not too big...but what is too heavy?

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harrihjc

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Having looked at these 'am I too big' posts, it got me wondering...what would you consider to be 'too heavy' for a quite a lightweight 15hh? I'm not going to put my height or weight in, because I don't want to bias it, and I'm not posting a pic of us together, as I know I don't look too big at all, but weight can be very deceptive, and I know people my height who are lighter than me at a size 18 than I am at a size 8/10... so here's the beastie (as a 5yr old last year, has filled out somewhat).....

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I'm curious really more than anything!
 
Cant say without seeing a picture of you too!

Is that you in your siggy on the gorgeous coloured?

If so then no, you are not too heavy
 
ah see by looking at me everyone would say no way, because I don't look too big at all, but I am made of lead, so I wanted to know what sort of weight carrying ability monster has??
 
Probably about the same weight as mine - I would say 11 - 11.5 max - Oh god, you are going to be about 13 stone! I have a friend who is made of lead too - never could figure it out. I try to set a limit of 10 stone on the pony, but she just got a new sharer who has just had a baby and is 11 stone but she hopes that will drop off as she was 10 stone before.

He is absolutely gorgeous though, and from previous threads you have posted on him, he seems very comfortable with you on him. (Digging self out of hole I know I just created...)
 
lovely horse. i cannot work out how, if you are a size 8-10, you can possibly have friends of size 18 who weigh less than you... sorry, they're lying!
if you are tall and big-framed (as i am!) i know it is easy to weigh a lot more than it looks as if you do. i'd guess if you are, say, 5'10 ish that you weigh about 10-11 stone, which is okay for him.
 
There is nothing wrong with being 13 stone, I am, its a medical condition which I am battling with.

Weight wise he/she could probably take 11-12 stone.

An experienced rider will weigh less to a horse than a lighter weight novice.
 
I can't work it out either, but both getting on the same set of scales should rule out freak weight readings
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No I'm not tall, I'm 5ft 4. I have been trying to lose weight, but can't seem to budge it! Must be all my muscle
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seems I am just about OK then, but the very upper end of OK
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must learn to leave the chocolate ice cream alone
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a rough guide to work out what your horse can carry is...a horses weight in lbs divided by 6, divided by 14 equals maximum weight they can carry in stone, for example if your horse weighs 500kg (1100lbs) they can carry 13.1 stone
 
Harri_and_Flash, all i can say if you're serious is, Neris and India's Idiot-Proof Diet is a Thing Of Everlasting Wonder for which i (and my horses!) are eternally grateful! pm me if you want.... or tell me to s** off!
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I was not saying that there is anything wrong with being 13 stone - I was saying that it would be weird if a size 8-10, 5'4 person (basically me who is 9 stone, but I have no muscle!) would be 13 stone! Wasn't a dig hb6!

OP - I think you must be made of concrete - or just very muscly!
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lovely horse. i cannot work out how, if you are a size 8-10, you can possibly have friends of size 18 who weigh less than you... sorry, they're lying!


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Not necessarily! I am a size 12 (occasionally a size 10 in skirts) and I weigh half a stone more than my mum's best friend, who is a size 18 and six inches taller than me....(and I know that for a fact, as the three of us have weekly weigh ins and so are all aware of each other's weight!)

And add to that the fact that I ride a lightweight 15.2.....so already, by some of the judgements made here, I over a stone to heavy to ride my horse.....

Some people are just heavy - not necessarily fat, but heavy. Now, I have always considered myself 'fat', but an increasing number of people are getting ratty with me for 'putting myself down.'
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The fact is, I am classified 'obese' on the BMI scale, yet even my doctor would not believe me when I told him what I weighed....

I guess the point I want to make is that it IS possible to be heavy without being overweight/fat, and unless people have been in that position, they dont seem to be able to understand this. I'd love to say I eat nothing but junk food, biscuits and cake, but in actual fact I pretty much live on salad! So.....some of us are just natural born heffers
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Harri_and_Flash - your horse is gorgeous, and in terms of the weight he *could* carry, all I would say is that weightwise, I would happily ride him myself. And I am nearly two stone heavier than the figures that have been bandied around here.....
 
I think I have rugby player style muscles in my legs from owning a very lazy pony
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I'm not 13 stone, but was close to the 11 mark over winter
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I was not saying that there is anything wrong with being 13 stone - I was saying that it would be weird if a size 8-10, 5'4 person would be 13 stone!



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Well, I am a size 12, 5'2 person and I weigh nearly 13 stone
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MizElz, I'm obese on the BMI scale too, 2 doctors actually told me I was obese and I went home in tears lol! Can laugh now as I was literally a size 8, but at the time I was really upset!
 
HI, There is generally in the horseworld a rule of 20% of it's weight is acceptable weight for the horse to carry - if you plan to do actitivites.
If you're looking only to walk out in the countryside then the rule extends to 30%.
factor in :
TACK - how much does this all weigh - often forgotten to consider,
your balance,
posture,
your fitness level,
your ability
Type of horse: e.g. Icelandic's are tough & strong with dense bone etc...
Conformation of horse: short generous features e.g. canon bones aide in the ability to carry. Height isn't the most important feature.
Saddle size is crucial too, I have seen many short-backed horses who ought to be in say a 16.5-17 saddle with an enormous saddle to accomodate the rider's seat size - putting undue pressure onto more vulnerable areas of the horse.
Horse Fitness/ Weight - is he under/over etc...
Horse Age; relates to his maturity and overall balance and ability.
Breed - as per conformation above.

If you are competing then you need to consider the overall picture, what does the competition require (e.g. Ridden M&M on a Shetland - more than capable of carrying an adult).
Showjumping - strain and pressure of the horses's body - is carrying the max weight they can going to be suitable for him etc...
You only have to think of the race horses for the competition aspect.
It is judgement, how you feel, being honest and working through the above in a constructive manner.

Lovely lovely horse by the way!
 
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I was not saying that there is anything wrong with being 13 stone - I was saying that it would be weird if a size 8-10, 5'4 person would be 13 stone!



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Well, I am a size 12, 5'2 person and I weigh nearly 13 stone
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Im a size 10-12 and i weigh 9st 4 and im 5'1 lol
 
You also are made of concrete! As I said, I have had friends who are very similar, they are just heavy, but not podgy. Guess it is down to bone density and muscle. I am quite slight (ish) and have no muscle, so weight is low (ish) .

You just had to go and ruin my theory didn't you MizElz!!
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Thanks Rayado05, that's really helpful, and thank you for Flash's compliment
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I'm actually not sure what Flash weighs, he has skinny little legs but his body is pretty muscled, and he's very short backed and has to have a 16inch saddle!
 
No problem, with the help and I like this horse!

In your pictures you look in good balance and not too infront or behind the movement of the horse, so you do not impede him, this can make the world of difference to performance.
I've watched some lightweight riders work horrendously with horses, heavy hands at the end of the day are heavy hands no matter what you weigh!
I'm a lightweight myself (I'm 53kg) - it's not just about the weight/size etc... it's what you do with it that matters (obviously if you're within the 20% range thing).
16" - see you have done the right thing with the saddle and I suspect you're fine to be honest.
It's always good to consider though.

I've sometimes had the dilemma with the bigger horses (17.2hh+) that my saddle requirement doesn't really look balanced on them "pea and drum" springs to mind, but I ride long anyway and am not short. They just sometimes look abit "long behind".
 
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a rough guide to work out what your horse can carry is...a horses weight in lbs divided by 6, divided by 14 equals maximum weight they can carry in stone, for example if your horse weighs 500kg (1100lbs) they can carry 13.1 stone

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That means my horse can carry 2 of me!!
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I often reassure myself that if my horse can drag 3 of us across a yard because he's spotted something that *may* contain something he can eat, he's capable of carrying just me on his back
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Some people are probably going to cringe now, but i ride a 13hh welsh pony that i have owed for 14 years and i am 5'2 and weigh 12 1/2 stone. She has never had a problem with carrying me she hacks out for 3 hours comfortably and can jump 2'9 cross country comfortably. I have her back checked every 6 months and there has never been a problem at all.

I think it depends on the pony, what they are used to and how in balance the rider is. You can have a 10 stone person that rides heavy and they will feel more like my weight.
 
Your horse is gorgeous. If he were mine I would be happy with him carrying around 11 and a half stone weight wise and probably a rider of about 5 foot 8.
 
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