# Am I too big?



## DissolvedInk (Feb 10, 2014)

Okayyy soooo 
I've had horses for the last 9 years, which I was 12 when I first got them. I got my current mare when I was 14, and trained her myself, with a small amount of help from others. I am now 19, and she is 7. (Time flies so quickly) 

In that span of time, I've gained weight. Though now it may be a result of a hormone inbalance (as well as a bad diet I wont even lie). 

I am at this time, 261 lbs. I am probably about 5'4. 

My horse... Well i'm not sure her exact height. But i'd say between 15 or 16 hands (I haven't measured her since she was little honestly oops) 
She has thinner legs, not super thin, but they are rather dainty. She's a quarter horse and she has the smaller head and smaller leg thing going on.
She's quite stocky, and has definitely filled out in the last year. 


I was riding her this spring and my grandma had saw. Apparently she made a comment that I was too big for her. 
I wish i had a picture to reference but I don't xc 

From the information I've given, am I really too big for her?


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## Eme1217 (Oct 27, 2014)

You will get several types of responses here. Some people go by a 20% of the horses body weight guideline. Some people go by the measurement of the horses cannon bone. Overall, most people will agree that it depends more on what type of riding you are doing, how much of it and for how long. The balanced rider will always be gentler on a horses body than a thinner person without balance. How does your horse act when you ride her??


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## DissolvedInk (Feb 10, 2014)

Eme1217 said:


> You will get several types of responses here. Some people go by a 20% of the horses body weight guideline. Some people go by the measurement of the horses cannon bone. Overall, most people will agree that it depends more on what type of riding you are doing, how much of it and for how long. The balanced rider will always be gentler on a horses body than a thinner person without balance. How does your horse act when you ride her??


No problems. She doesnt act up at all about mounting or anything like that. Doesn't usually even shift her weight. 
the only thing we're working on right now is bucking when we go into the canter. 

I ride for pleasure, just trail riding. I'd say never more than two hours. Two hours is a long time for us as well


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

to me, it's borderline. I am 210 pounds. I don't ride small horses. I ride pretty balanced. been riding for 17 years. but, if I were to gain anotehr 50 lbs, I might not feel it was fair to ride anything except a very large, large boned, in shape horse. especially if I were using heavy tack. western tack can add another 30 lbs.


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## StephaniHren (Jan 7, 2016)

This is a tough one without seeing pictures of you and the horse riding together. Just looking at it on paper, I'd be a little nervous unless my horse was was built like a tank. With a finer build (especially the dainty legs you mentioned) and a heavy western saddle, I'd be concerned. A couple of hours of trail riding seems easy compared to something high stress like barrels or jumping, but add in summer heat and hills and you've got something that can be quite the work out for a horse...

Honestly, how much weight a horse can handle is such a personal decision. You know the horse best. If you're worried, I'd recommend posting pictures so that we can give you our $0.02, or having a horse professional that you trust observe you and your horse during a ride (vet, trainer, experienced rider, etc.).

Personally, I've always thought that things like this also depend on your balance as a rider—weight from the muscles needed to ride well is different than dead weight.


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## DissolvedInk (Feb 10, 2014)

I'll try and get pictures today! we're finally able to ride now that its not 100 degrees outside


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## q horse (Mar 7, 2009)

I personally believe it is to much weight. Factoring in a saddle also, makes it even higher. I have heard the statement before about a "balance rider" but weight is weight! If you put a 100 pound pack on my back that is balanced, well I could probably carry it, but it is still 100 pounds, and would wear me down quickly. Balanced or not. 
Your horse will carry you, but only for so long. The weight will break down his back, his legs, I imagine when you are riding his temperature and heart rate are also elevated. I do not believe it is in the best interest of your horse to continue riding.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I don't know how anyone can conclude it is too much, with so little info on the mare. It is certainly getting to the 'be careful' stage, but I would like to see pics, better still a video, before saying for sure


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## EquineBovine (Sep 6, 2012)

Bumping for a photo.
I'm 250lbs (ish) and I have a 15.3hh xbred mare. She's a tb/hunter type so not overly thick boned. She has had back issues due to poor fitting saddles. Currently we are riding in a dressage saddle that fits really nicely and she is loving it. We don't ride hard out, hacking about the farm mostly at the moment whilst I get my weight down. She has no problem with me at all. She will canter forever and not get a sweat up.
I sometimes feel too large for her and I hate looking at photos, however, she has never gone lame and seems to genuinely enjoy going out and about.
I also have a Clydesdale mare who my brother sometimes rides. Now my brother is much taller but much lighter than me. This horse prefers me riding her than him as I am more balanced and have a 'lighter seat'. 
So I guess it's case by case.
How do YOU feel?
How do you think your horse feels? Does she seem to be coping?


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## Mulefeather (Feb 22, 2014)

Fitness, fitness, FITNESS. It is a HUGE part of weight carrying. 20% is for insurance companies, dude ranches, and old Cavalry manuals, and it doesn't mean bupkis. 

If your mare is fit, wears well-fitting tack, and is stocky and short-coupled like many "cowy" QH tend to be, then I can't see you having an issue unless you are riding for hours at a time over rough terrain, or jumping. 

Just like a human workout, horses can and do adapt to carrying weight through continued slow, steady work, and fitness matters a lot more than any percentage ratio. A fat horse that weighs 1300 lbs is working against their own body weight as well as yours, whereas a 900-lb Arabian who is fit and conditioned could carry you all day with zero complaints or medical problems - look at Endurance horses who routinely carry 200+ lb people over 50-100 miles in a day. 

I always put it this way: You can find a 150 lb person who is fit and strong, would could carry a 50 lb backpack all day at a decent pace with relative ease, even though that's over 30% of their body weight. However, you could put that same 50 lb backpack on someone who weighs 400 lbs and is unfit and overweight, and that 400 lb person will struggle...even though that 50 lbs is only a whopping 12.5% of that person's body weight. 

Why is this? The fat person is going to struggle because they are not CONDITIONED, and they are also fighting against their own excess body weight, so in reality they are actually "carrying" much more weight. 

So my final answer is that if your mare is not fit, she will have a harder time carrying you. Depending on what you want to do, you can work on conditioning her and increasing her fitness, as well as yours.


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