Overweight riders

I am overweight and I ride a very fine warmblood. I have always been taught that each horse is individual. If when you ride you bang around and smack your bum on the saddle/their back (typical novice or bad rider trait) the horse feels all of your weight and finds it hard.
If you work in unison with your horse and use your seat properly so not to hinder his movement in any way I think it is acceptable. According to weight guides if your horse has under 8 inches of bone you must not be over 9 stone, if it has less than 7.5 you cannot weigh more than seven stone.
I have seen plenty of real fatties who are obviously over this, and a lot of jockeys who raced in last years grand national were up to14 stone!
It all depends. If you are in doubt, ask the advice of a trainer or vet on your next visit.
:)
 
Why is it that every time the subject of overweight owners comes up it has to end up in unpleasantness??? Why does being over weight automatically make someone a bad owner and an even worse person??

OK, I am overweight and I mean VERY overweight but my two horses are happy, healthy and well cared for. I do not ride either of them because of my weight, I am trying my utmost to loose weight so that I can ride occasionally but it does not make me a bad owner just because I weigh too much. Obviously, it goes without saying that horse welfare has to always be our primary concern but there is no need for being downright rude and offensive.

If I started an offensive post about slim people, or tall people, or people who wore glasses or whatever I would quite rightly be slated and probably banned from the forum but if it is someone having a go about overweight/fat/obese owners then it seems to be perfectly acceptable to be as rude and offensive as people see fit.

I know I will not stop people thinking like they do about overweight people in relationship to horses anymore than I can change their perception that all overweight people are lazy, greedy, dirty, smelly slobs BUT please do try to remember that underneath our slightly more rotund overcoats we are exactly the same as you - we have thoughts, feelings and can be hurt just the same as you.

Keeping and caring for horses is probably harder work for the overweight person than it is for an average sized person, we cannot buy all the beautiful purposely designed equestrian clothing that will keep us warm dry and comfortable that an average sized person can, we have to make do with short boots in the winter because long boots are next to impossible to find for those of us with wider legs so we end up with cold, wet feet and legs, carrying haynets, water buckets and all the other heavy stuff that we lug about is much harder work BUT we do it for the love and well being of our horses regardless of what it puts us through and how much we might ache afterwards. So next time you are tempted to post in response to a weigh/horses/rider/owner thread please remember that on the other end of it is someone with thoughts and feelings just like you!!!
 
I was always told, if your arse is bigger than your horses', then you need to go to weight watchers.

Yes, my arse is enormous, and I have gone to weight watchers :D
 
ive always been tall and slim but now approaching 40 my boobs seem to have developed a life of their own and are developing middle age spread before the rest of me which is leaving me very annoyed and feeling top heavy on anything under 15.2hh

i might have to resort to cling film! :D
 
While not wanting to be insensitive, and this is well discussed topic I do think there are lot's of horses and ponies carrying more weight than they should.

I understand certain ponies and horses can carry lots of weight etc and do not need a lecture on this, however as a society we are becoming taller and heavier and I love the old answer of these horses were bred to carry weight, well actually as nature intended horses did not carry any weight as we decided to ride them.

We do need to be sensible and you do not need to be a twig to ride and most horses I see are comfortable carrying their rider even if not Kate moss, but there is an increasing amount of riders who are to big for their horses.
What we can do about this situation I am not sure.
 
lula said:
ive always been tall and slim but now approaching 40 my boobs seem to have developed a life of their own and are developing middle age spread before the rest of me which is leaving me very annoyed and feeling top heavy on anything under 15.2hh

i might have to resort to cling film! :D
Click to expand...

Might I recommend counterbalancing weights? Small back pack with some weights or stones in should work nicely.
 
My mum used to tell me to eat by brocolli (YUCK) because it made your arse bigger, and therefore more likely to stick to the horse.

I believed it till I was about 12 :o

I like brocolli now.
 
TrasaM said:
Might I recommend counterbalancing weights? Small back pack with some weights or stones in should work nicely.
Click to expand...

well i haven't exactly tipped over on to my nose yet Trasa, but when the day comes i have to resort to wearing a back pack full of hardcore to stop that happening i'll be hanging up my boots!

Tallyho - exactly. Makes buying dresses a nightmare too. Im a size 10/12 below and a, size..um..16 maybe for my huge boobs,...top!!
 
tallyho! said:
I was always told, if your arse is bigger than your horses', then you need to go to weight watchers.
Click to expand...

So what you're saying is I'm gonna need a lot of chocolate cake before she can't buck me off.

Photo caption - "Mum - does my bum look big in this halter?"

P.S we aren't mocking overweight people but their who start these threads to have a go at them.



BreeAndPaula
 
Lula.. :) Mine started growing when I got to 42 and increased by many many cup sizes in about 3 years. You may well have some more growing to do ;)
 
I wasn't really worried about this although I have put on a bit of weight recently. As a size 10/12 and 5'4", I figured I'd be ok but when I got on the 15hh Arab I've just bought, he did spook a little! Having been informed by the ultimate critic that I am not at my fighting weight, I am now on a diet!
 
Mmmm... Yea Paula, you are gonna need choc cake, key lime pie, Melton Mowbray pies, plus a healthy helping of creamy pasta bakes for quite some time...

I was not watching GBBO today....
 
It really depends on each situation individually. I have seen many lightweight riders hauling on mouths and sitting hard on a horse. As long as the horse is the right type for the rider and the rider is well balanced and fit then I see no real problem. There is a large lady locally who rides beautifully, her balance is impeccable and her horses go so well, she has sturdy 17hh hunter types and the whole overall picture is just right.
I personally am no lightweight! My mount of choice is a sturdy 14 - 15hh cob type, although my 15hh ish trotter cross is a sturdy hunter type and carries me no probs!
I have actually refused to ride a horse on my yard as it was to fine for me!! It's all common sense as as much as I try to starve myself I am not and never will be a size 8!!
 
OP I have a question, I'd be grateful for your advice...

I weigh 33 stone. I have two 15hh ponies (used to have three, but I got hungry :o ). My butt won't fit in a saddle (any saddle), but luckily I've been blessed with really long legs! Obviously I'm going to have to ride both ponies at once (I should be able to fit a butt cheek on each saddle :) ). But is tying a knot in their tails enough to keep them together? Or should I superglue the saddles together too? :/

Many thanks for your help!
 
Sugar and spice.. I would advise you to stand your horses side by side then fasten their legs together..like a horsey 6 legged race. Otherwise you won't be able to time your rising to the trot properly and your enormous butt cheeks will be flapping in all directions.
 
TrasaM said:
We were a horse short recently and wanted to go for a hack so I doubled up with my friend on her TB. He behaved really well..none of the usual bucking and spooking either. :D I'm 10' 6 and she's about the same..who said TBs won't take much weight. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Is it awful that I don't know if this is sarcastic or not :eek::o
 
Trinity Fox said:
While not wanting to be insensitive, and this is well discussed topic I do think there are lot's of horses and ponies carrying more weight than they should.

I understand certain ponies and horses can carry lots of weight etc and do not need a lecture on this, however as a society we are becoming taller and heavier and I love the old answer of these horses were bred to carry weight, well actually as nature intended horses did not carry any weight as we decided to ride them.

We do need to be sensible and you do not need to be a twig to ride and most horses I see are comfortable carrying their rider even if not Kate moss, but there is an increasing amount of riders who are to big for their horses.
What we can do about this situation I am not sure.
Click to expand...

This is very true in mountain and moorland showing classes. The riders are not overweight but they are tall and big and quite frankly, look ridiculous with their knees jacked up around their ears and sitting on a saddle like they are sitting on a chair riding a pretty little section a or b, the whole picture just looks wrong!! Yet they would look lovely on a nice Fell, Highland Welsh d etc....
 
Paulag said:
So what you're saying is I'm gonna need a lot of chocolate cake before she can't buck me off.

Photo caption - "Mum - does my bum look big in this halter?"

P.S we aren't mocking overweight people but their who start these threads to have a go at them.



BreeAndPaula
Click to expand...

off topic, but what a drop dead gorgeous piece of horse flesh you have there paula. His bum is pretty handsome too :)

Tallyho - I'll swap you happily!

Trasha - please dont tell me they're likely to get any bigger, i am a 38dd at the moment and all through my 20's/30's Ive been a smallish C cup.
big boobs have never been something ive ever wanted or admired, they just get in the bloomin' way around horses!
 
I know this thread is tongue in cheek, but don't you sometimes see lightweight riders who ride like elephants? I know some who are light, but when doing rising trot, bang down in the saddle on every stride. I know some riders who are heavier but ride much lighter with no banging around....
 
Sorry Lula..tis true..I got from a conservative b to a DD or E! I also landed on one of mine recently when trying to climb up on horse. Very painfully and useless shock absorbers.

Paula..your horse is gorgeous!
 
I've been feeling sorry for myself with a bad viral infection all evening but this thread has had hubby and I crying with laughter so thank you for cheering me up :) sugar and spice it took me about 5 mins to read out your post through the giggling!!!
 
Not sure I believe its how balanced you are that's more important than weight. Agreed that of two people the same weight, the more balanced is more pleasant for the horse. But too heavy is too heavy. I'm thin, light, & experienced, but I'm sure an 11hh show pony would prefer a novice small child banging around to me, because I am too heavy for a fine 11hh pony.
No doubt proportionally there's just as many awful unbalanced skinny riders as there are fat. But given the choice of a lightweight bouncing about & a heavyweight doing the same, I imagine the former is more pleasant for the horse. And in response to hollyhocks, yes I do. I also know some heavy riders who bang around, & light ones that don't. Being a crap rider isn't size specific.
 
littlelegs said:
Not sure I believe its how balanced you are that's more important than weight. Agreed that of two people the same weight, the more balanced is more pleasant for the horse. But too heavy is too heavy. I'm thin, light, & experienced, but I'm sure an 11hh show pony would prefer a novice small child banging around to me, because I am too heavy for a fine 11hh pony.
No doubt proportionally there's just as many awful unbalanced skinny riders as there are fat. But given the choice of a lightweight bouncing about & a heavyweight doing the same, I imagine the former is more pleasant for the horse. And in response to hollyhocks, yes I do. I also know some heavy riders who bang around, & light ones that don't. Being a crap rider isn't size specific.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. I hate hearing 'Yes I weigh eighteen stone but I ride light.' No you don't, you are eighteen stone and feel like eighteen stone. If you are well balanced you will feel like eighteen stone but if you are not well balanced you will feel much heavier! So riding 'light' just means that you don't feel any heavier to the horse, not that you feel lighter.

Loving all the humour in this thread and sorry for the serious note, but it's something that annoys me. At least most of the overweight people on this thread are doing something about it. It is not easy!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top