How much weight
- Thread starter **jet**
- Start date
A lot!! I guess it depends a little on fitness levels and age. But I won't think he/she would struggle to carry 13-15 stone really.
*Sez*
Salsa & Solstice Twilight
I would say probably a bit more than 15 or 16 stone, dependent on the horse's fitness and the activity being asked of it.
To give a comparison -
My 15.2hh TB, who is pretty fine and slender had no problems carrying me at my heaviest of 15st on hacks of up to an hour. Some people can carry a deceptive amount of weight, and when I've told people how heavy I actually got after last winter, they were quite aghast and wouldn't have estimated me at over 12.5 stone.
Mostly it depends on the fitness and workload of the horse and the balance of the rider. A well balanced 12st rider won't weigh less than 12st, but an unbalanced rider of the same physical weight can be a heavier burden for the horse to carry. I daresay Salsa would have severely struggled had I asked him to carry me around a cross country course or on a long pleasure ride, but for around an hour's hacking or flatwork schooling, he was fine.
To give a comparison -
My 15.2hh TB, who is pretty fine and slender had no problems carrying me at my heaviest of 15st on hacks of up to an hour. Some people can carry a deceptive amount of weight, and when I've told people how heavy I actually got after last winter, they were quite aghast and wouldn't have estimated me at over 12.5 stone.
Mostly it depends on the fitness and workload of the horse and the balance of the rider. A well balanced 12st rider won't weigh less than 12st, but an unbalanced rider of the same physical weight can be a heavier burden for the horse to carry. I daresay Salsa would have severely struggled had I asked him to carry me around a cross country course or on a long pleasure ride, but for around an hour's hacking or flatwork schooling, he was fine.
I would say more than 13-15 because at 15 an a half stone my RS put me on a ISH (not as big build as ID) about 16hh she was well up to fitness if gettin on a bit but she never had a problem carrying me
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A lot!! I guess it depends a little on fitness levels and age. But I won't think he/she would struggle to carry 13-15 stone really.
Sorry guys I meant "WOULDN'T struggle!!!!" But thinking about it again and looking at the other replies he/she could probably carry more anyway. An Irish draught is quite sturdy and I can imagine that sort of horse hunting for hours with a strapping fella in the saddle (Or maybe that's my imagination running wild for a Monday morning!!)
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