Maximum weight a 14.2hh/15hh carry around a BE Novice track?

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Unshinagh

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As per title. Obviously partly depends on the stamp of the pony/small horse. Around 8 - 8.5 inches of bone so the chunkier side. Just interested on opinions!
 
I think it depends a little on the competency of the rider. A good well balanced 11 stone rider will be easier for the horse to carry than a less competent 9 stone rider. Think 11 stone would prob be about right for upper limit though :)
 
I'm definitely more than 11 stone and my 15hh welsh d x tb carried my round many novice size tracks over many years and is still sound and happy at 29, always a contentious issue though ;)
 
God that makes me feel good im a lot less than 11 stone & was worried about my 16hh id x tb round be90 & 100, im on a strick diet as I feel too heavy !

I would have said 9 stone
 
stencilface said:
Depends on competency of the rider IMHO
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To an extent, yes. So a light, incompetent person will be harder for the horse than a heavier, competent person. But ultimately, 11 stone is 11 stone no matter how well you ride and I would think that, with tack included, would be a sensible limit.

And then on from that, it's probably closer to 9 stone rider weight because a saddle and all the rider gubbins are heavy and 11 stone would be the maximum total amount IMO...
 
kassieg said:
I would have said 9 stone
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I could count hundreds of juniors jumping big tracks riding 148's that weight a lot more than 9 stone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am just over 9 stone myself, I'm a size 8 & would definitely ride a 14.2hh... I'd ride a stockier type 13.2hh and be fine!
 
My eventer was a 15 hh TB and I was just under 10 stone in those days! Add on the saddle and it is around 11st I guess. He was fine, but Novice was his limit, he couldn't have gone further. I hunted him a lot and he jumped a lot of scarey fences. I still remember that enormous gate and the endless drops!
 
Bsja is very different to galloping round novice xc course though really ... 9 stone of rider plus tack is a good 10 stone for a pony to carry at speed over pretty big fences for its size for a decent length of time... I certainly wouldnt want any more
 
I did BE Novice with my mum's little TB mare she is 15.1hh, when I started I was a good 13stone, for various reasons I decided this wasn't helping her and I dieted to 9st9lbs. In basic terms this meant the difference between having 4 fences down or just 2 (which given her rubbish show jumping was a success) and also over 10 time penalties XC or going round inside the time.
I also ended up doing a couple of PN on my step daughter's pony (14.2hh) a little TB type Connemara and again I ensured that my weight was less than 10 stone to enable the pony to be the best she could.
There is a reason why weight is used as a handicap in racing.
In answer to the OP question, I would say 11 stone at the top end but you need to be honest about your ability and fitness.
 
montanna said:
I could count hundreds of juniors jumping big tracks riding 148's that weight a lot more than 9 stone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am just over 9 stone myself, I'm a size 8 & would definitely ride a 14.2hh... I'd ride a stockier type 13.2hh and be fine!
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I am just a little lighter than you and quite short, so can comfortably ride 13.2hh ponies. However, I would not expect one to carry me around an eventing track. It's also not just the actual eventing, there is all the fittening work involved too. I wouldn't have a 13.2hh pony in heavy work with myself.

I think it depends on the competency and build of rider (to an extent) as well as the fitness of the horse. If the horse is not fully fit, then it's not fair to expect it to carry extremes of weight.

However, if the horse/pony is fit with decent conformation I would say 11 stone is a reasonable limit, including the weight of the saddle and anything the rider is wearing.
 
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