What horse will suit me (Weight carrier)

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VoyPor

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Hi everyone - just looking for opinions really.

I am 6ft and 17 stone - im a bodybuilder and therefore i am a very muscular guy - and i enjoy horse riding.

My RI says that i am very balanced in the saddle and this is probably down to my posture and physique.

I want opinions on what horse i can look for that will carry my weight.

Please bare in mind that i am looking for a happy hacker - not something to do hunting - jumping or anything like that with.

Just something that will be happy to carry me on a hack for 1-2 hours at a time.

I know the pull/carry weight thing has been done many time - but surely a well muscled Shire or Clydesdale with good conformation would be able to take my weight on a hack.

Thanks everyone.
 
Shire/Clysdesale should be fine if big and up to weight - could you not just ask your RI what he/she would reccomend though, what breed of horse have you been riding at the moment? To be honest at 17st a heavyweight cob could carry you and as you are 6ft i am guessing you will be looking for a taller horse anyway - i know people heavier than 17st who hunt on Irish Draught/ IDx horses - its not as heavy as you think!
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My hubby is just under 6ft and weighs about 17-171/2 stone. He happy hacks and has a 17.2hh shire x welsh/Irish Draught.

His horse looks more shire than anything else, he will go all day, has lots oif stamina. Very well behaved, lovely temp and you could put the smallest jockey on board to your Granny and he would be fine.
 
My husband who is about the same size as you use to ride (jump, hack etc.) our 16’3hh ID mare before she was retired, she easily took his weight. Just so you can see:
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Actually pure shire/clysdesale's etc are poor weight carriers. They are built to pull not carry weight, and are therefore not the great weight carriers that many people assume they would be.
You would be much better off with a cross, something like an irish draft x shire or irish draft x clysdeslale.
 
Maxi cob???

They are becoming more popular, just like a normal cob but bigger! They have a few at the riding school where I ride that are super, and do everything.

One is very much a show cob/hunter type, about 16hh and very smart. Was bred for showing but grew too big. He has a super jump too. Another is though to be a cobxclydesdale and looks like a shorter rounder clydie. Super horse also about 16hh will carry ANYTHING a super temprement and does a lovely novice dressage test, has super lateral work and is an honest but not very talented jumper. The third is a coloured vanner type about 15.3hh and a super jumper up to about 3foot 3" but won't go much bigger.

My husband rides all of them and he is taller than you although he weighs less. He looks better size wise on the maxi cobs than on the taller horses, and the cobs are up to much more weight than most of the taller horses.

Cobs are amazing weight carriers, super versatile good doers and great characters.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Lovely picture JoBo.

At the moment i ride an ex chaser racehorse who is 16.2hh - he is a proper well built TB though - very strong - very muscular and has a lot of bone compared to most TBs.

My RI stated she doesnt get involved in telling people which horse would suit them as she has done it before and had people complain when they havent got on with the horse they bought.
 
One of mine is a 17.2hh ex national hunt horse, who has a lot of bone too. He'd definately carry your weight for hacking, but if he's not worked daily he becomes very sharp and can be a handful, as many thoroughbreds do. Would you be riding a lot or just weekends? If it's just weekends you'd probably be a lot better going for a big cob type.
 
Pure bred shire/clyde will carry 17 stone but only just - they are not bred to bear weight but pull it. Farra our mare is ok at 15 stone for an hour or so hacking, as she is only 5 1/2 and still growing so we are being careful wiht her. She is 16.2 and still very lanky.

Cairo was ok with 17 - 18 stone in his prime - he was 16.3 and a short stocky type. Long term Farra should be ok for 16 - 17 stone as she is more of a show bred type.

My OH only hacks and fairly short ones - rarely longer than 1 - 1/2 hours max and does mainly slow stuff. I love our Clydesdales and they are great hacks and if you are set on one, look for the shorter sturdier types at about 16.2 rather than the show types which tend to be a bit lighter and 18 hands.

If you are wanting to do more, ie jumping and competitions, you would be better with a x bred. You want something with a short strong back - ID x clyde is a good mix if you can find one and I have also seen gypsy cob x clydes or shires which have the build of the cob but are taller - about 16 - 16.2 and are built to carry heavier riders.
 
I have a heavyweight cob at 15,2" and vet told me he should not take more than 14 stone, and I wanted one to take a 17 st bloke ! Dont know if the taller the cob the more weight ?
 
You need a nice big ID type really for your weight, the easy, quiet quality ones aren't easy to come by so be prepared for a long search!
 
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