How much weight can my pony carry?

A lot of posters on this thread would have a coronary knowing how much my 14.2hh traditional carries! But 3 vets, the dentist, my instructor and 2 back people all say hes 100% fine to carry me. The only reason I ride him at all is because my vet told me I was being ridiculous when I said I didnt ride him as I was too heavy. He actually looked at me aghast and told me I was a stupid girl (I'm 36yr old :lol: ) I didnt believe him and specifically booked another vet and then an osteopath to come and assess him. They all said I was fine.

I got on expecting him to keel over :( Turns out all his nappy issues went away when "mum" was on board. He goes better for me than he ever went for his 7 stone rider. That was months ago. I've just had the osteo out again as part of an MOT. She only charged me petrol as he had no issues. A tiny bit of tightness around his poll, but he had been a total pillock for the dentist 4 days before, and I had literally been hanging my colossal weight off his headcollar in order to let the dentist do her job.

I dont want him to ever suffer any sort of discomfort, EVER, but he genuinely seems fine! Like I said, he goes better for me than anyone else, stands at the block with the reins on his neck while I get on, marches on and regularly takes a hold out hacking.

Maybe I am far too heavy and in a few years he will be crippled, but I honestly dont think so now. Too many professionals have said hes fine, and more importantly, he feels fine. This is the horse who downs tools when his saddle technically fits, but he doesnt like the fit, or if his forelock gets pulled a bit under the headpiece. I do still have doubts about riding him, but I think thats my issue, not his, as he doesnt have any :)
 
Araboo27 said:
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Ooh, I love a weight discussion!! What would you all put on my new girl? I expect I'd be burnt alive by half of you for riding her at my current weight ;)
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If she is only 13hh then I would say 9 stone max. I am 9 1/2 stone and I wouldn't want to ride her for more than a short hack. Schooling, dressage, jumping or hunting then I would keep it to 9 stone max.
 
Speedyfluff said:
If she is only 13hh then I would say 9 stone max. I am 9 1/2 stone and I wouldn't want to ride her for more than a short hack. Schooling, dressage, jumping or hunting then I would keep it to 9 stone max.
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There speaks someone with no experience of a pony like this and what it is capable of.
 
Gloi said:
There speaks someone with no experience of a pony like this.
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Lol, agreed!! She's a highland x and although 8/9 stone is my goal weight (for health reasons, not just riding) to get to 9 stone any time soon I'd have to chop a limb or two off ;)

I would never consider riding a fine 13hh but there's a HUGE difference in the weight carrying ability of natives!
 
I did some endurance on a Fell not much bigger and he passed the vet every time after 30 miles carrying 12 stone plus tack. It was nothing to him.
 
Gloi said:
There speaks someone with no experience of a pony like this and what it is capable of.
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I agree I have no experience of overloading ponies, but I do have over 40 year's experience of owning horses and ponies of all types. If you note, I said that this is the weight "I" would put on her. We all have different opinions on what horses and ponies should be asked to carry. Just because they CAN does not mean they SHOULD. She may well be capable of carrying 15 stone, but I would not want to see anything like that amount on a pony that size.
 
Id say 13 stone for the cob (our farrier hunts one that size!) and 13 for the Arab. Assuming they're fit and well and don't show any subtle signs of the rider being too heavy etc etc etc. I bet the rider would look smaller on the cob than the Arab, and that if anything the cob weighs more! Assuming they're both about 450 that leaves 20% at around 14 stone.
 
Mine has had a 6ft4 rider on (a young skinny teenager, so only weighed 10st) and she took up his leg really well, he didn't look silly at all. She is wiiiiiiiide though.

I have always thought that up to 12 st including tack was a good weight for her. She certainly doesn't blink at that weight. I'm sure that she could carry more, but I'm not sure that I would be happy with it.

Just incase my wording was ambiguous, she 100% arab, but 66% Crabbet Arab.
 
rara007 said:
Id say 13 stone for the cob (our farrier hunts one that size!) and 13 for the Arab. Assuming they're fit and well and don't show any subtle signs of the rider being too heavy etc etc etc. I bet the rider would look smaller on the cob than the Arab, and that if anything the cob weighs more! Assuming they're both about 450 that leaves 20% at around 14 stone.
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^this!!!
 
Yup that's the thing- my 15hh section D could carry a fair weight but as I'm currently under 11 stone I don't feel the need for him to carry anyone I consider 'large' (by sight, I don't weigh my friends before letting them come for a ride on a reasonable size horse for a gentle hack). Yet my 13.3 I've had 10 years who's day job is to drive I let people up to a stone lighter than me on, which would proportionately be more. Obviously I'm happy on him at my weight but we know each other inside out and even if I'm not text book we know how each other works, someone else my weight even an experienced rider I wouldn't be happy to have on him. He does pull 36 stone of human and a 175kg carriage though!
 
Faracat said:
Mine has had a 6ft4 rider on (a young skinny teenager, so only weighed 10st) and she took up his leg really well, he didn't look silly at all. She is wiiiiiiiide though.

I have always thought that up to 12 st including tack was a good weight for her. She certainly doesn't blink at that weight. I'm sure that she could carry more, but I'm not sure that I would be happy with it.

Just incase my wording was ambiguous, she 100% arab, but 66% Crabbet Arab.
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Arabs are amazing weight carriers :) , apparently the chunkier Polish lines can carry up to 14 stone men. I weigh 180 pounds and am 5'8 tall, my 15hh half arab carried me with ease, even in his later years until I retired him at 26 due to illness.

(that weight is muscle not fat as I do martial arts :p )
 
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At all senior CEI4* Championship events, the minimum riding weight for
Athletes must be 75kg to include all riding equipment (Art.812.6). though it later mentions weighing without bridle.
 
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