Very fat people on horses

zefragile said:
Ethnicity has no bearing on welfare, weight does. Your example of the lady on your old yard is the type of thing that I have an issue with.
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No ethincity doesnt have a bearing on it, you are right, however, my example was one of pc diversity and as a "fuller filly" I found it offensive. In our so called pc society ( I am not saying this as my own opinion) I feel that if we said
" I didnt loan my pony to here because she was polish" people would be screaming about it!
I am not saying it to cause offensive, just my opinion
 
tiggycat said:
No ethincity doesnt have a bearing on it, you are right, however, my example was one of pc diversity and as a "fuller filly" I found it offensive. In our so called pc society ( I am not saying this as my own opinion) I feel that if we said
" I didnt loan my pony to here because she was polish" people would be screaming about it!
I am not saying it to cause offensive, just my opinion
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I honestly don't understand how you can compare it? You obviously agree with the gist of the thread because you had an issue with the lady and her tb's. You wouldn't loan a pony to someone who was to heavy for it, would you. Nobody is saying that "fuller fillies" shouldn't be able to ride- more that people should ride horses suitable for their weight, and if they are really obese then they shouldn't ride at all because it is unfair on the horse. That isn't being un-PC or fattist or whatever, it's just wanting the best for horses.
The post about people over 9 stone not riding is just a joke, there to get a reaction.
 
Ladies, do you want to hear something really, really shocking? My 14.3 hh mw irish cob, with lots of bone and a nice deep girth, who rides like an armchair was previously ridden by a 25 STONE rider. I am not exaggerating! I bought him from a riding school - I had returned to riding at 40 something after a 20 year gap because I couldnt get horses out of my system. Fell in love with a black cob who I ended up buying within the year. Kept him on working livery at the same riding school, as was first horse owner, was dead busy and felt I needed the support. Found out from my then instructor, who worked there that he was being ridden 1 or 2 times a week by a rider that size, because she loved him and wanted to ride to lose weight. He came off working livery straight away. I am 5 foot 5 and am not slim, but certainly not obese and by our reckoning he will carry about 16 stones easily (I dont weigh anything like this). No wonder when he was vetted that it was found he had middle back soreness (not there now). Said large lady was dead upset when he no was no longer available to ride. Said riding school (now bankrupt) was a BHS approved one as well. The odd thing is that he carried her without complaint, but it couldnt be right, could it?
 
zefragile said:
I honestly don't understand how you can compare it? You obviously agree with the gist of the thread because you had an issue with the lady and her tb's. You wouldn't loan a pony to someone who was to heavy for it, would you. Nobody is saying that "fuller fillies" shouldn't be able to ride- more that people should ride horses suitable for their weight, and if they are really obese then they shouldn't ride at all because it is unfair on the horse. That isn't being un-PC or fattist or whatever, it's just wanting the best for horses.
The post about people over 9 stone not riding is just a joke, there to get a reaction.
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Ok, and reaction it has got :o
I have to say however, that some people were actually saying that people over a certain weight shouldnt ride and one went on to say how ALL fat people are lazy and obviously eat too much and that one really didnt come across as a joke! :mad:
 
I don't think horses are generally interested in whether people are offended or not, I just think that we as humans ought to place more importance on whether we will hurt them to force them to carry our weight, than on offending people...
 
7 years ago I weighed 14st and Im 5'6. Then we got Holly, initially for my daughter but it ended up resurrecting (sp)? my own passion for horses. It spurred me on to lose weight and I slimmed down to 11st 2 without realising it. Just found being more active I thought about food less and less. Also a turning point was when I tried to get on Holly and struggled to lift my leg over the saddle. Have to say I was quite fit when I was big but I do feel a lot better for having lost the extra pounds now. Holly bless her is no longer with us now as she died from a broken leg nearly 5 yrs ago but I do have Izzy and have stayed the same weight give or take a pound or 2. I tried every diet under the sun and spent loads of money going to Slimming Clubs but horses were/are the best diet ever. So those of you slimming, keep at it it will be worth it. As long as your happy with however you are and your horse is suitable for carrying you, then it really doesnt matter.
 
Good god, this country really p*sses me off.
Are we not allowed an opinion of our own on anything these days.

this thread has nothing to do with being "un PC", as zefragile says!

I WOULDNT loan my horse to a POLISH person if they were to fat for it to carry them. That makes it a welfare issue.
Or would you say I`m refusing becuase they are polish?
 
martlin said:
I have it on good authority, that, inch for inch, fat is lighter than muscle:D
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This is absolutely true and why my daughter is VERY heavy for a 10 year old (I'm guessing at least 7 1/2 stone as she was 7 stone last summer and is 4 inches taller). They just measured and weighed all the Year 6 and we get a report back. I'm quite sure her report will say she is overweight, but she hasn't an ounce of fat on her at all, her osteopath says she has never seen such well developed leg muscles on a child (boy or girl) her age, it's all the riding and running she does.
 
TheoryX1 said:
Ladies, do you want to hear something really, really shocking? My 14.3 hh mw irish cob, with lots of bone and a nice deep girth, who rides like an armchair was previously ridden by a 25 STONE rider. I am not exaggerating! I bought him from a riding school - I had returned to riding at 40 something after a 20 year gap because I couldnt get horses out of my system. Fell in love with a black cob who I ended up buying within the year. Kept him on working livery at the same riding school, as was first horse owner, was dead busy and felt I needed the support. Found out from my then instructor, who worked there that he was being ridden 1 or 2 times a week by a rider that size, because she loved him and wanted to ride to lose weight. He came off working livery straight away. I am 5 foot 5 and am not slim, but certainly not obese and by our reckoning he will carry about 16 stones easily (I dont weigh anything like this). No wonder when he was vetted that it was found he had middle back soreness (not there now). Said large lady was dead upset when he no was no longer available to ride. Said riding school (now bankrupt) was a BHS approved one as well. The odd thing is that he carried her without complaint, but it couldnt be right, could it?
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Gosh, that is truely shocking! :eek: It really is a hard one though, can we say that she shouldnt of been allowed to ride? Can we in todays society say this without fear of some left wing pc nutjob saying it is fattest?
I had a shetland/fallabella and a lady on the yard sat on him bareback from the field, she was about 5ft 6 and approx 12 stone. She said a ****land was more than capable of this, I told her not to do it again!
 
As a general rule, a horse with a reasonable amount of bone and good conformation,can carry up to 20% of its body weight,long term,and up to 25% for short periods . The saddle should not apply more than 1.5 lbs per square inch pressure to the back.
 
guido16 said:
Good god, this country really p*sses me off.
Are we not allowed an opinion of our own on anything these days.

this thread has nothing to do with being "un PC", as zefragile says!

I WOULDNT loan my horse to a POLISH person if they were to fat for it to carry them. That makes it a welfare issue.
Or would you say I`m refusing becuase they are polish?
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and I am not saying I disagree, but you can bet your life someone would say it is a polish thing rather than a weight thing!
 
sarahsum1 said:
My view is, if someone is very overweight they shouldn't expect a horse to cart them round all day, i do think (and i'm talking very, very overweight person) just because a horse can carry the weight, doesn't mean it should have to. I think if you are obese, then riding should be a reason to lose weight, not just buy a shire horse.
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I can't believe all this cr~p!!!!!!!!1 What gives anyone on here the right to say how much anyone should weigh before they can ride or what they should ride. I am not hugely fat, but have been somewhat bigger. There are far far worst issues in life that large people on smallish horses...anyway what's the saying "an ounce of blood is worth an inch of bone".

So I say if you are big or bigger ride what you like, enjoy and ignore what some on here are saying. Some people need to get a life and let others enjoy theirs.
 
I think it is about having the right horse for your size - there is nothing wrong with heavier people riding as long as they have a horse that has enough bone to carry them.

There are slim people who are tall and quite heavy if they got on say a 12.2 show pony this would be worse than a fatter person of 20 stone getting on a weight carrying cob or shire type.

More horses' backs are damaged by a badly fitting saddle than being ridden by larger rider.

I myself am very short and light and not very strong so I have a medium sized pony but I don't have a problem seeing larger people riding many stronger/larger horses go much better with large people on than a small pea sized person like myself.
 
At 25 stone plus saddle,the rider would be slightly over 20%,but the problem would be the pressure on the back from the saddle.It would need to be a very large saddle 20 inch at least .I doubt that the horse would have enough back to take it.
 
I think if the horse is suitable for the rider and the rider is balanced, there shouldn't be a problem....that said...

I am overweight. I have a medical problem which since April last year I am gradually controlling with medication and have lost 4 stone since April 29th 2009. My horse was backed last summer and I until early this year when I had lost around 3 stone I didn't ride him for more than 20 mins or so in walk because I was very conscious of my weight. I still have a long way to go weight wise but I ride my horse accordingly and will not do too much with him until am a more reasonable weight.. despite him being able to carry me fine IMO.

This is me on him. He is 16hh and part shire.

phe3-1.jpg


p1.jpg


h6.jpg
 
chestnuttymare said:
PMSL I am 5'9 just over 10 stone and a size 10. If i was 9 stone or less i would be emaciated.
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aww feel stoopid now, i thought she was serious. I think all the stuff on here tonight has eradicated my sense of humour!!

That woman trying to get on that pony looked upset that she couldn't, do you think that she would have been upset if it had keeled over with her weight!
 
Ditchjumper2 said:
I can't believe all this cr~p!!!!!!!!1 What gives anyone on here the right to say how much anyone should weigh before they can ride or what they should ride. I am not hugely fat, but have been somewhat bigger. There are far far worst issues in life that large people on smallish horses...anyway what's the saying "an ounce of blood is worth an inch of bone".

So I say if you are big or bigger ride what you like, enjoy and ignore what some on here are saying. Some people need to get a life and let others enjoy theirs.
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What gives anyone the right to say that hugely obese people shouldn't expect a horse to carry them? The horses welfare, that's what. I'm sure there are worse issues in life, but that does not justify it.
If you're not hugely fat, and you have a suitable horse, then that is NOT an issue.
 
martlin said:
:D:D:D Being Polish myself, I'm following the latter part of this thread with more than a bit of amusement...:D

disclaimer - I am 5'5''ish and about 11st (size 10/12)
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Well your no use are you?

How on earth can I pick on you if your not polish AND fat?

Go and eat some pies and dont come back until you have......lol

I`m sure that I will now get blasted by some people for suggesting fat people eats pies......he he
 
Starbucks said:
I think it should be like on racing yards and no one above 9 stone should be allowed to ride. If someone is so lazy as to get above 9 stone then they don’t deserve to ride. :P
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I do to hope this was a joke!
I think we all worry way to much these days when it come to the subject about weight when it comes to riding. yes I agree that heavier people should not ride the finer and smaller horses but a lot are capable of carrying a lot more than 9 stone! Christ if they were that feeble they wouldnt have been used in wars... I should imagine their armour weighed 9 stone let alone a rider on top....
 
R2R said:
I would like to say I dont have a problem on it IF the horse is suitable for the large person to ride.

At a competition at the weekend, I witnessed a very (very) fat lady ride a finely built TB. The poor horse looked very miserable, and the woman didnt even dismount and loosten her girth after the test - instead opting to ride back to her horsebox, stopping for a chat on the way.

So when is the limit? And when does it become a bit mean on the horse?
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This wasnt in Scotland was it? I know of someone fitting that description.
 
Size 10/12 - chubby? really? I think not....

But if you say your chubby I will take your word for it. I POINT BLANK refuse to let you ride my horses.

You shouldnt be allowed on a yard, let alone near a horse. cruel cruel cruel.

Dont suppose you happen to have ginger hair do you?
 
guido16 said:
Size 10/12 - chubby? really? I think not....

But if you say your chubby I will take your word for it. I POINT BLANK refuse to let you ride my horses.

You shouldnt be allowed on a yard, let alone near a horse. cruel cruel cruel.

Dont suppose you happen to have ginger hair do you?
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I have a ginger haired groom if that helps at all?:D
 
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