Riding school weight limits

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vieshot

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Do you think they are to low? I've just seen the website for a riding school in my local area who have a weight limit of 20 stone, which would be 21 stone odd with tack. I was quite taken aback by it. I posted elsewhere but people seemed rather offended by the question so I'm asking here as I know your all more thick skinned :-)

Are riding school limits to low in general?
Is this limit to high?
What sort of horse could manage this amount of weight?

I thought the stone to every hand was a 'maximum' for a decent weight carrying type but this weight limit would suggest there are horses out there capable of exceeding this rule?
 
I tried to book a lesson last year on a school horse, I was told that my weight of 12st4 exceeded their weight limit of 12st. Is that reasonable? :rolleyes:
 
Oh dear. There has just been a massive debate thread on this subject, so it may not be a good time to bring it up again. Seriously.
 
Shysmum said:
Oh dear. There has just been a massive debate thread on this subject, so it may not be a good time to bring it up again. Seriously.
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Owwww I just wanna know if the stone to every hand rule can be exceeded on some beasts. I don't mean to upset anyone. If they have a 20 stone limit then they must feel their horse/s are happy and comfortable with this amount of weight but I'm assuming they don't have a 20 hands horse lol

Don't wanna make anyone sad so can delete if going to cause real agro in the world
 
rema said:
Has a 16 stone weight limit at one place and a 20 stone limit at the other..does not make sense
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Sorry I think they are different places. Me being a muppet just got the names mixed up. It's burley manor that has the high weight limit. Burley villa is a different stables.
 
If you look through the pictures of the horses, you can see they have a fair few big weight carriers, so I guess their judgement says it's ok.
 
vieshot said:
Sorry I think they are different places. Me being a muppet just got the names mixed up. It's burley manor that has the high weight limit. Burley villa is a different stables.
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I take it both stables in that link are owned by the same people/business?..Burley Manor has 20 stone but forest Park has a 16 stone limit..
 
Yes, I believe the owners of forest park took over burley manor, not sure why it's different, I can all but assume they feel one of the horses at burley manor can take the weight.
 
I think there a numerous factors involved including how the person rides and the type/breed of horse or pony.

My boy is 14hh and im easily 10st but he carries me all day very happily BUT that said I have a very light seat and hands and have ridden all my life, would be very different if a 10st rider was riding very heavily in the saddle - slumping around and using their hands heavily.

Also shetland ponies are renowned for being able to carry/pull heavy loads so the hand to stone idea is probably slightly more accurate than for a TB of 16hh etc.

However, I do think there should be aweight limit on riding schools. I think it was Hartpury or Dutchy College that had a 12/13st weight limit. But they dont have any horses under 15hh.

Think a 14st limit is reasonable to be fair once you account for tack etc.
 
BethanT said:
I think there a numerous factors involved including how the person rides and the type/breed of horse or pony.

My boy is 14hh and im easily 10st but he carries me all day very happily BUT that said I have a very light seat and hands and have ridden all my life, would be very different if a 10st rider was riding very heavily in the saddle - slumping around and using their hands heavily.

Also shetland ponies are renowned for being able to carry/pull heavy loads so the hand to stone idea is probably slightly more accurate than for a TB of 16hh etc.

However, I do think there should be aweight limit on riding schools. I think it was Hartpury or Dutchy College that had a 12/13st weight limit. But they dont have any horses under 15hh.

Think a 14st limit is reasonable to be fair once you account for tack etc.
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Can't be Hartpury, at least not when I was there. there were a few girls in my year that were 13-15st and they had a big bunch of horses to ride, they certainly had some huge horses there. In fact, I think the only thing UNDER 15hh was the YMs Exmoor pony :)
 
BethanT said:
I think there a numerous factors involved including how the person rides and the type/breed of horse or pony.

My boy is 14hh and im easily 10st but he carries me all day very happily BUT that said I have a very light seat and hands and have ridden all my life, would be very different if a 10st rider was riding very heavily in the saddle - slumping around and using their hands heavily.

Also shetland ponies are renowned for being able to carry/pull heavy loads so the hand to stone idea is probably slightly more accurate than for a TB of 16hh etc.

However, I do think there should be aweight limit on riding schools. I think it was Hartpury or Dutchy College that had a 12/13st weight limit. But they dont have any horses under 15hh.

Think a 14st limit is reasonable to be fair once you account for tack etc.
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Couldn't of been Duchy either..there was a girl on my course that weighed a good 16 stone and they knew this and she rode a big Cleveland Bay with no problems..
 
I could be wrong but this was about 2/3 years ago? Could have changed or made allowances? However, as I said I could be wrong.
 
BethanT said:
I could be wrong but this was about 2/3 years ago? Could have changed or made allowances? However, as I said I could be wrong.
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Well, maybe it is that one of them have a lower limit of 15hh. An upper limit of 15hh for further/higher education with full grown students would be a bit silly....although probably quite amusing :)
 
_GG_ said:
Well, maybe it is that one of them have a lower limit of 15hh. An upper limit of 15hh for further/higher education with full grown students would be a bit silly....although probably quite amusing :)
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Depending on the size of the pony! hehe :) my lad is only 14 and im 5ft6 but yes I can imagine it would be rather amuzing if a 6ft leggy lad was riding a 13hh pony, would be interesting to say the least!!!
 
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