Too fat to ride?

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MamaPonio

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Hey everyone, no this isn't a wind up but as it's slightly embarrassing I've created a new profile purely to ask this question!

5'2" and 14 stone, on a diet but I'm desperate to ride now. Can afford a second pony but I'm so conscious of my weight and would never want to hurt a pony, I'm really not sure what to do. I'd only do light hacking until I lost enough weight to start riding 'seriously', I don't plan to do all day hunts!

Opinions? Would obviously be looking at a native type, the smaller the better (ideally around 14hh) but not too small that it couldn't carry me :(
 
What about a 15.2 heavyweight cob for example? I am 5'2 And manage fine on a 16.2hh tb with the length of my legs.
 
Thanks guys, it's really encouraging to hear other people say it's ok to ride now! I've found a lovely haflinger mare, she's only 14hh but if I felt she was uncomfortable with me riding her, my eldest daughter could ride her for the time being? I'm so tempted to ring up and view her. Just need to double check at the yard that the next free stable is mine, there's a girl moving off in a couple of weeks.
 
I'd say 15hh heavy cob or a well built highland as above, poss. an old fashioned type Welsh D though they generally aren't for the faint hearted! Not a small 14hh native pony :(
 
I'd verge more towards a good hunter, 15hh plus and well built. Is there a particular reason you can't ride a horse? You are in no way too fat too ride BTW but IMO you need a horse not a pony.
 
MamaPonio said:
Thanks guys, it's really encouraging to hear other people say it's ok to ride now! I've found a lovely haflinger mare, she's only 14hh but if I felt she was uncomfortable with me riding her, my eldest daughter could ride her for the time being? I'm so tempted to ring up and view her. Just need to double check at the yard that the next free stable is mine, there's a girl moving off in a couple of weeks.
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It isn’t scientific what weight what horse can carry comfortably IMO, my 15.2hh short backed, fairly compact but chunky WB notices more than 12 stone.

My much bigger 17hh WB horse is fine with 14 stone, but he has health reasons, I wouldn’t want him carrying more.

I used to ride a chunky 14hh Conemara stallion, at 11 stone, and he was fine. But I cannott imagine asking him to carry 14 stone.

I think there are few hard and fast answers and it is horse dependent. Plus how horse is built, age, conformation, saddle fit, back length etc.

I’d ring up about the Haflinger, and ask seller if he can comfortably carry 14 stone.
 
At the yard at the moment so will send a proper reply later but my main reason for wanting to stay small is so I can mount from the ground (obviously not at this weight, I mean when lighter and fitter) and so that my eldest daughter could ride it too, she's got a year or two left on our 11.2 but it'd be nice if she could ride and maybe even share lessons with her younger brother. Then again, I'd be looking at a native type who'll take up the leg so she'd probably need a size in between anyway when she outgrows the sec a. Lots to think about! I'll catch up properly later, thanks for everyone's input
 
Honestly, mounting from the ground is bad for your horses back and your saddle - it is time to phase that out, and then think about something big enough to carry you comfortably - and I'm afraid that will not be a good size for your daughter coming off an 11.2.
 
I think a highland and most haffies would carry you happily but agree forget mounting from the ground it is really bad for the horse's back unless you weigh about 6 stone and can vault on.
 
Personally, I would say the hafflinger is too small for you. I once weighed myself and then added full riding gear, boots hat and body protector and then my saddle and I had gained more than two stone. So unless you are weighing yourself in full riding gear and saddle, the pony would be carrying around 16 stone, not 14. I don't think you are too heavy to ride, but I do think you need a bigger horse than a 14hh haffy.
 
Personally I would wait until I had lost the weight before buying or riding. It would give incentive and a goal to stick to. I'd be very wary weight plus tack and wouldn't be riding until I was a more healthy weight
 
I would ask an experienced person to try the horse for you with you there, someone who knows you and your riding abilities-the mare may not be suitable then it is answer found, if she is suitable then get her and spend a couple of months working her from the ground, long reining, walking in hand, teaching lateral work, spook training, loading + walking her somewhere new-and have someone else ride her a couple of times per week. give yourself a target weight before you ride and stick to it. all the extra exercise from the ground work and the best incentive you can get then maybe the weight will shift faster.
 
Heavier but balanced is fine. Heavier and dead weight, or at least not so secure in the saddle is perhaps not as fine. If you're concerned (but congrats on the diet by the way), maybe work on your balance and position to help your horse - whatever it ends up being ! I like the idea of a 15.2 cobby type, you should be fine.
 
My HW cob would be fine with 14stone. Hes 14.1/2hh and is a real tank. Hes also placid enough to be fine with kids. I wouldnt let you mount from the ground even if you were 6 stone though ;)
 
I wouldn't let anyone of 14st ride my 14hh heavyweight cob, and as Wagtail says tack and clothing usually add up to an extra 2st on top. 16st is too much for a pony of that size, 14hh really is very small and a haffy would be lighter built than my cob.
I also never mount from the ground unless absolutely necessary and I'm only 9.5st.

A 15.2 heavyweight sounds about right.
 
Thanks everyone, I'm still in two minds whether to buy now or wait. I've seen a lovely 15.2 ID who looks great on paper and I've always loved the breed, there's plenty of cobs around that I think would also be suitable. With regards to the mounting comment, I was more meaning if we're out on a hack and I needed to dismount but I think 15.2 would be ok in a push (once I'm lighter of course). I'm a sucker for a roman nose and hogged mane so maybe the hunter type horse would be a good option after all ;)
 
I am 5'2" and ride a 15'2". Weight is single figures stone (not prepared to disclose precisely) but would think you need very stocky 14'2" plus or pref 15'2" cob. I wouldn't regularly ride a 14hh anything.
 
I'm 5'2" and about 10 stone and I'm currently riding my 14'3 wbx. He has a leg in each corner, but even if he was cobbier I wouldnt like to put much more on him on a day to day basis. I'm with him for the long haul. 14 stone for a pony In my book is excessive. We arent asking them to haul coal from the face anymore, they arent there to "earn a keep" until they die, regardless of how much they can take, we need to ask, should they!
 
I am currently 9 1/2 stone, 5,1 and ride a 13.3hh pony. I bought a stocky native as I was nearly 12 stone when I bought my pony. She could cope with my weight but the honest truth is she is happy carrying a lighter rider . It was s killer shedding nearly 3 stone. My husband used to be amazed that I would ration a potentially lamenting pony but wouldn't cut down myself. I know it sounds harsh but if you are wondering about your pony carrying you it's diet time.
 
I'm 5ft7 weight between 9 and 10.5 stones, dependant in circumstances, and I learnt to ride on a 14hand highland. He was more than capable of carrying me, and could have hacked out all day with me on him.
 
Personally I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to get another horse, the weight is going to prey on your mind - set a target of say 3 months to make some of the surplus go away and then get the dream horse and off you go. In the meantime you could get yourself ready by thrashing a bike about the place (my bike regularly just lays down on corners or bucks me off so all good practice).
 
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I'm another that would wait until your weight is reduced, it will be an added incentive to trim down and a new horse can be a reward for all your hard work. :)
 
It's not really about breed height or type it's the length of its back, what size saddle it can take and will your bum fit in it
 
Dear lord anyone would think the OP were on the verge of starring in an episode of 'My 600lb life'! Calm down dears, it's just some excess weight. Buy a horse, or a pony, there's a fair few that would carry you happily all day long. Alternatively, lose some weight and have the pick of the market.
 
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