My Horses Weight Carrying Ability?

F

FabulousFlynn'sMum

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 April 2007
Messages
205
Location
Co Durham
Visit site
I'm very ashamed about this but desperate for some advice. I have a 16.1hh ID X who is fairly compact and stocky with 9 ins of bone. To cut a very long and boring story short, my weight has always fluctuated since I was a kid but i've stupidly through various things inc depression let it get out of control. I finally feel able to do something constructive about it and tackle my weight once and for all but am now worrying myself sick that i'll be flattening my poor horse in the process! God its killing me to admit this but i'm 5ft 10 and 18.5 stone, and thats obviously not including my riding clothes and his tack!!!!! I've just started some lessons again and my instructor doesnt seem to think its a problem for him but she is a lifelong friend so I dont know if shes just being nice to me! I ride him 4/5 times a week mainly on 1 to 2 hr hacks over varying terrain plus my 1 hr a week lesson in our school. Many thanks for reading this and I would really appreciate your honest advice xxxx
 
If you were too heavy for him he would lurch and stagger for the first few steps

To be honest - it would be better if you lost a bit - but so what ? I am 10 stone and my pony is 13.3 but she is a heavy weight cob!

Anyway if you are a well balanced rider you will feel 'lighter' on his back anyway.

If you were going hunting then maybe you could be a bit heavy but for an hour at a time - should be ok.

as you ride frequently - he would be dreading getting you on and maybe messing about if you were too heavy.

Plus you are very tall so your not that heavy - XXX
 
Oh thank you for your nice and helpful comments. I am determined to get the weight off, if for no other reason than for my horse. He certainly doesnt mess about or seem like he's dreading me getting on so hopefully we should be ok. I'm starting tomorrow with my new regime so i'll keep you all informed of my progress. I hope to try some trail hunting in the autumn a healthy 12 stone!!! Thanks again youre a star xxxx
laugh.gif
 
If you were 12 stone you would be too thin!!!

Please dont loose the weight for your horse - do it for yourself and dont worry - I know I said I am 10 stone but I am very small (5ft) - and battle with my weight - for the past 4 months I have been in hospital with severe arthritis (at the age of 23) and went from 9 to 11 stone. I could not walk a few weeks ago and I was getting so sad about being big and bloated from all the steroids but I had to get a grip and now slowly but surely its coming off.

You dont need to get down to 12 stone - thats like a 5 ft 2 person weighing 7.5 stone. Aim for 15 by the end of the year not autumn AND WEIGH YOURSELF ONCE A MONTH NOT EVERY DAY!!

I have found that having a protien drink (heath food shops) in the morning really helps keeping full and try and slowly ween yourself off stuff - DONT Diet - they dont work - today is the first day of the rest of your life!! If you crave something sweet go for dark chocolate. Dont cut out all carbs but try and eat them only every other day ? In one month I have gone from 11 stone, not being able to walk or ride, being very depressed to 10 stone 2 and back riding my chicken (pony) and being able to actually run again! YOU will do it!!

If you are riding as much as you say - thats enough exercise so dont be daft and joina gym to only not use it!! PLease dont get upset about your weight because its heartbreaking to think people do get sad over things like this. You have been very honest which is a HUGE STEP!!

BROWXX
 
congratulations I say as you WANT to do something about your weight. I am currently 2 stone overweight after having my fourth baby, which is nearly 2 now. As you get older it does get harder. I cant ride as often as you which is excellent excersise. But I go to the gym twice a week now and am enjoying it. I can work hard (to music) with out straining my self (like I would if I ran round the block on hard ground). Keep it all up. it does take time for your body to adjust and use up the body fat, but it WILL go. Remember muscle is heavier than fat so at first you'll think your not loosing weight but you are, and more muscle is building. You'll feel so much better for it.. Your horse will have no problems carrying you. He is a big short coupled horse so enjoy riding.... good luck, and well done..
 
my horse is 15hh, but my pony is a very finely built 13.2hh and she never had any problem carrying me when I was just over 9 stone. Just try to make simple changes to make it easier, such as changing from white bread to brown, normal pasta to wholemeal etc, and decrease the size of portions rather than avoiding things. If you're anything like me saying 'no chocolate' makes me think about how much I want chocolate, and then I eat even more than I would have done in the first place! Good luck (by the way, if you look in soapbox, there are a few people that keep weekly updates of diet progress, maybe helps knowing you're not in it alone?)
 
OOOH I think I need to look at the dieting threads.

Jaynes - I'm also considerably overweight. I'm going to start getting our 13.3 cob back working and I know that he can carry me perfectly well at 14 stone - although hopefully if I do more with him my weight will come down. If your horse was unhappy he'd have let you know! My 15 hand Welsh took me ODE last weekend (I haven't ridden him for ages as my daughter's been riding him) and we came ninth so I can't see that your boy, who's quite a bit bigger, would have much of a problem with you.

My hot tip for dieting - everytime you feel hungry and before every meal drink a pint of plain water. It'll make your skin glow as well.
 
I definately agree with not dieting - just make some healthy lifestyle changes - as said change to from white bread to brown, have wholemeal every thing, cut down on potatoes and have more veg etc etc. It is amazing how a few changes can make a big difference. Ditto water, also try tomato juice if you feel peckish. The secret is to prepare so that if you are hungry you only have healthy choices to hand (eg loads of F&V in the fridge). Riding and keeping horse will give you more than enough excercise, good luck.
 
and if you dont like plain water (like me) then get some lime cordial. You only need a tiny drop and it makes the water lovely to drink.

I am seriously overweight as well and like you I do worry but Gen really doesnt complain in anyway so I dont think I am too heavy. Its very hard when you suffer from depression (me too!!) as you get yourself into a stupid circle of not being happy, eating, not being happy, eating ........

Good on you for deciding to take the plunge but as said before do it FOR YOU and DONT DIET. Look seriously at what you eat and make the healthy changes as you will find the weight will stay off.

Good luck.
 
Hi again everyone, sorry had to leave the forum and sort the gee gees out. Just to say, thanks so much to you all for your support and lovely replies, especially reading lovely browbrows letter, i've really got it easy, I luckily have no health problems other than liking my grub too much, so I should count myself very lucky. Thank you, thank you, all again its made me feel much better and a stack more positive, and definately no to dieting, just healthy eating!! Lots of luv to you all xxxx
laugh.gif
 
Thats a very kind thing to say but you shouldnt count yourself lucky because its hard coping with weight etc.... And I hate to sound all stereotypical but body image is a really big thing! I know how you feel - sometimes I have thought 'right diet... day one....oh god its 11 am already... need food' and ended up binging on crap and honestly its the worst feeling in the world when you have just eaten rubbish - its just so hard but once you have gone cold turkey for a few days it gets easier, your stomach shrinks as its taking less food and you body will stop relying on sugar. and its a terrible cicle - overweight = sad=more food = sad= depression= more weight. when I was ill I was more annoyed that I put weight on than I wouldnt walk properly again becasue I am human and we are all flippin ignorant - horses love being fat!! LOL

But seriosly 18.5 when your 5 foot blo*dy ten isnt that bad!! and as you are so tall your body weight will be really well distibuted over your saddle so you should be A OK!!

And god dammit if want that chocolate cake on sunday - blo*dy have it - just eat few carbs/sugar the next day - it will fly off!! And its only natural to eat as much as you can, humans still have survival instincts to eat as much as you can when its there!

Be true to yourself - and if you dont love yourself - no one else will (apart form your horsey!) xxxx

P.S sorry for mispelt words!!
 
bare in mind that muscle weighs more then fat so dont be disheartened if you dont loose as much weight as you feel you have lost. Ive had weeks where ive been to the gym every day, done horses in the evening, eaten a slimmers world diet all week (which is basicly changing the way you eat, so less bred, wholemeal foods etc) and only lost 2lb, but when ive measured myself ive lost an enormous amount on my waist or bust (which needs serious reduction) or thighs! It stops you getting disheartened.

Also the weight charts that doctors use is out of date, it hasnt been updated since the 1940's and womens body shape bone, mass etc have changed. At 5ft 4 i should according to some of the charts weigh 8 stone, ive been down to 10stone and i felt ill and looked ill, the lightest i will go now is 10 and a half stone as i felt good, healthy and attractive, but then i went skiing ate 5 course meals every night and ended up putting on 2 stone, since then ive put on an extra half stone by eating crap. i started my healthy eating again last week and have already lost 4lbs

Your horse sounds like he is more then up to your weight, and provided your saddle fits you and the horse then i cant see a problem with it, most horses will let you know if they arnt happy (my pony does it by 6ft bucks!)
 
What an inspirational thread
smile.gif
I'm a bit smaller than you, but I have the same concerns. Thankfully I also have a 16.3hh heavy hunter mare who thinks nothing of it!

Anyway, 'you go girl' and thanks for starting such a lovely thread
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top