Rider weight a 3 year old HW cob can take

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Kub

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Just wondering because I think I'm too heavy to sit on him first... I'm going to get him broken in in the next couple of months and then thinking just taking him for short hacks over the winter months, just blobbing about really.

He has at least 9.5" of bone (haven't measured recently) and I'm 5' 6" and 14 stone (working on reducing that lol). I can ride and would say that I'm not too bad, walking and rising trot is fine, canter is a bit messy but not really planning on cantering him much.

So do you think I'd be too heavy for him? I reckon am I hence why I won't be the first person to sit on him, just unsure whether he'll be fine with it for hacking?
 
Sorry, missed that bit! He's currently standing 14'2 at his wither :)

30396_10150206329540510_538195509_13062040_4546705_n.jpg
 
Pretty much identical to mine.

I'm 10st and 5'8 - I won't be riding my boy at all this year as he's too immature to carry me yet. My tiny 6st mum have been lead about on him and that's enough for him at the moment. He's grow and filled out dramatically even in the last couple of months so at this rate he should easily carry me next spring. :D
 
Thanks Kallibear. Mine's filled out loads too, his neck is getting huge, so people have suggested I get him broken to riding this autumn rather than waiting til next spring when he'll be even bigger and stronger.

I'd like to keep him ticking over during the winter though if possible, so if I'm likely to be too heavy, I'd need someone to ride him for me... I just don't want to hurt him *sigh*
 
I may get shot down in flames for this but I am going to say that I think once the initial backing is done that he would be ok carrying you on quiet hacks!
he will build up his muscles slowly as he works, so he will build up some muscle whilst he is being backed, and as long as you stop if there are any signs he is struggling to cope I would say ride away!
Im not sure he would cope with the weight doing circles or strenuous work straight away but I would say listen to him and if he is happy hacking with you then go enjoy it!
 
I would wait until he's four then get a light weight rider to back and get the basics in place for you only riding him yourself when he correctly muscled, theres plenty of non-ridden things you can do with your horse until then.

I'm around the same weight as you and this is what I would do.

BTW your boy is lovely, do you have any more pics?
 
Thanks domane, that's a very useful link! I've been thinking about getting him back because he has grown so much this year but looking at that, I may stick to my idea od not starting him until next spring...

Thanks tabithakat64, if I leave it til next year and work really hard, I may be light enough myself but we'll see...

Here's some more photos :)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=400858&id=538195509&l=51a4260c18
(just random ones)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=447528&id=538195509&l=333df437e9
(from the show we did a couple of weeks ago :) )
 
He's lovely but he does look like he'll still do some growing - he's going to be seriously heavy :eek: , much more so than my boy.

The 'we'd better get on them before that get too big' thing is nonsense - he's already far bigger than you and if you do the breaking process properly it shouldn't matter.

I agree he does look quite grown up for his age though - I think I would be sitting on him breifly every now and again to get him used to humans above him, and plenty of inhand or longline hacks with tack on to see the world (good exercise for you too ;) ). With a bit of practise you could easily progress to trotting about the place, getting him and you fitter for next spring.
 
He looks very similar to Stinky and about the same amount of bone. I was at three, riding Stinky for about 10 minutes twice a week just at a walk and if he wanted to go into trot, I went with him and then asked him to walk. I did tiny hacks mainly solo, and worked on brakes and steering at the same time In the school we walked over poles, between hanging objects, worked on mounting from anything, leg ups, doing girth, adjusting stirrups, swinging arms and legs and lots of getting used to things onboard rather than much physical effort.

I was just under ten stone and Stinky had no problems with my weight and now as a six year old will if needed carry up to fifteen stone for short periods without problem.

We didn't start canter until he was three and a half and at this age, I started to go up to fifteen minutes and we also started a little work in the school in walk and trot. He didn't gallop until four and half and started jumping at five. I did everything very slowly, he was never turned away as he never did any intensive work and for him this has worked out very well.

What I did do, was whenever his bum was shooting up, was go back to groundwork until he balanced out again and also avoided work when he was teething with a bit in.
 
I do think you might want someone lighter to get on him the first few times and maybe til he is a bit more developed. My OH was desperate to be the first one on our younsgster last summer who was standing 16.1 middleweight at the time, and instructor and I managed to talk him out of it. He is probably abuot 14 stone too. Instructor got on first (she is about 8st) as I was on crutches at the time and they wouldn't let me :( and she did first ride, first trot etc then OH was allowed to do hacking for the next couple of months once a week, in walk up to 40 mins in the end. Then we turned him away as even though not doing intensive work I still think its a good idea to let them have a total break, for the sake of their growth etc.
 
Thanks guys, I'm glad I was being realistic that I'm too heavy for him at the mo, even if it does make me feel a little sad as can't wait to sit on him but I do not want to hurt him and his welfare comes first. I just think I need to work on my weight and in the meantime, maybe find a nice light rider that I can work with and start him off for me.

This is what you get if you buy a youngster lol, silly heart overruling my head, but I wouldn't change him for the world. Another year isn't going to do me any harm :)
 
Not suprised you bought him - he's lovely! And his type are near impossible to buy for a sensible price as adult horses.

He will carry you without even noticing once he's a bit more mature! In the mean time I can't think of a nicer or more motivating way of getting some good excerise than long-reining him all over the place to see the world.
 
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