Thoughts on rider weight please?

[cobgoblin]

Sadly yes, but as mentioned, she’s a real late bloomer. When I first saw her I thought she was about 2! She’s a rescue and had a poor start, so hasn’t filled out yet, very narrow etc. I think she will be a heavy weight in time, but perhaps 3 years away yet.

What sort of cob is she?
Is she a show type? A cobby cross? A traditional hairy?

If traditional, is she the modern type with a small pretty head, or the vanner type with a head like a brick at this age? The modern ones don't tend to grow much and just fill out after about 14hh, but the vanners do continue to grow.
Measure her bone as suggested above. You want good flat bone with a strong tendon behind, ie much wider from the side than front or back.
The other thing to consider is length of back for a saddle, which is often very short on a cob. So measure what size saddle you need.

 

[Cortez]

Based on the description you've given here I would say that you need a different, larger horse to ride, or a lighter rider for your young cob. I am a tall rider with small horses (14.2 - 15.2), who was riding at the top end of 15% with all tack and clothing. My horses have all stayed sound over many years of steady, moderate workloads, and there is no way that I would have ever subjected them to 20% loads.

 

[Leandy]

Let go of this dream and find another. There are plenty out there. This animal is too small for you ideally and given you don't actually own it yet, you shouldn't need to be worrying about whether it is marginally alright or not alright for it to be carrying you in a hypothetical future. You need to be looking for something at least a hand bigger and better suited so you don't even have to think about whether there is a weight issue. IMHO you would need to loose about 2 stone to ride this one (and commit to keeping it off) and even then, depending on how it takes up the leg you may always feel too tall on it anyway. What do you want to do with you next horse?

 

[exracehorse]

At 12.5. Add another stone for tack. Plus your riding clothes. That’s heading towards 14 stone. As others have said it also depends on the saddle length. One of mine is very short coupled. 16.5 saddle. And fine. I’m 5.8 and 8 stone. But she’s got no neck. So although 15.1. I do feel like I’m riding a pony.

 

[Ali27]

I’ve got a 14.2 Irish cob x Connie who is 510kg on weigh bridge. She’s fit and healthy but I wouldn’t want anyone over 10 stone on her. I’m 5ft 6 and my weight crept up to 10.8 stone last year but I went on a health kick last April, cut out junk food, trained 5/6 times at gym and now 9 stone 3/4! My girl definitely feels happier now I’m lighter!

 

[SheriffTruman]

16.5 saddle.

Good point, saddle size is also important to take into consideration. I can't imagine you to be able to fit into a saddle that also fits a cob of that size. That said, it's great you seek advice on this, and are willing to put the horse's health and soundness first!

 

[millitiger]

I'm probably similar build to you OP- I'm 5'11 and just over 12st and a size 12, sometimes a 10.
I joke I must have heavy bones!

I have a welsh D yearling and hope he will be big enough for me to ride, if not I will be driving him.
I could probably lose another 4-5 lbs but it would be really hard work, not much fun, and wouldn't really make much difference to my % weight either.

 

[LadyLexicon]

I'm probably similar build to you OP- I'm 5'11 and just over 12st and a size 12, sometimes a 10.
I joke I must have heavy bones!

I have a welsh D yearling and hope he will be big enough for me to ride, if not I will be driving him.
I could probably lose another 4-5 lbs but it would be really hard work, not much fun, and wouldn't really make much difference to my % weight either.

It’s cruel isn’t it! I’ve always said If I was a horse I’d defo be a heavy weight, I’ve got good bone ??

I probs have half a stone I could lose, but I already do a lot, I hike, climb, paddle, ride and watch what I eat. Unfortunately that means very little when sitting on a horses back!

 

[millitiger]

It’s cruel isn’t it! I’ve always said If I was a horse I’d defo be a heavy weight, I’ve got good bone ??

I probs have half a stone I could lose, but I already do a lot, I hike, climb, paddle, ride and watch what I eat. Unfortunately that means very little when sitting on a horses back!

Exactly, weight is weight and doesn't matter how fit or what size we are unfortunately... most people think I'm around 10.5st- I wish!

 

[Nudibranch]

"A Dales can carry 14 stone"...

If it's a bigger, adult Dales with plenty of bone and enough room for the right saddle then yes. Some Dales are under 14hh. Some are more athletic types with less bone. Some are very short backed.

Quite honestly I'm getting a bit sick of the current fashion amongst native judges for placing Dales that are not true to original type - and have no room for a proper saddle. Riders shouldn't be perched on the cantle. It sets a poor example and gives rise to statements like the above.

OP until the horse has stopped growing and filling out its impossible to say. My Dales mare has only just stopped growing and she's 8 in May. She put on 3 inches and a good 100kg between 4 and 7 - she's slim as well. Some are very slow developers.

If you really like her then you'd have to either gamble on her filling out a lot, or as mentioned earlier, learn to drive! (It's a lot of fun btw.)

 

[Winters100]

We do not live in a perfect world. Recommend weights are recommended, used for guidance. I know adults who exercise their children’s ponies due to concerns about laminitis and lack of exercise from young children. Not ideal. I have found cobs can grow up till 8?

I just cannot imagine myself in a position that there was absolutely no other option to exercise a pony that was too small for me other than riding myself. Lunge / loose school / lead off a suitably sized mount / find a child sharer - there is always another way.

 

[sbloom]

I always address saddle size in these posts....except this one. I think it is too clear cut that she is not a suitable horse for the OP at this point so the right saddle is a moot point, though generally it certainly isn't taken into account enough. There ARE options that can be fitted beyond the back rib but mostly you're not going to find them stocked by local tack shops and generalist fitters.

 

[Jellymoon]

I think aside from all the ethical issues, which have been covered above, you would probably be happier with a bigger horse. I went through a period of only having the kids 14.2 connemaras to ride (being selfless) and at 5ft9.5 and 10/10.5 stone there wasn’t too much of an issue, but I still felt guilty. They seemed happier with the kids on them!! It also made me want to watch my weight, so I felt guilty if I had a big eating session. I don’t especially need to watch my weight, size 10 clothes, well within the recommended B. So that was miserable and unnecessary.

Now the kids have grown up and moved on, I bought myself a decent sized horse for my height (16.2) and I don’t give my weight a second thought (still 10/10.5 stone) I feel supported by him as I have more front and the whole feel is so much nicer. I can hang my legs down and still feel his sides.

So, I would go for the size of horse that fits you now, and if you lose some weight (which you probably will because you will be riding and feeling happy) then that’s good, if you stay the same, then the horse won’t mind if he’s big enough. Don’t subject yourself to a life of feeling guilty that you are too big for your pony.

 

[tristar]

Sadly yes, but as mentioned, she’s a real late bloomer. When I first saw her I thought she was about 2! She’s a rescue and had a poor start, so hasn’t filled out yet, very narrow etc. I think she will be a heavy weight in time, but perhaps 3 years away yet.

we have a rescue cob, well more of a ferrari really, who was very nearly dead, at one point, in a sling for 5 weeks, who is now nearly 8 yrs, and he keeps growing, those closest to him keep saying `he looks like he is growing again` i fact the other day i was looking at him from the rear, when a man was holding him and his arse looked huge! i was quite shocked, i work him regularly but lightly from 6 yrs, he is very willing but i don`t let him overdo it, although he would love to rush around, we are concentrating on fitness and containing the energy to use in a productive way, as he has the attitude of a lion and the energy of a tb a times, but does settle nicely too

so i think you have a gamble here, we did not think ours would grow so much, but always bear in mind his bad start.

 

[hock]

I wouldn’t like to say without looking at the ponies conformation. Short back (providing it can carry a saddle that’ll fit you) and well put together and around 500kg which seems a much more likely mature weight seems doable to me. Conformation is the most important factor for me in this scenario.

 

[Glitter's fun]

If this was me, I would want to keep her until she's mature & then make the decision. Just for my own peace of mind, if I sold her now I'd always wonder what might have been.
Once she's her fit adult weight, then I'd make the decision with a good deal of leeway because a pony her age is a long term prospect. I wouldn't personally want to be caught between feeling a bit guilty or dieting down to below my natural weight for 15 years!

 

[Tarragon]

I feel that as the pony is still very young and still has a lot of growing to do, you could keep her, work hard on ground work to improve posture and strengthen back and keep supple, perhaps get in a lighter rider to start the ridden work, and see how it goes, it may be in 2 years she would be fine for you. I am a great believer in following your gut feelings when it comes to that "connection" you can feel with a horse; it is worth a lot in my book.
So, if you are not in a hurry, why not invest your time and effort into bringing this pony, keeping the ridden work to a minimum, enjoy building up that relationship, and see where it takes you. You could end up being a good match, or you could end up driving her instead, or you could decide that she is never going to be big enough, but have a lovely well brought up pony to sell on.

 

[sbloom]

This, and the first part last week, may be of interest to many https://professionalsaddlefittersas...mit-session-3-rider-weight-the-bigger-picture