Weight limits

[Skib]

You mention the 20% but how do I know what the horse weighs? There are no horse weighing scales at our yard. I have a tape measure. Can one work out weight from that?

 

[Rumtytum]

Thank you all, I’ve gotten home and calmed down a bit but being accused of being discriminatory is really galling, despite being as polite as possible and trying to get across it’s for the horses welfare. I even offer for them to come and do a ground work session instead, so they can still learn and work with the horses but nobody has taken me up on that offer yet.

It is really difficult running a riding school at the moment and myself and the owner monthly talk about just quitting and not because we don’t love it…it’s because people are so demanding and not at all in it for the horses. And I can imagine that we are not the only ones. We’ve put on a behind the scenes day on for Easter and our whole team, vet, physio, farrier, saddle fitter plus a local show jumper are all coming to put on some great talks and interactive demos. We can barely drum up the interest but we feel it’s so important that people see what it actually takes to keep a horse going, let alone a yard full.

It just seems like unless riding is involved nobody seems to care or want to know and that’s really getting me down I think. When I was a kid, I would have done anything to be within sniffing distance of a horse let alone get to learn all the important bits and have fun doing it!

I’m sorry you are having such a lacklustre response to your behind the scenes day, I go to everything organised at my yard and would be at yours like a shot.
And after my lesson hour there’s nothing better than staying to groom and massage ‘my’ horse - or any horse - quality one to one and it’s free! Never seen any other client do the same.
Back to the scales in my RS office, I think perhaps they are placed in a prominent position to ‘normalise’ the idea of being weighed, that it’s part and parcel of horse riding.
Anyway Hamlet, I often tell the yard staff how warm, welcoming, helpful and hardworking they all are and how grateful I am, so please include yourself as a yard manager in that.

 

[Abacus]

You mention the 20% but how do I know what the horse weighs? There are no horse weighing scales at our yard. I have a tape measure. Can one work out weight from that?

There is a way, if you measure the horse length and girth (all the way around the girth area behind the withers) and calculators to work it out.

Adult Horse (measure in inches): (Heart Girth x Heart Girth x Body Length) ÷ 330 = Bodyweight in pounds.

Or buy a specific horse weight tape, cheap on Amazon.

However bear in mind that both the calculation and the weight tape are based on averages (I believe based on thoroughbreds) and may not give you a very accurate weight for each horse. Really they should be used more to assess whether a horse has gained or lost weight than the specific weight. But might be a useful guide.

 

[Skib]

Thank you for the info.

Or buy a specific horse weight tape, cheap on Amazon.

I have one of those, I think. If I can find it. (I cant) When I started to ride, a kind lady on R ideaway sold me all she herself owned for her horse and it included a blue and white tape. Long gone it seems.

Probably a good thing as YM was cross when I asked if my share had got fatter.

 

[HollyWoozle]

It’s such a sensitive topic but people do need to be realistic. I run a business selling riding holidays and completely understand and respect the need for suitable limits, I have also had to disappoint people many a time when they were over the limit for their chosen holiday too.

Having said that, I am one of those people who has asked about riding schools with higher weight limits to accommodate my fiancé who is a sturdy 6’4” and keen to learn. I found him a place to go which happens to have horses who I believe are fine carrying him, but I realise that most places don’t have horses who can’t comfortably carry him and he realises that too.

I’m sorry that people are rude and make you feel bad about it.

 

[Palindrome]

A bit off topic but I wonder if some of them could be interested in doing in hand games with the horses. It could be open to people whether they are over the weight limit or not. It's called "equifeel" in France and they even run competitions. It's a bit of a cross between unmounted pony games and liberty type work.

 

[Bellalily]

Working on 15% then, I’m pretty much spot on, allowing for tack and my own gear, and knowing his weight. Good to know.

 

[Wishfilly]

I've been in your position too, and it's so difficult. I agree that 14.5st is very reasonable but also not that much for an adult man.

I think people don't always consider that it's not just them- if you have a weight limit of 16st, you need multiple horses who can carry that (for example). Otherwise if your one weight carrier goes lame, you end up in a really awkward situation. Big horses that can take beginners are also very difficult to find, and even more difficult to afford.

There's also the issue (with complete beginners) of staff sometimes needing to assist people getting off horses. That's very difficult if people are heavier.

I think people who don't know much about riding genuinely don't think about it, but it's a very tricky situation to deal with as a member of staff. There's also, of course, the issue of people who say they're within the weight limit and turn up and very clearly aren't. Or when a client has clearly gained weight over time and is now potentially over your weight limit.

It's a really difficult issue to navigate, and as people get bigger and taller AND given current horse prices, it's one that's only going to get more difficult!

 

[Abacus]

Out of curiosity what percentage of this problem is down to the following:

a) people have got taller and so heavier
b) they have become heavier (without being taller)
c) we are more aware and careful about our horses and what they can/ should carry
d) big weight carrying horses are scarcer
e) big weight carrying horses are too expensive to feed and keep (hence a RS might only have one or two)
f) other?

 

[HopOnTrot]

F: we have a greater knowledge of equine welfare, more studies and research have shown the detrimental effect of a horse carrying too much weight.

 

[Denali]

Out of curiosity what percentage of this problem is down to the following:

a) people have got taller and so heavier
b) they have become heavier (without being taller)
c) we are more aware and careful about our horses and what they can/ should carry
d) big weight carrying horses are scarcer
e) big weight carrying horses are too expensive to feed and keep (hence a RS might only have one or two)
f) other?

All of the above.

 

[ElectricChampagne]

It is really difficult running a riding school at the moment and myself and the owner monthly talk about just quitting and not because we don’t love it…it’s because people are so demanding and not at all in it for the horses. And I can imagine that we are not the only ones.

My partner runs a small livery yard and I help him on evenings and weekends.

We too talk about just shutting up shop on a weekly basis as livery clients are so demanding, and often times rude, not only to us (but on a much greater level) but among themselves.

They aren't in it for the horse at all. And they own them!

We've thrown more people off the yard for bad behaviour and breach of contract than it's worth.

I honestly don't know how riding schools manage, it must be incredibly difficult. We can barely get some clients to stick to our 'rules' that it's impossible. Even simple things like cleaning up manure from wash bays or arenas is scoffed at.

You must have nerves of steel!

 

[ycbm]

Anyone using% of the weight of your horse needs to know that it's not the actual weight of your horse that counts, it's the weight they should be to condition score at no more that 6/10. If they weigh less and are fit, then you can go to a higher percentage because of the fat they aren't carrying. But if they weigh more, then you need to include their excess fat in with your own weight. So if they are 10kg overweight, you need to add 10kg to your own weight before you do the calculation, because that's the weight they are carrying even if some of it is on their own body.
.

 

[Glitter's fun]

Out of curiosity what percentage of this problem is down to the following:

a) people have got taller and so heavier
b) they have become heavier (without being taller)
c) we are more aware and careful about our horses and what they can/ should carry
d) big weight carrying horses are scarcer
e) big weight carrying horses are too expensive to feed and keep (hence a RS might only have one or two)
f) other?

All of the above plus
f) people are looking for something to be offended by & insist on seeing this as being Told They Are Too Fat.

 

[Wishfilly]

Out of curiosity what percentage of this problem is down to the following:

a) people have got taller and so heavier
b) they have become heavier (without being taller)
c) we are more aware and careful about our horses and what they can/ should carry
d) big weight carrying horses are scarcer
e) big weight carrying horses are too expensive to feed and keep (hence a RS might only have one or two)
f) other?

I think probably all of the above, plus a level of entitlement that people who are larger feel that being told they can't do an activity is discrimination and react differently.

So, when I was at uni (about 10 years ago) working at a trekking centre in the summers, we'd have people ring up and we'd ask for weights etc, and people would obviously disappointed if we said our maximum weight limit was 15st (14st for faster work), and they were heavier but they were genuinely pretty reasonable about it. Sometimes they'd ask if there was anyone else who could accommodate them. I do remember the owner once having to have a difficult conversation with a teen girl and her mother as the teenager had got too heavy to ride with us. They agreed that she'd come and work on the yard over the summer to help her lose weight and by the end of the summer, the teen was able to ride again!

I very much doubt the conversation would go the same way now! I have also seen multiple posts on social media criticising local riding schools and trekking centres and even RDA for having what I consider very reasonable weight limits.

I'm not going to suggest a horse that can carry an 18st beginner safely doesn't exist at all, but if such a horse does exist then it would cost an awful lot- and a riding school could likely buy 2-3 14hh cobs for that money, which will likely earn them more and be cheaper to keep. So, if you were a RS owner, which would you choose?

 

[adamntitch]

Theres a few people on the post saying they agree when I have seen them ride or pictures and there to big mean 14 stone but than add tack am maybe 13.5 stone and feel bad so stopped riding if you add on tack weight

 

[adamntitch]

Out of curiosity what percentage of this problem is down to the following:

a) people have got taller and so heavier
b) they have become heavier (without being taller)
c) we are more aware and careful about our horses and what they can/ should carry
d) big weight carrying horses are scarcer
e) big weight carrying horses are too expensive to feed and keep (hence a RS might only have one or two)
f) other?

Would say say c is the least likely most people are in denial of how much they weight

 

[teapot]

Out of curiosity what percentage of this problem is down to the following:

a) people have got taller and so heavier
b) they have become heavier (without being taller)
c) we are more aware and careful about our horses and what they can/ should carry
d) big weight carrying horses are scarcer
e) big weight carrying horses are too expensive to feed and keep (hence a RS might only have one or two)
f) other?

Not a, nor e to a limited extent - I was allocating horses to lessons for c.five years and taller riders were still in the minority across children and adults. I saw all the others though and I'm adding g) parents' sheer blindness to how overweight their kids were.

Sounds awful but some of the kids were so overweight for their age/height we used to have to allocate the kids' lessons first, before even contemplating the adults (it was easier to put a lightweight smaller lady on one of the whizzy ponies and a lunge lesson if needed). Having 7/8 year old children on 15.2/16hh horses because we had no other choice is one of the many reasons I walked away...

 

[maisie06]

Totally agree, seeing obese people on horses makes me really cross. It's completely selfish and shows zero regard for the horse.

As an obese person I completely agree, I no longer ride as my weight is out of control but I cringe when I see photos on social media of obese people on smallish cobs and everyone commenting on how wondeful they look and that cob's are for carrying weight - no horse was designed to carry weight, wer'e just lucky they put up with it!

 

[adamntitch]

As an obese person I completely agree, I no longer ride as my weight is out of control but I cringe when I see photos on social media of obese people on smallish cobs and everyone commenting on how wondeful they look and that cob's are for carrying weight - no horse was designed to carry weight, wer'e just lucky they put up with it!

that just shows your true to your self and care about the animals

 

[Orangehorse]

Your weight limit is about the same as a Heavyweight Hunter is expected to carry in the show ring, so I reckon that's about right.
I'm not up to date with how much the Cobs are supposed to be able to carry. These are long standing limits and in practice I daresay that most riders are not up to the top limit. Although there are occasional pictures of some pretty hefty riders in H & H.

But I daresay that a horse in a riding school is working pretty hard, so it doesn't need to be up to its maximum weight.

Maybe the heavier riders might be interested in trying driving if they are too heavy to ride on top.

 

[Skib]

Out of curiosity what percentage of this problem is down to the following:

a) people have got taller and so heavier

Not universal. NHS measured OH and me last week and I discovered that I am an inch shorter than I used to be. Not having realised this previously, and finding it harder to mount, I told the YM that my share horse had grown taller

 

[Determined Dolly]

I manage a riding school and the amount of people I get having an absolute tantrum when I tell them our weight limit is 14.5st and we can’t accommodate them if they’re over that is shocking. I know that’s not the biggest weight limit going, but we do cater more for teenagers and kids rather than adults.

Snarky comments range from “so you’re telling me I’m fat?”, “so you have to be stick thin to ride a horse?” Or the best one “You’re the third riding school to turn me away, I’m only 120kg!”

And this is after I’ve explained that we don’t have that many big horses and we’ve got to be careful as the bigger horses tend to then do more work and carry more weight as their weight limits are higher and yes, they could technically carry more in a one to one home but they work hard and deserve to not be at their max all the time.

I do sympathise with larger people who want to start riding, but people don’t understand the economic cost of having lots of bigger horses not including the difficulty of keeping a larger horse sound and going in a riding school environment. And no I’m not calling you fat…but you are to heavy to ride our horses and you can’t guilt me into jeopardising their welfare so you can have a go.

And the amount of children 14 and under who can either only ride our 3 biggest (chunkiest) horses (between 14.2-15.2) or who I’ve had to tell we can no longer accommodate them is mind boggling.

Just feel like I went to print a big sign up and stick it on the door saying “Horse riding is a privilege not a right!”

Rant over!

Well said Hamlet - hats off to you for having some backbone and sticking to it!
Sadly, there are far too many people in denial when it comes to their weight - and not all RS riders, plenty of riders with their own animals.
We all know how hard it can be to lose weight but at the end of the day, no equine should suffer due to a person being overweight.

 

[Mare Stare]

Ugh. Since i lost my big mare just before Christmas, I've been on a mission to lose weight so I can get on our Section D without squishing her. I've lost just under 3 stone so far and reached an annoying plateau but I'm determined to get to 11 stone before I get on her. I can't abide seeing horses struggling with heavy riders on board.

I also don't understand why people can't accept that they are fat. I don't know why "fat" is an insult when really it is a description. I'm fat. I know I'm fat. I know I'm too fat for my pony and that's why I am opting to make myself less fat.

"OmG! YoU cAllEd Me FaT!"
Yes because you are! Now get off that pony!

 

[Mari]

I manage a riding school and the amount of people I get having an absolute tantrum when I tell them our weight limit is 14.5st and we can’t accommodate them if they’re over that is shocking. I know that’s not the biggest weight limit going, but we do cater more for teenagers and kids rather than adults.

Snarky comments range from “so you’re telling me I’m fat?”, “so you have to be stick thin to ride a horse?” Or the best one “You’re the third riding school to turn me away, I’m only 120kg!”

And this is after I’ve explained that we don’t have that many big horses and we’ve got to be careful as the bigger horses tend to then do more work and carry more weight as their weight limits are higher and yes, they could technically carry more in a one to one home but they work hard and deserve to not be at their max all the time.

I do sympathise with larger people who want to start riding, but people don’t understand the economic cost of having lots of bigger horses not including the difficulty of keeping a larger horse sound and going in a riding school environment. And no I’m not calling you fat…but you are to heavy to ride our horses and you can’t guilt me into jeopardising their welfare so you can have a go.

And the amount of children 14 and under who can either only ride our 3 biggest (chunkiest) horses (between 14.2-15.2) or who I’ve had to tell we can no longer accommodate them is mind boggling.

Just feel like I went to print a big sign up and stick it on the door saying “Horse riding is a privilege not a right!”

Rant over!

Good for you. It upsets me when I see overweight (& yes they are usually fat) riders on horses not fit to carry their weight. It makes me think they just don’t care about their horse they only care about what they want the horse to do for them.

 

[Mari]

Ugh. Since i lost my big mare just before Christmas, I've been on a mission to lose weight so I can get on our Section D without squishing her. I've lost just under 3 stone so far and reached an annoying plateau but I'm determined to get to 11 stone before I get on her. I can't abide seeing horses struggling with heavy riders on board.

I also don't understand why people can't accept that they are fat. I don't know why "fat" is an insult when really it is a description. I'm fat. I know I'm fat. I know I'm too fat for my pony and that's why I am opting to make myself less fat.

"OmG! YoU cAllEd Me FaT!"
Yes because you are! Now get off that pony!

I don’t know you but you have the right attitude. I like you.

 

[Mari]

You can put a positive slant on this. RS limits meant I have had to limit my weight. For years (till Covid) I managed to keep my weight under 10 stone as that was the limit for both the horses that I then rode. You get this daft and circular situation. I need to watch my weight constantly in order to ride, but riding is what keeps my weight steady.



1 cant answer for your horse but I was told that 10 stone (but not above) plus clothes and tack was OK for my old share, an elderly Irish S who was 15 h 2. So not as big as your horse.

What I have learned is that half a stone difference in rider weight makes a difference to the feel and lightness of the horse I am riding. My lovely RS Connie went better if my weight was under 9 stone 7. I would be too heavy to ride her these days.

It always puzzled me when people said that a balanced rider could weigh more. I was a novice and not balanced. When I queried my weight (whether I was too heavy for her) the owner and my RI said that the mare had carried me happilly when I was 9 stone 13 and was unlikely to suffer from one additional pound.

I have been trying to lose weight since Christmas and have not succeeded

My husband is a fan of Judge Judy so sometimes I sit in front of her whilst having a cuppa. She often tells people - eat less exercise more. Good advice.

 

[Mari]

Thank you all, I’ve gotten home and calmed down a bit but being accused of being discriminatory is really galling, despite being as polite as possible and trying to get across it’s for the horses welfare. I even offer for them to come and do a ground work session instead, so they can still learn and work with the horses but nobody has taken me up on that offer yet.

It is really difficult running a riding school at the moment and myself and the owner monthly talk about just quitting and not because we don’t love it…it’s because people are so demanding and not at all in it for the horses. And I can imagine that we are not the only ones. We’ve put on a behind the scenes day on for Easter and our whole team, vet, physio, farrier, saddle fitter plus a local show jumper are all coming to put on some great talks and interactive demos. We can barely drum up the interest but we feel it’s so important that people see what it actually takes to keep a horse going, let alone a yard full.

It just seems like unless riding is involved nobody seems to care or want to know and that’s really getting me down I think. When I was a kid, I would have done anything to be within sniffing distance of a horse let alone get to learn all the important bits and have fun doing it!

I do so agree with you. Since the start of the year I’ve had 2 teenagers ask if they can help me with my horses, one already having riding lessons, the other had never ridden. Help is always acceptable I said. They both came once & when their help was to muck out well they never came back. They wanted to ride my horses not work for a ride.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I have 2 small children. They have toys. If a toy states the weight limit is Xkg and I am over that weight, I’m not being discriminated against, it’s just physics.

14.5 stone is a healthy weight limit, DH, a normal size adult male is well within that.

 

[Abacus]

14.5 stone is a healthy weight limit, DH, a normal size adult male is well within that.

Not always. Plenty of men are tall and muscular without being excessively fat and are well over 14.5 stone. My OH is 6’6, goes to the gym a lot, is 16 stone and has very little body fat.

Even so it would be absolutely reasonable to refuse him lessons if there isn’t a horse that can carry his weight, and it’s not in any way fat shaming - to quote you, it’s just physics. Actually a much easier conversation to have than with someone who is overweight for their height and potentially sensitive about it being pointed out.