Weight limits- Is it getting silly? :/

JFTD said:
And what many other posters are trying to say is that many people are over an 11 stone weight limit despite being of a healthy weight and not eating too much. And therein lies the reference to WFP and CH.

With a well conditioned, decent height, decent conformation schoolmaster, it seems odd that a 10.5 stone overweight 5ft person is OK, but an 11 stone, healthy weight 5'10 woman is unacceptable. And that is why the weight limits are being questioned.
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The yard I knew with schoolmasters, had one published list of weight limits, and a set of scales in the tackroom.

Known riders were allowed a bit more lee-way. And yard owner did feel that people often knocked weight off, so the limits were purposely conservative.

Weight does matter though, I am upper end of height and weight that my smaller horse is happy with – for endurance, and intensive schooling. Is a strong incentive to stay fit, balanced, and not to gain weight, and not allow anyone heavier to ride him.
 
It would be arguable that a BMI limit (of 25 or so) might well be more appropriate in many cases than a pure weight limit - e.g. schoolmaster lesson on 16.2 stocky warmblood - BMI less than 25, max weight 14 stone. Smaller pony types would probably still have a BMI limit of 25 but have a lower maximum weight. The heavyweight hunter or proper well conformed cob might have a requirement of BMI less than 29 and max weight more like 16 stone. At around 2 metres tall (so VERY tall) 100kg would be a perfectly healthy weight - so both would be required.

Actually, if the loo rolls and the spuds weighed the same amount, I'd probably prefer to deal with the spuds - less unwieldy. A 15kg bag of dog food would be easier to carry than a 15kg bag of packing beads!
 
Wishful said:
It would be arguable that a BMI limit (of 25 or so) might well be more appropriate in many cases than a pure weight limit - e.g. schoolmaster lesson on 16.2 stocky warmblood - BMI less than 25, max weight 14 stone. Smaller pony types would probably still have a BMI limit of 25 but have a lower maximum weight. The heavyweight hunter or proper well conformed cob might have a requirement of BMI less than 29 and max weight more like 16 stone. At around 2 metres tall (so VERY tall) 100kg would be a perfectly healthy weight - so both would be required.
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BMI isn't always the best measure either - % body fat might be a bit tricky to enforce though :p Certainly your post is a more logical suggestion than a pure weight limit (in some cases).
 
I'm another one that thinks that weight limits are getting out of hand.

There has been a fair bit of research into weights that horses can comfortably carry and a healthy horse has been proven to comfortably carry 20% of its body weight including tack.

My girl is a sturdy 15.3 with good bone and she weights around 575kg ( a bit more in spring :-P). This gives me 115 kg maximum before I put her under undue strain. I weigh around 88kg (which is just under 14 stone) and her saddle is around 7.5kg. Add a couple for stirrups, girth and my jods etc and I still have 17kg (or 2.5 stone) to play with. Me plus tack is around 17% tops.

Most 500 kg horses should be able to take upto about 14 stone, although I agree if you are on the limit of the 20% you probably wouldn't want to ride the horse to hard or too often.
 
It's really funny how people cannot get that a tall thin person will weigh more than a short fat person. I am a tall thinish (always battling) person and the number of folk who have said to me oh you will weigh far less than me. Er no, if you are 5ft tall you can be remarkably over weight before you will weigh more than someone who is nearer 6ft tall and hasn't a scrap of fat on them. It's nothing to do with fatness it's just physics!

I am 5ft8 have a 14.2. Why do I have a 14.2 well mainly she was sold as a 15.1 and I bought unseen :D however I like her and I don't want anything bigger anyway. Do I obsess about what she can carry. No. Do I keep dieting despite not really being fat. Yes.
 
Surely the ability of a rider has an effect as well. I have seen light riders who fidget and have poor balance cause a horse more problems than a heavier balanced rider. I am now starting a diet tomorrow, I am feeling very guilty that my 14.3 ex polo pony has to contend with my 12 stone. When playing polo he was riden by a 16 stone guy,but that is no excuse really!
 
PaddyMonty said:
Aint that the truth and they are getting a whole lot taller!
personally I dont give two hoots what other people do with their own horses but do smile at some of the comments that appear on these type of threads
1) The laws of gravity can not be broken. 12st is 12st no matter how 'light' a person rides. Oh and making your seat light just transfers the weight to the stirrups which are connected to the saddle which is still on the horses back so it is still carrying the same weight. I do agree that an unballanced 12st rider will be more damaging to the horse but no one can magically reduce 12st to 10st through balanced riding.
2) Whilst a horse may well be able to carry a particular weight without showing signs of distress you have to consider the long term, slow damage that will be occuring.
3) The average horse is rarely fit these days. 45 minutes in a school or an hours hack 5 times a week does not a fit horse make. Do not confuse the 16.1 4* event horse with the average. These horses are supremly fit in terms of muscle and are in a different league. Just because they can support 13 st bloke does not mean the same horse in average owner condition can.
4) What used to happen back in the old days does not fit modern times. Humans have got a lot bigger and heavier than they were 40 years ago and the horses a lot less fit. Comparison of welshie carrying farmer over the hills all day are not relevant. Horse would have been much fitter, ridder would have been a lot lighter and life expectancy of the horse a lot shorter.
5) Often the size of the modern human forces their weight further back in the saddle. Whilst bums have got bigger horses backs haven't so there is still a limit to lenght of saddle than can be used. If large bums are squished in to saddles then more of that weight will be towards the back and create pressure points.

Each person has to make their own judgement on what they deem acceptable but no one should be under estimate the fact that horses these days are expected to carry a lot more weight with a lot less muscle whislt having a much longer working life.
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Agree totally. Its iike standing on the scales with one leg in the air. You'll still weigh the same.
 
I think it's a bit over the top, I've let people ride my pony that are allegedly too big for someone else's massive cob. There are limits but I do think people mollycoddle a bit too much sometimes. But then if I had a horse instead of a pony I would probably be like this lol..

Ihttp://www.stellabooks.com/images/articles/thelwell/thelwell1.jpg

It seems in some other parts of the world it's not such a big deal as it is here. The horses have to work hard. You see a lot of large men riding little ponys etc and it's normal. I can't remember the name but I watched a program about people who go out hunting with eagles etc and they are on these tiny ponies. The ponies carry them & equipment for miles.
 
Out of interest, since we're comparing weights etc, I'm 5'10", weigh in at 80kg or around 13st, and wear a size 12 clothing. I'm tall, and I've always been sturdily built sine I was a toddler - and not because I ate too much!! Even the lightest I've been for my height, a teenager of 17 working full time with horses, I was between 11.5 and 12 stone. I have… curves. Reasonable curves.

I ride my 17hh TB quite happily - but he is a chaser type. I wouldn't ride a 15.2hh spindly TB, and there are eventers on our yard I won't ride because I feel I am too heavy - then again I ride and jump a 15hh chunky cob who aces me no bother. I don't take offence at being told I'm too heavy for certain types of horses, but I do take offence at the idea of anyone over 11st being fat. I'm not - even my gym says so.
 
kassieg said:
Im 10 stone & loosing weight to event my 5 year old 16hh id x tb but thats my personal choice most people say I don't need to but as it's her 1st season I want to make it as easy as possible

that said at work I used to ride & compete connes, 1 was 13.2 the others were 14.2 but I wouldn't do much with the 13.2
I felt fine on the 14.2s though they schooled be 90 xc etc with me :)
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I am 10st and event my 14.2hh so I do hope people don't tell you that you are too heavy for yours! lol
 
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