Would our horses thank us for losing weight?

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CobsGalore

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This isn't an 'am I too heavy' thread, but after reading a number of threads on here like this, I wonder if the majority of our horses would thank us for losing a few extra pounds?

I am certainly not overweight, and would say I am pretty fit from both running and riding, but I also wouldn't be emaciated if I lost half a stone, or even a stone. ;)

Do you think we owe it to our horses to be as light as we can?
 
No. Horses are horses they aren't weaklings. I'm 10 stone and my horse really wouldn't notice a change of half a stone or either a stone, either way!
 
I'm not a bad weight but currently doing this as think I'm going to be too heavy for one of mine. Technically not, but mentally I can't justify the extra pounds!

Plus It's cheaper than buying a new wardrobe and I miss being able to leg it up a flight of stairs without needing a breather.

I'm sure the old grump won't bother thanking me though :p
 
Elsiecat said:
No. Horses are horses they aren't weaklings. I'm 10 stone and my horse really wouldn't notice a change of half a stone or either a stone, either way!
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That's potentially a ten percent weight change in what they're carrying. Scaled down I notice when I'm carrying a water bottle in my bag or not, so I do think it makes an odds. That being said, if you're a decent weight for the horse and happy I don't see the point of getting a stone off for the sake of it - mine is partly due to fitness and partly due to weight. Lumping it in with littlun is a bonus.
 
I wondered this. My new horse is 2 hands smaller than my other and although I know he can carry me I feel a bit bad. It's stupid but as I've been used to riding a huge horse, I think I wonder if I should slim down a bit for the sake of the smaller one.
 
PandorasJar said:
That's potentially a ten percent weight change in what they're carrying. Scaled down I notice when I'm carrying a water bottle in my bag or not, so I do think it makes an odds. That being said, if you're a decent weight for the horse and happy I don't see the point of getting a stone off for the sake of it - mine is partly due to fitness and partly due to weight. Lumping it in with littlun is a bonus.
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Exactly what I was saying.
I was answering in terms of my own horse.
If I was 9 stone she wouldn't all of a sudden be a different horse, she is more than capable of carrying my weight so a stone really would be no difference for her. Yes she would probably NOTICE the weight change but I meant 'notice' in terms of she wouldn't come out of the stable all of a sudden doing paiffes in celebration that I'd lost a stone!
 
I think a large % would benefit yes. And not just from the pov of their gross weight, from a fitness pov. It always amazes me when really unfit people claim to be really good balanced riders. Experienced maybe, but to be currently good you need a level of fitness, its a sport after all.
It's not pc though to tell people their horses would benefit by them losing weight. Even if they are actually too heavy, its 'fat bashing'. Even with a rider well within the horses weight carrying ability, its a lot easier to perform to the best of their ability with a lighter rider. And sometimes in peoples quest to get tiny details perfect for optimum performance, from sheepskin pads, padded bridles to magnetic wraps, they ignore the fact that staying away from the pies & losing a stone would make a much bigger difference.
 
Of course they'd notice the difference - they can feel a fly land on their skin so theyre gonna know when 12 stone of human lump has become 10 stone!

However when actually riding muscle control is more important as it means you can control what you're doing, and muscle weighs heavier than fat - so being a better rider may mean you end up slightly heavier if you work at squats/deadlifts etc to improve your muscle control in the saddle.
 
I'd like to think mine is happier now I've lost weight. I have always been find weight wise on him, but am now nearly 2 stone lighter than I was when at my heaviest, plus I am fitter so I think that has to make a huge difference :)
 
I am bootcamping myself at the moment ! As a lardass, albeit a fit one, I fret about the weight I put on my horse - but her back has always been in superb condition - I have her checked regularly ! Paranoid, see ! ! But my youngster will be a lighter & slightly smaller beast & even if she could carry me, I would look stupid on her. . .
 
Littlelegs said:
And sometimes in peoples quest to get tiny details perfect for optimum performance, from sheepskin pads, padded bridles to magnetic wraps, they ignore the fact that staying away from the pies & losing a stone would make a much bigger difference.
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:D:D:D

I have always been find weight wise on him, but am now nearly 2 stone lighter than I was when at my heaviest, plus I am fitter so I think that has to make a huge difference
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Well done! :)
 
Elsiecat said:
No. Horses are horses they aren't weaklings. I'm 10 stone and my horse really wouldn't notice a change of half a stone or either a stone, either way!
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I disagree, my horse definitely notices a difference in weight when different people ride her.

If I'm going to spend ages getting my horse's fitness and weight ideal so that she can carry me galloping and jumping for hours I owe it to her to keep my fitness and weight to an ideal level.
 
It must matter, I hope. I've just lost 7 lbs and another few to go yet before I'm totally happy with my weight. At 10st 3lb I'm not overweight but as someone said in an earlier post it all adds up for them and if I inadvertently bump their back then there's less of me by 7 lbs x whatever force I exert. Otherwise he's just a very ungrateful beast seeing the trouble I'm going to to ease his burden :p
 
Definitely.

My horse is 18hh, I'm 5'9ft and weigh just over 11st and I feel so much better, more balanced and quicker to react than when I weighed nearly 12st.

I think we owe it to our horses to be as fit and light as it is healthily possible to be- I don't mean we should all be rake sized but I do think as a size 12 I could definitely lose more weight and size and mean my horse doesn't have to carry as much.

If you look at the weights of the riders at the Olympics, they weigh about a stone less than I thought they would looking at them- most of the women eventers were around 9-10st I think? And they aren't exactly midgets!
 
Oh yes I think so, lighter fitter, who cares what the horse thinks.. It's your heart that will be thanking you first.
 
Absolutely. It surprises we the amount of overweight riders there are. If you ride most days & look after horses there's no excuse to be obese in my opinion. ( with the exception if medical reasons of course)
 
I think anyone who doubts it only need look at the strict attention to weight in racing to realise it has a huge effect. I know the majority of horses aren't being asked to perform at that level, but if racing is willing to go to all that trouble in pursuit of a lb either way, then I'm sure half a stone, let alone more, will effect the average horse. And by racing weights I don't mean just the jockeys personal efforts, I mean the strict attention paid to weigh ins beforehand with saddles, aluminium shoes, penalties etc.
 
The amount of work most horses do nowadays is so minimal compared to when they were working animals I doubt it would make that much difference to them. Obviously if you're talking a couple of stone it might but doubt they'd care about half a stone when they go on their weekend pootle which is all most leisure riders do. I would expect those that compete regularly are pretty fit anyway.
 
Definitely a yes from me, they would benefit. I remember when I had a 14.2hh with back problems, the vet was adamant that she should not carry any more than 10 stone and that included the saddle !

My friend is sharing a horse with back problems atmo, and the vet advised, lightweight rider, lightweight saddle and get plastic stirrups to lessen the weight of the saddle.

I agree, it also has to do with a balanced rider, but weight is a factor regarding performance I'm sure.
 
LOL mine probabaly do!! Lost over 3 and a half stone in the last year and both probably appreciate it :D

They ar eboth cobby types and well up for carting me round at my previous weight but Im sure that they both appreciae my efforts :D I know I do lol :D
 
Mudfukkle said:
Definitely a yes from me, they would benefit. I remember when I had a 14.2hh with back problems, the vet was adamant that she should not carry any more than 10 stone and that included the saddle !

My friend is sharing a horse with back problems atmo, and the vet advised, lightweight rider, lightweight saddle and get plastic stirrups to lessen the weight of the saddle.

I agree, it also has to do with a balanced rider, but weight is a factor regarding performance I'm sure.
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Interesting that the vet suggested this.

Out of interest, what breeds were these horses and how old were they?
 
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