Rider size Vs Horse size.

ThePinkPony

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2011
Messages
1,521
Visit site
I know its a bit like asking how long is a bit of string.

Watching people riding potential new horses at the sale yesterday and there were so many different combinations.

So, thinking along the lines of if ''i'' were to look for a horse to ride, how small could ''i'' go..? (i being a general person?)

So a 12+ stone person, would say, at the smallest, ride....

An eleven/ten stone person... etc.

I never really know.

(btw this isnt linked to my new pony in case anyone was wondering :))
 
There are too many variables I'm afraid. Depends on your height/weight, what you want the horse to do, horse's build/developement/age/breeding you get the drift.

It's not that simple!
 
I know, Basically the friend i went with was asking me.

But generally, for general hacking and maybe jumping...

I'm 5'2'' and weigh between 11-12 stone (i think, i havent weighed myself but have lost weight) I would feel comfortable on anything 16hh +, but new horse is 15.3 but im pretty sure i would be fine on her.

Some of the horses at the sale were being ridden by quite heavy people, on not so chunky types. More than once i thought, oh blimey shes pretty big.

So for a non chunky riding type which weight ranges are suitable for which height horses?
 
Oh no its not for me thats the thing!

I wouldnt go below 15.3 medium build. like my appy, But my friend was like ''oh, would you ride that and could i ride that etc'' and i honestly didnt really know without being on it.

There were some 14hh that looked like they could easily bear some weight and were put to the test.

Just a general query really :)
 
5'4", backing a 14hh - I know I look tall, but I don't think I look hugely underhorsed. As a 3/4 Section D, she has the strength and hardiness of the Welsh cob, a breed which regularly pulled lightweight trap and farm machinery, plus being the ride of the farmer, sometimes for hunting, so no light weight shirker, a tough weight bearing small horse!

DSC04442.jpg


DSC00435.jpg
 
hmm i dont know. i would have always said without thinking that chunky horse can carry weight and possibly therefore taller people. however, now i would take caution and get advice from a professional. this is because i'm 12st and ride a stoic 13.3 welsh mare who's a chunky monkey.
however physiotherapist has revealed she had a back problem caused by the saddle being ill fitting marginally but pony just did not complain. also she fell when she was younger at a jump and has scar tissue on her stifle despite being sound. it has however affected her back end in a way that spells long term issues if she carries weight. she can still carry weight and won't complain unless of course i want to screw up my best friend before she's even in her late teens! the physiotherapist said 10st 7 max for my mare at most and as a result i'm now determinedly on my way to that weight and then hopefully below it and i'm not riding her again until i am that weight.
 
I suppose if you were running a riding holiday centre type thing like centre parcs you would need a guide as you don't generally know for sure rider ability. Having said that, if ran by a sympathetic & knowledgable person, they would choose sturdy close-coupled types and checked for weaknesses & temperament. i.e. gypsy cob types & irish cob types. They SHOULD have the best fitting tack to compensate for grandad, aunty jill and cousin amy who've never ridden a horse in thier lives and probably ride like a bag of drunk ferrets.

Plenty of 14.2 cob x hunter types would carry 12st out hunting (I've seen it). But I wouldn't put a centre parcs rider of more than 10st on that height & build.

15.3 cob easily a 12st center parcs rider and 14st accomplished rider.

17.2 IDH well, as long as your not so fat you could actualy get on, I'm sure it wouldn't flinch at 16st - many a master I see weigh more than this...
 
why are there so many of these posts on here atm ?

Beeecaaaauuussseeee.... this is New Lounge and posts come and go like the brides knickers................................................. you're not necessarily going to see the post previous as it has probably dived into the depths of page 72 or something...
 
Top