WWYD?

Rollin said:
Agree with others who have posted. I would not let her ride my Cleveland Bays!!! There is a centre for trekking on Clydesdales, suggest she gives that a try for first time.
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Very sensibly, Devon based Adventure Clydesdales (who may be who you are referring to) have weight limits.

Please note that we have a weight limit of 16 stone for the shorter rides and 14.5 stone for the long rides, for the welfare of our horses.
 
I personally wouldn't put someone that big on an arab and I would explain to her that the type of horse you have is not a weight carrier. Its you whos going to be left with a horse with a bad back you need to think about yourself and your horse.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Very sensibly, Devon based Adventure Clydesdales (who may be who you are referring to) have weight limits.

Please note that we have a weight limit of 16 stone for the shorter rides and 14.5 stone for the long rides, for the welfare of our horses.
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People commonly thing that heavy horses are built to carry ludicrous weight, forgetting that this is not traditionally what they are designed and bred for. They were designed to pull carts, not have something on their backs, so this isn't necessarily true.
 
Nope. Far too heavy to ride. Why pussyfoot around? I would imagine she know she's fat, just tell her she's too heavy to ride ANY sort of a horse, and if she wants to she'll have to lose weight.
 
No way on earth would I let 17 stone on my Arab! Be honest and say your horse is not designed to carry anything over X amount of weight, she may then call around riding schools who will tell her the same and it would hopefully give her a push to lose the weight
 
Do you know how much she weighs exactly? Some people carry it well, some people really badly!

Having been that weight I wouldn't ride a 15hh Arab, even as a capable rider never mind a novice.

Easiest way is to see if you can find somewhere else she can ride. Plenty of horses can carry that weight, but there are just a hand ful of places where they let novices ride- quite rightly. ( I know one great one but they are in Scotland).

That way you can say " great news, I have arranged a trek for us!".

If there is no where local, then is invite her to come groom etc and if she asks to ride just say your horse isn't suitable for her to ride.
 
I don't know where you are based but Northfield Farm in Derbyshire has a weight limit of 17 stone I think. Lovely treks across the moorland so perhaps she could go there to see if she actually liked riding. They do cater for complete novices and it might just be the motivation she needs to lose weight.
 
Has she actually asked to ride your horse or just dropped lots of hints?

If she has just been hinting I would just try s comment like " it's a shame you are a bit big to ride x , otherwise I would offer" or " I wish I knew someone who had a suitable horse for you to try. Have you tried a trekking centre?" next time it's mentioned.

If she has asked you directly, I would just gently explain that horses have a weight limit and yours wouldn't be able to carry her.
 
I'm not quite 17st but I wouldn't get on your horse. My trekkin centre had a 16stone limit and the horse they use is a 16+ cob/shire fit as a fiddle from trekking miles everyday.
 
I would definitely not have a problem saying no because she is just to big for the horse. I won't ket my OH ride my very chuncky 15.1hh welsh d and he is only 13st!!
 
It makes me angry when people of that weight do not appear to consider that they might be too heavy for a horse. It shows a complete lack of empathy. I remember vividly visiting Santorini and the poor little donkeys that had to haul huge tourists up that steep mountain side. I weighed 9 stone at the time and no way would I have sat on one of those poor donkeys, yet 16stone plus men were getting on them. My OH and I walked up the same route and struggled in the hot sun even though we were both young and fit. I know this is an extreme example, but it just shows how the general public often have absolutely no consideration or idea of what animals can suffer. OP, your friend is showing this kind of selfish attitude. I don't know how to put it the most kindly, but I would probably just say your horse has a 13 stone weight limit including tack and clothing and that very few horses can comfortably take more than that. However, it would be great if she could start riding because you know she'd enjoy it but she would need to lose a few stone first.
 
Wagtail said:
It makes me angry when people of that weight do not appear to consider that they might be too heavy for a horse. It shows a complete lack of empathy. I remember vividly visiting Santorini and the poor little donkeys that had to haul huge tourists up that steep mountain side. I weighed 9 stone at the time and no way would I have sat on one of those poor donkeys, yet 16stone plus men were getting on them. My OH and I walked up the same route and struggled in the hot sun even though we were both young and fit. I know this is an extreme example, but it just shows how the general public often have absolutely no consideration or idea of what animals can suffer. OP, your friend is showing this kind of selfish attitude. I don't know how to put it the most kindly, but I would probably just say your horse has a 13 stone weight limit including tack and clothing and that very few horses can comfortably take more than that. However, it would be great if she could start riding because you know she'd enjoy it but she would need to lose a few stone first.
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I agree with you.
 
Wagtail said:
It makes me angry when people of that weight do not appear to consider that they might be too heavy for a horse. It shows a complete lack of empathy. I remember vividly visiting Santorini and the poor little donkeys that had to haul huge tourists up that steep mountain side. I weighed 9 stone at the time and no way would I have sat on one of those poor donkeys, yet 16stone plus men were getting on them. My OH and I walked up the same route and struggled in the hot sun even though we were both young and fit. I know this is an extreme example, but it just shows how the general public often have absolutely no consideration or idea of what animals can suffer. OP, your friend is showing this kind of selfish attitude. I don't know how to put it the most kindly, but I would probably just say your horse has a 13 stone weight limit including tack and clothing and that very few horses can comfortably take more than that. However, it would be great if she could start riding because you know she'd enjoy it but she would need to lose a few stone first.
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I also agree with this.

I hate to be harsh about it but when I was at a riding school they had people complain because they had a 14 stone weight limit. They said they were sorry but didn't have any horses big enough to take anymore and they couldn't afford to buy any. People would then complain that they should be able to ride if they wanted to and find a way to accommodate them. But why???

One of the riding instructors wrote to one of the magazines about it (I can't remember which one now) saying that people feel entitled to ride whatever their size. They don't think about the horses welfare in it all. They also don't think about the actual cost for a riding school to have these big horses. Big horses cost more to feed, need bigger stables etc etc, are bigger people willing to pay more for their weekly lesson because a riding school needs to buy and care for a more expensive horse to accommodate one or two big people who want to ride? No, they probably wouldn't be.... If they lost a few stone it would benefit them and the horse.

Not saying your friend is like this OP!! Just that I have met a few people who are.
 
I'm clearly not going to let her. Will come up with a strategic answer as she is actually a very lovely very self conscious person x
 
Lissie2 said:
I'm clearly not going to let her. Will come up with a strategic answer as she is actually a very lovely very self conscious person x
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I don't think anyone is meaning to personally attack your friend, sometimes people say things without thinking it through, it may just have been an off the cuff remark. However I think your post has struck a chord with the horse world about overweight people riding horses that are too small.
 
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