Is there (or should there be) a ceiling weight to horse riding

[silv]

OK so I'm going to stick my neck out here and be prepared to be hated despite the fact that I'd like to think of myself as a fairly 'woke' person but if you ride a horse that you are too heavy for you are as abusive as someone who beats or starves their horse. How this weight to horse-carrying ability is calculated is subject to some debate depending on horse's type, fitness, saddle fit, rider ability and fitness and so on but I'm afraid that I don't subscribe to the view that everyone should be able to ride anything and anyone who offers criticism is politically incorrect. I'm afraid that to my mind the horse's welfare trumps anyone's 'entitlement' to ride. So kill me now.

I totally agree with you, and to a certain extent just because you are a balanced doesn't make it right to be able to ride a horse not up to weight. 15 stone is still 15 stone. Plus there is a difference between going for a slow half hour ride around a flat block to going for a day's hunting or a long fast hilly ride. The 20% rule is ridiculous in my opinion but many people use it to justify riding their too small horses.

 

[McFluff]

Are we talking about being overweight for ones overall frame or over weight for the horse? They are two different things. A fit slim tall male could be well overweight but a short fat female may not be.

I think it is more complex. A short overweight person may be ‘ok’ on some weight ratio to the horse, but could still not be a fair ask as they don’t fit in the saddle, or they are not fit, or they are unable to balance effectively (eg they’ve had to go on a huge horse, but their legs then don’t sit right). So while pure weight (human to horse) ratio is the original question of this thread, I’m personally not convinced the answer is that simple.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I think it is more complex. A short overweight person may be ‘ok’ on some weight ratio to the horse, but could still not be a fair ask as they don’t fit in the saddle, or they are not fit, or they are unable to balance effectively (eg they’ve had to go on a huge horse, but their legs then don’t sit right). So while pure weight (human to horse) ratio is the original question of this thread, I’m personally not convinced the answer is that simple.

I agree it’s not simple at all. If the saddle is too small that’s different to the person being too heavy. A slimmer tall rider may also have a saddle too small. They may also be unfit (especially for riding) being thin doesn’t necessarily make you fit or an amazing rider. They may also be terribly unbalanced.

It comes across as if you’re too heavy but slim you can ride but if you’re “fat” but within the accepted weight limit you still shouldn’t ride because you’re fat not because you are too heavy.

 

[millikins]

I think it is more complex. A short overweight person may be ‘ok’ on some weight ratio to the horse, but could still not be a fair ask as they don’t fit in the saddle, or they are not fit, or they are unable to balance effectively (eg they’ve had to go on a huge horse, but their legs then don’t sit right). So while pure weight (human to horse) ratio is the original question of this thread, I’m personally not convinced the answer is that simple.

I agree, which is why I was rather sharp in my earlier post.
I attended the Southern Dales show recently. There was a woman there who arrived with a lovely grey mare, the pony was grossly overweight and so was the rider. She entered 3 classes and came last in each, the pony just couldn't keep up a trot carrying so much weight on a hot day on a rubber surface. It was very upsetting to see because the animal was perfectly willing and beautiful under the flab. This in a breed like Wind and Rain's Highlands, bred to carry heavy weights over long distances at a good pace.
Our mare's 14.2 hh, her usual rider is 10 stone, I don't think she'd notice if the rider weighed 16 if they were balanced, but you'd have the problem of saddle fit, she's very short backed and takes a 16.5".

 

[EllenJay]

I am actually finding this post really offensive. I am a heavier rider - but in 40 years of horse ownership I have never had a "broken" horse.

Charlie, my first full time horse, a 15.2 Welsh X with decent bone. Regularly hacked for 3 hours a day. Never a days illness, never lame, never had back problems, died aged 30 after 2 years retirement.

Z, my second full time horse. Regularly hacked, XC (unaffiliated max 2'6) SJ ( unaffiliated max 3'0), dressage (unaffiliated, novice) also cob raced, le trec and sponsored rides. Never a days illness (until EMS and Cushings), never lame, never had back problems, died after 6 years in retirement aged 27 - after owning since 5 years old.

A, my 3rd full time horse. Born with a defected front foot. Had a hard life before I got him, currently 21. History of light riders, who consistently had him overbent, ridden in draw reins, never worked through his back. When I took him on, had neck and back issues. It has taken 2+ years for him to relax and work through his back correctly, and is so much happier now. He is the most broken horse I have ever had - and as I said earlier "consistently risen by light riders", but now his back is strong and his neck is free. Since I have had him, he carries me without any issues, and at last is taking his contact down and forward.

All three horses, since I have ridden them were/are regularly checked by vets and physio. All professionals have stated that backs are strong, and horses happy.

This post now has me really worried, that when I ride my horses in public, I am going to be slated. I always have my horses best interest at the front of my mind. Whilst I was riding them, they were always happy and healthy. They never had a problem carrying me and never had issues with my weight.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

EllenJay, I mean this in the most genuine and polite way...why are you offended..???
You have stated that you are a heavier rider (as am I) but that your horses are long lived and happy with their workload, no injuries incurred and you have full professional back up. It sounds like you might well be a heavier rider but not too heavy for the horses you ride..?? And there is a big difference.

I just wanted to add to this that, as someone earlier in the thread mentioned, the age of the Horse makes a difference. My young horse is now 6 and, while he lacks muscle just now, his skeleton has pretty much finished growing. Which is why I don't feel too bad about doing some very light work with him now...I will have to lose a stone and a half minimum before doing anything harder than light hacking.

 

[Winters100]

EllenJay, please don't be offended, no one is saying that bigger people should not ride, just that careful consideration needs to be given to horse welfare, which clearly you do. Pretty much all of us have some limitation on what we can ride, I was recently asked to sit on a very fine pony to sort out some napping, but I had to say that I wouldn't because I am too heavy for it.

You have obviously chosen horses who are appropriate for the work that you need them to do, which is exactly the right thing.

 

[motherof2beasts!]

I am actually finding this post really offensive. I am a heavier rider - but in 40 years of horse ownership I have never had a "broken" horse.

Charlie, my first full time horse, a 15.2 Welsh X with decent bone. Regularly hacked for 3 hours a day. Never a days illness, never lame, never had back problems, died aged 30 after 2 years retirement.

Z, my second full time horse. Regularly hacked, XC (unaffiliated max 2'6) SJ ( unaffiliated max 3'0), dressage (unaffiliated, novice) also cob raced, le trec and sponsored rides. Never a days illness (until EMS and Cushings), never lame, never had back problems, died after 6 years in retirement aged 27 - after owning since 5 years old.

A, my 3rd full time horse. Born with a defected front foot. Had a hard life before I got him, currently 21. History of light riders, who consistently had him overbent, ridden in draw reins, never worked through his back. When I took him on, had neck and back issues. It has taken 2+ years for him to relax and work through his back correctly, and is so much happier now. He is the most broken horse I have ever had - and as I said earlier "consistently risen by light riders", but now his back is strong and his neck is free. Since I have had him, he carries me without any issues, and at last is taking his contact down and forward.

All three horses, since I have ridden them were/are regularly checked by vets and physio. All professionals have stated that backs are strong, and horses happy.

This post now has me really worried, that when I ride my horses in public, I am going to be slated. I always have my horses best interest at the front of my mind. Whilst I was riding them, they were always happy and healthy. They never had a problem carrying me and never had issues with my weight.

Don’t feel offended that isn’t the intention we are talking about extremes. My 14.2 lightweight pony’s previous rider was at least 15 stone and the owner before at least 17 stone- that is cruelty as his height and bone should have a lighter rider.

I do believe that if people are extremely overweight then riding shouldn’t be on the agenda but big difference between heavier and extremely overweight.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I'm heavier just now than I've been, and my horse isn't getting any younger. We seem to do okay but I have it in the back of my head now perhaps I'm getting a bit heavy for him. He's 14.1hh, 8 inch of bone cob x native so not flimsy but not a chunk. I'm 5ft2 and wavering between 57.6kg and 58kg (9stone) I always used to be between 8 and 8.5 stone. He's 19 now and has no qualms with anything but it's always a thought in my mind.

At 9st you are well within the weight range he can carry, light in fact. I was your height and weight when I worked at a RS and I rode from 11.1 upwards with no ill effects whatsoever. Most of our animals were about the height of your pony or only marginally bigger and similar types, Welsh Cob, Highland, Irish and crosses and they carried much bigger riders than you. Those horses worked hard and stayed sound well into older age. I think the key was regular steady work, and most of it was roadwork which seems to be a no no these days. We didn't have a school, very few did then so no working on an artificial surface.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I have been pondering this very question, since I have not been able to ride or do pretty much anything remotely active, for a year now, at 5'5" I have put on around one and a half stone. I now weigh in at a very hefty (for me anyway) 12 stone.

I am doing my best to lose weight, but it is very, very difficult when you cant match activity levels to the decrease in calories, but at least the increase now seems to be static. My horse is on his holidays, or rather earning his keep, with a friend until spring of next year when I hope to have both my new hips and my back sorted and can get riding again.

However, my main concern is that with the increased weight, not so much will I be too heavy for my horse as I very much doubt that as he is a 17.3 big chunky IDX. I am concerned that the extra weight and lack of fitness level will make me an unbalanced and unsympathetic rider on him. To be honest, I think and unbalanced and unfit rider can, and often do, far more damage than a heavier rider that is well balanced and rides lightly with good hands and good core strength.

I think I might well be booking a few sessions on a riding simulator before I get him home again and subject him to my attempts to get riding fit again.

 

[Goldenstar]

This is a fraught subject and yes you see some jarring things when you are out and about .
There are clearly some very fat people riding small fine horses who are not in the good riders whose gained a few to many lbs category.
I am on a diet atm I have gained weight over the last three years through a mixture of disorganised life when my parents both needed a lot of help and then both died and lockdown of course .I will freely admitted that I have never spent as much time sitting in the garden drinking wine as I have over the last year .
I calculated my weight plus stuff to Sky’s yesterday its 12 % hardly a problem considering I can’t do much atm ( I am off for surgery in August ).
Mr GS who looks big atm is 11% includes everything on Blue I am sure many of you would look at him and think fat bloke on a horse but he’s not to heavy .
I am not worried about Blue but last year I did because he was not in good shape now he’s got proper top line and is looking pretty good .
How deal with this is an issue I don‘t what the answer is .
This whole weight thing has got fiendish complicated .
Being fat blights your life it’s how to help people that’s hard to work out .

 

[abbijay]

I am actually finding this post really offensive. I am a heavier rider - but in 40 years of horse ownership I have never had a "broken" horse.

Charlie, my first full time horse, a 15.2 Welsh X with decent bone. Regularly hacked for 3 hours a day. Never a days illness, never lame, never had back problems, died aged 30 after 2 years retirement.

Z, my second full time horse. Regularly hacked, XC (unaffiliated max 2'6) SJ ( unaffiliated max 3'0), dressage (unaffiliated, novice) also cob raced, le trec and sponsored rides. Never a days illness (until EMS and Cushings), never lame, never had back problems, died after 6 years in retirement aged 27 - after owning since 5 years old.

A, my 3rd full time horse. Born with a defected front foot. Had a hard life before I got him, currently 21. History of light riders, who consistently had him overbent, ridden in draw reins, never worked through his back. When I took him on, had neck and back issues. It has taken 2+ years for him to relax and work through his back correctly, and is so much happier now. He is the most broken horse I have ever had - and as I said earlier "consistently risen by light riders", but now his back is strong and his neck is free. Since I have had him, he carries me without any issues, and at last is taking his contact down and forward.

All three horses, since I have ridden them were/are regularly checked by vets and physio. All professionals have stated that backs are strong, and horses happy.

This post now has me really worried, that when I ride my horses in public, I am going to be slated. I always have my horses best interest at the front of my mind. Whilst I was riding them, they were always happy and healthy. They never had a problem carrying me and never had issues with my weight.

This post was supposed to be an open discussion about ultimate limits rather than offend anyone.
One man's heavier rider might be 12 stone (many riding schools' weight limit), another 21 stone. As you haven't specified your weight we can't know where you sit. If you did share your weight alongside your experiences perhaps you would assist us all in knowing what is definitely within that ceiling limit on a well suited horse. It might even make people less likely to judge if they could refer to this evidence.
Interesting that you refer to vet checks. I have a friend who is a vet and she says she wouldn't dare have a conversation with a customer that they weighed too much for their horse - even if it were causing problems the probable reaction and potential repercussions would make it a no-go.

 

[1523679]

I work at a RS occasionally and see a few regular clients who make me wince every time they get on a horse.

The lesson schedules get arranged around the availability of the 2 horses who can carry their load. Neither of them are particularly well-balanced.

There’s a 15st weight limit but I’m pretty sure the only way some of the clients “meet” that is by avoiding the scales completely and kidding themselves.

I will literally starve myself to stay as close as possible to my 8st 7 target for work. It is not fun, particularly not at my time of life.I almost screamed last night when a large client told me I was so lucky being “naturally thin”.

Lucky. Like f**k.

 

[sbloom]

If this was the case wouldn't it be more common in smaller animals, which it isn't.
I think horses are being bred to narrow parameters such as extravagant paces and jumping ability which is moving away from a strong robust animal. In nature a horse isn't meant to be 16.2 and the further we go from the wild model the more weaknesses are built in.
Look at ponies such as the Exmoor and Mongolian ones to see how strong per kg an equine can be

Absolutely - even the modern horse (ie since we started turning it into a horse for our own functions) has tendons and ligaments that are too long for it to be as sound and strong as horses that evolved naturally.

I would question whether you can be a good rider if you are very overweight. How can you effectively use your thigh muscles if they are encased in flab? Or have any core strength with a a vast belly?
But I'm not sure it's a question of weight, it's more about weight distribution and body proportion. If a simple weight limit is set it would rule out most men and larger framed women riders.
I'm feeling decidedly fattist at the moment, I went to our native's breed show a couple of weeks ago and was "uphauled" by the number of obese riders lumbering around on their long suffering animals.

Disagree strongly, ever seen powerlifters? They NEED the heft to do the job.

Hm. When I was up to 10 stone I will admit some inner thigh flab annoyed me. Still plenty of muscle, I just carried some extra flesh on my inner thighs and it was noticeable to me in a dressage saddle. In a jump saddle/with shorter stirrups not so much. So sometimes it isn't your weight exactly, but where your body prefers to store its fat.

Saddle is part of the equation here, at 10 stone you were a slightly different shape but a LONG way from the size/shape where you shouldn't be able to find a saddle that didn't make a little more flesh feel pronounced. what suits at one weight may not suit after weight gain but, understandably, we don't want to spend money to get the optimum, and most of us will hope that weight gain is temporary. Lack of understanding (and I put my past self in that category, up until very recently) about how a saddle should fit a rider.

I ride in correctly fitted synthetic saddles which are lightweight and checked every 2-3 months

If you are nearing 25% with tack then a synthetic saddle may help you get under the weight limit, otherwise I'd say go for whatever saddle fits, the difference between the two is unlikely to be more than the annual/over the years weight fluctuation that most of us experience. Some synthetic or synthetic treed saddles can actually be a bigger problem with bigger riders, in particular one well known brand has panels that drift apart under heavier riders, a big problem.

Maybe if we were all a little less sensitive about the subject then it would be seen as being just as normal as telling people not to smoke cigarettes or drive in a dangerous fashion.

Smokers can manage to not touch a cigarette, those with food issues can never NOT touch food again, it is comparing apples with oranges. For those us whose weight fluctuates a bit, and we have a bit of a row with ourselves if we let habits slip, and we can mostly lose what we gained once we "come to our senses", it seems easy. I put myself in this category - I've gained a little over the years, and the last 18 months have made it harder but...

Weight IS an emotional issue. Society has an appalling way of tackling weight and stigmatising is going to make things worse. Why have we not solved obesity so far? Should we just keep doing the same things but LOUDER? We need to make life better for people, change the causes of mental health crises (and modern life is one of them, we should be improving the basics of life, and the support available, not reducing it) and then support those who do have MH issues. I am a great believer that an awful lot of obesity is caused by stress, and making people feel bad about their weight is a sure fire way to make it worse. And SW/WW etc should be ashamed, especially now their offer includes processed foods. Appalling.

But what to do? it is a welfare issue for sure. Even if you're not too heavy for your horse, I know that it is much harder to get backs to repair, for the adipose tissue to be even (notice those "holes" the shape of the back half of the saddle?), for back legs to stay sound etc, with a heavier rider, who is often should be in a bigger saddle than the horse can take. But the vet passed the horse as suitable for them, the bodyworker doesn't comment that rider weight is an issue, and then I get expected to, on the one hand, square an impossible circle and fit a magic saddle, or to be the one to speak up and say the rider is too heavy.

And yes, there are things just as cruel, or way more cruel/damaging, than a too heavy rider.

I would love to be part of a campaign that supported the MH of riders - to be with their horses in a different way (longlining, ground work etc), to find sharers for ridden exercise, to understand the issues especially including saddles, and to get the right help they need to get mentally healthy, then physically healthy and THEN, and only then, to lose weight. It's a tough call.

 

[ihatework]

I read the OP as is there a weight that irrespective of whether that person is fat/overweight, good/bad rider, suitable horse etc. Is just too much weight to expect a horse to carry?

Yes is the answer for me.

Id probably put it at about 18 stone of fit muscular balanced body on a fit well confirmed chunky type. Getting above that I’d say you just have to accept you aren’t blessed with the body type for horse riding.

Now there is a whole scale of body types, abilities, horses below that which would give lower individual limits. I don’t think it does anyone any good to be offended by it, ultimately it’s animal welfare.

I got to a weight that I decided to take myself out of the regular riding game as I didn’t feel it was fair to be riding the types of horse I want to ride. I’ve ridden fit 17.2hh sporadically at that weight and they have all carried me fine, but athletic work day in day out - I’m afraid not.

I can categorically say that being overweight and having excess fat most definitely changes your balance and ability to ride. Which doesn’t mean I couldn’t ride well, I could outride many far skinnier people for sure. It means that for me, my riding ability had diminished.

Anyway 6 months of a grass muzzle and 3 stone lighter I’m happy to have a sit on my fit, strong 16hh 5yo. Although I’d want another stone off if I were going to be riding him regularly.

 

[sbloom]

I read the OP as is there a weight that irrespective of whether that person is fat/overweight, good/bad rider, suitable horse etc. Is just too much weight to expect a horse to carry?

Yes is the answer for me.

Yes, my OH is too big to ever ride a horse, and he'd have to probably be thin, properly thin, to do so. He's 6'4 and will always be a big build (though just saying "big build" wouldn't quite cover it right now!).

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I always find these debates ridiculous and pretty offensive.

These threads always cause hurt and negativity serve no purpose but to bring people down. Folk bang on about not body shaming people and how it’s not ok etc but yet it’s ok to do it if it fits their beliefs, strange that.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I can categorically say that being overweight and having excess fat most definitely changes your balance and ability to ride. Which doesn’t mean I couldn’t ride well, I could outride many far skinnier people for sure. It means that for me, my riding ability had diminished.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make, albeit just in my own circumstances. I know 100 per cent at the weight I am now, and very low fitness level my riding ability will be drastically diminished, at least until I am able enough to start a property fitness regime, and that I full intend to do once I have the all clear to go ahead.

But surely the weight should be a personal decision, at least from an experienced horse person who knows their own riding ability and when they need to cut the calories if rider weight gain is a problem for their particular horse, that they will also know well one would assume?

I just cannot see a one size fits all is, or ever could be, workable in some sort of weight chart versus horse/pony height. It is just far too subjective and can't be set in stone and clear cut, as it depends on so many variable factors.

 

[sbloom]

I also didn't mention the condition of the horse - so often horses are overweight, ADD the amount they are overweight to rider weight. Horrifying, and perhaps what we should be doing.

Maybe take off 20kg from maximum rider weight for: unfit, for poor posture, for croup high, for rubbish feet, for lack of topline....you soon run out of any weight for a rider!!

 

[ester]

Mrs J, treat yourself as a horse coming out of paddock rest , no galloping around in 2 point just yet

I was absolutely emotionally eating, + a heavy dose of self sabotage but it was very hard to know what to do to help that. Other than meds that cause weight gain (and stopping them not being an option) there isn't anything more available to me mental health wise.
I'm still pretty terrible at weekends at home, which demonstrates why lockdown 1 with more time at home was so problematic.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I agree that some of the language and comments have been inflammatory - 'are their flabby legs affective' (paraphrasing) and 'spilling out over saddles' but people need to remove the emotion from the conversation and think about it in terms of kit as another poster further up thread said.

I am fat right now, it is a fact. I would not be hugely offended (albeit would be disappointed in myself) if I went to go climbing and someone said 'don't use this karabiner clip as it won't hold your weight', it's not them commenting on me or my life choices, it is them saying that that piece of kit would not stand up to it's intended purpose if I were to use it. It is a mass vs force exercise, not a personal dig. It's the same with horses, 'unfortunately you can't ride my horse as the saddle won't fit you or you are too heavy'. It isn't a personal dig, it is someone saying that the piece of kit in question is not up to the purpose you intend to use it for, be that the horse or saddle.

People have every right to hold their own opinions regarding what use they would like to apply to their equipment, just because it doesn't fit yours, doesn't mean you need to take it personally. It was my choice to get fat (yes there are extenuating circumstances, I lost my horse and struggled quite a lot, and I am waiting for surgery on my pelvis/hip so can't exercise without pain etc etc, but I still allowed it to happen) I can't then take it personally and dictate to people that they aren't allowed to discuss or impose consequences to my actions, especially if A) you aren't imposing those restrictions on yourself by abstaining from riding certain horses, and B) that activity involves another living being. If the comments then extend to my ability to understand how to ride, cleanliness, inflammatory and derogatory language or infer that I am lazy or would have a substandard level of care for example - then you are being an as*hole. Stick to facts and it is what it is.

If someone were to take comments regarding rolkur as personally insulting, would that mean that it shouldn't be discussed as a potential welfare issue? IMO weight vs horse ridden is the same sort of thing.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I agree that some of the language and comments have been inflammatory - 'are their flabby legs affective' (paraphrasing) and 'spilling out over saddles' but people need to remove the emotion from the conversation and think about it in terms of kit as another poster further up thread said.

I am fat right now, it is a fact. I would not be hugely offended (albeit would be disappointed in myself) if I went to go climbing and someone said 'don't use this karabiner clip as it won't hold your weight', it's not them commenting on me or my life choices, it is them saying that that piece of kit would not stand up to it's intended purpose if I were to use it. It is a mass vs force exercise, not a personal dig. It's the same with horses, 'unfortunately you can't ride my horse as the saddle won't fit you or you are too heavy'. It isn't a personal dig, it is someone saying that the piece of kit in question is not up to the purpose you intend to use it for, be that the horse or saddle.

People have every right to hold their own opinions regarding what use they would like to apply to their equipment, just because it doesn't fit yours, doesn't mean you need to take it personally. It was my choice to get fat (yes there are extenuating circumstances, I lost my horse and struggled quite a lot, and I am waiting for surgery on my pelvis/hip so can't exercise without pain etc etc, but I still allowed it to happen) I can't then take it personally and dictate to people that they aren't allowed to discuss or impose consequences to my actions, especially if A) you aren't imposing those restrictions on yourself by abstaining from riding certain horses, and B) that activity involves another living being. If the comments then extend to my ability to understand how to ride, cleanliness, inflammatory and derogatory language or infer that I am lazy or would have a substandard level of care for example - then you are being an as*hole. Stick to facts and it is what it is.

If someone were to take comments regarding rolkur as personally insulting, would that mean that it shouldn't be discussed as a potential welfare issue? IMO weight vs horse ridden is the same sort of thing.

Again if you’re not too heavy for the horse why is it anyone’s business if you are fat?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Again if you’re not too heavy for the horse why is it anyone’s business if you are fat?

I don't think that it is

 

[Tash88]

https://www.youtube.com/user/raythegoth

This rider here is a size 20 at least, and too big to ride. Yet she goes on about inclusivity like those who think she is too big have a problem, rather than her (and her horse).

Would she be a popular vlogger etc. and get all the free stuff she advertises if she wasn't 'plus size'? I actually find this sickening.

 

[mini_b]

https://www.youtube.com/user/raythegoth

This rider here is a size 20 at least, and too big to ride. Yet she goes on about inclusivity like those who think she is too big have a problem, rather than her (and her horse).

Would she be a popular vlogger etc. and get all the free stuff she advertises if she wasn't 'plus size'? I actually find this sickening.

Probably not.
Her appeal is to a specific demographic and this works from a marketing POV. They know she will generate sales.

Whether that is ethical in terms of the sport she partakes in is the body of this discussion.

 

[TPO]

I find it really peculiar that people who own, ride and are supposed to care about horses get offended over any discussion regarding what horses should be fairly expected to carry.

Horses arent designed to carry riders at all. As soon as we tack up we add stress to their bodies and that increases when a rider is added and increases further in line with the amount and types of movement that we ask them to do.

There are weight limits for funfair rides. If weight affects things specifically constructed to carry people then of course weight affects our horses.

We know that our horses should be a healthy weight and decent level of fitness to avoid injury, illness and hopefully live a healthy life. My horses diet and exercise have been managed to a tee yet I'd happily live off Pot Noodles (only the green one).

Gravity and basic physics always seems to be forgotten in these discussions too. Doesnt matter if you are the best rider ever; 16st, 17st, 21st is that weight. Yes a very still well balanced 17st may feel better at a halt over a bouncy 10st but long term 10st wins. Force = mass x acceleration so as soon ad that 17st moves it exerts a greater force on the horses back.

Losing weight is simple, you need a calorie deficit BUT it isnt easy as it's often more a mental issue that has lead to consuming more calories. People then seem to see how little they can eat which wont last long term. However this isnt a diet thread.

Of course there should be weight limits for animal welfare reasons. It would be near impossible to police. Can you imagine poor stewards or trainers having to have a word with someone? Look at some of the reactions that happen on threads on here; imagine dealing with that face to face. Very few people on here actually knows what anyone else looks like body shape wise so that people are feeling "attacked" have felt that way because something is hitting a nerve. If I were riding just now I might feel that way too.

However I know that I'm too heavy currently to feel comfortable riding. I havent done the sums but should fit in the 20% (just checked and I do) and my breed is long known for carrying heavier men but I dont feel comfortable. I have zero core strength (not ideal on a sharp horse!) and my centre of gravity is to pot. I do feel bleurgh and have zero motivation to ride.

But yeah as previous threads have shown many are happy to say it's my own horse and it's fine for me to ride it at a heavy weight. No one can change or police that.

Plus the saddle fit is a big issue. There are so many riders that dont fit in their saddles and are over the back of the cantle (& pommel). The saddle is designed to disperse and spread pressure on a treed saddle as well as possible. All of that counts for jack when the person doesnt fit in the saddle and causes weight and pressure where it shouldn't be.

It's nothing to do with body positivity or "fat shaming" (the same would apply with a very muscular person who was a heavy weight) it's about animal welfare and what we impose on an animal shaped like a suspension bridge.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

https://www.youtube.com/user/raythegoth

This rider here is a size 20 at least, and too big to ride. Yet she goes on about inclusivity like those who think she is too big have a problem, rather than her (and her horse).

Would she be a popular vlogger etc. and get all the free stuff she advertises if she wasn't 'plus size'? I actually find this sickening.

It's also sickening that her horse is also obese which just compounds the problem. See, she doesn't have to give up her horse, but she could train the horse to go to a carriage if she doesn't want to lose weight.

 

[palo1]

Probably not.
Her appeal is to a specific demographic and this works from a marketing POV. They know she will generate sales.

Whether that is ethical in terms of the sport she partakes in is the body of this discussion.

I find it really difficult to accept too that many of us with horses are very aware of the need to be the 'best' weight we can be whilst there is an increasing number of social media contributors that make a commercial virtue out of their additional weight and size paired with really unsuitable horses. I have watched with a degree of disbelief one of those SM posters (bl**ofac*b). It is really unpalatable even whilst I know how hard it is for some people to maintain a physicality appropriate to horse riding. To me, it feels as if that is part of our 'entitlement culture'.

 

[Goldenstar]

Weight is an issue with the carriage horse as well a single horse pull a stable carriage with four wheels and two overweight adults might easily be pulling nearly forty kilos extra to what it needed to (my carriage weighed 180 kilos) .
Driving is hard work for horses .

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Weight is an issue with the carriage horse as well a single horse pull a stable carriage with four wheels and two overweight adults might easily be pulling nearly forty kilos extra to what it needed to (my carriage weighed 180 kilos) .
Driving is hard work for horses .

Understood, I don't know much about it just assumed most horses of a good build would be able to pull an overweight rider better than to have one sat on them. Tiny scurry ponies seem to pull two average weight adults at speed, so if you could source a light vehicle then you could make it work?