Should there be a weight limit for people at shows (and if so, what and how?!)

[Neversaydie]

I know that's why they bring it up, but I think like a lot (most) obese people my friends are well aware of that and having it pointed out in relation to an ear infection seems a bit unnecessary, irrelevant - and imo a good way to make people defensive.
Again while I understand why fitness tests might be a good idea as someone who would have no issue passing I'm not sure I am qualified to comment

I would pass a fitness test. I can run 5km several times a week, I go to the gym 3days a week but I’ve had people comment before that I look a bit chunky. I’m in the unfortunate weight distribution dept I’m afraid. Thick thighs, broad shoulders and big boobs. You can’t win Really.

 

[ponynutz]

I think there's two issues to this thread and they're being coagulated which is causing confusion and possibly even people being guarded (weight is a very sensitive topic).

1) Genuinely obese or overweight people who perhaps might not be able to have the chance to ride given their weight. These people are, just like horses, at risk to themselves and I truly believe many of them are doing their utmost to lose the weight - upon doing so they should be allowed to ride. Horse welfare comes first, it's not a question of inclusion.

2) More research needing to be done so that fit, healthy people can know what horse best suits them without being judged based only off the eye. Research is how we stop stigma.

 

[Barton Bounty]

5 is a tough year :-(

Lots of side effects of obesity - type 2 diabetes being the big one with its massive knock on effects on the body. I've sat in the hospital with the diabetic amputees and its incredibly sad. The reasons behind weight gain are complex and our processed food industry doesn't help.

My husband ended up with type 2 from a lengthy time taking antibiotics nothing to do with weight. ??‍

 

[Kat]

My husband ended up with type 2 from a lengthy time taking antibiotics nothing to do with weight. ??‍

My Mum was a tiny size 8 when she was diagnosed with adult onset diabetes. She's suffering several complications now, and it is incredibly frustrating to see type 2 diabetes being referred to constantly as an avoidable consequence of being overweight.

 

[Barton Bounty]

My Mum was a tiny size 8 when she was diagnosed with adult onset diabetes. She's suffering several complications now, and it is incredibly frustrating to see type 2 diabetes being referred to constantly as an avoidable consequence of being overweight.

Thank you! Finally.. its not all about being overweight. I am pretty fit, would pass a fitness test also but im a size 16 have been since I grew boobs ??‍ I must admit, I HAVE NEVER been questioned by my doctor about being overweight when I have went in with an illness.. even this osteoarthritis, its a bone degeneration, its also genetic…if I lose weight the bones are atill going to rub together as there is no cartilage and so is the rheumatoid arthritis I have, its an auto immune disease, no amount of losing weight is going to help it ??‍ I also have no red blood cells and none of it is anything to do with my weight ??‍ I also have no red blood cells now. As a regular blood donor , I am absolutely devastated with that! ?

 

[Barton Bounty]

My Mum was a tiny size 8 when she was diagnosed with adult onset diabetes. She's suffering several complications now, and it is incredibly frustrating to see type 2 diabetes being referred to constantly as an avoidable consequence of being overweight.

I hope your mum feels better soon Kat

 

[PapaverFollis]

Statistically health outcomes ARE linked to body weight and obesity. Individual experiences don't change that.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Just because some thin people get sick and some obese people stay healthy doesn't mean that an individual's chance of staying healthy is not improved by staying slim.

It is about risk.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I think that carrying less weight might still be easier on/better for your joints though. I have a few bad joints, and I imagine they'd feel worse if I carried around more weight. Certainly wouldn't help, I imagine.


Keeping my weight down and muscles strong helps some of my knackered joints to some extent. Yes, I'll never grow the cartilage back and can't undo arthritis, but some things can help. There are also some foods/diets that are shown to be pro-inflammatory.

 

[shortstuff99]

Type 2 diabetes can also be caused by pancreatic cancer, and that is often ignored in favour of diet changes or talking about size until it is too late.

Anyway bit off topic sorry!

 

[Kat]

I hope your mum feels better soon Kat

Thank you.

Diabetes is a horrible condition with so many horrible side effects. Referring to it as some kind of side effect of over eating just makes it more difficult for those affected and increases stigma.

Obesity is just one cause of diabetes and some people are more at risk than others meaning they may not need to be very overweight at all.

 

[Kat]

Just because some thin people get sick and some obese people stay healthy doesn't mean that an individual's chance of staying healthy is not improved by staying slim.

It is about risk.

Absolutely but stigmatising certain conditions or individuals is counter productive and can lead to delayed diagnosis, mis-diagnosis, and worse outcomes.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Dr Michael Mosley (author of the Blood Sugar Diet, amongst other diet books) was himself unexpectedly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when not particularly overweight. He is a TOFI - thin on the outside, fat on the inside. The fat is clearly visible on an MRI scan.

He has reversed it by adjusting his diet and losing weight, and without needing medication.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Saying that obesity increases your risk of diabetes is not saying that obesity is the only cause of diabetes. It is not necessarily stigmatising or ignoring other causes. Being thin is not a panacea against all health troubles but it DOES improve your chances overall.

Again I think this is something where our gut microbiome probably plays a huge role too. And the general quality of your diet regardless of whether one is overweight from it or not. And whether one gets enough exercise and vitamin D and probably a dozen other things that we don't even know about yet, never mind understand.

Health is complicated. Biology is complicated. But the data still points at obesity playing a significant role in poor health outcomes at a population level.

 

[SEL]

Type 2 diabetes can also be caused by pancreatic cancer, and that is often ignored in favour of diet changes or talking about size until it is too late.

Anyway bit off topic sorry!

We tend to separate diabetes caused by pancreatic cancer or other forms of pancreas damage on the diabetes forums - they get their own section

 

[Goldenstar]

90 % of people with type two diabetes are overweight or obese .

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Michael's cirrhosis and probable liver cancer was almost certainly caused by long term obesity. As was his heart attack and his joints suffered too.

 

[shortstuff99]

We tend to separate diabetes caused by pancreatic cancer or other forms of pancreas damage on the diabetes forums - they get their own section

I do mention it now as a Dr missed it in my next door neighbour and now he has end stage cancer as they told him it was 'just' type 2 diabetes and it wasn't.

 

[Goldenstar]

We need to just be able to say not only does being fat kill you early it also impairs the life you have .
And one of those impairments is that you can’t do things you might wish to like ride a horse of a certain size .

 

[Neversaydie]

We need to just be able to say not only does being fat kill you early it also impairs the life you have .
And one of those impairments is that you can’t do things you might wish to like ride a horse of a certain size .

So does insensitivity but that’s a different kind of death sentence I suppose so we can all stay hush hush on that one ? I personally have no issues as I’m not too heavy for my horse nor do I feel the need to justify it, however what I don’t like is how frank people are being with an issue that yes is emotive on so many levels but may have never affected them or been something they have ever really had to worry about.

Extemely heavy people perhaps shouldn’t be riding for their good and of course the horses welfare, falling off when less than fit probably hurts more than someone more fit doing the same, however it’s all well and good making statements like the above to faceless people on this forum but many of you would balk at walking up to a heavier person and stating it I’d wager. I know I’d feel very uncomfortable about it even though I agree.

 

[TPO]

So does insensitivity but that’s a different kind of death sentence I suppose so we can all stay hush hush on that one ? I personally have no issues as I’m not too heavy for my horse nor do I feel the need to justify it, however what I don’t like is how frank people are being with an issue that yes is emotive on so many levels but may have never affected them or been something they have ever really had to worry about.

Extemely heavy people perhaps shouldn’t be riding for their good and of course the horses welfare, falling off when less than fit probably hurts more than someone more fit doing the same, however it’s all well and good making statements like the above to faceless people on this forum but many of you would balk at walking up to a heavier person and stating it I’d wager. I know I’d feel very uncomfortable about it even though I agree.

But isn't that kinda the point being made? No one is completely oblivious to their weight and fitness levels, especially when it's towards the different ends of the spectrum.

In an ideal world there would be no need for anyone to be speaking to adults like RtG or Blog of a Cob because as adults who are responsible for their animals welfare they should acknowledge that they are too heavy to be riding [their current horses at least]. They promote themselves publicly so using them as examples.

It shouldn't be, or need to be, a nanny state. People should, and need to be, personally responsible *but* many put their want to ride for their reasons above their horse's welfare

 

[Goldenstar]

Well I have no trouble being frank about it, being fat is awful and when I am fat I hate it .
I know it’s bad for me I know it’s blights my life when I am too heavy and I don’t see any reason not to be very Frank about its a issue I have a deep and intimate relationship with .

 

[Barton Bounty]

So does insensitivity but that’s a different kind of death sentence I suppose so we can all stay hush hush on that one ? I personally have no issues as I’m not too heavy for my horse nor do I feel the need to justify it, however what I don’t like is how frank people are being with an issue that yes is emotive on so many levels but may have never affected them or been something they have ever really had to worry about.

Extemely heavy people perhaps shouldn’t be riding for their good and of course the horses welfare, falling off when less than fit probably hurts more than someone more fit doing the same, however it’s all well and good making statements like the above to faceless people on this forum but many of you would balk at walking up to a heavier person and stating it I’d wager. I know I’d feel very uncomfortable about it even though I agree.

I wasnt aware there were so many md’s on the forum ??

 

[Winters100]

however what I don’t like is how frank people are being with an issue that yes is emotive on so many levels but may have never affected them or been something they have ever really had to worry about.
.

I am not really sure that there are that many people who have never had to think about their weight and make adjustments, it is not really the case among my friends and family. Speaking personally it rather irritates me when I refuse cake or biscuits and get told things along the lines of 'oh go on, don't be such a misery, you're lucky - you don't need to worry about your weight'. I suspect most people who are not overweight are like me and have to work very hard at being disciplined about food intake and exercise, and often go to bed hungry as a result.

I don't think it is insensitive of Goldenstar to state what we all know, that obesity is causing health problems and earlier deaths for many. Losing weight is difficult, and I really feel for people who struggle in this area, but I do not think that the answer is to pretend that being overweight does not have health risks, or that there may not be an impact upon other areas of life, such as the ability to ride horses. It does not mean that people are any less valued whatever weight they are, but in the context of this discussion animal welfare simply must come first.

 

[Goldenstar]

Pointing out that there are many horrible health issues linked to obesity is nothing to do with not valuing an individual as they are .
We can’t sit about watching this waiting for the state to save us .
I don’t think the NHS has the way or the will or the energy to tackle this .
I watched an you tube documentary presented by an uk obesity doctor the message was surgery is the way out of this .
It’s nonsense intervention needs to be much much earlier when people are a stone overweight by the time surgery is considered a person has damaged themselves
We have to tackle it one at a time ourselves .
64% of adults in the uk are overweight or obese .

However it’s not all bad , a GP recently told my OH he had gone over to the porker side during lockdown and told him to look up the keto diet and to check in three months good for that doctor .

 

[TPO]

It does not mean that people are any less valued whatever weight they are, but in the context of this discussion animal welfare simply must come first.

Exactly. This is simply about horse welfare.

I don't care what weight anyone else is; not my circus not my monkeys. However when excess weight is put on a horse, who has no voice, and their welfare isn't the no.1 priority, then I think it's a valid discussion. Even more so considering how common and normalised it is becoming in real life, on social media and with extremely plus sized riding clothing.

 

[Goldenstar]

Actually horse clothing is a funny old business .
Suitable stuff for the slim and stuff for the plus sized but a sort of funny void in the middle .
Many curvy people who are not overweight are not the right shape for the clothes on offer .
ETA better to say the clothes are not the right shape for the people .

 

[Neversaydie]

I wasnt aware there were so many md’s on the forum ??

Neither did I TBF ? I’m just amazed at some replies stating we should just come out and call people fat and tell them to get it sorted. I’m not thin by any stretch of anyones imagination but I’m fit I’m just curved in the places that look worse when your a horse rider ?

 

[ycbm]

....... it’s all well and good making statements like the above to faceless people on this forum but many of you would balk at walking up to a heavier person and stating it I’d wager. I know I’d feel very uncomfortable about it even though I agree.

It doesn't take a genius to read the thread title and realise the content might trigger you if you are overweight and sensitive about it. It's optional to open it. There's no comparison with walking up to anyone and saying it..

I’m just amazed at some replies stating we should just come out and call people fat and tell them to get it sorted.

Could you point out to me where anyone has said this?

 

[Fruitcake]

I haven’t commented before as I have no experience of struggling with weight. I’m aware that I’m lucky in that I don’t really need to watch what I eat and always stay the same. I’m well below the 15% (with tack, boots etc) of my smallest horse’s ideal weight (a 13hh cob). If, however, I wasn’t, I wouldn’t ride him. It’s as simple as that.

I understand weight is an emotive issue. I’ve experienced snide comments from the other side, with people blatantly saying to my face that I obviously have an ED as I couldn’t possibly be “so skinny” naturally. Body positivity is all well and good, but I do think that, when animal welfare comes into the equation, that has to be given priority. Pointing out that someone is too heavy for a horse isn’t body shaming; it’s supporting animal welfare and I really think we need to stop turning a blind eye to this.