SEL
Well-Known Member
Good point
Old boy Ardennes had a tonne of bone but very short backed. You needed to be able to get in a 16" saddle.
You should bump that post about the weight carrying
how much can cobs actually carry?
- Thread starter aspemm
- Start date
Old boy Ardennes had a tonne of bone but very short backed. You needed to be able to get in a 16" saddle.
You should bump that post about the weight carrying
Annagain
Well-Known Member
I've just lost a stone and half (that I'd piled on due to a slipped disc then my horse being out of action for a year) so I can get back on my horse when the time comes (he's walking in hand at the moment, I get on next week). I'm a similar weight, he's 16.2 and not quite a big chunk of a cob but more cob than hunter. His breeding is unrecorded but he came from Ireland and I suspect he's ID x something. He weighs 640kg at a healthy weight (he's a bit over at the moment so we're eating dust together) and I wouldn't feel happy getting on anything much smaller. I want to (and am trying to) lose another 2 stone but have at least reached a weight where I'm happy to get on him.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
But weight is weight
. A modern size 14 is not a small clothing size.This me @ 13 stone unclothed weight, 5ft 10 ins tall and a size 14 on a 16hh chunky Friesian mare. I was then at the lower end of the overweight weight range for my height. She is not a cob as such, but she is a sturdy build and is very fit.
Add all her tack and my riding clothing and she is carrying near enough 15.5 stone. Her saddle is a synthetic, so it weighs a little less than a leather one.
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irishdraft
Well-Known Member
My friend has a 15.2 cob he has quite a bit of bone but often runs up light in the body ie a bit herring gutted. She weighs 14.5 stone and hunts him & goes on fairly demanding hunt rides but doesn't jump. She rides in a 17.5 saddle, he seems to manage ok but I think she is too heavy for him, thankfully she's on the fat jab and is now down to 13 stone which is probably, for him, a much better weight.
Vodkagirly
Well-Known Member
I have 2 cobs, 15hh and 15.3hh. Technically both would be a suitable size for you and I think they would be fine for occasional rides but for lots of long rides and jumping, I don't think they would cope. My 16.2hh hunter would be fine though.
Other thing to consider is to make sure that your new horse can cope with an unexpected weight gain. As I get older, it's been harder to keep the weigh off and I seem to be stuck in a cycle of weight gain due to holidays/injury and dieting despite my best intentions.
Other thing to consider is to make sure that your new horse can cope with an unexpected weight gain. As I get older, it's been harder to keep the weigh off and I seem to be stuck in a cycle of weight gain due to holidays/injury and dieting despite my best intentions.
Mari
Well-Known Member
I think mucking out, heaving hay / straw around, filling nets, washing buckets, poo picking the field, all the “fun” things to do when you have a horse might help your weight loss more than actually riding.
LadyGascoyne
Still Fig-uring it out...
This is a really good point - rider 'conformation' comes into too, just as horse conformation does.
13 stone and 6 foot is a different shape in the saddle to 13 stone and 5'6, which is different to 13 stone at 5 foot.
Whether you can fit into a saddle which fits onto a short back will matter, and your femur length will also come into that to ride comfortably.
Peglo
Well-Known Member
If the choice is between riding or sitting watching tv then being up and moving is obviously better for weight loss. Some people may need that incentive to get up and out the door though.
If you’re swapping already being active for horse riding then it’s unlikely you’ll lose any weight but it’s still being active.
As Mari says all the jobs that you do with horses will also help if you’re not usually active.
If you’re swapping already being active for horse riding then it’s unlikely you’ll lose any weight but it’s still being active.
As Mari says all the jobs that you do with horses will also help if you’re not usually active.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
I'm not that tall (5'7") but even at my skinniest (10st), I'd struggle with a 17" saddle as I'm very long from thigh to knee and have piddly little calves. My knees are roughly at the same height as my sister's and she's 5'1". I must be the only 5'7" person in history to need short riding boots!
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
Even at 14stone I can fit into a 17" saddle. I'm 5ft4, short limbs and all my weight is on my boobs and belly. When I'm not fat I've ridden in 16" saddles with no issue. I'm a funny shape but it does have the benefit of meaning I can fit small saddles at least
Annagain
Well-Known Member
That's the point I was making, it's not all about the size of your bum! I actually have quite a small bum compared to the rest of me but still struggle with a 17" saddle!Even at 14stone I can fit into a 17" saddle. I'm 5ft4, short limbs and all my weight is on my boobs and belly. When I'm not fat I've ridden in 16" saddles with no issue. I'm a funny shape but it does have the benefit of meaning I can fit small saddles at least
eahotson
Well-Known Member
The largest saddle I have seen advertised is an 18" saddle.Even at 14stone I can fit into a 17" saddle. I'm 5ft4, short limbs and all my weight is on my boobs and belly. When I'm not fat I've ridden in 16" saddles with no issue. I'm a funny shape but it does have the benefit of meaning I can fit small saddles at least
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
yep me too. When not fat I have ridden comfortably in a 16" saddle and squeezed my bum into a 15" to teach a naughty welsh A to stop hauling its little rider around.Even at 14stone I can fit into a 17" saddle. I'm 5ft4, short limbs and all my weight is on my boobs and belly. When I'm not fat I've ridden in 16" saddles with no issue. I'm a funny shape but it does have the benefit of meaning I can fit small saddles at least
I'm too fat to ride right now at 15stone, but I can still comfortably sit in a 17" saddle (before anyone comes at me it was on a mechanical horse) as I'm still wearing size 12-14 jeans. all my weight is boobs and belly
conniegirl
Well-Known Member
I've seen 20" saddles for sale several times.
eahotson
Well-Known Member
You may well be right but I never have.
khalswitz
Well-Known Member
I might be about to open myself up here... but I still ride at 15.5 st (in lightweight tack, 17" Wintec Lite with lightweight plastic stirrups).
My mare is a 16.3hh 620-650kg ID (by weight tape) with plenty of bone and a nice short back, so she's carrying about 16.5% of her bodyweight, all in and we plod about country roads mainly at a walk, with only an odd canter every few rides when she makes clear she wants to and the gates to the right fields are open. We don't jump and just hack.
I'm 5'10, at my current weight in my profile pic on her, and despite dropping a dress size over the winter the actual weight on the scale has stayed the same. I'm reasonably fit, as I'm a rugby referee and do a lot of running and cycling for fitness in my spare time.
Would I love to drop 2 stone? Absolutely. I'm trying to. But it's a hard balance to fuel how active I am, whilst maintaining enough calorie deficit to lose weight and not gaining any more muscle!
Is it ideal from a welfare perspective? No. But I can't imagine many horses living in a welfare-perfect scenario, and she gets to live out year round on a large acreage with a very settled happy herd - and the physio is really happy with her. The guy who owned her before me was bigger and heavier than I am, and she worked a lot faster.
My mare is a 16.3hh 620-650kg ID (by weight tape) with plenty of bone and a nice short back, so she's carrying about 16.5% of her bodyweight, all in and we plod about country roads mainly at a walk, with only an odd canter every few rides when she makes clear she wants to and the gates to the right fields are open. We don't jump and just hack.
I'm 5'10, at my current weight in my profile pic on her, and despite dropping a dress size over the winter the actual weight on the scale has stayed the same. I'm reasonably fit, as I'm a rugby referee and do a lot of running and cycling for fitness in my spare time.
Would I love to drop 2 stone? Absolutely. I'm trying to. But it's a hard balance to fuel how active I am, whilst maintaining enough calorie deficit to lose weight and not gaining any more muscle!
Is it ideal from a welfare perspective? No. But I can't imagine many horses living in a welfare-perfect scenario, and she gets to live out year round on a large acreage with a very settled happy herd - and the physio is really happy with her. The guy who owned her before me was bigger and heavier than I am, and she worked a lot faster.
I'm Dun
Well-Known Member
i rode my driving pony at 16%. She was super fit which I'm sure makes a difference, as does only doing light work. We still dont really have definitive figures so we just have to work with the guidelines and in some cases their is some leeway.
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
But I dont think you are heavy at all!! You are really tall, all of that makes a huge difference
plus you probably have a lot of muscle compared to fat! Thats also a huge factor. Ive said before.. I am all for everyone riding, just ride a horse that fits you.
I can get my bum into a 16 comfortably now
thankfully I dont need to
khalswitz
Well-Known Member
That is incredibly sweet of you, but I am objectively heavy. Even by BMI I’m pretty sure I count as obese, I am just tall enough that I only look a bit chubby and ‘carry it well’. But for the horse, that doesn’t make much difference.But I dont think you are heavy at all!! You are really tall, all of that makes a huge difference
Ive said before.. I am all for everyone riding, just ride a horse that fits you.
I can get my bum into a 16 comfortably now
But that’s why I bought a big ID, rather than an ex racer like I might have quite wanted.
Barton Bounty
Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
Im only 5’2 id love to be tall and ive always been chubby too but since November ive lost nearly 4 stone and since I do have a tb, I need to keep it off lol
im nowhere near skinny nor do i want to be to be honest. 
Kirstineridesagain
Well-Known Member
I’m very mindful of my weight as the horse I bought unseen surprised me by being a tad smaller than I had imagined her to be - she’s 14.1 and not very heavily built and I’m 5ft8 and at my heaviest ever (apart from pregnancies). Before I can ride her I want to lose 8-10 kilos, I keep trying but haven’t succeeded so far. I think I’m going to have to give up (very) milky coffees, alcohol and evening snacking if I’m to make any progress.
Icelandic horses are often ridden by large(ish) riders but as my mare will be pretty unfit and lacking in muscle when I start riding I need to get my act together. I can chuck my daughter on her if I don’t but I’m determined to succeed this summer so I’m ready by autumn/winter.
How about a sturdy Highland? They look pretty strong to me.
Icelandic horses are often ridden by large(ish) riders but as my mare will be pretty unfit and lacking in muscle when I start riding I need to get my act together. I can chuck my daughter on her if I don’t but I’m determined to succeed this summer so I’m ready by autumn/winter.
How about a sturdy Highland? They look pretty strong to me.
Exasperated
Well-Known Member
Ok, you’re a big, strapping lass - but you’re hardly Henry VIII! And a great deal more balanced and agile, I would imagine....
Both you and the horse are obviously coping absolutely fine, and probably having a far better time than many combinations, judging from contributions to this forum.
Plenty of angst and other things to go wrong with horses - so please, just enjoy the lovely things you are doing together!
sbloom
Well-Known Member
Conformation of the pelvis and hips is even more significant, I keep banging on about it but fitting to thigh length is the worst way to select seat size, hip measurement slightly better, but fitting to the pelvis as the starting point (taking weight into account) is absolutely the best way. You can have two riders with identical external measurements and weight who will sit very differently in the same saddle and it's only recently, with Swedish work looking into this, that we're understanding why.
My blog posts explains why getting the perfect seat size for the rider isn't quite what we think https://stephaniebloomsaddlefitter.co.uk/blog-and-resources/the-search-for-knee-room
Seat size should never be about thigh length, see the link I posted immediately above.
English saddles don't commonly go bigger but they do, usually custom. Some continental saddles offer larger seats as standard, the US fits larger seat sizes than we do, on average (which may well account for why anterior pelvic tilt is such an issue for American riders, more so than here IME, again see my link above), and then US gaited cut back saddles come in up to 20, 21, possibly even 22. And leave the riders sitting on entirely the wrong part of the horse's back and in the wrong way, just all part of the torture than TWHs suffer even if they're not doing big lick.
Forgive me but you really should be on a wooden tree, and a strong version of a wooden tree. Not casting aspersions, but plastic trees are not good for heavier riders, especially if you are on a relatively small tree for your weight. There are downsides to going more lightweight.
eahotson
Well-Known Member
Excellent advice as ever.
khalswitz
Well-Known Member
Nothing to forgive, it’s excellent advice, thank you.
I didn’t choose this saddle for its lightweight properties, it was the best fitting saddle for us both that I could get in my rather limited budget. A decent saddler agreed it was the best of the bunch.
I would love to upgrade, and will eventually - but for now I’m still paying off last year’s massive vet bill so realistically it’s not happening soon.