How much weight could my horse take - advise needed please

Miamad

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Aug 17, 2004
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Hi all

Does anyone know how to measure how much rider weight a horse can take? (with or without tack) :eek:

My mare is 16.2hh TB. She's not what I call a spindly TB and has decent bone and deep girth but obviously not like a warm blood.

I've attached a piccy from January this year but not very clear - sorry :rolleyes: and she's filled quite a bit out a bit since then. I was thinking 12 stone max with tack, but if anyone has an accurate calculation I could use would be very appreciative!

Cheers for any answers....
:D

x
 

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TBs are notoriously tricky and do better on the thinner side. I'd say maybe 165lbs or so...the more you work her, the more muscle she'll put on an bulk up (and be able to carry more)-just make sure that you counter your work amount with sufficient food
 
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Many TBs are actually good weight carriers, especially the chunkier ones. I can't remember how to calculate it exactly but I would have though she would be fine with 12 stone, maybe a bit more? It's hard to say really as it depends on the individual horse. She's lovely by the way!
 
Just seen this months and months later, but did she ever struggle with me Debs?

Im insulted to be honest at the 11st max weight, especially as you've offered for me to come and have a ride on her at some point, but Im obviously far to heavy.

These posts annoy me anyway you cant judge people dont know the horse or the circumstances you cant judge a horses weight carrying ability by its breed and basic pictures, Mia is capable of much more than 11st with a rider that can ride, the other M you had ride her was heavier than that surely? And she dident struggle?
 
MeMe, can't see why you're offended to be honest, she wouldn't have asked if she didn't think it was ok, either you carry your weight very well or she sees you as a very balanced rider, either way............
Its not like she said 'how much can my horse carry some fat bloater came and squashed her' is it???!!!!! I think it was a genuine enquiry
Vicki xx
 
I owned the horse in question before MiaMad Vicki she bought her from me, so is aware of my weight and how long I had the horse for etc.
 
Please excuse my ignorance but I am always fascinated by these questions which pop up from time to time about weight-carrying ability...

Can someone please tell me what the signs are that someone is too heavy? I'm not asking about the obvious like putting someone who weighs 16stone on an fine-built 11hh pony (if the animal goes "oooffff" and then splays out in all 4 directions I would imagine that would be a good sign!!! :D ) but subtle differences, for example, sweating, breathing difficulties, stumbling, laboured gait?

And secondly, what permanent damage will carrying someone that is too heavy cause? Sway back, joint damage??

Thank you
 
In my experience it can be subtle or obvious, as you say laboured breathing etc, but most owners arent realistic about the fitness of their horses anyway, so prolonged work and/or heavier riders will bring out a more rapid breathing response anyway.

Some horses (mine did when someone to heavy got on him and Im no lw at 14.5st) became bad to mount when previously they where fine, sorer back etc, reluctant to be tacked up after a period of time, all these things CAN be signs, but they can also be signs of other things.

Yes eventually it will bugger up the horses back, but I know several heavier riders whom I would be happy on my MW Anglo x Andy and several so called lightweight riders whom I wouldent let on him as they are far to heavy in their way of riding which can do as much damage, its no good being 9st and banging down on the horses back as some riders do, I know one whom is just over 9st and I wouldent let her on my horse as she is far to heavy in her riding, yet I know a 16st person I would happily let on my horse as she carries herself well.
 
As MeMe says, it's not as simple as dead weight, it has as much to do with style and rider ability than simple weight. Some fat people, (me included) can carry thier weight well on their own frame, I could swarm up a climbing wall as well as an 8 stone person of similar experience. I can run all day in the hill working sheep (if I have to :( ) But I do not ride heavily. I have seen 8 stone folk make horses struggle which 10 minutes earlier carried a 15 stone man.

I'd be looking for signs of inability to carry out school exercises, falling in and out on circles can be a sign of a struggling horse, going hollow, trailing back end, bucking and evasion of all sorts, rushing, ears back.
 
What I learnt in a very lengthy article on conformation on wikipedia (Had to take alot of notes, as I'm looking for a horse to buy, and some of these horses I'm interested in ar a good 5 hours away- meaning coach won't be making the drive with us :rolleyes: )
is that a horse should generally carry less than 20% of its body weight. Which makes sense- even if a horse has tons of bone, if it isn't at a healthy weight, it won't do well supporting the rider. Another thing to do is measure the bone underneith the knee- good weight bearing bone is generally 7-8 inches in horses (note- not ponies. Which is fine in the case of a tallish TB)

So I would invest in a weight tape. At 16.2 yet light, I imagine she would be around 1100 lbs (I've seen regular 15 hh ish QH's around that, so she could also be anywhere from 1100-1200, I'm guessing). Meaning if I'm guessing correctly, your good up to about 220-240 lbs, or 16-17 stone, until you get her weight and bone checked.
 
They'd have to be putting folk of 12 stone on it then! :) ;)

Icelandics carry more than 20% somethimes and do it with ease and over long distances and hard terrain. They are specialists at it.
 
Hi Meme!

I’m the other M! When I enquired about Mia I wrote in my first email that I weighed 12.5 stone as I didn’t want to turn up and for Deb’s to say I was too big, Debs made it clear that my weight would be fine.

I did get an email from Debs a few months ago, going into more detail about her sharer and why she asked her to give Mia up. Obviously I won’t go into it on here but there was more to it then just her weight. I think it was just an extra reason for Deb’s to let her go.

I hope Deb’s new sharer works out as Mia is a lovely horse :)

Chelle (the other one)
 
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Yes I hope it works out for Debs, Im not just saying Debs though, its a general thing that is bugging me lately, I had a saddle fitter tell me I should have at least a 17hh ID x type horse ideally and not my little 16hh ish MW chappie! How frigging rude! and trust me Im not someone that gets het up about my weight and what people think, but to many people are biast on bigger people and its clearly WRONG!

Just because you dont weigh much dosent make you a lighter rider, fair enough there are several horses I wouldent get on, and then you have to consider what a heavier rider will be doing on the horse etc etc.

Im going to ride a PONY at my yard whom is only 13.1hh now I wonder who wants to tell me at 14.5st Im far to heavy for a 13.1hh Exmoor x Knabstrup pony?
 
My Icelandic is 13.1hh ish.

I get folk at shows al the time telling me I am too big for him, Let them display their ignorance for all to see, that's fine. But there are some horses I won't get on as I know I'd be too much weight for them regardless of my balance.

ExmoorXKnapstrup??? any spots?
 
I was quite horrified to log on this morning to find a personal barrage at me from MeMe.

I never suggested you were too big to ride her, I was purely asking for peoples opinions.

Yes I have had riders that were bigger than 11/12stone that on her, but this post was purely just to see what what people thoughts were, and after she put her back out a few months ago the vet suggested maybe the next sharer I had (i.e. immediate regular furture rider) was to be under 12 stone, just to help her torn muscle heal faster, so I was looking for suggestions.

Apologies for any insult caused but this post was not aimed at anyone AT ALL !!!! :(
 
Wally said:
ExmoorXKnapstrup??? any spots?

Yep he is a spotty :) gonna be weird as havent ridden a pony in donkeys YEARS!lol

Debs Im sorry if I offended you, but the post truely came across to me as a generalisation, I have PM'd you.
 
MeMe said:
I had a saddle fitter tell me I should have at least a 17hh ID x type horse ideally and not my little 16hh ish MW chappie! How frigging rude! and trust me Im not someone that gets het up about my weight and what people think, but to many people are biast on bigger people and its clearly WRONG!

I've seen Zak do several dressage tests with you now, the sadder fitter is talking utter C**P.

Ponies are great fun!
 
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