB8

Four years later…

http://youtu.be/42p4qcpQI3Y

And this one just because, I think it shows the partnership between horse and rider isn’t all about fluffy bunny slippers…

http://www.nowness.com/day/2010/9/2/nacho-figueras-by-matthew-donaldson
Click to expand...


Your horse is clearly unsound in the first video and the second is horrible to watch. He is clearly struggling and I think you should give him a few months off, lose a few stone and both he and you will feel the benefit so much more and you will not only be happier in yourself but so will your horse.
 
PapaFrita said:
How exactly are they necessary or helpful to this thread?
Would you be OK with someone lifting your vids in order to criticise your riding?
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If I had personally posted them on the net for all the world to see, then yes!

And I have not criticised her riding at all, I actually thinK she is a good rider, but she'd be a better rider and her horses would perform better for her if she lost some weight.

I do, however, thinK her horses are not big enough for her and she is foolish and unfair to her horse by jumping on frozen ground.
 
marmalade76 said:
If I had personally posted them on the net for all the world to see, then yes!

And I have not criticised her riding at all, I actually thinK she is a good rider, but she'd be a better rider and her horses would perform better for her if she lost some weight.

I do, however, thinK her horses are not big enough for her and she is foolish and unfair to her horse by jumping on frozen ground.
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For a start, the jumping on frozen ground isn't relevant in the least to this thread. If we knew her weight, that of the horse and his level of fitness, perhaps if we knew how often she rides and/or jumps, then the vids would be relevant. As it is, they don't help and you will have upset some stranger (because they ALWAYS find out) for no purpose other than for others to tut and shake their heads.
 
bugbee717 said:
sorry if this sounds harse. I have ten horses/ponies, 3 children. I also work, if you think I am unfit or lazy feel free do a week with me you will not last a day. I have a very busy life. when I have been the weight watcher/ slimming world it is all to much food. NOt forgetting the hypnothephy/ accupunchere (sp). Some people can not lose weight like other people. I have no gall bladder and CAN NOT eat fat, it works in the same way diet tablets do, IE you eat fat you poo it out, quick and fast and it is not nice trust me.


Just because I am fat it does not mean that I am not trying to lose weight, so whilst you make statements like this just stop for one moment and think.


I ride my hafflinger he is 14.3hh for 5 foot 11 I have very short legs, this horse can lift me off the ground with his head, he has gone from 700kg plus to 487kg, I know what I weigh. I would do seeing as a weigh myself each day. I currently weigh 20 stone 2 pounds up 4 from yesterday.


so whilst you moan and bit33h about weight, think about us fat people, do you think for one second that I will let my children get like this hmmm no, a life which is not the same as other people, no I dont think so.

get a grip stop bashing that fat person cause they are an east target.
NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME.
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:eek: OMG I'm sorry, but as the owner of a 14.3hh Haffy, there is NO WAY anyone of 20stone would be riding him! My sister's BF is a rugby player and probably weighs about 13/14st - I wouldn't even let him ride my Haffy!

I also have a 15hh Breton x Andalucian - she is a chunky girl and more of a "weight-carrier" but when my dad tried her out recently (weighing 14st ish??) I could see she was struggling and even he (non-horsey) recognised the problem and got off.

I understand that you have health issues affecting your health but I still can't help thinking "poor pony" when reading your post :(

I believe that when someone decides to take up a sport like riding, you in doing so, have to take on responsibilities, not just for your horses health, well-being and fitness, but for your own. Sometimes we just have to accept that there are some things in life we cannot do.

I agree that 12st for a lot of breeds, is too low, but there needs to be a balance. Fit, toned and balanced is far preferable, and I cannot see how anyone weighing 20st can be any of those things. (Possibly contraversial, but I'm not trying to offend anyone, I just honestly don't see how it is possible)
 
I dont think saying at 15-20 stone, you shouldn't ride is actually true...

Physically, yes you'll probably find it a struggle but you just have to chose your horse carefully, and realise you/your horses limitations.

As an example, these are pictures of my friends horse, I'm sure she wont mind me using her lovely boy as an example. I have NO idea if his owner would ever dream of putting 15 - 20 stone on his back, but if he were mine and fit enough, I wouldn't hesitate. He makes the local suffolk punch look like a shetland pony...
honer2.jpg

honer.jpg
 
Charlie- around 13 stone- you HAVE to be seriously tall to not make you giganta hoss look even bigger.
Mate of mine is 5ft 9- 13 ish stone and a size 12.

Wagtail- surely it is more to do with your height that you think you should ride 16-16.3's as a weight bearing chunky 14.2 cob would not bat en eyelid at your weight.

This thread seems to be of extremes. I imagine it is very difficult to balance at 20 stone, which I think is more of a problem to a horse than the actual weight itself, and that your level of fitness would be such that anything other than walk would leave you out of breath. Personally I would rather a 16 stone balanced experienced rider ride a horse, than a 13 stone bouncy novice.

I myself am a heavier rider (although I did lose 3 stone in order to be able to ride again 18st down to 15 stone)
 
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