Well this is a can of worms

[combat_claire]

It seems from my reading of this forum that everyone is always worrying about their horse's fitness for hunting and other activities yet we don't seem to pay half as much attention to our own fitness to ride.

I play rugby union and we wouldn't dream of turning up to play a match unfit and unprepared for 80 minutes of rugby. I don't see why riding should be any different.

Over the last few months I have started taking my fitness deadly serious. I am in the gym most mornings, I've been doing boxercise, whipping in to the mink hounds, rugby training and all sorts of other bits. As a result I have lost a stone, muscled up in my arms and legs. My instructor says my position and seat have improved. I can't help thinking that the two are directly linked.

 

[smokey]

Oh dear, some of these women must weigh nearly as much as their horses! One in particular looked as if her bum had started to eat the poor horse!

 

[Ibblebibble]

Did anyone read as far as the discussion on people getting their "excess flesh", bra's and "pants" hung up on the horn of their western saddles?! I know I shouldn't but I did snigger/ cringe!

Anyone noticed a lot of the horses have odd stances, and very few seem to be tracking up...

One actually looks to be sinking slowly into the ground.....

Pmsl! I think in the last pic on the first page 'me squashing dancer on a trail' the poster is using the 20% guide. Unfortunately, the wrong way round with poor horse weighing 20% of what she does.

oh please stop, i am laughing so hard i hurt! there are some mighty big girls on that there forum,

there is a lady i know who rides in a treeless saddle, she is a big girl and he's an aged 17hh WB, her stomach hangs over the front of her saddle and she's constantly having to shift her weight over to one side to reposition the saddle it's not good and people have told her but she will not listen

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

oh please stop, i am laughing so hard i hurt! there are some mighty big girls on that there forum

Well now you've gone and distracted me well and truly from work with that forum!

 

[TheSylv007]

In the US they have a different view as to what is acceptable.

http://www.horseforum.com/plus-sized-riders/anyone-brave-enough-post-98650/

Jesus wept. How can these people possibly think that it is fair to ride while in that sort of shape. I think the people on that forum's perception is completely out of whack, only Stevie Wonder could think that they are not too big.

 

[misterjinglejay]

I am a large lady (although trying not to be ) and I too would be worried about the length of back needed to wear a 22".
I started out needing an 18", and have gone down to a 17/17.5", and my arse is huge, so I would be concerned about damage to the horses back if someone couldn't fit an 18"

 

[martyfisch]

There's video on page 80... (I got bored and skipped through every 10 pages)

 

[Littlelegs]

Mandwhy, I don't think as a 9stone woman I have the right to decide who can/can't ride. My bodyweight has no bearing on my ability to reason what a horse should, as opposed to can, carry. The fact is, some people are too big for some horses. Whether that's me on a fine 12hh pony, or some big lard ass on that website riding a small horse. My boyfriend weighs 15stone, its not the fact I'm light that makes me say he can't ride my 14.2, just the fact he's too big. And I really can't think of any horse able to take a 22" saddle. Likewise, I can't think of anyone large & healthy (i.e. not large & just flabby) who would require a 22" saddle either.

 

[Ahrena]

I ED at the one that says "I think Airess is carrying me just fine even though he's only two" !!

Mind you she isn't one of the biggest on there, but still...

 

[Irishcobs]

I had my saddle (18") fitted to my Belgian draught x (17hh, takes 7ft rugs) by the saddler in the article.
I can easily fit my backside in a 17" saddle and did so on this horse but for jumping I couldn't get my stirrups high enough as she has a big, active jump and my knees would be over the front of the saddle. We decided on a 18" slightly more forward cut saddle so I could get my stirrups high enough.
I have gone from jumping 2ft3 to 3ft3 happily with this saddle.
I think this must be what they mean by length of thigh bone.
My gelding can only take a 17" saddle and therefore I have to jump him with longer stirrups, making it harder for me.

 

[Spyda]

I am picturing this and may be scarred for life....

Bra on the horn is a killer. Have gotten hung up once and it scared me silly. I think I keep my hand on the horn, my left, so that my bra can't get over it. But, I have had my pants get hung up on the horn, my wasteband, when the hrose I was riding reared and I leaned forward and found my "evil twin" (my muffin top family) going over the horn. Then, when said horse started to buck, I could not sit up straight and ended up literally hanging off the side of a bucking horse, by the waistband of my pants. That was a bad moment in my head, but pants ripped and laid me down in the dirt, nice and gently.

I'm no lightweight myself ATM (at 12.5 stone) but if my bra and/or knickers started getting in the way of me dismounting my horse, I'd DEFINITELY think it was time to give up riding and start knitting or something.

Eeeek.... just read a bit further....

She only weighs 250ish...

Only?

 

[Luci07]

There seems to be a big deal made abut 18" and 17 or 17.5". One of mine was put in a 18" because it fitted him better. The others are in 17.5 ..

 

[*hic*]

Mandwhy, I don't think as a 9stone woman I have the right to decide who can/can't ride. My bodyweight has no bearing on my ability to reason what a horse should, as opposed to can, carry. The fact is, some people are too big for some horses. Whether that's me on a fine 12hh pony, or some big lard ass on that website riding a small horse. My boyfriend weighs 15stone, its not the fact I'm light that makes me say he can't ride my 14.2, just the fact he's too big. And I really can't think of any horse able to take a 22" saddle. Likewise, I can't think of anyone large & healthy (i.e. not large & just flabby) who would require a 22" saddle either.

My 6'5 large fit rugby, hockey, cricketing, snowboarding teenage nephew riding my big solid Shire X mare made her look tiny. The 18" saddle was utterly dwarfed by him. I'm not a little girl and it's big on me but his backside looked cramped and his legs either hung down by her knees or were way off the front of the saddle. A 22" saddle would be too long on her but I suspect he'd have been a lot more comfortable in it (and not had a squeaky voice when he got off either) He's a nice balanced sort of chap and would make a good rider on a horse that suited, but he'd definitely need a BIG saddle (and horse).

 

[rhino]

Only?

250lbs = just over 17stone, doesn't it? Think there are far heavier riders on the linked thread.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I ED at the one that says "I think Airess is carrying me just fine even though he's only two" !!

Mind you she isn't one of the biggest on there, but still...

Yeah but nor is he the biggest. In fact he is very weedy, as you might expect for a 2 yr old.

Phew well it took all my spare time in between jobs but I read the whole thread. There were some utter shockers, very finely built horses with poor conformation which supposedly carry their very large riders with no problem. I don't understand why as a very large rider they wouldn't at least choose a horse built to carry weight but there you go.

 

[Spyda]

250lbs = just over 17stone, doesn't it? Think there are far heavier riders on the linked thread.

Yes I know, but to suggest "only" being 17 stone is like, lightweight or something! It's the "only" bit that caught my eye. And, sure, I know compared to being 316lbs it's a big improvement but my husband is 16 - 17 stone and is careful what type of horse he rides, obviously. He doesn't have trouble finding horses suitable to carry him, but again, a large majority of horses wouldn't be comfortable carrying him. I certainly wouldn't say, "Oh my husband's only 17 stone!" in terms of finding a horse to carry him.

 

[Molly'sMama]

ugh that linked thread

this quote is something that horrified me ;

the reason that I'm smiling so much in the pic is that he didn't have to brace when I got on,

ugh ugh so most horses DO physically have to brace when they get on? :L

 

[Spyda]

Anyone know what an acronym 'fluffy' stands for? The people on the link use it. I might have to adopt if for myself if it's a good one. I'm just wracking my brain but can't figure what it stands for.

 

[tallyho!]

I think "fluffy" is a nice word for morbidly obese. I dunno, I could be clutching at straws...

I'm sorry but I couldn't laugh at that thread. I'm far too saddened. I couldn't even laugh at the description of the belly getting caught on the saddle. I'm in shock.

 

[rockysmum]

So your weight is muscle, as opposed to fat then - which of course is a different kettle of fish all together, I agree.

Why????

As someone said on a thread last night, 14 stone is still 14 stone regardless of how well someone rides

 

[classybutwild]

I was told by the saddler that the saddle must never go as far back as the last rib, so what sort of horse can take a 22inch, plain stupid if you ask me x

 

[Elsbells]

I think "fluffy" is a nice word for morbidly obese. I dunno, I could be clutching at straws...

Better not be cheese straws fluffy!

 

[Littlelegs]

Dod, I get what you say, but still think 22" is ridiculously large. I used to have a huge weightlifter bf years ago. Before passing the 18 stone mark he rode a beast of an 18.2 hw hunter belonging to a 17stone man who hunted it. Horse had a specially made 18.5" saddle, with a seat that was very roomy. Both men rode in it no problem. The difference was it had large panels to accommodate very tall men's legs for jumping. (ex bf 6'6). So I do see 18" might not be suitable for a big healthy man, but still think 22" is stretching it too far.
And spyda, posting that about bras catching near teatime is plain wrong!

 

[luckyoldme]

as a yo yo dieter i feel qualified to comment. though bereavement and allsorts of things i have been at my worst nearly 17 stone. My horse is a 16.1 idx.
At my heaviest I don t think i would have been able to ride and to be honest i just couldn t inflict that on my horse.
im shocked at the pictures .... those are not really what i would class as weight carriers.

 

[cadefan]

Where is the evidence that very few horses can take an 18" saddle? I have known/do know a large number who do with no problem.
A tall person would need a longer saddle due to the length of their thigh bones.

I believe William Fox Pitt uses a 17" saddle; surely he has one of the longest thigh bones ever in a rider?

 

[FfionWinnie]

Why????

As someone said on a thread last night, 14 stone is still 14 stone regardless of how well someone rides

Exactly, it makes no difference unless you are "fattist".

I also think an unfit (fat or thin) very good rider does not bounce around like a sack of tatties. Just because you aren't fit you don't stop knowing how to ride. When I started back after 10 years I was not fit at all. This meant I couldn't ride for very long because it was blooming hard work to ride correctly. At no time was a bouncing around like a sack of tatties.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I was told by the saddler that the saddle must never go as far back as the last rib, so what sort of horse can take a 22inch, plain stupid if you ask me x

Yes however not all saddles which are the same seat size are the same length on the horses back. I have already tried to explain this but obviously not very well.

My saddler told me there are various things they can do to make a bigger seat fit on a short backed horse which would not damage the horse (in fact it would be better than a rider sitting on a too small saddle). There is no point them making 22" saddles that do not fit any horse in the world.

 

[Puddock]

Well, I will stand up and be counted as someone who probably needs a bigger saddle - but I do think 22 inches is pushing it too far.

Some horses can take more than 18 inches, though. My saddler says that mine is among them. He is a 16.3 tank (Dutch Harness Horse) and I am 5ft 11, weigh 12.5 stones and have a 36 inch inside leg. All my height comes from freakishly long thigh bones and I am currently trying to ride in an 18 inch Wintec Isabell. I just don't fit in it. Fits horse well, just not me. My knees are usually over the front, no matter how long I ride and I seem to be forced further back than I'd like. It's physically impossible for me to get a shoulder/hip/heel line. I am seriously considering asking for a bigger seat size (along with much longer saddle flaps) should I buy a made to measure next year. These pics are not the best for closely examining saddle size, but will give you an idea:

ttp://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=558465

 

[tallyho!]

Better not be cheese straws fluffy!

two packets or three????

 

[Puddock]

Sorry, on phone so can't edit, pics are here: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=558465