Too heavy?

[hannah:)]

Just been reading a thread about what constitutes a heavy rider and am now a bit worried.... Someone (I forget who) reckoned that anyone over 11st counts as a heavy weight rider. Well, I visited a friend who possesses a set of scales (we don't have any) and was slightly shocked to realise that I now weigh 11st 4:o . My question is, is that really that heavy in riding terms? I am hoping to start sharing a horse soon, I have been in touch about a 16.2 Cleveland Bay but now I'm concerned that I might be squashing him flat! (That's if I ever get to see him of course - damn internet communication problems...)

I know I'm not as fit as I was, but I am starting to do something about that now. I wasn't actually planning on dieting, but should I be? I am 5'8" tall btw, so I think that is still a healthy BMI - maybe just a bit high:o

[Tangle]

Please don't worry - to me you sound like a perfectly normal, healthy weight for your height (especially given you're some 5 lb's lighter than me for the same height....).

Clevland bays should be WELL up for you - as should a huge number of other breeds. Our 16.2 warmblood mare will quite happily cart my OH (significantly heavier than either of us :o) round the school in canter/gallop or buck him off if she feels so inclined. So will a 14.2 cob he used to ride. I used to ride a 15.1 Arab X mare that was quite happy.

Don't stress - you'll be fine :)

[Laetitia]

There's no way your tiddly 11st is even going to register with a 16hh Cleveland Bay. It's more a question of balance with the rider. Some lightweight riders weigh heavy because they ride heavy, likewise some heavier riders ride light, so are light.
If you were riding under 13hh you might question your weight. ?
Go for it and enjoy. L

[joosie]

I personally don't agree that 11 stone is a 'heavyweight' rider, for the average adult it's really not that heavy, and it's absolutely fine for your height. If 11 stone was too heavy for a 16.2 Cleveland Bay then most adult men would have a problem finding a suitable horse at their local RS!

[LMS]

What is a stone equivalent to in pounds?

[joosie]

1 stone is 14lbs

[LMS]

Thanks Joosie

[julia gulia]

Geeze, don't worry, you are a fine weight.Eleven stone is not heavy...We are talking about horses here!!!! Large animals!!!!!! Hello?????? No way is eleven stone heavy weight!!!!!Go have a donut and DON'T feel bad about it!!!! L.O.L.:D

[BeachRiding]

your fine!

[Spritzy]

Don't worry at all. I weigh considerably more than you at about the same height, and ride a 15hh welsh cob and have also started backing my 13.2hh New Forest who doesn't bat an eye lid at me sat on her, mind you the breed are meant to carry at least a stone for every hand:)

[Bay Mare]

You shouldn't have a problem. It's more riding schools that have to be careful about weights because their horses are worked for longer and very often have unbalanced novices on them which 'weigh heavier' in the grand scheme of things. Having a weight limit at a RS is perfectly understandable even if it p's us off sometimes :)

Of course it would be ideal to weigh less and better for our horses too but this is the real world and things aren't always perfect :) I'm slowly trying to lose weight as I don't think that I'm being fair to Saff though she carries me well enough and without complaint.

[ajhainey]

Yeah 11stone is just the level at which riding stones seem to start treating you as 'heavy' i.e no more pony riding usually. No need for you to worry on a strapping 16'2 chappie aj xx

[eventerbabe]

11 stone is not heavy. people need to get over this prejudice they have of anyone over a particular weight not being allowed to ride. i'm a bit heavier than you, still ride my little 13.3hh welshie and she acts like i'm not there. my friend is 20 stone and she rides her tb daily.

[SFLG]

If your heavy then I need to go find a Shire horse!!!!! I'm a 12St 9lb (on a good day) bloke. Seriously I ride a 16.2 cob type at my local riding school for jumping lessons, and he copes well. I also ride a smaller Cob on Sundays, and she has no problems bolting off with me sat on her back!!! Mind you I do watch my weight, as that 13st 'limit' is quite close :eek:

[hannah:)]

Well I guess that answers that:o To be honest I wasn't worried (at least as far as the implications for my riding went) until I saw this post classifying 11st as heavyweight - then I started thinking I had been deluding myself and should chuck the easter eggs out immediately and find a shire horse!!! I never really have any idea how much I weigh as scales are banned in our house, so I was bit shocked to see the change - but then I do only weigh myself about once a year anyway.:rolleyes:

Feel reassured now, but much more motivated to get down to that swimming pool / Pilates class!

[MeMe]

I think your referring to my post, I dont consider 11st heavyweight Im much more than that, but I was pointing out the growing trend of horse owners only stipulating 11st when they really could take more, sometimes much more.

16hh CB should have no probs with much more weight than you, so go ahead with it :)

[Jenni]

i think this idea of heavy etc stems from showing classes. not in a bad way i might add. (and i am not a showing expert by far)

I was reading some book and it was telling you all the different kinds of show classes and descriptions for the kinds of horses that could enter.

When it came to hunter classes it was describing what would be classed as a 'light' hunter, medium and heavy. for the heavy hunter it was something along the lines of 'should be able to carry a man approx 14stones on a full days hunting.' and for a heavy ladies hunter it was something like 12 stone.

i think these descriptions were used in general terms to describe the horses size and it seems to have stuck.

But i do think you have to draw the line somewhere. Just because a horse can carry you without collapsing and legs splaying out doesnt mean it isnt struggling. or uncomfortable carrying you. By this i mean people who are clearly overweight verging on obese riding horses that are just not built to take this weight.

Most riding schools have a weight limit of 16 stones.

[amandal]

weight limit of 16 stones at most schools ? In Kent I went to one school that had a weight limit of 12 stone - and no they didn't have a lot of ponies. :rolleyes: Around here it appears to be 14 stones which is a bit more realistic, although not much !!

[Kanuma]

who ever said 11 stone is heavy is delusional. Most jockeys weigh around the 10 stone mark i think.
Im heavier then you (but hopefuly for not much longer) and my 14hh SHP doesnt even blink when i get on him and im pretty sure my connemara often forgets im there! he is only 14hh as well

[hannah:)]

I think your referring to my post, I dont consider 11st heavyweight Im much more than that, but I was pointing out the growing trend of horse owners only stipulating 11st when they really could take more, sometimes much more.

16hh CB should have no probs with much more weight than you, so go ahead with it :)

I must have misread you then!:o I couldn't remember who had posted the comment in question when I started the thread, and I was just too damn lazy to search for it. Hopefully the CB will work out ok, but I am still waiting for the owner to get back to me, so fingers crossed and good vibes please! Riding once a week is no longer enough for me.

Obviously this sudden attack of paranoia shows I have been working far too hard lately and need an immediate paid holiday to recharge my brain, which is clearly not working correctly.....

Do you think that will wash with my boss?:D

[ajhainey]

Most riding schools have a weight limit of 16 stones.

:D :D :D Oh that gave me a laugh. I searched on and off for 5 years to find ONE with a weight limit that high :rolleyes:

Certainly london way somewhere between 12 and 14 is (lamentably for me) far more normal...

aj xx

[Jenni]

they obviously expect us to be fatter in scotland :)

There are quite a few up here that have that limit. Obviosuly it depends on what horses they have though, so maybe at the time they didnt have anything that could carry over 14 stone.,

[ajhainey]

they obviously expect us to be fatter in scotland :)


You know I almost typed that myself and then decided it might be taken the wrong way :D It does seem to vary a lot, and it is (in the main) a perfectly sensible limit based on the horses the stables have - I think in part it's that the bigger horses are just more expensive to buy and to keep so if a school can get away without them it does. Although I effectively pay an extra £10 to the school I found with bigger horses - if other schools knew that I wonder if there would be more interest? I wouldn't object to a 'larger horse' tax of £5 a lesson or something....it would be an incentive to diet!

aj xx

[herbyhorse]

I wouldn't worry my 15.3hh ISH copes with whether i'm 12.5st or 14.5st or come to think of it a 13.3hh cob doesn't worry. Height doesn't equal weight carrying ability, bone and conformation do.

A CB cross of 16.2hh would be back in dark ages bred to carry a 16st man hunting all day, so i wouldn't worry.

I won't teach anyone to ride if they are over 14st as a beginner or upto 16st if they can balance, it's just me being over protective of my big cob at the yard where i teach.

HH