Sorry it’s been done to death..

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

But I know that people who know me in person won’t be honest to save my feelings.

What weight would you put on your horse if they were a 16.3hh (yes, he’s grown an inch - naughty) Irish Draught 3.5-4yo? He will be lightly backed and ridden away for me by a super light friend so will have some but not a lot of muscle. He is quite mature in build for a 3yo. Approx 630kg

I have a ballpark figure in my head but I just want to sense check it.

No offence will be taken, promise!

Photo so you can see build:

 

[JBM]

As he’s still growing I’d go with 15% rule at 95kg but realistically when he’s grown he could take 125kg at 20% rule
(Both including tack)

 

[Roxylola]

Without doing any of the % 80kg naked weight felt reasonable to me - clothes, hat boots and tack at about another 15kg would take you to the above 15% 95kg

 

[doodle]

.

 

[Red-1]

For a baby, I would go for 12st max, plus clothing and tack. More if it were a superb rider.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

For a baby, I would go for 12st max, plus clothing and tack. More if it were a superb rider.

I wish I was!

Thanks all, about the same as what I was thinking 13-13.5st all inclusive of tack etc.

 

[Zoeypxo]

For a baby, I would go for 12st max, plus clothing and tack. More if it were a superb rider.

I was thinking this too

 

[Tiddlypom]

Snap with me as for my horse's healthy weight, so I am familiar with these calculations .

Naked rider weight of 12 stone 7lbs/78.7kg, plus another 2.5 stone/15.8kg for all tack and rider clothing is a total of 15 stone/94.5kg for the horse to carry.

That is 15% of healthy horse weight. No more than that, and for a baby horse preferably less.

ETA All rider clothing, equipment and horse tack really does average out at 2.5 stone, many people underestimate that.

Ah, you might want to sit on him as a 3yo? Well under 15% for a rising 4yo, then.

 

[ycbm]

For a baby, I would go for 12st max, plus clothing and tack. More if it were a superb rider.

This because he's a baby. After 6 months he should be OK for another stone, I would say, but I wouldnt back him at that weight.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Ah, you might want to sit on him as a 3yo? Well under 15% for a rising 4yo, then.

I’ll sit on him whenever I am light enough, he might be 3 or he might be 4 - I’ll see how it goes friend who is doing the backing and riding away is probably 8.5-9st dripping wet so that’s all good there.