Should i let my friend ride my horse?

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FluffyDales

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Hi,

I have a 14hh Dales - very chunky boy. My friend is desperate to ride again, but hasn't ridden for some time.

I've offered to let her have a ride on my boy. She'll only be on for about 20/30 mins max and will just be walking round the paddock, or going for a walk up the lane.

The thing is that she's 18 stone. Now, i don't have a problem with her weight. I think my boy is up to it (it would be a different matter if she wanted to do a 3hr ride or wanted to jump etc!) but i was after opinions really on whether 20/30 mins would be ok just in walk?

I know that the Dales breed standard says that they are able to carry heavy adults (but doesn't state how heavy is heavy), and i've also seen rough guides of 19-21st as a maximum, which would put my friend within the 'ok' weight category.

One thing i've thought about is maybe letting her have the ride without a saddle? As i know that the saddle can add around 2st, so by taking the saddle off and letting her ride bareback it would be roughly the same as having a 16st rider on his back.

I don't even know if i'm making any sense really
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I was just after opinions really (please not too harsh - my friend is really nice and has herself said that she has concerns about her weight on him - i've assured her that i think he'll be ok though).

Thanks in advance
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I have a 14.3HH cob type (not overly heavy) and I wouldn't allow an 18st person to ride her ....... but maybe I'm just soft
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well its very difficult i imagine on your behalf as you want to do something nice for your friend but dont want to hurt your horse either!
if she hasnt ridden for a while will she be confident without a saddle??
I know if it was my horse i would maybe be hesitant but there are people who woud say he will be fine being the breed he is...but he is only 14hh.... i would say a short walk would be ok but i probably wouldnt want him to do anymore than that
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I would be tempted to say that at 14hh he's too small for that weight but thats just my opinion, hard to say as some carry weight really well and some people can be deceiving (tall and thin looking but still weigh more than expected). I have a 16hh chunky ish and I would be dubious of putting 18 stone on her even just in walk. Sorry not much factual help just an opinion xx
 
TBH I think you're in a tricky situtation now as you've already promised her that she can ride your horse, and said that despite her own concerns, he will be fine with that weight, so it's difficult to go back on that now. Personally I wouldn't let an 18st person on my 14hh horse but I don't know enough about Dales ponies to know if what would be appropriate for him.
 
I'm probably going to get frowned upon for what i'm going to say but why not let your pony tell you. if you dont have an issue with your friends weight why not let her sit on your pony and see how he goes. He'll soon let you know if he's happy or not! My friend is quite a large girl (prob about 15st) and she rides my chunky welsh cross (13h1) and he has no problems as she is a well balanced light rider... She's even done a pleasure ride on him.
 
Oh, i think she'd be absolutely fine about me changing my mind. We're very good friends and can say anything to each other. To be honest, i think she has more concerns than i do! lol.

I am in a tricky position as in; i want to make my friend happy and in my mind's eye i can see her on him and i think he'd be ok (she doesn't look anywhere near her weight, even though i know that weight is weight). But on the other hand if there's any chance of damaging him i don't want to risk it!

It's a real toughie as *i* think he'll be fine, but someone else on the yard has voiced their concerns to me, making me think twice.
 
Way too heavy, with saddle and not ridden for a while. Got a 14h beast myself and not shy about who rides her but 15 stone is more than enough. Plus 14h is small for a dales, it's the big uns that can carry 20 stone. :-)
 
I am a muscular, 5' 8", 16 stone, ruggedly handsome bloke
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and I ride our 14.2 cob for up to 2 hours at a time in all paces, and jump.

Agree with Suffolkangel - let the horse decide. But he may well panic at the unaccustomed weight so she needs to be prepared to get off quickly.

I rode a 15.3 mare who was certainly up to my weight, but was used to a light, slim and very attractive lady - and she panicked at the extra weight when I first got on, but settled.
 
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I'm probably going to get frowned upon for what i'm going to say but why not let your pony tell you. if you dont have an issue with your friends weight why not let her sit on your pony and see how he goes. He'll soon let you know if he's happy or not! My friend is quite a large girl (prob about 15st) and she rides my chunky welsh cross (13h1) and he has no problems as she is a well balanced light rider... She's even done a pleasure ride on him.

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Well, that's a bit reassuring. Thanks for posting
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I think i may go along with that - i know my boy well and i'm pretty good at reading the signs so i might ask her to get on very gently while i'm holding him and just watch him very carefully and see how we go.
 
Just found this on the dales pony website, hope it helps... (they also state correct height is 14-14.2 so he is normal in height)...
'The Dales Pony was a comfortable riding animal, strong enough for draught or work, and able to thrive on the bleak uplands of the dales. These abilities were not lost on farmers, who found in them all that was required to work the small farms as the seasons came round. They could pull a ton in a cart or coup; were sturdy shepherds ponies, capable of covering great distances on the fells and were able to carry burdens of hay up to 12 stones, often plus a rider and when necessary, in deep snow.'
 
That's really good to know - thank you! I've been searching and searching and i haven't managed to find anything but 'can carry heavy adult riders' lol. So well done you!
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I rode a 15.3 mare who was certainly up to my weight, but was used to a light, slim and very attractive lady - and she panicked at the extra weight when I first got on, but settled.

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Do you think the horse was particularly opinionated about how attractive the lady was? Or was this your personal opinion?
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OP personally I wouldn't be happy, not least because if your friend enjoys it she might well want to do it more regularly and it would be difficult to know where to draw the line
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OP, sorry but no. I've a few friends close to that weight (all guys tbh) and wouldn't even consider it. There are going to be very, very few horses comfortable with that weight.

One of my larger guy friends is setting himself a target... once the weight is off he learns to ride! Perhaps if your friend is concerned about her weight anyway you could use this as a nice motivation for her?
 
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I personally think that 18 stone is too much for a 14 hand pony, stocky or not.

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Have to say I agree she is far too heavy which will be made far worse by the fact that she has not ridden for a long while so will actually 'ride heavy' anyway.
 
18 stones, not ridden for ages, 14hh pony (sturdy or not), I wouldn't want that if he was mine. And if you let the pony tell you, he might be too polite and you could end up with all sorts of problems. 18 stone + saddle + rider's winter clothes is likely to be over 20 stone. There's a formula that RDA use for checking horses and ponies aren't over-burdened - I don't have the chart but I can tell you that this combination would not be acceptable to RDA. If you have a local branch, why not ring and ask them?
 
Hi there - my OH is 18stone and i let him ride my suffolk x 16'1 mare - just! My other horse is a solid 16'3 ISH and when he tried to get on him his back and legs dipped like he was gonna break so after that experience no way would i let someone of 18stone on a 14hh pony.
 
I'd be inclined to see what happens, as the dales website says 12stone load plus rider was normal for a working dales so he may be ok with the weight.

How much is he used to carrying? If he is used to light weight riders I'd be more cautious than if he is used to heavier ones.

If he is fit and healthy then why not let her get on (use a tall mounting block so that she doesn't heave herself up) and see how he looks just stood. If he groans or his back dips or he gives any other sign then ask her to hop straight off.

At the end of the day this is just an amble down the road for 20 mins. So it is unlikely that he will hurt himself. Keep a close eye and ask your friend to be ready to hop off.

Remember that full size men ride ponies in other cultures. Look at the icelandic horse, or the mongolian pony, or Haflingers. Arabs are often under 15hh, are far from stocky and are ridden by men at speed over long distances in arabian countries.
 
I would also take your cue from your pony. If he looks unhappy when your friend gets on, then tell her so - i am sure she'd be mortified to think she might be hurting your pony, and would get off pronto!
 
i think it should be fine for a gentle walk - they are weight carrying ponies really. my friend owns a 14.2 dales and she must weigh at least that, and he is absolutely fine! but like the others said if he struggles then she can get off
 
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