Show makes overweight riders dismount

About time too! I would just hope they don't start going on height or riders and instead on weight! I'm 5"10 and compete a 14.3. However I am 8.3 stone and she's not exactly a slender horse! I know someone weighing in at 14 stone but 5"2 and riding 12 hand slender ponies!! It's awful so hope they make this a blanket rule!!
 
About time too. Although some horses and ponies can carry more or less depending on bone and quality of the bone. At least it is a starting point. I always said that the collecting rings and car parks are the ones that need stewards watched horrified as a show pony was lunged for hours while at a show last week and I mean hours as it was upsetting the stallion we had in the trailer. He is usually very good at shows but this pony was going round and round whe whole time we were there. when one person got tired or fed up another took over. Then a huge rider got on just before it went in the ring and hauled it into an outline we left before it competed so don't know how the kid did but the pony must have been beat
 
Micky said:
Good,..now can show judges continue to stop placing over weight horses/ponies who are allegedly in 'show condition'.....
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In the last 2 years every judge I have stewarded for has put down fat horses and told the riders why. That being said I am usually in the Hunter/horse rings not the pony/native rings.

I do think they need to steward the collecting rings more. Also the small breed ridden natives. Some of the riders on the A's and Shetlands more so than the other small sections, have riders that are too big for their mounts in every respect. Being a stallion is no excuse.
 
We had to turn an american couple away from our riding stables because of their weight, both were over 25 stone and were taken back when we said that they couldn't ride!These were of course tourists and not riders, but we do have some other over weight riders too. I think IMO it's because if you want it to be, riding can be very much a sit there and barely do anything activity. In football etc you can't not run, but with horses eventually your instructor will get bored of your half ass attempts at kicking and get the horse going for you.
 
Roisiny said:
We had to turn an american couple away from our riding stables because of their weight, both were over 25 stone and were taken back when we said that they couldn't ride!These were of course tourists and not riders, but we do have some other over weight riders too. I think IMO it's because if you want it to be, riding can be very much a sit there and barely do anything activity. In football etc you can't not run, but with horses eventually your instructor will get bored of your half ass attempts at kicking and get the horse going for you.
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So this means that fat people are lazy riders, does it also mean that skinny riders try harder, ! ?

I work hard in my lesson thanks!!! Do not generalise based on your own assumptions. Just because someone is overweight does not make them lazy slobs.
 
EKW said:
In the last 2 years every judge I have stewarded for has put down fat horses and told the riders why. That being said I am usually in the Hunter/horse rings not the pony/native rings.
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My friend was speaking to the breeder of her highland pony. They've been told by the breed society to stop producing/showing overweight ponies. All good.
 
Regandal said:
My friend was speaking to the breeder of her highland pony. They've been told by the breed society to stop producing/showing overweight ponies. All good.
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I'm glad to say I've had the same in miniatures. Obese ones just do not place.
 
Unfortunately this will always be an emotive subject however, for the welfare and comfort of the horse/pony it is something that does need to be addressed. It is sad that it is not the individual themselves that has determined that they are too heavy to ride the horse/pony and it has had to be the show organisers to point this out. It is personal choice and freedom to be whatever size you want to be, but realism is also required when it comes to riding and the type/build of horse/pony ridden and rider to horse weight ratio. Same applies to both adults and also children too.
 
Sukistokes2 said:
So this means that fat people are lazy riders, does it also mean that skinny riders try harder, ! ?

I work hard in my lesson thanks!!! Do not generalise based on your own assumptions. Just because someone is overweight does not make them lazy slobs.
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I think it's not because riders are lazy, but there is a lot more physical exertion in running/cycling/swimming sports than there is in riding. Exception would be pro riders or those riding multiple horses a day. Us amateurs ride at a lower level averaging 1hr a day, so we don't get the same benefit to our fittness levels from riding. I know there are days when I'm sweating buckets after an hours schooling the horse!
But you have to admit that riding a horse at amateur level (which again, the majority of us are!) is a lot less cardio/strenuous than other sports.

And I'm a fatty too, in the process of losing weight through running which I'm not that keen on lol
 
I'm a fairly large person, at 5ft 9 and 13stone, I don't like to ride anything under 14.3hh - no matter how cobby. I think if people thought about whether they would like their kids to carry 13stone in a rucksack then they may understand why we don't like to see large people on tiny ponies!
 
This story has little to do with obese riders - it's about adults riding in children's ponies before the child gets on.
 
Sukistokes2 said:
So this means that fat people are lazy riders, does it also mean that skinny riders try harder, ! ?

I work hard in my lesson thanks!!! Do not generalise based on your own assumptions. Just because someone is overweight does not make them lazy slobs.
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I didn't read that post as remotely suggesting what you say
 
Hmm, it has said HORSES. So I assume that going forward this covers all riders. They also say that is is adults riding ponies that is an issue. So, if you have a 7stone 5ft 4 adult is that acceptable?? As that would and wouldnt be going by their statement.

I do get the rule, not against it. But maybe if we bred the ponies to be sturdy like they were years ago then the weight wouldnt be such an issue?
 
Sukistokes2 said:
So this means that fat people are lazy riders, does it also mean that skinny riders try harder, ! ?

I work hard in my lesson thanks!!! Do not generalise based on your own assumptions. Just because someone is overweight does not make them lazy slobs.
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only_me said:
I think it's not because riders are lazy, but there is a lot more physical exertion in running/cycling/swimming sports than there is in riding. Exception would be pro riders or those riding multiple horses a day. Us amateurs ride at a lower level averaging 1hr a day, so we don't get the same benefit to our fittness levels from riding. I know there are days when I'm sweating buckets after an hours schooling the horse!
But you have to admit that riding a horse at amateur level (which again, the majority of us are!) is a lot less cardio/strenuous than other sports.

And I'm a fatty too, in the process of losing weight through running which I'm not that keen on lol
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This is what I meant, and didn't mean to cause offence @Sukistokes2. Because riding at an amateur level is very much about how much effort you want to put in - very little can get the majority of horses to plod around, but they do need a lot of continuous effort to really get them engaging their hind end, working through their back, working well laterally- that is hard!

My point was that in comparison to sports like football, you can get a lot out without putting much in. With a few kicks you can get your horse practically carrying you around around in a lazy trot, how much would that same amount of energy get you on a playing pitch - couple of metres running? I'm also talking moreso about teenagers, as apposed to adults. I'm a teenager too, and of course we all have that mindset at one time or another that we know everything, so why would we try harder! We have a lovely group of slightly larger ladies who have become extraordinarily fit and unconsciously dropped dress sizes through riding, because they have the mindset of wanting to improve, and get that good trot, forward canter etc. Riding any horse well is strenuous exercise, no matter your size.

I was saying that, for many people horse riding seems to be seen as an easy activity, where you do the least amount work possible. When you ride correct it's definitely the opposite of that! Again, sorry if any offence was caused.
 
mle22 said:
This story has little to do with obese riders - it's about adults riding in children's ponies before the child gets on.
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Correct but i think its easily led on to the whole 'too big' type conversation that we should be having as well for both horse and rider and not just showing.

I've seen people post pics of themselves on here and people have gushed over how lovely they look and how wonderful the horse looks etc .... and I'm sitting on my hands because all i see is an obese person crushing a horse no matter what breed it is, fat is fat and you shouldnt be riding until you weigh less!
 
I rode my Shetland in an Adults On Ponies class last month under the Yorkshire Show judge. I did it as more of a p take as there was a class for it! I am far too tall to ride said pony. And the conversation in the ring with the judge went as follows:

Judge: When you walked into the ring I thought this is just going to be an absolute disaster. You are far too big to be riding a Shetland but I was very surprised when you set off in trot and canter as the pony can really carry you. He isn't struggling at all. But he was unbalanced going into canter with your height which sent him onto the wrong leg.

Me: He is a wee tank, he is well schooled which helps. Dont worry I don't make a habit of riding him. I am only in here as it is an Adults On Ponies class which I assumed would be a bit of a fun class.

*carried on and did an individual show which included an extension*

Judge: He really is a proper stamp of a pony and I am still amazed at how well he carries you though I suggest you find a smaller rider for him to really bring out the best in him.

Me: At the moment he is my nephews ride but many, many kids have ridden him over the years. Whilst he is well schooled you need to be able to ride to bring out the best in him and it is hard to find someone small enough and good enough to really do him justice at the highest level.

Judge: He really is a cracking pony but please don't make a this a regular thing.

Me: Don't worry, this is a one off! The last time you judged me riding a Shetland was 15 years ago or so when I had my grey. And it will probably be another 15 years before I dare ride one in the ring again if they have another class such as this.

To this day I have never and will never work in a kids pony. If the kid can't ride it straight off the truck then it isn't a kids pony. So i have no fear of the stewards in that respect lol!
 
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EKW said:
In the last 2 years every judge I have stewarded for has put down fat horses and told the riders why. That being said I am usually in the Hunter/horse rings not the pony/native rings.

I do think they need to steward the collecting rings more. Also the small breed ridden natives. Some of the riders on the A's and Shetlands more so than the other small sections, have riders that are too big for their mounts in every respect. Being a stallion is no excuse.
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Wocketwoy at RIHS the rider came out and said the confo judge said the horse was too fat, it was ;).

I think the trickiest thing about this is setting the limit, partly because even if you are going to have a weighbridge that means if you are on the limit you just let your pony get a bit fatter.
 
About time too. Horses aren't bikes! It's not about somebody being called fat and being offended, this is the animals welfare! You should get fit to ride the horse, not ride the horse to get fit.
 
I've just turned down a home after I found out that the child's home my pony was going to would be regularly schooled by an adult who was about 5ft9 - there's no way I would put that on a 14h2 pony, especially when I have been regularly dieting to keep myself a sensible weight and no more than 15%.
 
EQUIDAE said:
I've just turned down a home after I found out that the child's home my pony was going to would be regularly schooled by an adult who was about 5ft9 - there's no way I would put that on a 14h2 pony, especially when I have been regularly dieting to keep myself a sensible weight and no more than 15%.
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Why wouldn't you let a 5f9 on a 14.2?
I'd be quite happy with that.
 
only_me said:
Why wouldn't you let a 5f9 on a 14.2?
I'd be quite happy with that.
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It depends on the weight of the rider and the build of the pony, I suppose. I have a 14.2 coblet, I'm 5ft tall and weigh just over 10 stone.
My husband will occasionally ride the pony - he's 5ft 9ins but (annoyingly) weighs just over 9st.
I 'look' better on the pony and there's no way that OH could ever show him - he would look too out of proportion. But in this case there isn't a welfare issue (and he's a better rider than me anyway!)

Height as opposed to weight is an interesting one. I do see some very tall, thin children on tiny ponies and while I doubt that there's a welfare issue I do wonder how it affects the actual riding. I've seen a few where the child's feet are not far off the ground!

On the topic of the original post - absolutely correct, it makes me quite annoyed to see adults on ponies when they are clearly too heavy (and often too tall) for them.
 
Nancykitt said:
Height as opposed to weight is an interesting one. I do see some very tall, thin children on tiny ponies and while I doubt that there's a welfare issue I do wonder how it affects the actual riding. I've seen a few where the child's feet are not far off the ground!

.
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Or they shorten their stirrups and end up sitting on the back of the saddle with thighs straight horizontal.
 
EQUIDAE said:
I've just turned down a home after I found out that the child's home my pony was going to would be regularly schooled by an adult who was about 5ft9 - there's no way I would put that on a 14h2 pony, especially when I have been regularly dieting to keep myself a sensible weight and no more than 15%.
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My 14.2 weighs over 500kgs (actual not taped) and has not an ounce of fat on her. I am 5ft8 and I ride her every single day. She's also regularly tackled metre plus tracks with my 6ft3 SJ coach, we are both well under 15% with tack.

You can't generalise. Plenty of short people will weigh a lot more than I do and ride tall horses which are less able to carry that weight.
 
only_me said:
Why wouldn't you let a 5f9 on a 14.2?
I'd be quite happy with that.
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If you had seen the rider you wouldn't have been - she was solidly built and my mare is a sports pony, not a cob or native.

Yes, by numbers she could carry 14 stone, and maybe if it was for light work it would sit ok in my mind, but this is for jumping and XC. Just because they can, doesn't mean they should have to. She looks OK with a 5ft4 rider on board (just) but put a 5ft6 rider on and their legs are dangling - she's not awfully deep through the chest.
 
but where legs are is just aesthetics unless we are talking a particularly small pony+ adult rider which results in an unbalancing effect, which I can't imagine being the case for a 5'9 on a 14.2. Otherwise many of our taller male riders would be stuck with only 17hh plus!
 
ester said:
but where legs are is just aesthetics unless we are talking a particularly small pony+ adult rider which results in an unbalancing effect, which I can't imagine being the case for a 5'9 on a 14.2. Otherwise many of our taller male riders would be stuck with only 17hh plus!
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So everyone is praising the show for removing overweight riders but berating me for showing concern as to how much my mare can carry? That's HHO at it's finest...
 
EQUIDAE said:
So everyone is praising the show for removing overweight riders but berating me for showing concern as to how much my mare can carry? That's HHO at it's finest...
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Perhaps if you had been clearer that the person was also heavy and the pony fine it would not have appeared quite so "heightist".

As I said you can't generalise about height, it's about fitness of the pony and the rider and weight.
 
EQUIDAE said:
So everyone is praising the show for removing overweight riders but berating me for showing concern as to how much my mare can carry? That's HHO at it's finest...
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Weight, yes. Height, irrelevant. I'm 5'9" and ride a 14.2, but I weigh around 12st with tack, and she's a half Friesian tank.
 
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