How much difference does a few pounds make re weight carrying??

Leo Walker

Leo Walker

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I have a stonking little 5 yr old traditional cob. I have never known a horse as strong as he is. I've owned him since he was a 2yr old, backed him myself in the September of his 3 yr old year. Since then I've got fat :( and he hasnt grown as much as he was supposed to. Hes currently 14.1hh and a bit with masses of bone, and huge wide loins.

I wont ride him as I think I'm too heavy. 2 vets, 2 respected "back people" and randomly my horse dentist have told me I'm being ridiculous and to just get on with it. The last "back person" to see him came out specifically to look at him with a view to me riding him. She said he has amazing muscle tone and has an incredibly supple back. Hes currently ridden by someone who is nearly 13 stone and genuinely doesn't know shes there. I am 22% of his bodyweight including tack and only want to amble about hacking in straight lines for 20 to 30 mins. I've lost half a stone and massively increased my muscle mass and general fitness but I am fat :(

My friends/OH/instructor/vet etc etc are all right royally peed off with me as I wont get on him even for a 2min walk around the school. Its made more complicated as I had an horrific accident where my spine got smashed to pieces and I am damn lucky to be alive never mind walking and talking. But I have ridden since the accident and backed my boy 6 months after that, but then I had nearly a year of no riding and put 4 stone on. A friend offered me her lovely big ISH to ride and if she hadnt made me Id have bailed. She got on my case and MADE me get on and I loved it!! I was terrified and looking for any excuse not to get on, but I did and it was fab! It did make me realise I was a big blobby unfit lump though and I have been hammering it in the gym and i'm reasonably fit now, as in I can swim 30 lenghts of front crawl and then do an hours gym class.

I do have PTSD and I cant decide if I'm being ridiculous or if its just something to do with the PTSD and the accident thats stopping me??? But I read things on here all the time about people who are 10stone something who wont back their youngsters as they are 10stone7 and want to be 10stone 2, thats made up figures, but hopefully you get what i mean!

I apologise for posting yet another weight carrying thread but I gennuinely cant work out whats right and what is a hang up from my accident??? I really need some perspective on this, but if you couold try not to be too nasty and judgemental that would be awesome! :)
 
I would be inclined to say that if the professionals are saying crack on then you should be fine especially as you're not proposing to start riding him hard for hours at a time.

I fully understand your apprehension though as I have a back injury which is nothing compared to the sound of yours and it does make me over cautious at times.

I'd say get some support from an instructor or friend and get going. The riding will help with your weight loss as well x
 
I feel like I'm going mad! If someone my weight asked me if it was ok to ride him then I would say absolutely for short periods of plodding about! It doesnt feel like apprehension I spend a lot of time supervising him being ridden and feeling desperate to get on but when it comes to actually getting on I just dont?! I was happy enough when made to, to ride my friends horse, yes he is 16.2hh but he as a relatively fine ISH and not anywhere near the weight carrier my boy is. I think I would just give myself a kick up the butt and get on the damn thing but then I post or come on here and by all accounts I and his current rider are too heavy. I think I need professional psychological help :lol
 
Ah according to the official guidelines I should be flattening my TB but she's in awesome shape with a strong back and built like a house. And she goes like **** off a stick so not exactly struggling.
Get some support - a lesson a day for a week if it's an option and get on! Create some new positive memories :-)
 
You'll be grand! He is a breed designed for weight carrying and it sounds as though he is mature enough to do short bits and pieces though I would maybe lay off the 30mile endurance rides or another few years until he is fully developed lol! Carry as much of your own weight as you can - aka don't sit like a sack of spuds!
 
Get on him and start enjoying some rides with him :-)
Its perfectly understandable to be nervous after your accident, but that's a different issue to him not being strong enough to carry you.
Take some rescue remedy, get a neck strap, whatever it takes to make you feel a bit more confident and just do it !
( I found the Kelly marks perfect confidence book helpful )
kx
 
Do you do Pilates at all?? That would really help your back, core strenth, and overall riding posture!
 
Honestly you won't hurt him; gypsy cobs were built for this stuff!
Especially the fact that the experts have said he'll be absolutely fine, you should just get on him and enjoy him. Plus once you do start riding the weight will drop off.
I get the nerves from your accident, that would put me off too, but that's a lack of confidence and I'm sure after being on a big irish draught, your little cob will feel like a little armchair
 
Without knowing your weight I don't think people on here can advise you. I think it is refreshing to have someone who thinks about their horse before themselves. Having said that, I think short stocky types of horse can carry more than taller horses of the same bone. I would guess your cob could carry up to 16 stone including tack for short hacks. Less for schooling, jumping or longer rides.

I am trying to lose weight to back my youngster because she is just under 15hh and lightly built. I don't want to hurt her back and IMO ideally she needs someone of around 9 stone to do it. However, I am never going to be 9 stone as I am 5'9" tall, so I am just going to get as light as I possibly can. I'm currently 10st 2 and am aiming for around 9st 10. I think for backing, a few pounds does make a big difference. Once she is backed and being ridden regularly, I intend to allow my weight to creep up again by a few pounds as really, I am probably an ideal weight right now. Your cob will be a lot stronger than my little mare, especially as he's in regular work.
 
According to the weight tape my traditional cob (14.3) put on 40kg in 2 weeks last summer due to a fencing failure, that is 6 extra stone he was carrying about so if a few pounds made a difference he'd have been in trouble!

I suspect this is hang-up from the accident and you need to deal with it that way, i.e. start by just sitting on him for a minute and build up gradually without putting on too much pressure to do more.
 
I would start by sitting on him in the yard or school with someone holding him? then you could have a little walk (even if a few steps) then jump off.. next day do the same but aim to ride round the school once and jump off... next time ride round twice etc! by the 3rd time you will probably think ******* this im going for a hack!!! even if you need a neck strap, balance strap, body protector and air jacket!! anything to make you feel safe and I think once you are on you will wonder what you were so worried about x
 
I think riding at 22% of his weight would be fine ( so long as he's not carrying too much extra himself) the good bone, short cannons and wide loins should compensate, You could start on short hacks in slow paces and build this up. Dtr Deb Bennett has interesting stuff on her site re weight carrying.
 
I'm 22% of what I think his lowest weight would be, ie 450kgs, in reality hes probably closer to 500kgs but its probably better to be a bit conservative. I've got some holiday coming up at Easter, so I might just go up on my own and have a quiet ride see how he feels :)
 
Weight wise the only truly given rule is to remember that there is not a single breed of horse that is capable of safely carrying more than 250lbs (rider AND tack) and the back of the animal must be sufficiently formed and strong to carry the weight expected. The amount of bone in the leg can be indicator of weight carrying ability but doesn't necessarily mean it can. A horse with huge bone but a poorly formed back will be capable of carrying ****** all!
It doesn't sound like your horse has a poor back from what you have said and if he is a solid sort with it, as long as you and your tack don't weigh more than 250 lbs , hop and have fun!
 
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