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

[Goldenstar]

The whole point of this is to say it to ourselves it’s not mostly about saying it to others .
I am not preaching this from the skinny form of a perfect 10 .
Until I let go of all the nonsense things that are said about being overweight by others and by myself until I decided I was not a passenger on the bus I was the bus ,until I decided I had to change .
Until I stood in a supermarket one day and thought no , no more you can change this or go down trying .
No one help you more than you can help yourself .

 

[Goldenstar]

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.

I think most people who have said unkind things about your slim size are in all likelihood very envious .

 

[Cortez]

The UK is I believe, the fattest country in Europe? Also one of the unhealthiest, however that is measured; the two things are likely to be related. When, I wonder, did being overweight become normalised....as in "slim" used to be normal (look at any photograph or newsreel footage from pre mid 1980's), and now it's not.

 

[Neversaydie]

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..




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

it is essentially what people are wanting done at shows and competitions. I agree with the welfare points, I’m not triggered at all as it doesn’t apply to me. I’m just wondering out loud at the frankness displayed here that wouldn’t be in the real world so to speak. Just my musings on reading 18 pages worth of thread. I know if I was stewarding something and had to approach someone, even on the basis of horse welfare, that they were too fat/heavy/insert word of choice here looking for their horse, that regardless of the rightness of it, I would feel down right horrid as a human being. I’ve had to shout at riders before when helping at shows for various things and not thought twice of it however this, well, uncomfortable would be understating how i feel about it. Each to their own I suppose. I have some really big melons (winking here ?) but I think they shrink to approach someone about this issue.

 

[Fruitcake]

it is essentially what people are wanting done at shows and competitions. I agree with the welfare points, I’m not triggered at all as it doesn’t apply to me. I’m just wondering out loud at the frankness displayed here that wouldn’t be in the real world so to speak. Just my musings on reading 18 pages worth of thread. I know if I was stewarding something and had to approach someone, even on the basis of horse welfare, that they were too fat/heavy/insert word of choice here looking for their horse, that regardless of the rightness of it, I would feel down right horrid as a human being. I’ve had to shout at riders before when helping at shows for various things and not thought twice of it however this, well, uncomfortable would be understating how i feel about it. Each to their own I suppose. I have some really big melons (winking here ?) but I think they shrink to approach someone about this issue.

I think this is largely the issue. It’s awkward and so tends to be just brushed under the carpet. We wouldn’t turn a blind eye to any other welfare issue at a show, so this shouldn’t be any different.

 

[Winters100]

it is essentially what people are wanting done at shows and competitions. I agree with the welfare points, I’m not triggered at all as it doesn’t apply to me. I’m just wondering out loud at the frankness displayed here that wouldn’t be in the real world so to speak. Just my musings on reading 18 pages worth of thread. I know if I was stewarding something and had to approach someone, even on the basis of horse welfare, that they were too fat/heavy/insert word of choice here looking for their horse, that regardless of the rightness of it, I would feel down right horrid as a human being. I’ve had to shout at riders before when helping at shows for various things and not thought twice of it however this, well, uncomfortable would be understating how i feel about it. Each to their own I suppose. I have some really big melons (winking here ?) but I think they shrink to approach someone about this issue.

Too heavy for the horse they are riding does not necessarily mean fat. If people feel that they have too much body fat that is their own concern, but just as someone carrying a lot of muscle needs to have an appropriate horse so does someone with a higher % of body fat. There have been many ideas raised about how to enforce rules tactfully, but it seems that relying on people to choose an appropriate horse without some enforcement is not working. You say that you would feel horrid to approach someone, and so would I, but I would feel even more horrid watching some poor horse carrying a rider who was too heavy.

I do not consider myself to be carrying too much body fat, but if I was riding in a small pony at a show I would expect to be pulled aside and told that it is not appropriate. Why should it be any different for those who do feel that they are above their ideal weight?

 

[PapaverFollis]

Proper, transparent procedure would take any embarrassment out of it.

"Numbers 12, 25 and 6 you have been randomly selected for welfare checks, please report to the steward's tent before attending your classes"

"I'm sorry ma'am but you are over the allowed weight for your horse and I cannot allow you compete here today. Here is your money back. My apologies but those are the rules that you agreed to when you entered."

Yes people would be annoyed but noone would have to go around calling anyone else fat.

 

[Regandal]

we should just come out and call people fat and tell them to get it sorted.

They don’t have to get anything sorted. Just don’t get on a horse that can’t take their weight.

 

[Neversaydie]

They don’t have to get anything sorted. Just don’t get on a horse that can’t take their weight.

Appreciating the selected quoting of my post, sarcasm hopefully evident, I had taken (perhaps incorrectly now from your post) that part of the idea behind this was to educate people and inevitably improve horse and rider welfare and experience, albeit a rather minor take, (again perhaps incorrectly) regardless of how much of an uncomfortable subject it may be for all involved, by restricting competition access. The above mentioned process would be ideal but how many shows realistically would be ballsy enough to do it without some official backing from a competition or veterinary body.

 

[honetpot]

Proper, transparent procedure would take any embarrassment out of it.

"Numbers 12, 25 and 6 you have been randomly selected for welfare checks, please report to the steward's tent before attending your classes"

"I'm sorry ma'am but you are over the allowed weight for your horse and I cannot allow you compete here today. Here is your money back. My apologies but those are the rules that you agreed to when you entered."

Yes people would be annoyed but noone would have to go around calling anyone else fat.

Most show stewards are volunteers, they have no real authority, if it's a well run show the show organisers have procedures and show ground rules in place, a chief steward, with stewards briefings, but often that is not the case.
They would have to be trained to weigh the horse, weigh the rider, and potentially weigh the tack, and calibrated scales, if you use a judge that is an extra judge to provide. Looking at the judges I have worked with most want a pleasant day out, not have potentially a very confrontational situation, before they even go in the ring.
It would be far more effective if, in the 'judge's opinion', over fat animals and people were marked down, and perhaps like dressage judges assessments and discussions on what does fat look like, and what does someone who is under horsed look like, because a lot of the animals I see at large shows are 'bull fat', with a gutter. There are more over weight animals than riders who look over large on their ride.

 

[PapaverFollis]

My point was not about the exact procedure. Just that it could be done in a way that doesn't involve anyone shouting "oi fatty get off that horse" over the tannoy.

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Really not related to horse sports - but for anyone interested in understanding more about the complex relationships between weight, health and the statistics presented around it - the podcast Maintenance Phase is fantastic.

 

[SEL]

My point was not about the exact procedure. Just that it could be done in a way that doesn't involve anyone shouting "oi fatty get off that horse" over the tannoy.

Although that would be undeniably effective!!

I actually think you could start at entry forms.

"We take the welfare of horses very seriously and would respectfully ask that horse and rider combinations are of a sensible weight combination. Current guidance is that no horse should be carrying more than 20% of its healthy body weight including tack. If you are in any doubt as to whether you meet this criteria then please discuss with your vet. The organisers reserve the right to prevent any combinations who are not of a healthy weight competing"

(Or something like that before people get too picky about words, grammar etc...)

 

[palo1]

Although that would be undeniably effective!!

I actually think you could start at entry forms.

"We take the welfare of horses very seriously and would respectfully ask that horse and rider combinations are of a sensible weight combination. Current guidance is that no horse should be carrying more than 20% of its healthy body weight including tack. If you are in any doubt as to whether you meet this criteria then please discuss with your vet. The organisers reserve the right to prevent any combinations who are not of a healthy weight competing"

(Or something like that before people get too picky about words, grammar etc...)

I wonder if/when insurance companies would start to request that riders could assure them at renewal that they were not more than 20% of the insured (ridden horse) weight. Not everyone insures of course and insurance companies may feel they have too much to lose but if it became an industry standard in terms of welfare advice you might think that insurers would have to take that on too.

 

[ester]

Proper, transparent procedure would take any embarrassment out of it.

"Numbers 12, 25 and 6 you have been randomly selected for welfare checks, please report to the steward's tent before attending your classes"

"I'm sorry ma'am but you are over the allowed weight for your horse and I cannot allow you compete here today. Here is your money back. My apologies but those are the rules that you agreed to when you entered."

Yes people would be annoyed but noone would have to go around calling anyone else fat.

Don't be silly, you know no one would get a refund ?

 

[PapaverFollis]

Don't be silly, you know no one would get a refund ?

Lol. I know. I was trying to be nice. ?

 

[Thedarksideofthemoon]

My daughters 13ish stone and rides her 15.2 horse. Would you say she looks too big?

 

[PapaverFollis]

Not really very fair to get people to comment on your daughter's weight from a photo like that is it? Put a photo up of yourself by all means but posting a photo of your daughter for potential criticism on a thread of this type is kind of messed up.

It's not about "looking big" it's about being too heavy.

If she is more that 15% of the horse's weight then yes, she's likely too big.

When I was 13 stone myself and my saddle were too heavy for my 15.2hh horse.

 

[Thedarksideofthemoon]

I don’t think she’s more than 15%. She actually asked me to post it! I don’t ride but more than happy to post a pic of myself

 

[Glitter's fun]

I don’t think she’s more than 15%. She actually asked me to post it! I don’t ride but more than happy to post a pic of myself

This is absolutely not about what anyone looks like. What does the horse weigh? What does your daughter weigh dressed for riding & holding her saddle?

 

[PapaverFollis]

13 stone is exactly 15% of a 550kg horse. A 15.2hh is likely to be around 550kg. With the saddle she's likely over 15% of his ideal weight.

 

[Thedarksideofthemoon]

I thought it was 20%? So do I tell my 15 year old she’s too big for her horse? Or that she needs to lose weight and possibly cause an ED?

 

[ihatework]

Okay thedarksideofthemoon, I’ll stick my neck out.

If I saw your daughter riding her lovely horse my immediate thought wouldn’t be that she was too big/heavy to be riding. As in, compared to what combinations you do see she certainly wouldn’t attract my attention.

That said, I’d be confident, the horse would be happier working if she were lighter. The other thing that strikes me is that the horse has a weak back conformation that will also impact carrying capacity.

 

[Cortez]

I thought it was 20%? So do I tell my 15 year old she’s too big for her horse? Or that she needs to lose weight and possibly cause an ED?

Yes, I would tell her.

 

[Thedarksideofthemoon]

I do think she could do with maybe being abit lighter, I’m hoping as she starts working with said horse/mucking out etc she will start to get fitter and healthier.
Horse has barely any muscle. She’s 10 but has done absolutely nothing for the last few years and we’ve only had her a few weeks.

 

[ihatework]

I thought it was 20%? So do I tell my 15 year old she’s too big for her horse? Or that she needs to lose weight and possibly cause an ED?

Well she has asked you to post so she is obviously conscious of it.
I don’t think it’s overly helpful to not address issues with teenagers, it’s how you go about it.
She might be 13st now but this is likely to increase overtime, so I’d phrase it more as getting fit and healthy for herself as well as the horse

 

[FestiveG]

The approach that is taken should surely depend on the age of the girl in the picture.

 

[ihatework]

I do think she could do with maybe being abit lighter, I’m hoping as she starts working with said horse/mucking out etc she will start to get fitter and healthier.
Horse has barely any muscle. She’s 10 but has done absolutely nothing for the last few years and we’ve only had her a few weeks.

Ok, an unfit 10 year old with no muscle needs to be treated like a youngster.

For ref over the last 2 years I’ve gone from 15st to 10.5st in order to back and ride away my 15.3 and 16.2hh 3yo’s both of whom are well conformed.

 

[Thedarksideofthemoon]

Tbh they last 6-8 weeks since having horse I do think she looks like she’s slimmed down abit.
Thing is she has Lipedema (like myself) so carries her weight on her legs. No amount of dieting or exercise will get rid of it sadly.

 

[FestiveG]

I do think that people also forget that disordered eating is not just about anorexia and being too thin.