Riding School Weight Limits?

funkyfilly_sos

funkyfilly_sos

Brucie :)
Jan 3, 2007
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Out there somewhere!
Hi all!

I'm just queering what you'r opinions on riding school weight limits are. At my RS we have a weight limit of 12 stone, however we have some cobs which could easily carry more weight and I don't see why the weight limit is so low. I suggested to my YO that the weight limit should be raised as it would benifit the RS as we could allow more adults (particualy men) to ride. Many of my friends who are only around 15-17 years old are almost "too heavy" to ride at my RS and I do feel 12 stone is too low.

Do you agree?
What is the weight limit at your RS?

All replies would be appreciated :)
xxxKellyxxx
 
At the RS I used to work at we had a massive(17.3hh) heavy-weight hunter thing & he could carry 14stone, so that was our limit.

I think they lower it because a heavy weight beginner, there seat is not well developed & so 12 stone will probably feel more like 15 stone until they get a balanced seat. Also you have tack on top of that as well so its for the horse's welfare.
 
Blimey! I'd be in trouble as at 5'9" and almost 13 stone (mostly muscle you understand! lol) I'd be excluded. Been riding for 21 yrs and ridden everything from 14.2 to 18hh with no trouble at all. Cobs were used to carry men in to battle with full armour on for goodness sake! I can understand them being careful and looking after the horses but they seem to be cutting their nose off. Shame.
 
Its also because of the sheer heavy workload of many RS horses and ponies. A 16 stone man can ride his own horse every other day and hunt it weekly with no ill effects on the horse. However, a horse carrying 14-15 stone beginners and even more advanced riders around day in, day out, doing school lessons, is going to come under a lot of physical strain.
 
I don't think fat people should be allowed to ride full stop:mad:. I mean the sight of anyone over 10st in jodphurs is enough to put anyone off, once my friend asked to ride Sam and I just had to say no :eek: your arse would snap my poor pone in two!!
 
Gruntfuttock said:
Its also because of the sheer heavy workload of many RS horses and ponies. A 16 stone man can ride his own horse every other day and hunt it weekly with no ill effects on the horse. However, a horse carrying 14-15 stone beginners and even more advanced riders around day in, day out, doing school lessons, is going to come under a lot of physical strain.
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echo this. one fit and well balanced rider who is heavier is fine - 3/4 a day, often novice and therefore unbalanced, isn't. we want our school horses to last and be comfortable - so weight limits at most schools are well below the actual limit the horse is capable of carrying.
 
The horses at my RS do a maximum of 3 hours a day, with the preferation being 2 hours. We have a massive Clydsdale (sp) who could definitly carry 12+ easily! I think my RS is playing it safe a bit and I know it's for the horses welfare but..... my friend who is 5"8 and is only 15 is 12 stone and she is by no means fat. I know it would upset her if she was told not aloud to ride. I think the weight limit should be increased to cater for taller people and encourage men to ride as I saw a man make enquires at my RS but he couldnt book a lesson because he was too heavy... but he was normal weight for a man of his height.

I don't want this thread to be turned into a critisim of peoples weight etc, I want to focus on riding school weight limits.

xxxKellyxxx
 
but why should any particular riding school have to cater for taller riders and larger men? not all of them cater for 4 year old children, or complete novices, or experienced riders wanting to specialise.
 
Lot1983 said:
See? Blatant victimisation, what has this forum come to, my god your so mean to me.
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Now now we need some chocolate handed round to make everyone happy again :D

(Low fat chocolate though, cant have anyone getting fat and breaking ponies backs :rolleyes: :p )
 
Gruntfuttock said:
Its also because of the sheer heavy workload of many RS horses and ponies. A 16 stone man can ride his own horse every other day and hunt it weekly with no ill effects on the horse. However, a horse carrying 14-15 stone beginners and even more advanced riders around day in, day out, doing school lessons, is going to come under a lot of physical strain.
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I have to agree with Gruntfuttock (as a heavier rider myself). There's no way that I would cry discrimination if I was unable to ride because of my weight. IMO it is a welfare issue and a valid one at that. I can carry someone 'piggyback' for a certain amount of time each day but double, even triple that time and I physically wouldn't be able to do it and would probably end up with back and knee problems. We have to look at it from the horse's perspective too and not just what we want.

RS must look out for the health and wellbeing of their horses not least because without their horses they don't have a business.

A privately owned horse is a whole different ball game to a RS horse though.

Some RS will be more flexible with their weight limits at off peak times as the horses won't be working as hard so it's always worth talking to them about it.
 
I think a weight limit of 12 stone is no good if you want to encourage men to ride! (perhaps the school don't!) I think a riding school would be better having a higher limit and horses that can cope comfortably - there must be weight carrying cobs out there that would do the trick.
 
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