Weight limits

[I'm Dun]

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.

You really think its that easy?? Its this sort of attiude that makes people ashamed of what they weigh. I stopped riding when I got too heavy and started driving. I tried and tried and tried to lose weight for about 5yrs before that. Ironically I did then manage to lose 5 stone and keep 4stone of it off. Do you know what it took, 800calories maximum a day for 4 months, plus being active for 8 to 10 hours a day. I managed it in lockdown as I had 24/7 to dedicate to it. I dont think I could do that again with a job and a family etc, it took far too much out of me.

I need to lose another 2 stone now really, I dont ride and I was and still am within the 15 percentage limit of any horse Id want to ride anyway, but that was the weight I was at for years, pre the accident that caused the weight gain. I'm just gearing myself up mentally to do it. Its incredibly hard and I've had so much stress and unpleasantness the last couple of years I've put it on hold. Im not as fat now, so it will be another 4 months of 800 calories a day, walking 10 miles a day, and keeping myself on my feet and moving the rest of the time. I'm exhausted and hungry just thinking about it.

Yes there are fat people who dont care, but they are the minority. Youd be hard pressed to find a fat person who hasnt tried and failed multiple times to lose weight. If it was just eat a bit less and move a bit more we wouldnt have fat people, becuase for the vast majority of people being fat makes them unhappy.

And no they shouldnt ride horses if they are too heavy. I very much wish Id given up sooner. But attitudes like this are ludicrous and really do not help anyone.

 

[khalswitz]

So I would be too heavy by your limits - and I personally would have seen the weight limit and gone ‘yeah K you need to lose weight’ rather than blamed you for looking out for the welfare of your horses. That person is entitled and selfish.

Personally, I’m both reasonably tall (176cm) and heavy (98kg so just under 15.5st) - I am absolutely overweight but even in my heathy BMI would be more than the limit for many RS (many have lower limits than yours!).

I lost a stone before looking for my current horse (the one in my profile pic!), and the horse I have is a ~650kg ¾ ID, whom every equine professional that has met her has called ‘a very big girl’ - and not for her height (she’s 16.3hh), for her bone. She’s the same height and length as my last horse, a TB, but none of his boots and very few of his rugs fit her!

And even then, I hit 15% on her without tack, so we don’t jump and don’t do fast work whilst I’m working on losing more weight, and she only gets ridden maybe 3 times a week (anything more is long reining, good for us both!). I still feel a little guilty, but she used to be a riding school horse so her workload is most likely less with me.

I wouldn’t want someone my weight who was a beginner bouncing about on her for hours a day - I would expect when she was a riding school horse her weight limit was less than mine. Maybe that’s hypocritical, I don’t know.

Obesity is a huge problem. I know it’s not good for me - I do other sports and my joints are definitely getting bombarded, and that’s before risk factors for heart disease and other issues. People are very sensitive about obesity, but that doesn’t mean we push the problem onto our horses, who will carry on doing whatever we ask them…

Edit: Having just seen I’m Dun’s post, I agree. I also gained the weight after an accident (horse fall, ironically), and have struggled to lose it despite being active (I’m a rugby referee so do a lot of running, plus I cycle on top of horsey things) because if I don’t fuel my exercise I don’t perform well and am generally exhausted, nauseous and miserable.

 

[Glitter's fun]

It's not about whether you are over weight, or whether you find it easy or hard to lose weight, it's about knowing you don't fit the requirements for a business but turning up anyway and trying to bully your way into the activity. The person who told @Hamlet they had already been turned down twice amazes me!

 

[Rumtytum]

Just received an email from my RS sent presumably to all clients stating in the interest of horse welfare to please check (and update if required) their recorded height and weight. The RS reserves the right to weigh any client believed to be heavier… (there is a set of scales in the office).
Really pleased to see it being taken seriously.

 

[KatieDM]

Yes, mine is also asking all clients to pop in to be weighed to update their rider registration forms. I’m guessing it’s come down from BHS and they’re all being encouraged. Which is great!

 

[Tiddlypom]

They were going to start weighing clients at the trekking centre that I ride at, too. One of their really kind and forgiving horses (one of my faves ) was left with a very sore and bruised back after a 2 hour trek ridden by a short, heavy and unbalanced rider. He had to have a significant time off work to recover.

ETA This horse, a 17hh Knabstrupper. Such a kind boy.




Limit is 15 stone dressed for riding, though there’s just one horse up to 15 stone and a few more up to 14.0/14.5 stone.

 

[Rumtytum]

They were going to start weighing clients at the trekking centre that I ride at, too. One of their really kind and forgiving horses (one of my faves ) was left with a very sore and bruised back after a 2 hour trek ridden by a short, heavy and unbalanced rider. He had to have a significant time off work to recover.

Limit is 15 stone dressed for riding, though there’s just one horse up to 15 stone and a few more up to 14.0/14.5 stone.

The is for the poor horse, am pleased a weight limit policy is being introduced.
(I replied to my RS’s email thanking them for putting the horses’ welfare first, they need all the support they can get).

 

[IrishMilo]

Blog of a Cob and Ray The Goth on Instagram are both horrendous. I complained to BD about it a few months ago and was fobbed off with a response that basically said if the horse doesn't look like it's struggling the judges have no reason to say anything.

Riding when you are so horrendously overweight is 100% a cruelty issue.

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[SaddlePsych'D]

The RS I go to put up a sign about rider weight and a list of weight limits for each horse. I emailed when I got home to give my updated weight with boots and hat on as haven't done it for ages. I'm under the limit for all but one and we'll under limit for the one I ride most often, but it was a good motivation to keep going with the changes to my diet and keep losing some weight so that I comfortably in range for the horses.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Just out of interest, those that have received emails, what weight limits on average are your riding schools giving?

 

[Rumtytum]

Just out of interest, those that have received emails, what weight limits on average are your riding schools giving?

Think mine has a limit for each horse/pony but it doesn’t appear to be publicised.

 

[teapot]

Just received an email from my RS sent presumably to all clients stating in the interest of horse welfare to please check (and update if required) their recorded height and weight. The RS reserves the right to weigh any client believed to be heavier… (there is a set of scales in the office).
Really pleased to see it being taken seriously.

Out of interest, has it come from them direct?

I only ask as for any rs using EC Pro, there's a default setting for an email to go out re reminding people to update heights and weights, and I think you can even amend the wording if you want. So it can look like somewhere cares, when it's actually just a generic email.

ETS my old job - the yard had a publicised blanket weight limit of 13 stone then each pony/horse had its own limit. Again another thing you can enter into EC Pro too when setting is up, so if you have a horse only able to take x weight, if a rider's over that weight, the horse won't come up as an allocation option!

 

[Rumtytum]

Out of interest, has it come from them direct, or do they use EC Pro? If it's the latter, there's a default setting for heights and weights to be updated at least once a year

Didn’t notice that! Yes, it came from EC Pro but the previous yearly emails were just “check your weight and other info”, this one is the first in which priority of the welfare of the horse and actually weighing the client has been mentioned.

 

[teapot]

Didn’t notice that! Yes, it came from EC Pro but the previous yearly emails were just “check your weight and other info”, this one is the first in which priority of the welfare of the horse and actually weighing the client has been mentioned.

Great if they've amended it - shows they're actually aware! Or someone somewhere has requested they update the template as standard - they were always tinkering with it off the back of feedback

Think my centre sends it out in January - will keep an eye out for their wording (not that I've ridden there in a while)

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Just out of interest, those that have received emails, what weight limits on average are your riding schools giving?

It was worked out for each individual horse. I think the maximum was 87kg for the horse I usually ride (a big ID), a few were 80kg including the one I go hacking on, and one was 72kg (it's a very small, adults only RS).

 

[HuskyFluff]

Blog of a Cob and Ray The Goth on Instagram are both horrendous. I complained to BD about it a few months ago and was fobbed off with a response that basically said if the horse doesn't look like it's struggling the judges have no reason to say anything.

Riding when you are so horrendously overweight is 100% a cruelty issue.

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Jesus Christ that is appalling on so many levels! Totally a cruelty issue. I can't work out how tall she may be, but she is much bigger than I am, and I'm 112kg! (And have no intention of sitting on horse until I'm much, much lighter). In fact I cancelled my lessons at a riding school when I went above their weight limit...

 

[teddy_]

Jesus Christ that is appalling on so many levels! Totally a cruelty issue. I can't work out how tall she may be, but she is much bigger than I am, and I'm 112kg! (And have no intention of sitting on horse until I'm much, much lighter). In fact I cancelled my lessons at a riding school when I went above their weight limit...

It's obscene... To think this rider is supported by Lister, Bed Down, etc...

 

[Tiddlypom]

It was worked out for each individual horse. I think the maximum was 87kg for the horse I usually ride (a big ID), a few were 80kg including the one I go hacking on, and one was 72kg (it's a very small, adults only RS).

*translation for old farts like me who can only visualise human weight in stones/lbs* (but horse weights are grand in kg ).

87kg = 13 stone 10lb

80kg = 12 stone 8lb

72kg = 11 stone 5lb

The trekking centre I ride at definitely has an individual limit for each horse. The slim HHOer that rides there regularly has a much greater choice of horses than I do! Though I’ve now ridden, I think, 8 different horses there.

 

[Glitter's fun]

*translation for old farts like me who can only visualise human weight in stones/lbs* (but horse weights are grand in kg ).

87kg = 13 stone 10lb

80kg = 12 stone 8lb

72kg = 11 stone 5lb

Just wondering so I can compere with my local RS. Are they giving limits dressed for riding?

Edited- not your post, should have asked @SaddlePsych'D

 

[Tiddlypom]

The weight should be dressed for riding inc hat, boots, jacket and body protector (if worn).

That adds 1 stone to my naked weight even in summer with just an Ariat sunstopper top under my BP, my Racesafe Provent BP weighs 3 lb. More weight to add with winter layers.

ETA Dressed like this adds 1 stone to my naked weight. This lovely homebred mare from the trekking centre has a dressed for riding rider weight limit of 14 stone, I think, she’s maybe 16.2hh and I’m 5ft 10 ins tall.



ETA 2 I remember updating my rider weight to the trekking centre at that time. I was 12 stone 4lb unclothed and 13 stone 4lb dressed for riding as per that pic.

 

[MerryMaxmas]

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 would absolutely come to a "behind the scenes" day, it gives such an insight into the hard work that goes on to allow people to be able to ride at riding schools

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

*translation for old farts like me who can only visualise human weight in stones/lbs* (but horse weights are grand in kg ).

87kg = 13 stone 10lb

80kg = 12 stone 8lb

72kg = 11 stone 5lb

The trekking centre I ride at definitely has an individual limit for each horse. The slim HHOer that rides there regularly has a much greater choice of horses than I do! Though I’ve now ridden, I think, 8 different horses there.

Thank you for translation! I was being a bit lazy as the RS did provide them in both measures.

Just wondering so I can compere with my local RS. Are they giving limits dressed for riding?

Edited- not your post, should have asked @SaddlePsych'D

Yes I believe this is the limit dressed for riding.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Good for anyone running a RS that enforces the weight rule. Said before and I will say it again and again - rider weight is a huge welfare issue and the horse world needs to wake up to it and deal with it before it is dealt with for us.

There is no Top Trumps in animal abuse - any abuse is unacceptable - but we do need to get real. Hitting a horse is unacceptable but it isn’t day in, day out, continuously every time we ride. Riding a horse while overweight is continuous and constant abuse and yet we diminish the cruelty with comments such as ‘riding light’ or ‘what happened to be nice’…..sorry but I am going to continue to advocate for the horse that can’t say ‘no you don’t ride light - you are still 18 stone’.

 

[Tiddlypom]

There is no such thing as riding light. You weigh what you weigh.

There is however, such as thing as riding heavy when an unbalanced rider crashes about on the horse’s back thumping into the saddle. That’s what happened to the trekking centre horse with the bruised back, though it’s also quite possible that the rider was also rather heavier than her stated weight, which was already at the top end anyway.

So one weight limit for an educated rider and a much lesser one for novice riders, maybe.

 

[Glitter's fun]

There is no such thing as riding light. You weigh what you weigh.

There is however, such as thing as riding heavy when an unbalanced rider crashes about on the horse’s back thumping into the saddle. That’s what happened to the trekking centre horse with the bruised back, though it’s also quite possible that the rider was also rather heavier than her stated weight, which was already at the top end anyway.

So one weight limit for an educated rider and a much lesser one for novice riders, maybe.

The trekking centre where my friend works have 1 stone lighter limit for complete beginners.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Jesus Christ that is appalling on so many levels! Totally a cruelty issue. I can't work out how tall she may be, but she is much bigger than I am, and I'm 112kg! (And have no intention of sitting on horse until I'm much, much lighter). In fact I cancelled my lessons at a riding school when I went above their weight limit...

She isn't short, that horse is over 17hh from memory. She lost 100lbs after she was asked to dismount and was DQ'ed at *I think* a BD champs, and whilst still a 'not small' rider, she looked so much better, but unfortunately she has put it all back on and more (by her own admission) which is a real shame.

 

[EstherYoung]

A few points:
- I'm too fat ATM. As is my pony. Menopause really doesn't help. I've never struggled with my weight before but it's just floored my metabolism. But, not riding isn't helping either of us so at some point I'm going to have to jfdi or I'll be shortening both of our lives
- You can't tell someone's weight by looking at them. Women do carry weight differently. A man can be significantly heavier and yet not look it at all
- For those who are passionate about this subject, please lobby the FEI to remove the minimum weight for endurance. It's the only discipline to have a minimum weight at international level and that minimum weight has meant that smaller horses can no longer take part at top international level as it would be a welfare issue for them to carry enough lead to make their rider weight up to 75kgs. And it's prejudicial to women who are on the whole lighter.

 

[Red-1]

I am surprised there is fuss, tbh.

My boyfriend is around 90kg and has ridden a couple of times on hire horses. When booking, I've had to ensure they have a big enough weight limit. No fuss, I check the limit and only book where we can go. I can't imagine arguing about it with any riding school!

I do think welfare is important, of course, but then you take notice when the owner of the horses says there is a weight limit.

He is learning on mine and had a few rides on my smaller horse but has now graduated to the bigger one.



That is the bigger one, only 16hh but a very stout build.

To help him learn, and to save my horses, boyfriend is now having some lessons on a mechanical horse.



When Mr Red (as in my husband) learned to ride, he was way over the limit for most riding schools. He got his own and I taught him on that. He was around 20st (130kg). His own horse was fine with that as I got him fit and Mr Red didn't ride him for long or do too much. He mainly processed steadily round the village or did 20 minutes on the school.

I did persuade him to a few dressage competitions. His jacket was 50p from the charity shop.

A gratuitous photo as I miss Mr Red so much now he died. My boyfriend is amazing but my husband was my husband. Conflict there!



My point is that I didn't argue with the organisations, I just made alternative arrangements!

 

[AutumnDays]

I'd love to ride again, I am definitely too tall and heavy for my falsely advertised youngster (she was meant to make 15.2, only made 14.1!), not that either of mine are fit for it with their issues (I did say on another thread we'd all been ok'd to go, but after I'd calmed down and thought about it, I got a second opinion and my gut was right)... Anyway, I've been thinking about a ridden one, and I can't find a big weight carrier that I can afford (I'm 5'10" and 71kg, but unbalanced from injury and degenerative conditions), so realistically I don't think I will be getting back in the saddle. If I was though, and a stables told me their limits and I was over, fair enough. I really don't get why people are so ready to be offended by it, if it was an inanimate object I wonder if they'd argue so much? That rider up thread and the other Instagram person mentioned... Wow. They really shouldn't be allowed to compete and be "poster girls". That basically says welfare doesn't matter compared to your wants, and that horses are there to be used and abused, even if it's not the abuse you'd picture

 

[Red-1]

I'd love to ride again, I am definitely too tall and heavy for my falsely advertised youngster (she was meant to make 15.2, only made 14.1!), not that either of mine are fit for it with their issues (I did say on another thread we'd all been ok'd to go, but after I'd calmed down and thought about it, I got a second opinion and my gut was right)... Anyway, I've been thinking about a ridden one, and I can't find a big weight carrier that I can afford (I'm 5'10" and 71kg, but unbalanced from injury and degenerative conditions), so realistically I don't think I will be getting back in the saddle. If I was though, and a stables told me their limits and I was over, fair enough. I really don't get why people are so ready to be offended by it, if it was an inanimate object I wonder if they'd argue so much? That rider up thread and the other Instagram person mentioned... Wow. They really shouldn't be allowed to compete and be "poster girls". That basically says welfare doesn't matter compared to your wants, and that horses are there to be used and abused, even if it's not the abuse you'd picture

Where abouts are you? If you are in Yorkshire, you are welcome to come and have a ride on Riggers. He is fab for someone who hasn't ridden for a while. He is old ad can't do much, but loves to do what he can. 71kg isn't excessive.