# Hello fellow plus sized riders, introduce yourself here



## Cat

Cat here. Not much to say here other than I've had a struggle with my weight since the beginning of college. I was probably my heaviest during my wedding 11 years ago (bless my husband's heart for sticking by me no matter what) and did start dropping some weight when we finally moved here to KY and I was able to work out on our small farm.

Slowly going down this year, but I seem to lose a little bit and then get stuck for a while. I'm just thankful its not going back up. I'm currently 223-230 lbs right now depending which scale you look at. Really trying to get back to where I was about 4-5 years ago when I was under 200 lbs.

This is my most recent picture on my mustang Guinness. I'll have to see if I can find other ones that show a better angle when I get home - Not the most flattering when the person taking the picture is on the other bank above you.


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## tinyliny

My name is Caroline. I have been heavy , in one form or another, since my kids came along, so that's 20 years. But the last 5 years or so I've been a lot heavier, and for me, the ol' menopause has brought even more belly fat home to roost. Like Golden, I keep struggling to lose and relose the same 10 lbs. But, I have to remember that for every day that I am "fighting", I am not "gaining".

I rode some as a kid, but really am one of those folks who come to riding as a middle aged woman. being overweight does make it harder to do what my friends can do with ease. But I've got the spunk to make up for that .

Here I am riding Z, whom I leased for 2 and a half years.  He has been moved, so am technically horseless for now. I am pleased, however, that several folks I know have come forward to offer their horses to me to either ride or lease. none of them think I am too heavy, and all seem to think I can ride well enough to not ruin their horses. I'll take that as a compliment.


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## waresbear

I am not plus sized, but I like you gals, so hey.


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## Drifting

Great idea!

Hi, my name is Amanda, and I am a plus size rider. My weight gain started about 5 years ago in the Navy. I was working 12 hour shifts behind a desk, and playing video games when I was 'home' so I packed on some weight with the help of junk food and a lot of alcohol. I'm about 220 pounds. My average weight before I gained was about 175, I have never been a skinny girl. 

I know all the tips and tricks to losing weight, know why I haven't lost any but haven't done anything about it. I'm hoping that my new lease horse will motivate me to ride and exercise more, since he's fat and I'm fat. 

I started riding in my last year of high school, but I've always loved horses. My Mom had some friends who owned some and they let me trail ride and team pen with them. I've never had a lesson in my life but hopefully will start some this fall. I'd really like to fix my bad habits and really learn how to ride better.

This is me on Hannah, a mare my barn owner owned who I was riding some. She's sold now and out in New Mexico. 











I do own a horse, and most people know Stryder so I won't go on and on about him  But he's not broke to ride and he's still way too small for me to consider riding him. He'll be 3 next spring, we'll see what he looks like then.

Here is Stryder and Titan, my new ride for the next few months (Unless I win the lotto, then I am totally buying him.)


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## QuietHeartHorses

It's me, QHH, or just Meagan. I've been around the forum for a few years now, off and on. I am also a plus size rider, I've been on the larger side since I was about 10 years old. It bothered me a lot in high school, but now that I am older, I have accepted that I will never be perfectly thin. I'll always have my curves, and I'm okay with that. I'm more interested in eating right, staying active, and being happy no matter what I look like. If a few pounds come off in the process, I'm okay with that, too. :wink:

I've always been enamored of horses, ever since I can remember. I rode my extended family's horses every summer, took lessons when I was a kid, and leased horses when I was a teenager. Three years ago, I found my current horse, Riley, and he has ruled my world ever since. He is a 14 year old OTTB, ex-three day eventer, Grumpy Cat impersonator, and lover of carrots and cuddles. The first few years that I owned him, I didn't really do a whole lot with him. We went for rides, but just to mosey around. This past March, I started taking dressage lessons with him 2-3 times a week and we are having a blast! It's such a great discipline. 

Here's a couple of pictures of us from this Spring...


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## CowboysDream

Hello all, My name is Jessie and I have pretty much always loved horses once I found out what they were. My Mum signed me up in horse camp when I was 6 and I did that every summer until I was 10 or so. Then I started taking lessons until I was 14. I quit because the barn I rode at got sold and I was a very nervous rider so the thought of having to ride somewhere new, have a new coach and relearn the horses made me sick to my stomach. My main love at that time was working on the ground with the horses lets just say haha. Around 3 years ago (at 21?) I started riding again at my current stable and have been loving it. I am more confident and less nervous this time around. I part-board a lesson horse at the barn named Jesse (or as we affectionately call him... Dino). 










I don't really have any actual pictures of us riding but here is a snapshot from a video. Sorry for the blurriness. We ride more Hunter style at my barn. My strong suit is flat work and I am a bit nervous at jumping but I still enjoy it and am overcoming the fear. 










I suppose I have always been one of the "bigger" people growing up. My Mum says I wasn't as big as I thought I was. I wasn't necessarily as big as I am now, but I know I was one of the bigger people in school, lessons, etc. always. I am 5'10 and currently 242lbs as of this morning. I have decided I would like to be more active so I now ride 3 times a week and I signed up for my first 5k Marathon (which is now in 23 days! T_T) and have been following the couch to 5k program. I am at Week 5 Day 1. Before I started being more active (around December or so) I was 265lbs. Right now I am focusing on living life with some confidence  I even planned a trip to Cuba and I plan on rocking a bikini... even if my body might not be ready by society standards


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## frlsgirl

*Hello from Oklahoma*

Hi, I'm Tanja and currently reside in Oklahoma with my beautiful Morgan mare Ana. I'm currently wearing a size 4 so I'm not plus-sized by society's standards, but I ride Dressage and I'm probably one of the bigger Dressage riders; apparently, if you're not a size double zero you're "heavy". I've always had big thighs, in fact, they called me "thunder-thighs" in high school :-(. 

Anyway, I don't let haters stop me from riding. I just smile and keep on riding. I would like to loose some more weight but it's hard as I'm a total food addict. I love nothing more than to pig out on a container of almond dream ice cream with melted dark chocolate. Yum. 

Nice to meet everyone!


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## CowboysDream

frlsgirl said:


> Hi, I'm Tanja and currently reside in Oklahoma with my beautiful Morgan mare Ana. I'm currently wearing a size 4 so I'm not plus-sized by society's standards, but I ride Dressage and I'm probably one of the bigger Dressage riders; apparently, if you're not a size double zero you're "heavy". I've always had big thighs, in fact, they called me "thunder-thighs" in high school :-(.
> 
> Anyway, I don't let haters stop me from riding. I just smile and keep on riding. I would like to loose some more weight but it's hard as I'm a total food addict. I love nothing more than to pig out on a container of almond dream ice cream with melted dark chocolate. Yum.
> 
> Nice to meet everyone!


Well you are definitely not plus sized by any standards but its nice to meet you too! Your mare is beautiful and you look tiny on her. People do come in all shapes and sizes, so you may never have "skinny thighs" but you know what.. thats fine.. Just own your thighs with confidence! I think thicker thighs are more appealing to the eye anyways. Girl, all you got is some curves


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## Golden Horse

Well Cowboy of you are nervous to jump you are taking on a decent size fence there, from those of us who can only tackle ground poles that look impressive!

Tanja welcome, you look great on your horse, and don't let anyone or anything make you think that size 4 is plus size. Our bodies are all differing shapes, and curves are GOOD, we are women for goodness sake so we are meant to have some shape. Now some of us have shape to spare, but it is very sad to me to see lovely shapely girls thinking they are somehow too big.


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## frlsgirl

Thanks ladies. "Shape to spare" lol.


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## tinyliny

if you think YOU are plus sized, you must think we are absolute whales! I could fit two of you, literally, inside the space I occupy.


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## frlsgirl

It's all relative tinyliny! I've been as big as a size 12 and as little as a size 1. It doesn't help that I'm only 5'4 so when I do gain weight, it doesn't really have room to spread; goes straight to my thighs and stomach. I've had a woman come up to me and ask when the baby is due 

I don't think you are whales! You are all lovely ladies!


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## Golden Horse

frlsgirl said:


> Thanks ladies. "Shape to spare" lol.


I tell you come the famine us easy keepers will still be here!


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## CowboysDream

Golden Horse said:


> Well Cowboy of you are nervous to jump you are taking on a decent size fence there, from those of us who can only tackle ground poles that look impressive!
> 
> Tanja welcome, you look great on your horse, and don't let anyone or anything make you think that size 4 is plus size. Our bodies are all differing shapes, and curves are GOOD, we are women for goodness sake so we are meant to have some shape. Now some of us have shape to spare, but it is very sad to me to see lovely shapely girls thinking they are somehow too big.


Haha, I got to the point where I wasn't nervous about the jumps and I was jumping 4th hole verticals and my coach was talking about me moving up. Same lesson after she said that I took my first tumble off my boy and went back down to 3rd hole. Then fell off 4 more times in the same month. However, I am starting to get back up to 4th hole. Mr.Jesse isn't very honest all the time though but I learnt my bad habits hurt!


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## frlsgirl

CowboysDream said:


> Haha, I got to the point where I wasn't nervous about the jumps and I was jumping 4th hole verticals and my coach was talking about me moving up. Same lesson after she said that I took my first tumble off my boy and went back down to 3rd hole. Then fell off 4 more times in the same month. However, I am starting to get back up to 4th hole. Mr.Jesse isn't very honest all the time though but I learnt my bad habits hurt!


Try riding a taller horse. Even big jumps look less scary from the back of a giant.


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## CowboysDream

frlsgirl said:


> Try riding a taller horse. Even big jumps look less scary from the back of a giant.


Jesse is one of the tallest horses at the barn in the lesson program. I think he is 16.3 hands or something close. He is high withered though. 4th hole looks big sometimes but I'm pretty used to it. So I think its more that Jesse will run out to the right every time if you don't keep the contact and hold him straight, or if you look down/throw your body at him. Which happen to be bad habits of mine.


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## tinyliny

frlsgirl said:


> It's all relative tinyliny! I've been as big as a size 12 and as little as a size 1. It doesn't help that I'm only 5'4 so when I do gain weight, it doesn't really have room to spread; goes straight to my thighs and stomach. I've had a woman come up to me and ask when the baby is due
> 
> I don't think you are whales! You are all lovely ladies!



I know I shouldn't argue with you, but you don't seem to understand, . . . size 12 for a 5'4" person is NORMAL. it's not plus sized, it's normal.
it may not be a thin normal, but it's a perfectlly healthy normal. size 14 is "normal". when you get beyond that, you are starting to enter the "plus" sized area. I don't know why a person would want to call themselves plus sized when they are not. it's not really all that desirable of a club to join. I'd rather NOT be plus sized, to be honest, but I'm not going to go around saying I'm not. I am, so that's that.

This isn't meant to sound exclusive or mean, just that since you are not plus sized, go enjoy being not plus sized. it must be awesome!


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## frlsgirl

tinyliny said:


> I know I shouldn't argue with you, but you don't seem to understand, . . . size 12 for a 5'4" person is NORMAL. it's not plus sized, it's normal.
> it may not be a thin normal, but it's a perfectlly healthy normal. size 14 is "normal". when you get beyond that, you are starting to enter the "plus" sized area. I don't know why a person would want to call themselves plus sized when they are not. it's not really all that desirable of a club to join. I'd rather NOT be plus sized, to be honest, but I'm not going to go around saying I'm not. I am, so that's that.
> 
> This isn't meant to sound exclusive or mean, just that since you are not plus sized, go enjoy being not plus sized. it must be awesome!


Ok. Ok. Maybe I'll start a "not quite plus-sized but not quite perfect skinny" thread :-|


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## tinyliny

see, now I've hurt your feelings. Sorry. you can hang with us, any time you like!


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## frlsgirl

tinyliny said:


> see, now I've hurt your feelings. Sorry. you can hang with us, any time you like!


It's all good. We may not all fit in the exact same "box" but it's all about perception anyway. You see, my 14 pound wienie dog has no idea that he's just a little fellow; he looks in the mirror and sees a Rottweiler staring back at him:wink:.


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## Golden Horse

As far as this plus sized rider is concerned anyone can come and hang out here, there is no closing of ranks, anyone who has a story or a point they want to share can come post. 

Posts such as 

"In my view you are to big for that horse, I think that you should try and lose x pounds, or look for a bigger horse"

Are OK from anyone, it's their view and put bluntly but not unkindly. Remarks such as

"It's no wonder she looks uncomfortable she's carrying a 300 pound anchor"

A paraphrase of a comment I read elsewhere are not welcome here.

There are important things though that are making me uncomfortable, I get that we are nice people to be with, but people calling themselves plus size when they are not, well either you have a warped vision of yourself, or maybe you feel good being the thin one in the group....just know that when you refer to yourself as plus size, you do kind of make us really big girls feel like whales

Now these comments




tinyliny said:


> I know I shouldn't argue with you, but you don't seem to understand, . . . size 12 for a 5'4" person is NORMAL. it's not plus sized, it's normal.
> *it may not be a thin normal, but it's a perfectlly healthy normal*. size 14 is "normal". when you get beyond that, you are starting to enter the "plus" sized area. I don't know why a person would want to call themselves plus sized when they are not. it's not really all that desirable of a club to join. I'd rather NOT be plus sized, to be honest, but I'm not going to go around saying I'm not. I am, so that's that.
> 
> *This isn't meant to sound exclusive or mean, just that since you are not plus sized, go enjoy being not plus sized. it must be awesome!*


Yes, this, please join in, call yourself chubby, fluffy post by all means, share your pics, share your struggle to lose the weight, we all have that in common, but if you are not shopping for at least some things in the plus size dept, if you are size 14, you may not be plus size!



frlsgirl said:


> Ok. Ok. Maybe I'll start a "not quite plus-sized but not quite perfect skinny" thread :-|


No, but you could start a "What is plus size anyway" debate, that would be interesting to se how people define it. You are more than welcome here, as an honorary member:wink:



tinyliny said:


> see, now I've hurt your feelings. Sorry. you can hang with us, any time you like!


Yes



frlsgirl said:


> It's all good. We may not all fit in the exact same "box" but it's all about perception anyway. You see, my 14 pound wienie dog has no idea that he's just a little fellow; he looks in the mirror and sees a Rottweiler staring back at him:wink:.


Yeah, I have a JRT with the same body issues, come to think of it all JRT's have teh same issues!


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## beautyofspeed

This is my horse Slugger and I. I'm a size 18/20 and getting married in February so I'm happy to say I'm down 10 pounds since this picture. I went in to grad school a size 16 and by the time Christmas break hit, my size 20's from Gap were uncomfortably tight... here's hoping improved mental health and more activity will help this get more under control. 










Slugger is a 7 year old, double registered Paint & Pinto gelding. He's 15.3 hands and was started over jumps. I don't think we will be jumping anytime soon though!


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## DraftyAiresMum

*wanders in and knocks on the door*

Hi! Can I join?

I'm Paige. I'm 31 and have been working with horses for the last five years, consistently. I retrained my old gelding from the ground up, then I got my current boy. I've had Aires for three years now. He's a 5yo paint/Percheron cross. Currently in the 16.3hh-ish range and a good 1300lbs (if not more...he's a solid boy). I halter broke him myself and put all the groundwork training into him. I've done about 90% of his under-saddle training myself, as well. It's been (and continues to be) an adventure.

As for being plus size, I've struggled with my self image all my life. I look at pics of me from a few years ago when I was a size 12 and 160lbs (I carry my weight well) and can't believe I EVER considered myself "fat."

Two years ago, I very suddenly put on weight. In just about two months, I went from 170lbs and a size 12 to 250lbs and a size 20. I literally woke up on my birthday and couldn't fit into my size 18 jeans I had worn less than a week before and had to go buy new, bigger clothes on my birthday. Over the next year and a half, I saw four different doctors and gained another 15lbs and one pant size. I was more active and was eating better than I had in several years, but my body refused to relinquish the weight. None of the doctors have been able to figure out how or why I gained so much weight in so short of a time.

Finally, at the beginning of January, I started a new job as front desk at a hotel. Since about February, I have lost 20lbs and one pant size (two, if you believe my jeans, which are size 18s). 

Anyway, I haven't ridden in a while because I've been so self-conscious about my weight (as far as I know, I'm the heaviest person at the barn), but now that I have a good western saddle that fits the beast, that is going to change.

I don't have any riding pics, but here's one of me last May (2013) with Aires:

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse

DraftyAiresMum said:


> *wanders on and knocks on the door*
> 
> Hi! Can I join?


Welcome 





DraftyAiresMum said:


> As for being plus size, I've struggled with my self image all my life. I look at pics of me from a few years ago when I was a size 12 and 160lbs (I carry my weight well) and can't believe I EVER considered myself "fat."


That is so scary isn't it, and so annoying, I recently found a couple of pics of me from the UK, when I was considered BIG to be riding, I can't believe that being this size stopped me from doing so much, I wasted the best years of my life not doing stuff because I was too big.










LOL, here wearing short boots because I couldn't get tall boots to fit










That is why I am so insistent about those who are within normal parameters actually get out and live their lives, heck even of you are plus size get out there and live, you never get the time back, so don't be watching life pass you by! 



DraftyAiresMum said:


> Two years ago, I very suddenly put on weight. In just about two months, I went from 170lbs and a size 12 to 230lbs and a size 20. I literally woke up on my birthday and couldn't fit into my size 18 jeans I had worn less than a week before and had to go buy new, bigger clothes on my birthday. Over the next year and a half, I saw four different doctors and gained another 30lbs and one pant size. I was more active and was eating better than I had in several years, but my body refused to relinquish the weight.


Did you ever get a diagnoses?



DraftyAiresMum said:


> Finally, at the beginning of January, I started a new job as front desk at a hotel. Since about February, I have lost 20lbs and one pant size (two, if you believe my jeans, which are size 18s).


WELL DONE! How have you done it?



DraftyAiresMum said:


> Anyway, I have ridden in a while because I've been so self-conscious about my weight (as far as I know, I'm the heaviest person at the barn), but now that I have a good western saddle that fits the beast, that is going to change.
> 
> I don't have any riding pics, but here's one of me last May (2013) with Aires:
> 
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Good for you go ride..


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## DraftyAiresMum

I have yet to get a diagnosis, GH. The best any of the doctors came up with was that I had gall stones, but those wouldn't cause me to gain weight so rapidly (quite the opposite, actually). One of the doctors prescribed me Metformin because I'm pre-pre-diabetic, but the next time I went back for a fasting glucose test, my A1C and blood glucose were perfectly normal. They determined that the first test that indicated the pre-diabetes was a fluke. 

I've lost the weight by cutting my portions DRASTICALLY. Before I started working at the hotel, I would regularly out-eat my 6' former Marine boyfriend who is an eating machine. It wasn't so much that I was that hungry, it was that I eat fast (always have) and I felt bad for not eating a lot (still can't explain that one lol). I got tired of always being bloated and not being able to walk up one flight of stairs at work without being winded. So, I decided that I just wasn't going to eat as much. It's hard, because my boyfriend loves to eat and he loves junk food, but I try my hardest. When we go to my parents' house on Sundays for dinner, my parents noticed immediately that I wasn't eating as much. From time to time, my boyfriend still tries to feed me like I used to eat, but I just eat what I can until I no longer feel hungry, then save the rest. If that means I only eat a third of it, then so be it. I've also stopped eating as much fast food.

As for riding, I don't have an excuse anymore. Aires is doing better than he ever has, as far as responding to cues and the bit, I have a nice western saddle that fits him (my Aussie apparently didn't fit him), and it's summertime.


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## dernhelm1984

I completely took my body for granted when I was younger - I was never a super skinny person but I was athletic and healthy. I gained the "Freshman 15" in college and went from 140 to 155 lbs. I still looked excellent even though I thought I was huge at the time (boy, do I wish I could go back in time and SLAP myself for thinking that). Went up to 160 lbs. in the summer of 2010 but I still looked fine.

Then the fun began. I have clinical depression and have been on antidepressants since age 13. My then-psychiatrist put me on Lexapro in November of 2010, and I went up to 175 lbs. From there I shot up to 200 lbs. through emotional eating and med changes. Then in January of this year, I magically gained 20 more pounds in a timespan of two weeks. Thus I am now 220ish and a size 18/20, a far cry from the size 8 I used to be.

I am attempting Nutrisystem and have a treadmill but I feel very unmotivated right now since I'm very depressed from a medication change this summer. 

Here's a picture of me on my TWH/SSH, Reb. Such a great shot with the camera centered right on my boobs. :lol:


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## waresbear

GH started this thread and said I could hang out here, so I am gonna. But I shall be in disguise


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## Drifting

Can I borrow that outfit for my Pirate Pub crawl next friday? I might be able to get a leg into it.


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## Golden Horse

Drifting said:


> Can I borrow that outfit for my Pirate Pub crawl next friday? I might be able to get a leg into it.


Well that's OK you're a pirate, the other leg is wooden!

Good disguise wares, I like:wink:


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## tinyliny

that is so hard to do; to just eat less. and to slow down. I , too, eat way too fast. I think most fat people do. my dad can eat so slow he'll practically fall over sideways from lack of inertia.


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## tinyliny

Geez, us fatties are so fun that EVERYONE wants to hang out here! it's becuase of GH, actually. she's the life of this party.


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## DraftyAiresMum

tinyliny said:


> that is so hard to do; to just eat less. and to slow down. I , too, eat way too fast. I think most fat people do. my dad can eat so slow he'll practically fall over sideways from lack of inertia.


I never really realized just how fast I ate until Robert pointed out that I was done and he still had half his plate left. I'd then go back and get seconds because I felt bad that I was done and he was still eating. 

Honestly, once I made the decision to eat less, it was easy for me to do. There are certain things that I have to remind myself not to eat as much of (because they're so good), but for the most part, I do pretty well. The most challenging part is getting Robert on board, especially with decreasing the amount of sweets we eat. He runs a vending machine business and he would bring in three or four candy bars for each of us every night. I'd allow him to guilt-trip me into eating all of them and then I would feel like crap. Now, I've convinced him to only give me one every once in a while, as a treat. I don't ever buy candy for myself in the store (it's too expensive lol), but if it's given to me, that's a different story.


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## Golden Horse

tinyliny said:


> Geez, us fatties are so fun that EVERYONE wants to hang out here! it's becuase of GH, actually. she's the life of this party.


I'm the larger than life of this party...

And I have calorie free beer!


I definitely need to go for smaller portions, and eat slower, I lost weight last year when I was injured, one broken wrist, and the shoulder and ribs on the other side being so painful, I could only eat slowly, maybe I should have two removable casts that I can wear while eating, that may help :rofl:


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## waresbear

Drifting said:


> Can I borrow that outfit for my Pirate Pub crawl next friday? I might be able to get a leg into it.


I am not a pirate, bite your tongue oh yon wench! Yo soy "Zorra"! 
*Z*


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## Golden Horse

YOU may not be a pirate Wares, but if Drifting wants to be them we'll humor her OK:wink:


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## waresbear

Ok then, I won't be Zorra either. I shall be, nanananananana......BATGIRL


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## Inga

tinyliny said:


> that is so hard to do; to just eat less. and to slow down. I , too, eat way too fast. I think most fat people do. my dad can eat so slow he'll practically fall over sideways from lack of inertia.



Too true. It is funny. At my job, I am lucky to get a break most days and when I do, I feel rushed so I go in, slam down as much as I can in a short time and get back to work. Shortly after that, I am sick to my stomach and have pain in my stomach. It is the eating fast and most likely eating too much because my stomach doesn't have enough time to tell my brain that it is full. 

I was thin most of my life and then when I got sick, I gain a lot of weight. I have now tried being thin and tried being fat. I like being thin better. If only I could wave a wand or take a pill to make that happen again. I gotta get some pictures of me on the horses...maybe tomorrow if I remember. I hate how I look on the horses and some, I won't ride now even though others are always telling me I look fine. Sometimes I think people lie to not hurt my feelings as if I don't know already that I am heavier then I should be. Do they think they will shock my by saying, "your heavier then you should be?" :shock: Really? :shock:


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## DraftyAiresMum

waresbear said:


> Ok then, I won't be Zorra either. I shall be, nanananananana......BATGIRL
> View attachment 470594


Thank you for making me snort fruit punch out my nose! :evil: :lol:



Inga said:


> Too true. It is funny. At my job, I am lucky to get a break most days and when I do, I feel rushed so I go in, slam down as much as I can in a short time and get back to work. Shortly after that, I am sick to my stomach and have pain in my stomach. It is the eating fast and most likely eating too much because my stomach doesn't have enough time to tell my brain that it is full.


I think this is exactly why I ate so fast. I'm used to having 30 minutes for lunch, total, including going anywhere to _get_ said lunch, if I needed to. That isn't nearly as much time as people think.


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## tinyliny

Golden Horse said:


> I'm the larger than life of this party...
> 
> And I have calorie free beer!
> 
> 
> I definitely need to go for smaller portions, and eat slower, I lost weight last year when I was injured, one broken wrist, and the shoulder and ribs on the other side being so painful, I could only eat slowly, maybe I should have two removable casts that I can wear while eating, that may help :rofl:


why hold back? why not a straightjacket, shackles, or an iron maiden?


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## CowboysDream

Loving the costumes Wares  Keep em coming!!!!

As for the the slow eating thing, the only time I really eat fast is when I am starving and so I try to eat when I start to feel hungry. If I can't, then I have a small snack of sorts or drink water. My eating habits are pretty good, I spent time calculating calories, weighing food and practising portion sizes over the last year or so. I am now trying to wean myself off of that and be able to lose weight while not counting. Every now and then I count if I feel I am too far under or over my calorie limit so I can adjust my intake. What has helped me the most is planning my meals I suppose, or if eating out I look at the menu online first and the nutritional information. Bit nerdy but it has worked for me. Ideally, I would love to be able to not have to count calories ever


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## EliRose

Hi there guys! My name is Liz, I'm 18, and I've been plus-sized forever. I've got a lot of medical problems that make it near impossible to lose weight, although I've lost ten pounds in the past two weeks - my new prescriptions seem to be working very well. I've got Hashimoto's Disease (hypo), PCOS, and will probably have to get my thyroid removed before I'm 30. I basically do not eat and I exercise at least 2-3 hours a day, but I gain weight by looking at food :-( High school wasn't very fun.

But I've been riding since I was eight and recently got a 9 year old OTTB, Remy, who will be coming to college with me in August. He's just an awesome horse, and who I want to do a little bit of everything with. He's been off of work for a month to gain weight after I removed him from a bad boarding situation, but now he's back! He has one of the best minds I've ever worked with, he's just so chilled out and solid. Love him to death!

First pic is when I was trying him out, the second is when he arrived at the farm (excuse my "derp" face and general appearance, I literally got out of school and drove to the farm), and the third is from his sale's ad.


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## CowboysDream

EliRose I think you look great in those pictures


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## EliRose

CowboysDream said:


> EliRose I think you look great in those pictures


Aw, thanks! You and Jesse look really great too


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## becky61

I am glad that this forum thread was started! My name is Becky,sorry no pics of me with my TWH,Sundance. I rode most of my life until I started college,got married and moved around. When my daughter had her first child we got back into riding. I was skinny in college,but over the years I have gained weight. I decided to start eating healthy,cutting back on sodas,drinking more water and trying to stay away from fast food places for meals. I have lost 10 pounds,want to get into 190s and see if I can lose more. The only time I have curbing eating is when I am off work and get bored. I try to stay busy then by reading,playing on computer,etc. I also do Zumba once a week,it has helped giving me more energy. I am glad that we are encouraging each other and are positive in comments.


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## evilamc

I'll join in I'm Alicia, I hate considering myself plus size, but my mom....and dr's love to remind me that my bmi is high and I've put on a few pounds. Haha. I'm 26, a dog groomer that went to college for graphic design, recently engaged and have one amazing quarter horse Dexter  Fiance and I are both actually trying to lose a little weight now, we've both gained about 15-20lbs since we've been together, whoops. Sooooo we'll see what happens!

Participated in a parade today for the first time!


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## callidorre

Hello everyone. I've introduced myself self before in the past, but it has been awhile.My name is Kari-Ann and I'm 25 years old. I've been riding since I was 18. I started out western and switched to english 3-4 year's into riding. Idk a little of this and that. I've done some schooling show and did my first dressage show this spring. I also love trail riding. I've got a 15 year old horse named Kaiba who has had lameness issues this past year (very long story with mis-diagnosing). He has just started back to riding for short amounts of time with lightweight riders. I'm not totally positive that this will be the beginning of him really getting into riding, but I'm taking into a day at a time with him.

I starting riding and volunteering at a rescue at the beginning of this year, so I'll post a few pictures of my two current favorite horses there, Rurik and Izzy. Rurik does lessons and should be leaving at some point this year with a volunteer. Izzy is available for adoption, and I started riding her a few weeks ago. She's green and put of shape, but I'm really enjoying working with her. I've taken her to show for some walk/trot classes and had a few lessons on her.

Izzy and I trotting in one of her classes









Izzy and I showing off her reserve championship ribbon  Just a bit tight on her drafty neck... We cleaned up with four 2nd place ribbons and a 3rd place ribbon. Plus the reserve champion.









Rurik and I hanging out at a show.









Rurik and I at the dressage show. I'm going to miss doing shows with him. I want to do Intro C before he leaves. We did Intro A and Intro B at my first show.


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## VerdePurdy

Hi everyone! My name is Emily and I am about to get back in the saddle!

Back in January I weighed 327lbs... I have been dieting like a madwoman and I had a gastric bypass 3 weeks ago, in total I have lost 58lbs  I've found a local riding school that will do some light groundwork with me if I can get down to 250lbs (I'm currently 269) which is fantastic as my old stable won't have me unless I'm under 180 

I'm so excited. I rode for 7 years and stopped when I was 14; I miss it terribly. I've always been plus size and was scared to contact stables in case they scoffed at me and got mean about my weight. Luckily this riding school have been more than understanding and I should have my first rusty rider lesson next month!

Looking forward to being a part of your forum.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny

Hang in there! Most people will not understand how hard it is yo do what you have done, but we do!


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## Golden Horse

Hi properly Emily, so glad you found us, and congrats again on your weight loss so far. Just being nosy does the NHS fund gastric bypass in the UK, or do you have to go privately? 

When you say you can do light ground work when you get to 250 pounds, what does that mean? 

I know only too well that being a larger rider in the UK is so much harder than it is over here, attitudes are different.


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## frlsgirl

That's great Emily, congratuations on your weight loss. My sister-in-law had the ring put into her stomach, I guess it's essentially the same idea but less down-time and there is a small risk of the ring coming loose. 

I stepped on the scale this morning and I'm down two pounds so I'm stoked! Only 7 more pounds to go!


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## Golden Horse

If this guy can mount from the ground, I should be able to as well!!

Norman Mitchell Dodge Huntsville Black Rodeo 2012 - YouTube

He can certainly move!


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## Drifting

Hi everyone who introduced themselves.

I am sad. Titan, my Lease horse, is ouchy. I haven't really gotten to ride him because he was missing shoes when I got him. I rode him once at a walk but he was tender so we didn't do it again.

Finally got shoes on him yesterday, and he's 'off.' He's got a bad case of thrush though, and his owner says "He's sometimes off a day or two after he first gets shoes." He has horrible feet.

So I have no horse to ride again! I'd be more upset about it, but I am not paying to board him this month so I'm not really losing anything. 










He's still purdy. If he's not sound in a week or two he's going back in August. 

I have my eye on a new lease possibility just in case. A 13 year old STANDARD bred. No spots! and he's brown! How very unlike me  I'm going to ride him tomorrow.


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## Golden Horse

Oooh, I like the standardbred! What a pain about Titan though, very frustrating.


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## Drifting

It is very frustrating! I feel like I've been going through horses the last several months. First Sammy, who needed more training then I could give him. Then Gamble, who went back to his previous owners because of his lameness. I would have bought Hannah, the palomino mare but she had a bucking problem. 

Titan needs a little work under saddle, he's very very stubborn but at least he's got the training under his belt. I love this horse, I've known him for 4 years, but he has some maintenance needs (arthritis in his back leg). I don't mind dealing with that as a lease horse, but at least give me a month or two to ride before I have to think of spending that kind of money on injections. Stryder is enough of an accident-prone baby, I don't really need the extra vet bills.

This guy just really caught my eye. 13 years old, ex-racehorse and ex-amish cart horse. Pulled from the kill pen over the winter. Description is beginner safe/husband horse kind of guy. 15.3 I was cruising horse ads (as most of us do) and he just really caught my eye. She wants to sell him but is willing to lease with the option to buy. 

I'm going for a trail ride on him in the morning. Look at that face! He looks like he has the derpy bottom lip too, and such a kind eye.










alright, frustrations vented. I will find a rideable horse darn it.


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## EliRose

Too bad about Titan, Drifting. Hope he works out for you, but if not that standie is adorable! Love them.

Here's the Rem, gaining weight and muscle by the day! He's such a doll. I had LASIK surgery Monday so I couldn't come out and see him until yesterday (too much dust), and he just looked so happy and peaceful. Finally get to ride tomorrow, doctor cleared me! I was having some minor complications from the LASIK but they seem to be fine now. Remy was ridden allll week, all over the farm by my trainer, and he was an absolutely perfect gentleman.

Hehe, yesterday we did find out Remy's big OMG fear - spitz-type dogs. A rescue my BO (and I in the past) work with brought a big Akita/Shepard mix for some socialization training, because the dog's probably going to need to be on a farm. Sweet, sweet thing but very high energy. Remy was PETRIFIED of him, spooking like a wild man in his stall - spinning, eye whites showing, pawing, squealing, sweating, pooing six time in fifteen minutes, the whole shebang. This is a horse who has all other kinds of big dogs, cats, pigs, chickens, etc hang out with him.

We decided to take Remy out to see if he'd calm down if he wasn't in an enclosed space. As soon as he saw actually saw the dog with my mom holding on to the leash, he took a big breath and chilled right out. He cooled off enough that I was comfortable letting him sniff the dog, and Remy had literally no more problems. So weird. We're wondering if he's had an issue with coyotes or something in the past, as the dog certainly had a very coyote look to him. Sweet thing though!


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## Zexious

^So fashionable, with that fly mask :>


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## DraftyAiresMum

I love the standy, Drifting! He's got a cute face. Poor Titan, though. It's got to suck being so ouchy.


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## EliRose

Zexious said:


> ^So fashionable, with that fly mask :>


Haha, oh yes . . . it actually makes his ears look normally sized! The entire thing fits except for his itty bitty ears :lol: The silly creature originally had a normal one that just covers the face, but he managed to cut his nose pretty badly rubbing against a tree, so full-length flymask it is!

My dog modeled it before I put it on Remy. My cat was pretty horrified.


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## Drifting

So went to ride that Standy. He's very, very quiet on the ground. The droopy-lip kind of derpy gelding. 

I meant to bring my own saddle, but I got distracted by the alternator fizzing out in my car. So that's in the shop, but at least I made my appointment to ride this morning.

This is Bravo. Pulled from the Kill-pen in Feburary, fattened up. 12 year old 15.3 hand ex racer/Amish horse.









I really should have brought my own saddle. This one was like 15 inches if I was lucky. It looked like a youth saddle. VERY uncomfortable. I rode him around the yard for about two minutes. He needs a snaffle and a better fitting saddle.

Then I put on my big girl panties and took him out on the trails. By myself. Solo.











We just did two 5 minute loops, but he did good. Nice forward movement, and even though he _really _just wanted to go home, he walked by the trail-head that leads into the back yard and kept going through the woods when I asked. No snorting or fidgeting. Just a bit quicker pace when he heads in the home direction, but never broke into a trot.










He even passed the deer test. Saw a doe jump out of the bushes about 50 yards away.

I think he's got potential. She's checking my references and he just might be coming home later this month. He needs some softening up, so he's quiet but with enough of a rough edge that I would enjoy working with him.


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## tinyliny

he's cute. the curb bit had not curb chain, thus it rotated WAY up, as shown in that last photo.

is his front left leg crooked or is that a quirk of the photo and him just about to lift that leg.?


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## Drifting

Yeah, their tack. He doesn't neck rein and needs a snaffle, not a leverage bit like that. It was a lady whom doesn't ride anymore due to back injuries, who pulls horses out of the kill pen and rehabs them when she can. She's trying to find Bravo a home so she can bring in a morgan mare that's in QT atm. She only has room for 2 on her property. I think if I lease him, I'll drop off another headstall with a D-ring snaffle for her. I have a few extra. She has 2 young girls who comes to help ride her rescues.

I think the crooked leg thing is just a bad picture. He was about to step forward. 
Does have white scars all down his cannon bones, I thought pin firing but they're kind of randomly placed so who knows what that's from knowing his background.


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## Drifting

Well I passed her reference check with flying colors. Bravo looks like he may be coming next weekend for a lease (I'll probably end up buying him if all works out).


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## EliRose

Congratulations Drifting!


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## frlsgirl

I saw a video of myself today riding my horse. It wasn't pretty. Don't ever do sitting trot unless you are 100% firm all over...otherwise you will jiggle like jello. I don't know why I even bothered with a sports-bra...I guess so that they jiggle in unison. 

I then drove straight to the health food store and picked up a super-size carton of soy ice cream and ate half of it. Yes, half! What's wrong with me? Why can't I stop eating?


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## frlsgirl

I saw a video of myself today riding my horse. It wasn't pretty. Don't ever do sitting trot unless you are 100% firm all over...otherwise you will jiggle like jello. I don't know why I even bothered with a sports-bra...I guess so that they jiggle in unison. 

I then drove straight to the health food store and picked up a super-size carton of soy ice cream and ate half of it. Yes, half! What's wrong with me? Why can't I stop eating?


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## frlsgirl

Congratulations Drifting. That is so exciting!


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## Drifting

<.< I jiggle at a walk, forget the sitting trot.


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## DraftyAiresMum

frlsgirl said:


> I saw a video of myself today riding my horse. It wasn't pretty. Don't ever do sitting trot unless you are 100% firm all over...otherwise you will jiggle like jello. I don't know why I even bothered with a sports-bra...I guess so that they jiggle in unison.
> 
> I then drove straight to the health food store and picked up a super-size carton of soy ice cream and ate half of it. Yes, half! What's wrong with me? Why can't I stop eating?


Emotional eating and boredom eating are the two biggest diet killers out there.

We're women. We're emotional. Eating makes us feel better. Unfortunately, it is what it is. So, what do we do to combat it? 

I've found that when I'm emotional and want to eat, I usually end up craving something sweet. So, I will pick up something sweet that is also healthy. Like watermelon or cantaloupe. It takes a conscious effort to put down the bad-for-you stuff and pick up the good-for-you stuff. As you go to grab that big carton of ice cream, stop for a second and think "Is this going to help me not jiggle anymore?"

I know it's tough. I'm the worst about it. I can sit down with a pint of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food ice cream and eat the whole thing in one sitting if I'm stressed. One thing that has helped me is keeping a log with the MyFitnessPal (MFP) app. When you can visually see how your food choices impact your weight loss goals, it makes you much more accountable.


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## Golden Horse

FACT...EVERY SINGLE MATURE WOMAN JIGGLES WHEN SHE TROTS, 

FACT - Every woman will look at her own jiggle as being worse than everyone elses.

FACT unless you are prepubescent you SHOULD have jiggly bits.

We had an awesome discussion about this over a few drinks last night, and came up with the following thoughts...beer will do this to you.

1) Ask for a retrofit boob locking device to be installed, one lever each side when you are going to run (RUN, Oh Plllease) or ride, just lock them down.

2) Tuck one under each armpit and hope no one notices

3) Invest in the best, most supportive bra that you can afford, and get measured properly.

4) Ride in a safety vest.

5) Decide that a woman is meant to jiggle, hold your head high, boobs UP and be proud of what you have been given:wink:


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## DraftyAiresMum

GH, does the safety vest keep the girls from bouncing around? I don't have much of a problem with it because Aires is so ridiculously smooth, but I'm curious.

As for the well-fitting, supportive bra. You're joking, right? They make such a thing?!


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## frlsgirl

Thanks ladies. I'll just keep on jiggeling with everyone else.

Our office recently won a health & safety contest so we are all getting FitBits! So that should help get me motivated.

Also, I only stuff my face with sugary stuff when I'm watching TV. I has half-way done with my carton of ice cream when the satellite dish went out. Maybe it's a sign from above? Out of sheer boredom, I worked out for 20 minutes. I bet if I cut back on TV, I will loose weight.


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## Golden Horse

DraftyAiresMum said:


> GH, does the safety vest keep the girls from bouncing around? I don't have much of a problem with it because Aires is so ridiculously smooth, but I'm curious.





DraftyAiresMum said:


> As for the well-fitting, supportive bra. You're joking, right? They make such a thing?!


IDK, I can't help but hope that if you have sufficient funds someone somewhere has a bra that tames the bounce for real women.

I don't know if they stop all the bounce, but what my vest does is make me THINK that it does. Seriously, I was walking around in my vest the first day I rode in it, and my trainer said "You look seriously uncomfortable in that" we decided that I would get on and ride for a while, get a picture to make the family happy, then maybe ditch the vest again

Well turned out it was life changing for me, as I say either the bounce is less, or I just don't care because I no longer care about the jiggle. Liberating that is teh word my trainer used last weekend, it liberated me.



frlsgirl said:


> Also, I only stuff my face with sugary stuff when I'm watching TV. I has half-way done with my carton of ice cream when the satellite dish went out. Maybe it's a sign from above? Out of sheer boredom, I worked out for 20 minutes. I bet if I cut back on TV, I will loose weight.


OK great start point, less TV more moving less sugary stuff....good luck


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## DraftyAiresMum

Golden Horse said:


> IDK, I can't help but hope that if you have sufficient funds someone somewhere has a bra that tames the bounce for real women.


I was teasing when I said that. :lol: Probably should have added an lol or a laughing smiley to iterate that.

I have the problem of needing a plus size bra (42G/H depending on the bra), but not being able to wear one because of muscling issues from shoulder surgery. So, I am stuffed into a bra about three sizes too small (42DD). It keeps them from bouncing, but it also smooshes them incredibly uncomfortably.

These are what my best friend terms as "real woman problems." :lol:


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## DraftyAiresMum

DraftyAiresMum said:


> One thing that has helped me is keeping a log with the MyFitnessPal (MFP) app. When you can visually see how your food choices impact your weight loss goals, it makes you much more accountable.


Speaking of MyFitnessPal and accountability...ugh. I just logged my food for today. It would appear that the twenty-piece chicken McNuggets my boyfriend brought me for dinner (I only ate 16 of them...does that count?) contained just as many calories as the homemade hamburger with cheddar and pulled pork on asiago bread, corn, and homemade vanilla ice cream I had for lunch. That's kind of scary, to be honest. :shock: 

However, if every day were like today, I would more than likely lose about 11lbs in five weeks. Not bad.


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## frlsgirl

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Speaking of MyFitnessPal and accountability...ugh. I just logged my food for today. It would appear that the twenty-piece chicken McNuggets my boyfriend brought me for dinner (I only ate 16 of them...does that count?) contained just as many calories as the homemade hamburger with cheddar and pulled pork on asiago bread, corn, and homemade vanilla ice cream I had for lunch. That's kind of scary, to be honest. :shock:
> 
> However, if every day were like today, I would more than likely lose about 11lbs in five weeks. Not bad.


Home-made vanilla ice cream? Can that be made with soy milk or does it require real milk/cream? I wonder if I can cut some of the sugar out by making my own ice cream.


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## Golden Horse

Not quite the same, but I make lovely thick milk shakes with soy milk. Cup of soy milk, a banana, and a handful of frozen berries, blitz it well in my Magic Bullet, and depending on how many frozen berries you add you either have a shake, or something more like ice cream, and no added sugar needed. Frozen mango is also good for making a great sweet treat.


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## DraftyAiresMum

I'm sure you could, frlsgrl. I got the recipe from a friend of mine who used to work in a 5-star restaurant. It was the recipe they used. It's really easy, just time-consuming.

Another thing to do, if you have an ice cream maker (got mine at a garage sale for $10 and it had been used twice), you can also make sorbets that are amazing and low sugar (except for the natural sugar already found in the fruit). I saw a recipe on a cooking show that I want to try for tropical watermelon sorbet. Tropical Watermelon Sorbet Recipe : Giada De Laurentiis : Food Network


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## Golden Horse

While we are on watermelon, I had an awesome salad at the weekend, watermelon, with feta, and some green leaf of some sort, with a balsamic vinegar dressing, I bought home left overs of that, rather than the left over Tuxedo Cake, :thumbsup:


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## CowboysDream

DraftyAiresMum said:


> I was teasing when I said that. :lol: Probably should have added an lol or a laughing smiley to iterate that.
> 
> I have the problem of needing a plus size bra (42G/H depending on the bra), but not being able to wear one because of muscling issues from shoulder surgery. So, I am stuffed into a bra about three sizes too small (42DD). It keeps them from bouncing, but it also smooshes them incredibly uncomfortably.
> 
> These are what my best friend terms as "real woman problems." :lol:


Have you tried an Enell Sports bra? I live by these, especially for jogging and riding. 
Enell | Enell Sport | Best Sports Bra | Enell Sports Bra
Enell | Get Fit -> sizing

I think you would be about a size 6. This site said for a G cup add 7 inches to your rib measurement and for H cup add 8. I am not sure how true that is. They are a bit expensive, but I was able to get mine for half the price on Ebay because of a defect (defects like loose thread, colour is off, etc).


Ohhh my watermelon yes! My favourite treat is just frozen watermelon. I cut it all up into cubes, put it in a giant ziplock baggy and put it in the freezer. So good!


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## tinyliny

I want to look like her!


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## frlsgirl

I'm trying to detox from sugar as I always feel so much better once I go sugar-free. But man. Why is this so hard?


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## Golden Horse

Same as trying to kick the grains again, I swear these addictions are worse than coke!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Drifting

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow! I pick Bravo up Tomorrow!

Talked to Titan's owners and they'll pick him up next weekend. He's off on his front left and its probably because he was without a shoe for almost two weeks (Horrible feet, HORRIBLE.) Owner said "Oh yeah that one was the foot with the chronic abscesses the other year". *Twitch* So glad I could get him off her board bill for a month. </sarcasm.>


Tomorrow! Must. Not. Buy. A.Bunch.Of.New.Stuff.I.Don't.Need.


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## frlsgirl

Sounds like Drifting Keepus Selfus Brokus


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## frlsgirl

So last night, DH took me to a really fancy dinner at a really fancy restaurant. Great, the day that I start my diet, he takes me somewhere nice!

I mostly sat there and watched him eat. He ordered salad, ate a big portion of bread; I had cut off half a piece of bread and when he noticed that I wasn't eating it very fast, he asked if he could have that, too!

Then he orders wine and a salad. "No thank you" to both. I had salmon with asparagus and a rice/mushroom mixture. He had the lamb chops.

Next the waiter brings out the desert menu. DH orders this huge blueberry bread pudding dish and ate it right in front of me.

I just sat there and watched. So.not.fair.


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## BarrelracingArabian

Jiggle is normal for eveyone! Im little but I have thigh jiggle when I walk and when I ride my little boobs bounce right along with me haha. Just gotta accept it and own it. Love you ladies for being so strong! I have the opposite problem of forgetting to eat and having everyone around me hound me about if I've eaten today:shock:. I dont try to not eat it just happens.


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## jmike

not enough man-boob in this thread

Mike
5'11"

this is me at around 240 pounds


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## EliRose

Had a pretty solid fall today, first one on Remy! Got that out of the way haha.

He was going pretty well, but was really not paying much attention to me (or anything) at all. Just very lazy, and it was feeding time so Remy was really not into the ride and just wanted his food. The arena has fields surrounding it, and one of the horses, a 23 year old OTTB gelding. The gelding was having a bit of a freak out waiting for his feed, but he'd gone back into his run-in and I had assumed he was going to wait to be fed there. Well he didn't and as Remy and I were trotting by the fence he galloped right up behind us scared the crap out of Remy.
Remy tucked his *** under sideways with his front feet planted, and I got left behind. Landed on my back and right under Remy's feet but bless this horse he very carefully hoped over me and then hid in a corner. My mom went into the ring and he came right over to her, he was just very confused and staring at me until I walked over.

Both of us are totally fine, but my back's going to be a little sore! Honestly a few months ago I could have stuck on, but my legs have gotten quite weak in the last two months of riding so little. Going to be riding at least five days a week from now on so those muscles should develop right back!

Sorry for the novel o.o


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## nikelodeon79

Hi, I'm Nic, and I'm an anorexic.

You know those t shirts? The ones that are supposed to be a joke? The ones that say "recovered anorexic" and are giant sized?

Yeah, that's me.

I weighed 125 when I graduated high school. I'm just over 5'6", but I always say I'm 5'7" because it makes me feel better about my weight. 

By mid semester my freshman year of college, I weighed close to 100 lbs. I didn't own a shirt that covered my navel. For the first time in my life, I had a lot of friends. I attributed it to my size. I was thin and thin = beautiful, right?

When I was 20 I started dating a guy seriously for the first time. In a few years I was a more "normal" size.. around 140.

Gah to be 140 again.

I injured my knee and gained weight. About the time I hit 175 is when my boyfriend started losing interest in me. We had been together for seven years.

We had a long and painful breakup, and I liked to joke that I lost 300 lbs: a 160 lb boyfriend and the rest in weight.

Everyone told me how amazing I looked. I lost more weight.

I was at a counseling appointment when I finally realized I was anorexic. I made the following comment to my therapist, "It's not that I think I'm fat.. I don't think I'm terribly overweight. It's just that my life is spiraling out of control and the one thing I CAN control is my weight."

At that point, I was under 100 lbs. 

My therapist gave me a handout that discussed the "control factor" in anorexia. 

Around that time, I met an amazing man who helped save me from myself. He became my best friend and "eating coach." I remember one of the first times he got me to eat a "meal." I had 1/4 of a sandwich and was in agony because it was too much food for my stomach.

TOO MUCH FOOD! If I ate 1/4 of a sandwich now my body would say "Where the heck is the other 5/4ths of my sandwich!"

When I Nate and I met, I was proud at being able to fit into size 0 pants. When we got engaged, my wedding dress was a size six.

When we got married, I had to have panels put into the sides of my dress because the seamstress couldn't take it out enough.

I still cry thinking about it. Don't get me wrong, I was over the moon happy on my wedding day..

But I felt like a sack of potatoes.

I just weighed in at 207 at the doctor the other day. Now, I realize that's not overly huge, but to an anorexic, it's unbearable. It's the heaviest I've ever been INCLUDING when I was 9 months pregnant.

I don't know how to "diet" or eat right. I know how to eat, or I know how to not eat.

I grew up riding horses. Today I feel such a huge sense of inadequacy because I have to use a mounting block. I can't even get on my own horse. I feel like I am not fit or agile enough to ride safely. I can't find tall boots or breeches that fit right.

I bought a big, stocky house because I thought I needed a big, stocky horse. Ended up being scared to death of that big, stocky ATHLETIC horse.

Now I have a Thoroughbred. Have I lost my mind?










So, here I am. Beginning a journey to be more healthy. To lose weight without cruising that line into anorexia.

Wish me luck
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum

:hug: , Nic!

I hate that our culture elevates and idolizes the size 0 stick-thin models and makes those of us who are not that "ideal" feel like we are inadequate and that there must be something wrong with us for being so large. 

When I was in high school, I weighed a solid 156lbs. I'm 5'7". I wore a size 10. Do you know how much I hated myself and thought I was fat and ugly because I wasn't a size 6 like my friends? I look at pictures of myself back then and think "Wow, I actually looked hot!" But I didn't see it because the ideals we have set for us by society make us feel like if we are not a size 0, we're fat.

When I was married, I weighed 155lbs (this was AFTER I had my son). My ex-husband would ask me on an almost-weekly basis when I was going to go on a diet and lose weight. I weighed ten pounds more than when he met me and was wearing my pre-pregnancy clothes. 

Now, I weigh about 245lbs. This is down from 260lbs six months ago. I don't let people take pics of me. Ever. I don't wear shorts, even though I live in Arizona, and I don't wear tank tops. I have one pair of jeans that fit me and I wear mostly my boyfriend's old t-shirts that are too big for him. I haven't been able to mount my horse without a mounting block...ever. Of course, that's probably because he's close to 17hh. :lol: Even my best friend, who is considerably lighter than I am and is an inch taller with longer legs, can't mount him from the ground.


----------



## Drifting

:hug::hug::hugrafty and Nic :hug::hug::hug:

I agree, it's horrible how culture dictates what people think women should look like. We can't all be the same size and shape, how boring would that be? Like stepford wives or something.

Rode Bravo today. Tried to get him to trot and found out he* GAITS. *We were gating (Pacing?) All around the arena and I was giggling the whole time. Couldn't get him to Canter, gonna work on that on the lunge and voice cues first so we can transition that to under saddle. 

All I know is I tried to trot him, and we were suddenly going fast but I wasn't bouncing. 




















Even got brave enough to take a little walk around the farm










Orange will be his color.  










Gonna get some orange reins and an Orange breast collar.  I already have orange protective boots. I'll probably get a new pad from Diamond Wool too, they have Blaze Orange >.>


----------



## frlsgirl

Hi Nic - I can sort of relate. I'm 5'4 and my weight has ranged from 114 pounds to 152 pounds. As of this morning, I'm an unhappy 130 pounds. I'm only happy when I feel like I'm at my perfect weight which is around 125 pounds. Otherwise, I can barely look in the mirror because all I see is fat. 

I do these drastic diets that no one in their right mind could follow through with and then I'm really mad at myself when I fall off the wagon. I did the no sugar thing for 4 days. Tonight I got in my car, drove to the store, bought a bag of dark chocolate and two containers of almond ice cream. I melted 7 pieces of chocolate and poured it over one container (vanilla flavored, yum). As I was driving to the store, I felt like I was meeting a drug dealer. Sugar is my drug. I love it. It loves me. 

Drifing - Bravo and you look fabulous together!


----------



## Drifting

I have to share this. 

This was my reaction and the BO's reaction to Bravo's gait. Niether one of us are familiar with gated horses so we were like "WTF is he diong?" I was like "I think he's gaiting!" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSsz_utThhY&feature=youtu.be

What gait is that?!


----------



## waresbear

Some sort of short strided trot I think? Was it smooth?


----------



## Drifting

It was SUPER smooth. No bounce or anything. I've ridden some nice jogs, this was nothing like that.


----------



## DraftyAiresMum

That looks like a fox trot, from a MFT, only faster. 






Then there's this pic of a STB supposedly trotting, which is closer to what Bravo is doing, but it doesn't quite look like a trot.


----------



## Drifting

I did some looking around and apparently some Standardbreds can do all sorts of gaits, including a running walk and stuff. No idea! But it was fun. It does kind of look like the flat walk in that video.


----------



## waresbear

Sorry Driftbabe, can't tell what gait it is, only gaited horse I ever rode was one that I had in for training, a Peruvian Paso. Yes crazy smooth, however the most boring horse to ride, even my son and hubby thought so. Easiest horse I have ever trained, bar none.


----------



## DraftyAiresMum

Aires does this super smooth trot that no one can believe. It's so smooth, it's almost like he's gaited. It's super-fast, too. I don't know if it's the Percheron in him, or what.


----------



## tinyliny

the gray looked like he was racking, at least on his return trip, and on concrete!


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## jmike

Drifting said:


> I have to share this.
> 
> This was my reaction and the BO's reaction to Bravo's gait. Niether one of us are familiar with gated horses so we were like "WTF is he diong?" I was like "I think he's gaiting!"
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSsz_utThhY&feature=youtu.be
> 
> What gait is that?!


looks almost like single footing

Friday single-footing 1/2 standardbred 1/2 walkin…:


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## DraftyAiresMum

So excited, guys!!

I got a Wii with Wii Fit, a Balance Board and eight games today for $70!! I love Wii Fit! I started doing it with a friend and her mom on their Wii and it was a blast. I even think I've convinced my mom and boyfriend to do it with me. My boyfriend also wants to start doing yoga with me (yes, my former Marine wants to do yoga! :shock: )!


----------



## jmike

DraftyAiresMum said:


> So excited, guys!!
> 
> I got a Wii with Wii Fit, a Balance Board and eight games today for $70!! I love Wii Fit! I started doing it with a friend and her mom on their Wii and it was a blast. I even think I've convinced my mom and boyfriend to do it with me. My boyfriend also wants to start doing yoga with me (yes, my former Marine wants to do yoga! :shock: )!


that stuff is not easy -- i am ex-Army and i think it is challenging

ever looked into myfitnesspal or loseit?
the most crucial part of any weight loss goal is tracking calories

i also found out the yardwork burns about 300 calories per hours so i did about 6.5 hours of yardwork this weekend to burn about 1950 calories (enough to eat an entire days worth of food and still be on track to lose weight)


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## frlsgirl

jmike said:


> i also found out the yardwork burns about 300 calories per hours so i did about 6.5 hours of yardwork this weekend to burn about 1950 calories (enough to eat an entire days worth of food and still be on track to lose weight)


I think I burned calories just reading this. Does that count as exercise?


----------



## Golden Horse

frlsgirl said:


> I think I burned calories just reading this. Does that count as exercise?


I think so :wink:

I am suffering from hot flashes and night sweats, the amount of heat they generate MUST be burning calories right?


----------



## jmike

frlsgirl said:


> I think I burned calories just reading this. Does that count as exercise?


according to loseit

horseback riding:
walking burns 314 calories per hour
trotting burns 538 calories per hour

of course -- those values are adjusted to my weight at around 235-240 pounds ... if you weigh less, you will burn less


----------



## Drifting

I have done two rides on Bravo so far and love love love him. Haven't managed to get him to canter, when asked he just paces - and paces fast (which is not easy to sit!!)) So we're going to work on that. He has a really great (almost too great) woah. I think from when pulling carts and pacing, instead of just transitioning down to a walk he almost instantly stops. We're working on downshifting instead of just stopping (Whiplash!) 

He likes to look around and enjoys going fast but isn't hot about it. I can't wait to try him on the trails.

Gonna start hill work with him today to build that topline of his. 

Drafty, I have a balance board that has been hiding underneath my bed for years. Maybe I should dig it out and join you!


----------



## frlsgirl

*New weightloss discovery*

You want some serious exercise and look "small/skinny" while doing so?

Ride a giant horse. I rode my friend's 18 hand Hanno yesterday. As you can see from the picture, she makes me look tiny, or do I make her look big? 

It takes soooo much effort to ride her; the suspension in her trot alone feels like it's going to send you into outer space. I was exhausted after 20 minutes of only doing walk and trot. 

I'm going to request to ride her at least once a month just so I can stay in shape.


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## DraftyAiresMum

jmike, I already use myfitnesspal.  I don't just need to lose weight, I need to improve my flexibility. I've never been overly flexible and I'd like to be able to actually touch my toes without bouncing (I've never been flexible enough to do that, even when I was in a good weight).

Drifting, I got batteries last night and plan on starting tomorrow (don't have time before work, today). 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## awolfsong

Hi everyone. I am so glad to see this thread. I am 5'3", 57, and weigh in at about 260. I am caught in a catch 22 right now. I have congestive heart failure, degenerative heart disease (thanks Dad), enlarged heart with weak spots from a severe round of anaplylactic shock and my left ventricle wants to do a different rhythum from the rest of my heart. Heart doctor says get more exercise and quit smoking (been smoking for 43 years). BUT I also have spinal stenosis making walking or being on my feet extremely painful. I cannot get pain pills any more and the steroids which is all they want to use give me about 80% of the side effects with no discernable benefits. 

I am getting back into the horses for two reasons. 1. Low/no impact total body exercise and 2. I am hoping the sweet Arab mare I got will continue understanding I need help being mobile and be my legs for me so we can go camping and hiking again.

It is really good to find a group like this as so many people just cannot understand the different issues a heavy rider faces and its even worse when you are somewhat disabled. I have had people tell me I should get off my poor horse. My horses seem to have no problems with it but since I mostly trail ride at a walk we dont really do much strenuous stuff anyway. LOL, I give out long before my horse does.

At any rate it is good to meet y'all. So, hello from Oklahoma.


----------



## DraftyAiresMum

Awolfsong, welcome!

You should join our yoga "club"! I started doing yoga this week and, although I'm sore, I feel better than I have in YEARS! Totally no impact and, since I'm not as flexible as the people in the videos, I do the poses as best I can (just make sure you're doing the poses correctly).
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## DraftyAiresMum

Started Wii Fit today! I am sooooo out of shape. But, the exciting part is that I have lost--*drumroll please*--22.5lbs since March (when I went to the doctor last)!!!!!!!!!!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## frlsgirl

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Started Wii Fit today! I am sooooo out of shape. But, the exciting part is that I have lost--*drumroll please*--22.5lbs since March (when I went to the doctor last)!!!!!!!!!!!!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


That is fantastic drafty :clap:


----------



## Golden Horse

Great job Drafty


----------



## Red Gate Farm

I'll weigh in as well. I'm 5'2" and 200 lbs.

The last two days we've been hauling and stacking square bales, so THAT was a workout and a half for me! LOL

I haven't ridden Nick for months because I "feel" heavy and awkward. I haven't ridden Chip for three years because I felt too heavy for a three year old. He's six now and probably forgot everything he learned


----------



## jmike

awolfsong said:


> Hi everyone. I am so glad to see this thread. I am 5'3", 57, and weigh in at about 260. I am caught in a catch 22 right now. I have congestive heart failure, degenerative heart disease (thanks Dad), enlarged heart with weak spots from a severe round of anaplylactic shock and my left ventricle wants to do a different rhythum from the rest of my heart. Heart doctor says get more exercise and quit smoking (been smoking for 43 years). BUT I also have spinal stenosis making walking or being on my feet extremely painful. I cannot get pain pills any more and the steroids which is all they want to use give me about 80% of the side effects with no discernable benefits.


i just quit smoking after 20 years -- i have not had a cigarette in 43 days
i have tried patches, gum, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, wellbutrin, and chantix -- none of those worked for me

what did work was a vaporizer with 18mg nicotine and a flavor that tasted like cigarettes -- it is worth looking into -- message me if you want more information

i am now on a fruit flavored e-juice at 12mg nicotine and am slowly steping down



awolfsong said:


> I am getting back into the horses for two reasons. 1. Low/no impact total body exercise and 2. I am hoping the sweet Arab mare I got will continue understanding I need help being mobile and be my legs for me so we can go camping and hiking again.
> 
> It is really good to find a group like this as so many people just cannot understand the different issues a heavy rider faces and its even worse when you are somewhat disabled. I have had people tell me I should get off my poor horse. My horses seem to have no problems with it but since I mostly trail ride at a walk we dont really do much strenuous stuff anyway. LOL, I give out long before my horse does.
> 
> At any rate it is good to meet y'all. So, hello from Oklahoma.


you can also do air squats -- and swimming is a really good calorie burner that is very low impact

and hi -- it is nice to meet you --- message me anytime if you want to chit chat about smoking and exercise or even diet


----------



## jmike

Red Gate Farm said:


> I'll weigh in as well. I'm 5'2" and 200 lbs.
> 
> The last two days we've been hauling and stacking square bales, so THAT was a workout and a half for me! LOL
> 
> I haven't ridden Nick for months because I "feel" heavy and awkward. I haven't ridden Chip for three years because I felt too heavy for a three year old. He's six now and probably forgot everything he learned


that is a solid workout  
i would be proud of myself if i could manage something like that

grats


----------



## MouseZ

frlsgirl said:


> Home-made vanilla ice cream? Can that be made with soy milk or does it require real milk/cream? I wonder if I can cut some of the sugar out by making my own ice cream.


I haven't introduced myself yet as I need some pictures first but I creep this forum so I'll chime in on healthy ice cream alternatives.
Freeze a banana (or two or three haha), mash it with cocoa powder to taste. Eat. DELICIOUS waistline friendly chocolate "ice cream" ^_^ and it actually tastes good too. Haha


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## Golden Horse

Note to others, when freezing banana for shakes or puddings, peel it first! Freezing with peel on is a silly idea, ask me how I know
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## waresbear

Thanks GH, I just froze a few for making some recipes when I have time. They have the peels on dang it! Awesome all you gals & a guy too losing weight and getting active, best gift you can give yourself! And keep on riding your horses!!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse

Lol I have also just found the correct way to peel a banana, I can't believe I have been doing it wrong all these years

The Most Efficient way to Peel a Banana - YouTube

Why have I always peeled from the stalk end?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Ripton

*I've been 'spying' on this site too*

I love this forum. I am 46 and have ridden since I was 8. After 10 years off and 50 pounds more, I'm riding again. I was so intimidated (still am sometimes) when I shopped for riding pants and half chaps! But, I found a whole world of plus sized women who are getting out there and riding with the smaller people. Back in the day, there were no clothes that would fit me now. I was an unhealthy 5'7" person who weighed 100 pounds avg until my 20s. My 30s were my 130 - 145 times. After clinical depression and years have gone by I'm at 210lbs. I am working hard to regain my balance and my confidence-it's a day to day thing. Growing up thin taught me that weight has nothing to do with happiness. I am working to be healthier and will continue to enjoy my horse and be around people who are accepting and supportive-I've always done that. Thank you and sorry for writing a novel. :wave:


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## Golden Horse

Hi Ripton, :wave: glad you came and joined us, and that is so not a novel, we are a wordy bunch, so type away.

You are talking about regaining balance, is that in your life, your mind or actual, physical balance? If it is the latter I totally reccommend buying one of the blow up gym balls, and spend your evenings say on that. I do all sorts of exercises on mine, it's helping with balance, but also fitness, and now I'm turning from passenger to actual rider, I'm doing a lot of core strength stuff with it as well.


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## DraftyAiresMum

Hi, Ripton!

Good for you for getting back out there!

For physical balance, I'm loving my Wii Fit! So many balance exercises and the yoga is great, too.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ripton

Those are both great ideas. This encouragement helps more than you can imagine. I've always wanted a Wii! I have yoga videos but ignore them. I think I'll sign up for a class...


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## Ripton

Oh! And that balance is in everything in my life. But right now physical balance is what will help keep me on my sweet horse. :lol:


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## DraftyAiresMum

Look on Craiglist for a Wii. I found mine with the Wii Fit and balance board, and nine games for $70 and it's like brand new.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Drifting

Bravo and I just dropping in to say Hi


It was a selfie day.


----------



## Ripton

*My first day meeting Darcy*








I'm wearing all black and hiding behind my big horse. Next pic will be full shot of me riding!


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## Ripton

*New Chapter*

Well, I've been trying to make it work with Darcy for almost one month. Using a trainer occasionally and taking basic schooling lessons on school horses to get my 'groove' back in this new body of mine. I am taking him to a barn 15 minutes from home to stay with a trainer who will work to get him off his forehand and going along more consistently. I have to say he scared me the first couple of weeks I had him. He had lots of energy, some buck and resistance, and he is a big boy. I rode western for most of the time to give me more security in the saddle I was afraid being so out of shape I might come off - I didn't. Yay, but it spooked me. I bought him to be a 'pleasure' hunter and trail horse, but am afraid he is too much horse for me at this time. Sooo, since I LOVE his goofy and loving personality and willingness to please, I'm trying at least a 60 day concentrated training trial. This weekend we are taking him to a chiropractor to treat/rule out any issues first. Please be thinking of us! I want this to work out. In the mean time I'll be lessoning on a school horse at this same barn. Fingers crossed.:-(


----------



## Drifting

Over the weekend I took Bravo out across the street on our first trail ride. We went with another friend of ours so we wouldn't be alone. It did not go as well as I would have liked. He was hot, didn't want to stand quietly, and when given the opportunity wanted to do nothing more than to back up into the other hose and kick her. I think next time I'll take him out by himself since he didn't seem to want the company, and do some training with him.











He may have wanted to go, but he didn't break from a walk so that's something. He just wanted to walk much faster then the other horse (who plods, very slowly).












Couple things I need to work on with him first though is trotting. He doesn't really get trotting, he wants to pace. And if we're doing circles, forget doing any kind of speed. So my game plan is to lunge him a few times over ground poles and see if I can get him to break gate. We'll hold off on cantering for a little while. I've seen him canter in the field so I know he'll do it, but its a rare sight. 

He's been pacing at the racetrack or on the roads with the amish for the past 10 years, so I can't really blame him. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to break the habit. 

Ignore his feet. He was overdue when I got him, farrier comes next week and I can't wait to trim him up.


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## DraftyAiresMum

Orange looks awesome on him, Drifting!

Sorry things didn't go as planned. :-/ Aires is a plodder. Unless we're going home...or we're out on an open plain...then he even leaves the tall, long-legged Arabs in the dust (my friend has a 16hh endurance-bred Arab gelding and he was trotting to keep up :lol: ).
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse

Sounds like a mixture of good and bad Drifting 

Mmm, following this










I tried on these










decisions, decicions


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## DraftyAiresMum

OMG!! GH, you look so adorable!! Not even kidding!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse

Awwwww


----------



## Golden Horse

Ok my plus size friends, have you seen this thread http://www.horseforum.com/horse-talk/new-mare-460706/#post5967274 gives me a huge dilemma.

A new poster who we know nothing about have not seen pics of her, or the boyfriend or the horses they were riding, but it seems universally people are saying that she is too heavy and that is why her horse went down. Now that MAY be the case, but equally it may not be.

This post 



> Originally Posted by *Mjakagoodnews*
> _He's about 270-280,he was on my big paint, he's close to 16hh and about 1200lbs
> Posted via Mobile Device_
> 
> 
> 
> I know you want nothing but good for these horses, but even the big guy is too big for the paint I think. 20% of 1200 is 240 and adding his normal weight plus saddle is too much unless the horse is very well conditioned.
> 
> I think it's a good idea to condition these horses until they're better suited for riders of a bigger size.
> 
> I'm really happy that you're showing concern, though! New riders can always find help here and we're always happy to show you the ropes!
> 
> Best of luck~
Click to expand...

cuts right to the heart of it, because that is right where my weight currently is, and Gibbs is certainly no bigger than the paint mentioned here.

Is there one rule for established members and another for new people?

Just interested in others thoughts.


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## DraftyAiresMum

I don't think there's a duality there.

I think the problem is that most people on this forum HAVE seen pics of us on our horses and we all look fairly proportionate on them.

Without seeing a picture of the person and horse in question, it's unfair to make any judgements against them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## tinyliny

did you steal Z?

this horse looks a lot like Z. needs a three step mounting block, not your usual 2 stepper.


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## Golden Horse

tinyliny said:


> did you steal Z?
> 
> this horse looks a lot like Z. needs a three step mounting block, not your usual 2 stepper.
> 
> 
> He is a 3 stepper for sure, Covert Affairs, also known as Troy, sweet sweet guy
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Drifting

I have come to the conclusion that Bravo and I aren't going to be a good match. He will not trot under saddle and I don't have the knowledge (or the patience) to teach him. I am also afraid that he won't be able to consistently do the w/t/c gaits as opposed to pacing. It is a very rare day you see him doing anything but pace in the field, and I figure he's had about 10 years of being on a cart so its pretty ingrained. 

I informed the lady I am leasing him from since it was suppose to be a trial. She just took in 4 mares from New Holland, so I offered to foster him until he found a new home or she rehomed some of her mares and made room for him. Her place is only about 3 acres, one pasture and run in. I don't want to cause her stress having to take him back. 

I feel bad, but at the same time I told her I wasn't looking for something that needed a lot of training. I have a 2 year old for that. I'd rather she know and he can go back to her instead of me getting progressively frustrated with him. If i I foster, I'll continue to work with him and take him out on the trail again. This will keep me from going out and looking for yet another horse just yet, which is something I really don't need to do since I have Stryder to put through training in the spring. Lets hope he gets some size to him, cause 14.3 and scrawny is not going to cut it for my big butt.


----------



## EquineBovine

Can I join? I've just read through the whole thread and love the updates!
I'm 25 years old and have always struggled with weight. I'm currently sitting on about 240lbs which is just doing my head in. 
My horse is a 15.3hh cross bred mare who I've had for about 7 years now. She is just perfect although I'm scared I'm getting way to big for her as she has thrown more to the TB side.
I am currently riding her at least four times a week and I have lost 10lbs in the past few months. Our current problem is finding a saddle that fits both her and me. The saddle we have at the moment keeps slipping back even after a gullet change and padding adding. 
So our challenge this month is getting a saddle fitting! Wish us luck! She has a horribly high wither so this is going to be fun!

I have no recent photos of me riding because I am so ashamed. I look like an Easter egg with a couple more Easter eggs shoved down my shirt. I'll see if my friend can take some next time I go riding.

Here's Freya anyway, laughing at my misfortune...we have a strange relationship that horse and I.


----------



## budley95

Please can I join in? Im new to the forum. I'm 5'7 and in April was 189ibs I've got down to 166ibs now but still have a bit to go to get down to the 150ib my doctors told me to get down to! And I seem to be stuck now and not losing anymore! I'm walking for 45 minutes a day, riding for an hour, doing 100 sit ups, 20 dipped side planks to each side, 100 squats and then a 45 second plank. A few times a week I'll also do a mossa grove workout (although I still find them REALLY hard! Every other week I'll have a lesson of half hour flatwork and half hour jumping. Bud is a 16.3hh IDx 15 year old gelding and he's of a hunter build. How do I post a picture on here?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## CowboysDream

budley95 said:


> Please can I join in? Im new to the forum. I'm 5'7 and in April was 189ibs I've got down to 166ibs now but still have a bit to go to get down to the 150ib my doctors told me to get down to! And I seem to be stuck now and not losing anymore! I'm walking for 45 minutes a day, riding for an hour, doing 100 sit ups, 20 dipped side planks to each side, 100 squats and then a 45 second plank. A few times a week I'll also do a mossa grove workout (although I still find them REALLY hard! Every other week I'll have a lesson of half hour flatwork and half hour jumping. Bud is a 16.3hh IDx 15 year old gelding and he's of a hunter build. How do I post a picture on here?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


You can use a site like Photobucket.com to upload your picture, then they provide you a link which you put inbetween tags. 

Wow that is a lot to do a day! How is your diet? Losing weight is 80% about diet in my opinion.


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## budley95

CowboysDream said:


> You can use a site like Photobucket.com to upload your picture, then they provide you a link which you put inbetween tags.
> 
> Wow that is a lot to do a day! How is your diet? Losing weight is 80% about diet in my opinion.[/quote]
> 
> I have either cereal or a yoghurt for breakfast, chicken salad for lunch, piece of fruit mid afternoon or some nuts, and then either grilled chicken with mixed veg and noodles, baked potatoe and salad, quich and salad, fish rice and roasted mixed veg or stuffed peppers for tea. It's getting rather boring!
> 
> It doesn't seem a lot of exercise when I do it as I do the resistancey type stuff of a morning in kind of a circuit type hing so break each group of stuff up and 1 set of muscles gets a break wy the others are working, and it takes me 30 minutes before breakfast, I walk in my lunch hour at work around the park, and ride of an evening so it's all broken up. Most recent pictue I can find of me (excuse the quality my mum was laughing her head off at Bud having an inhaler when she came to see him and took it!) [URL=http://s1342.photobucket.com/user/budley95/media/budinhaler_zpsb3d2acfe.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1342.photobucket.com/albums/o774/budley95/budinhaler_zpsb3d2acfe.jpg[/URL]
> Only recentish picture I have of me riding him (this was back in May)
> and the only one I can find on my works computer of us jumping!
> 
> 
> Hoping that's worked?


----------



## tinyliny

Your doctor needs a reality check. You aren't overweight where you are, and you're probably in better trim than he or she is!


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## budley95

Thank you but because of health problems and hereditary family problems, to my doctor I'm still 16ibs over, but I don't have any pictures of me before the 23ibs I've lost already! And my doctor says I'm plus size every time I see her. But she is tiny and does marathons and things so it really doesn't help!


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## Golden Horse

Budley you look great, congrats on your losses so far, I can kind of understand that if there are family health concerns your Dr may want you to lose some more, but you are so not plus size in those pics..You are welcome to the club though, everyone who understands the battle is welcome:wink:

Reading your exercise routine makes me feel worn out, let alone doing it, but I know I am going to have to up the anti, somehow I managed to gain 7 pounds in 6 days on vacation, I wouldn't mind but it isn't like I went hog wild like the days of old...*SIGH* I then was confident that 2 or 3 pounds would just fall away, as they usually do when I cut wheat products out of my diet, not this time:twisted: Been back a week, eating properly and not an ounce seems to have gone, so frustrating. I am going to have to find something more organized that I can actually stick to.....

Oh new pic of me and TAMG, I kind of like it


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## EquineBovine

Drifting said:


> I have come to the conclusion that Bravo and I aren't going to be a good match. He will not trot under saddle and I don't have the knowledge (or the patience) to teach him. I am also afraid that he won't be able to consistently do the w/t/c gaits as opposed to pacing. It is a very rare day you see him doing anything but pace in the field, and I figure he's had about 10 years of being on a cart so its pretty ingrained.
> 
> I informed the lady I am leasing him from since it was suppose to be a trial. She just took in 4 mares from New Holland, so I offered to foster him until he found a new home or she rehomed some of her mares and made room for him. Her place is only about 3 acres, one pasture and run in. I don't want to cause her stress having to take him back.
> 
> I feel bad, but at the same time I told her I wasn't looking for something that needed a lot of training. I have a 2 year old for that. I'd rather she know and he can go back to her instead of me getting progressively frustrated with him. If i I foster, I'll continue to work with him and take him out on the trail again. This will keep me from going out and looking for yet another horse just yet, which is something I really don't need to do since I have Stryder to put through training in the spring. Lets hope he gets some size to him, cause 14.3 and scrawny is not going to cut it for my big butt.


You're so nice. 
Hope you find your perfect match soon


----------



## Drifting

EquineBovine said:


> You're so nice.
> Hope you find your perfect match soon


Oh I have news on that front. Crazy news. I was talking to my Barn Owner about Bravo and when we were taking him back, and about my 2 year old and what I was looking for in a horse and money I needed to save for the spring in case I was going to buy then. 

At that moment she got a text from a breeder friend who was asking if she'd take a mare in. It's one of his old stallion's daughters and the owners are older, one is in the hospital and they're looking to give her away.

She couldn't take in another mare just then because she's hauling in a weanling (from that breeder friend) next week, but thought I might be interested. This mare has had some training when younger under saddle but has been sitting. 

She has old school appaloosa/Qh lines. I don't have her registered name yet. I only have one picture. I am not paying for the horse, only the 275 to haul her from Ohio to Maryland. She'll hitch a ride with that weanling. 

Pretty much the only thing I know is:


She's 10
She's 16h+/ Sound/ UPD on Shots
She's big bodied (or at least looks it from the ONE picture I got)
Sire is The Gunslinger Appaloosa
She's registered as a dun (but I don't think she looks it.)
The owners have had this maternal breeding line for a long time, and its the last horse they've been holding onto, and their favorite.
 My deal with my barn owner is the mare is mine, but she won't charge me Sept board. If I don't like her or don't think she'll suit my needs, then the Barn Owner will take her. And if she's a colossal PITA, we'll sell her.

Her current barn name is Cocoa - which I don't like and am currently running through a list of names. (Lark, Lyric, and Luna are my short list) We'll see how her behavior is. See if we can get her back riding, and go from there. Apparently she's a pretty mover. 

So yeah, here is my next gamble.










She gets here Wednesday morning. The above picture is from last year, and she's on a slight slope by the look. . I am going to the dark side - MARES. This is what happens when you board at a breeding farm.


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## Golden Horse

Lol you either have sucker written on your head, or you are going to get a great deal! Can't wait to find out which
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Drifting

Golden Horse said:


> Lol you either have sucker written on your head, or you are going to get a great deal! Can't wait to find out which
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I'm hoping for the great deal! Supposedly she is very sweet. I wish I knew her registered name, or at least her Dam's name so I could look up those lines. 

I've been playing Russian Roulette with horses lately.

Maybe I should name her Roulette. Rou for short. I like that. :-o


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## tinyliny

KoKo might work better.

I like her, though she's a bit tubby at the moment. I can't wait to hear how it goes. Best of luck!


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## CowboysDream

Budley, You and your horse look fabulous and I definitely wouldn't consider you plus sized. If you are plus sized I would hate to think what I am LOL. Your diet sounds quite good there and hey if you can handle that much activity in one day go for it haha. Its not so bad when its spread out in the day and some people are just active, which you miss thang are active haha.

Drifting: Omg Lyric is such a cute name for a horse, I never thought of that. And I also like Roulette


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## EquineBovine

Now now Drifting, MARES ROCK! 
She looks lovely! Good luck!


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## stevenson

that is a pretty mare. 
a faster way to drop some pounds is no rice, bread, or potato . Boring..
3/4 of your plate should be veggies and fruit. 
saying that... I blew it today. I ate some potato chips, and a candy bar... three weeks down the tubes.


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## Golden Horse

stevenson said:


> I blew it today. I ate some potato chips, and a candy bar... three weeks down the tubes.


Stop that sort of thinking right now, some potato chips and a candy bar, unless it was a mega bar probably not more than 750 calories, it would add a few ounces, not 3 weeks of work. 

You had a bad day, you slipped up, don't beat yourself up, just move on maybe think why you ate them.

In 'real' peoples world they don't worry about a candy bar and some chips in 3 weeks, they probably enjoy the treat, then go about the healthy way of eating.


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## stevenson

I am not beating myself up . I know my metabolism .. its put in 100 cals and keep 99 .. 
and never ever let it go.. lol.. I have an extremely hard time losing weight. I either really watched what I at 1000 cal or less a day ( and that was to stay at around 130lbs) plus exercise.
Now that i am on that downhill slide age wise, the fat cells have parties and invite a lot of them to join them.. lol


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## waresbear

Stevenson, do not have that attitude, ever! Go for a brisk walk as your punishment for such thoughts! Git going right now young lady!


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## stevenson

brisk walk.. now you are being funny, walk yes, brisk no.. more like hobble


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## Drifting

Just a few more days till the Mystery mare arrives. They're being picked up from Ohio Tuesday evening and will be in MD Wednesday morning.

We're more excited to see what she looks like then the weanling that's coming with her (not her weanling, my BO purchased a weanling and she's coming on the same trailer trip.) 

I've decided on the name Luna. I still have no idea what her registered name is, someone said something that sounded like "Cocoa Starr Dun" over the phone but it's not coming up in the ApHC database, so we'll see when I have papers in hand.


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## Drifting

I just found out the picture I posted of that mare is from when she was 3. 7 YEARS ago. She could have totally roaned out, so we don't even know what color she'll be. Haha. The Mystery continues! 

But on sad news, I did learn the woman who owns her is putting down 2 seniors tomorrow then loading up Luna to send her to me. So it'll be sad for her  She's going totally on the recommendation of the breeder-friend of ours that we're a good home.


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## becky61

Hi,my name is Becky,I had to read all posts couldn't remember if I had posted on it or not. I grew up riding,but couldn't do so for awhile due to marriage,child,jobs,etc. I weigh 210 now,and know I need to lose some weight. I have had a OTTB that I dearly loved,he passed away several years ago and I now have TW gelding. I have to use mounting block,picnic table anything I can climb on to get on him. I can get on smaller horses from ground(had several of them before I got TW). It's great to see that we may all sharea common problem but are willing to keep riding. I enjoyed seeing all of you and your horses. One day I will try to put pic on.


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## Drifting

Hi Becky, welcome!

So the mystery is solved (Mostly, minus finding out her training).

A few things

1) She's about 15.2 not over 16h as mentioned. That's OK
2) I still have no idea what color she is. She's registered as a dun but she doesn't really have the markings BUT the LP gene can do funky things. I'm going with liver chestnut. 

Her registered name is Cocoa Gun Starr Appaloosa

She is very friendly but is going to need a refresher. She was lightly started as a 6 year old and really hasn't been messed with since. Her feet are in good shape though and she's UPD on shots so at least she was maintained. She had HORRIBLE dreadlocks in her mane that took me awhile to comb out. 

This is her first time off the farm so she's nervous, but settling in. A stall walker - I don't think she wants to be inside. I don't want her inside but at the moment she's on QT and her field doesn't have shelter from the sun. So she's inside during the day.

Anyways, PICTURES. She does not stand well for pictures, keeps moving.






























She has a pretty feminine head. 












Gonna take some better pictures with a better camera later. Also gonna let her loose in one of the rings so she can stretch her legs before she gets turned out in the small roundpen for the night. She's also in heat (Ugh mares. )

Plan is to start some ground work in a couple days when she settles down more, and start seeing what she knows. Put some muscle on her, 5 panel test her (She will be N/N for HyPP since no impressive but want to check for PSSM and the others.)

The very cute halter and lead I bought for her.


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## Golden Horse

She is pretty, have you started a thread for her?


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## Drifting

Not yet. Gonna get some good pictures of her first. And nap lol she got here at 230am. Hauler called at 130 and I got home at 330am.then back to the barn at 8 Need sleeeep
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ArabLuver

Hello there! I am new to this forum, but am so glad I found it!

I am a Mom to two kiddos... A four year old and a one year old. These two little ones are my world! I had to give up riding when I fell pregnant with my son (four year old), and haven't ridden since.

Now that my fiance and I are in a pretty good place in our lives, I am on a horse hunt! It's so exciting to know that I'll be getting back into owning my own horse, especially since I started riding at 6 years old, and I'm 22 now!

Ever since I had my daughter, I've been plus-sized. I am 5'8" and weigh 202lbs. I am currently trying to lose weight, it's just been going slowly! I am worried about how my weight might affect my riding now... It makes me so nervous!

Anyway, my name is Emily and can't wait to get to know everyone.


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## Golden Horse

Hi Emily, relax, at 5' 8" and around 200 pounds, you will find plenty of suitable mounts, and your weight should not impact your riding. Your fitness might, so maybe start doing some exercises first, although nothing can make your muscles ache like your first lesson back in the saddle!

Oh and slow weight loss is GOOD weight loss, keep at it


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## ArabLuver

Thanks so much Golden! I am currently looking at a 14h Arabian mare who is stout and slightly on the chunky side. I am so ready to get back into riding!


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## DraftyAiresMum

She's cute, Drifting. Definitely not chestnut. She's black-based with some form of agouti. She looks maybe brown or brownskin in those pics. She could even be brown dun. If she was chestnut, the ring of her coronet would be lighter than her legs, not black like it is.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Drifting

DraftyAiresMum said:


> She's cute, Drifting. Definitely not chestnut. She's black-based with some form of agouti. She looks maybe brown or brownskin in those pics. She could even be brown dun. If she was chestnut, the ring of her coronet would be lighter than her legs, not black like it is.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_



I'm trying to find out her dam's color. Her Sire was brown (or bay, not sure which since he varnished out). She's registered as a dun but there's no dorsal and her legs look more of a faded color then zebra striped. I thought she looked maybe smokey brown but I have no idea without knowing her Dam's coloration. I'll probably end up testing her to find out. 

And Hi Emily! Welcome


----------



## Golden Horse

ArabLuver said:


> Thanks so much Golden! I am currently looking at a 14h Arabian mare who is stout and slightly on the chunky side. I am so ready to get back into riding!


Good choice, I love a chunky Arab, as long as it is good chunk and not fat!


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## EquineBovine

Eeeee love the white splodge on her snozz drifting!


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## Drifting

She's the sweetest thing ever. Definitely a people horse. She comes running when she sees me at the gate. Haven't worked too much with her yet, a few days of ground work but then it got to 90 degrees this week and we stopped. Will pick up when the humidity breaks in a few days. Got a friend coming to ride her Monday morning to see what kind of saddle training she remembers.

I just want to kiss her nose.


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## Drifting

LOOK AT WHAT I DID TODAY. Our first ride.












She did *so good.* Nothing like getting up on a horse that you don't know much about. She hasn't been ridden in who knows how long and was only green green broke. She did WONDERFUL today. We walked and even did a few strides at a trot. Very green, but we'll get there. Can't wait till she gets her feet done tomorrow.


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## ArabLuver

She looks good! Glad to hear she is doing so well! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Perchance5

Hi everyone!  I have been following all the posts here for a while, and thought I should finally contribute. I love seeing all your photos.. Makes me feel less like I'm alone being my size in the horse world.

I'm new here.. ANd very very much so a fatty. Hurts to admit.. Was going so well with getting rid of some weight at the start of this year.. But anyways, not pics of me yet but this is my boy. I hope he can carry me..? I know I will worry regardless until I get down about 50lbs less. 




Edit: I decided to ad a pic of me from the day this lovely boy arrived.. Only because you can barely see me. I'm probably 5 ft 8 or so? And he's 18.2hh.. or there abouts.


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## Perchance5

And another picture! He had to be hot shod today, handled it sooo well. ANd I loved seeing a clydie be shod the old style way.. Was great.


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## Golden Horse

Welcome perch and WOWzers on your big guy, he is quite the hunk, now to go back and check out the pic wjth you in, which I rudely skimmed over because I was admiring your boy.

ETA, from what I can see you are going to be fine riding him, go for it, enjoy!


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## Perchance5

Thanks Golden  I got him sight unseen and aside from some hoof issues he is a dream, really. To be fair I'm barely in the photo haha but still, its a start to maybe eventually posting actual riding pics 


I hope sooo  I really want to be getting slimmer as I go.. Like just trail riding for now, and then jumping when I'm a little less of a burden on his back. That would be perfect, anyways


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## Golden Horse

That sounds like a great plan, ride lots that will get you fitter, both of you will be fitter, and that is as important as slimmer when it comes to jumping. The more athletic effort you ask of your horse, the fitter both of you should be.


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## Drifting

Luna is looking darker with her fall coat coming in. Definitely a member of the B.A.B club. 
It's been 15 days since I got her. Too hot to do anything last week and this week she's had hives/rain rot that's finally going away. So tomorrow if the rain rot is gone we'll ride!
Ignore the 'quiet-ride' fly mask on her, she cut her face and Stryder ate all my regular fly masks. :-/















She wanted to say hello and have her picture taken!!


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## AnitaAnne

Hi all, I was looking for the over 40 thread and found this one, so I just finished reading thru all the posts.

So, I think I was born loving horses, started riding at 10, got my first pony at 11. Went thru a stretch without horses from 19 to 27 while I was in school, got married, and had a couple of kids. 

Since then I have not been without a horse. I was skinny my whole life and never paid any attention to food. Ate when I was hungry, didn't when I wasn't. I'm 5'7" with long legs and was wearing sz. small tops & sz. 6 bottoms. 

Until I turned 40 and developed Asthma. Suddenly, I started putting on weight, and my pant size crept up to the double digits, then topped out at a sz. 12. I was 145-155 lbs, and although not exactly happy about it, I thought I could drop the weight if I really tried. 

Then i lost my job, and returned to school for a new career. The weight was now in the 150-160 range, still tolerable. 

So, i graduate and begin my second career, nursing, but now for the first time ever, I work at night. And the weight keeps creeping up. I have averaged a 2-3lb a month weight gain, and I can't seem to stop the rise. I run my a** off at work, and rarely get any break putting in 12-14 hrs a night. 

So, I go on a ride this past weekend, and a friend takes a picture of me...and I am HUGE. Dang it. I really didn't know 

So here are two pictures; the first was 2.5 yrs ago, before I started working nights, and the second was this past weekend. 

I need help...


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## nikelodeon79

Welcome! Wow, except for a couple of details, it could have been me writing your post! 

I know what you're saying about pictures. I don't feel all that fat until I see photos of myself.  

I think you look great in both photos, though!


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## Golden Horse

AnitaAnne said:


> So, i graduate and begin my second career, nursing, but now for the first time ever, I work at night. And the weight keeps creeping up. I have averaged a 2-3lb a month weight gain, and I can't seem to stop the rise. I run my a** off at work, and rarely get any break putting in 12-14 hrs a night.


There is your problem right there, working nights messes with your metabolism, and not getting any breaks really really doesn't help. When I worked nights I ended up eating twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, and it really slows the way your body burns the fuel. I know how hard it is, but try and eat little and often, and get some rest periods in.

Ok, yes I can see the difference between the two pics, but you still look great, so don't panic, but start making little changes that will make a difference over time.


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## AnitaAnne

Thanks for the welcome and the advice N79 and GH. Personally I think I look like a pumpkin :-( No more orange tops for me, even if it did match his bridle. 

I am supposed to see relatives that I haven't seen in years in only two weeks. They thought I was fat at 140 lbs, I am really worried about seeing them now, have thought several times about telling them I can't come & blaming work. 

Perch: your boy is beautiful! But so big! I rode a full Percheron gelding one time, he was 17.3h and boy was that weird to ride him! His neck was so long, I could barely see his head! :lol: I figured if he wanted to put his head down and eat some grass, there probably wasn't a darn thing I could do about it. 

Drift: love the picture of you and Luna, too cute!


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## DraftyAiresMum

Well, I think I've finally got a handle on my medical issues. Still no idea what caused my sudden weight gain a couple of years ago, but at least now I know why I haven't been able to lose the weight. I'm prediabetic, so the doctor put me on Metformin and I go back next month to see if the dosing is correct.

Now if I can just get a handle on the stress in my life, I might be able to lose some weight.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse

I really hope that you have a way forward now Drafty


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## Drifting

Ok. I can't stop talking about this.

My 2.5 year old has been chosen for a 3 day colt starting clinic. Mostly it's 'practice' for the trainer, who is going to participate in a colt starting challenge in TN. My Barn owner is sending one of her 4 year old unstarted mares too. 

I wish he was a little older, but I figure he'll be started - we may ride him a few weeks and then put him away for the winter and in the spring go back for 30 days of a refresher as a 3 year old.

This is the trainer
Advantage Horsemanship

I found out today he could go, and they have to be there *MONDAY*.

Wednesday is the last day, and we can go watch them be ridden through an obstacle course. 

He needed something else to do besides run up my vet bills. I wish I could send Luna, but they wanted something unstarted. Its hard to turn away free training.

Guess I should take out those stitches this weekend.


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## Yissy

Hi there! My name is Elisabeth, I'm 42 and I have NO experience in horses, was raised a Navy Brat and lived in the city most of my life.

I have a sedentary job unfortunately, which adds to my weight as well as the depression medication that I take. My daughter is 20, she bought her horse Rocky (She's in University for Equine Management) and I fell in love!! Shortly after I bought Shiloh my Clydesdale.

So, here I am never having been around horses, in my 40's...2 kids out of the house and two kids still at home and I buy a horse with no experience riding or owning!!! Must be out of my mind when I read that!!! AND I buy a Clydesdale!!!???

I feel like I've won the lottery! Shiloh is the most amazing animal I've ever owner, her patience with me while I learn is never ending. I keep telling her "we'll figure this out together Shiloh". She just looks at me with those huge brown eyes and I melt! 

So, I've had her for a year in May and I can walk, trot and take her on trail rides, but now I'm attempting to canter......:shock:

Here are a couple of pictures!!


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## AnitaAnne

Welcome Yissy! You look great and Shiloh is so cute! You too look fabulous together.


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## anndankev

Yissy,
What kind of saddle do you have, looks to fit both of you well.


----------



## Drifting

Welcome Yissy! Shiloh is so pretty


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## Golden Horse

Hi Yissy and welcome, what a great horse you have there!


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## Luvs Horses

Shiloh is pretty.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny

Yissy,

those draft horses, and draft crosses, will melt your heart! your position looks good and you have the most elusive thing; a real smile!


----------



## DraftyAiresMum

Welcome, Yissy! Shiloh is adorable and you look so happy!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Yissy

AnitaAnne - I love her dearly! She's such a good girl, she makes it easy.

anndankev - I have a Supra Synthetic. I had a lady come out as I had an Australian saddle and the Western and she said the Australian was too big and the Western was perfect. I just had to buy a better pad with wither relief, she has really high withers.

Drifting - thank you!!! I don't think I've seen an ugly horse yet!

Golden Horse - thank you!!! I really won the lottery when I bought her.

Luvs Horses - thank you!!

tinyliny - I appreciate the comment about the position. I have ZERO experience. Please feel free to provide constructive criticism. My next move...tomorrow actually is to being cantering!!!

DraftyAiresMum - i'm extremely happy with her. she is so patient with my fumbling around!!


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## Golden Horse

Oh do report back when you have tried her canter! I rode a big Clyde x TB a little while back, I thought he was going to have a huge canter, I grabbed a handful of mane the first time I asked, but it was the sweetest, most comfortable canter out, I couldn't stop smiling
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Rideabighorse

The whole key to not looking fat on your horse is just get a really big horse. I weigh around 260-270, but nobody even notices me because my horse is about 17 hh and 2000 lbs. I guarantee that anybody's butt will look smaller on him. Not that I need it because I don't have a big butt, I am just big all over. I'm 6'6" and my horse and I match pretty well. On one of my 15 hh paints I feel like I'm riding a dog.


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## Yissy

Golden Horse - No canter today. :-( I had a friend come out today (very much my mentor and teacher) who used to ride my daughters horse before she took him with her to University. My friend got permission from my BO to ride a horse at the barn that isn't really getting enough time from his owner. So we introduced them in the arena in hopes they'll be good trail buddies!! They did really well together and just need to get used to riding with each other more. 

So, no cantering, but it was a good horse day!!


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## EquineBovine

*Photos hate me.*

Ooo loving the clydies!
I finaly have a photo I sort of like. It was raining so the quality is crappy...probs a good thing lol I'm on the bright bay looking away.









I look like a grumpy sod in this one but meh 









Notice how they're all head on? Yeah, that's to trick you all into thinking I'm not huge :wink:
I have a little show day tomorrow so hopefully will get some then


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## EquineBovine

Ok, I don't know what is wrong but I can not put photos up here! Gah!
Are they showing for anyone?!


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## EquineBovine

Last time, then I give up.


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## Yissy

Not seeing the photos...sorry!


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## EquineBovine

Why computer? Whhhyyyy?!?!


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## DraftyAiresMum

I'm on my phone and I can see the pics.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## EquineBovine

Well...that's weird...


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## gingerscout

they are not showing for me


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## Luvs Horses

EquineBovine,
I can see the pics when I click on the red x. Nice photos and I love the hilly background.


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## Golden Horse

I can see pics as well EB, and very nice every one looks

Yissy, sounds like a great day, and I WANT that grey, *swoons* i have a thing for greys, since Gibbs turned out so well:lol:


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## gingerscout

honestly I don't know if I ever said hi here.. I may have a couple of years ago if this thread existed, I don't have any pics of me riding though, funny when I went to type this reply, when I scroll down I can see the pics


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## EquineBovine

Oh well, it must just be my laptop playing silly ******s then!


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## AnitaAnne

EB: You both look great! I clicked on the X too and saw them, sometimes it just takes a bit to load them.

*must remember to stick to front shots*


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## EquineBovine

Well I'm glad some can see haha 
This is my fave shot of me and Freya though 
Hope it works...


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## Yissy

Golden Horse - his name is Rizzo. He has such beautiful markings, but I like my gentle giant! He's a bit too spirited for me!!


----------



## Yissy

EquineBovine - Ok so checked with my phone and I could see the pictures like DraftyAiresMum did. Love your pictures!!! Love the one of you and Freya!


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## Drifting

EB I can't see the pics, that makes me sad!


Wanted to post an updated picture of Luna. Look how dark she's getting! She has also put some weight on, which is what I was hoping for.










Totally bought her a bunch of stuff too. I have this bad habit of trying to color match everything, which costs me alot of money.











and also, this happened with my 2 year old.









He's at Advantage Horsemanship for 3 days, to help the trainer practice for an upcoming 'colt starting' challenge. It was free training, can't beat that.

He wants us to ride Wednesday (me and my friend took our horses since they weren't started yet).

So they got dropped of today, worked with for an hour or less a day, to be w/t/c by Wednesday. Stryder is very easy to train so I don't think he'll be a problem. I don't know if I want to ride him though, I can't get the picture of him as a baby out of my head. He's 14.3 pushing 15 hands and growing. My plans were to do a few rides a week for a month then put him away for the winter to keep growing, but I may be too big for him. We'll see.









He's going to need his pile of tack too. Blue, light blue or turquoise color. Something to set off his one blue eye.


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## DraftyAiresMum

I think turquoise would really pop off him, Drifting.


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## Drifting

me too! And Jeffers pet's has the diamond wool pads for like 84$ the contoured ranch ones. I got Luna the hot pink.. I think turquoise would be good.


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## Golden Horse

DraftyAiresMum said:


> I think turquoise would really pop off him, Drifting.



:think::thumbsup::clap:


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## gingerscout

and I have no pictures to share as I can't take pics of myself, so I can just talk to myself about my horse, I guess:lol:


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## Yissy

So I went riding the other day. I was riding Shiloh and I absolutely couldn't get her into a trot. She would take a few steps and then go to a walk, then I had to push her back into a trot and then she'd take a few steps and back to a walk. My friend got on her and she trotted like a pro all the way around the sand ring.

I'm thinking my problem is my attitude when I'm on her. I find I'm thinking "you must not want to trot today", I think I need to tell her to trot instead of thinking of her "feelings" and letting her do what she wants.

Any advice?


----------



## Golden Horse

Yissy said:


> I'm thinking my problem is my attitude when I'm on her. I find I'm thinking "you must not want to trot today", I think I need to tell her to trot instead of thinking of her "feelings" and letting her do what she wants.


Yes, yes it is..




Yissy said:


> Any advice?


You know how frustrating it is to have a boss who either leaves all the decisions to you, or ignores your work until you do something totally wrong and has a headfit? Well you are the boss when you are riding, for those few minutes out of every week, and even if you ride every day for an hour, it is only a tiny proportion of the week, your horse needs to be your employee, you give firm, clear fair instructions, the horse does as it is told. It does not matter if she wants to trot or not, it is a reasonable request, so ask, and if she doesn't respond straight away, tap her with crop or the end of the reins. Your biggest aid though is your brain, you have to change your thought pattern.


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## Perchance5

So I'm kind of having a freak out right now over feeling just so grossly fat and horrible and ect from seeing pictures a friend took of me riding today. First ride in my new saddle, I'm so huge the saddle disappears! And I worry about how that effects his back. Obviously at the time of riding I was ecstatic. He's gorgeous. I love his trot and canter, his canter is so huge and powerful it's wonderful. Anyway, here the the only reasonable photo from today based on how little of me is in it. Some serious diet and exercise changes begin tomorrow (how many times have a said that eh)


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## Yissy

Golden Horse - Most of the issues I've had with riding have been mine. Not hers. I'm going riding tomorrow morning, so I'm really going to focus on my attitude when I'm riding. My daughter said when she's not tacked up she can be my pet that I spoil and love, when she is tacked up it's work time, not cuddle time. I have to keep that in mind.

You are right, I don't ride her every day, all day or for a super long period of time in inclement weather while she is hurting. I am not asking her to do something that is inhumane, I should expect her to work for me the short amount of time that I'm on her. I'm going to really work on this.


Perchance5 - I hate seeing pictures of myself and I would want to hide them, then I started thinking people already know me in person, I look the same to them as I do in pictures. They accept me in person, they will accept me in the pictures. I think we're our worst critics.


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## gingerscout

Perchance I don't have any pictures of me riding.. I would hate to see how I look, I had some pics taken of me at a wedding 2 months ago, and I was embarassed how I looked. B.O. tells me I can't bring my phone to ride ( which is fine) and I can't take pics of myself anyways. I have also worried about my size/ weight at first as my mare is only 15 hands, yet a tank. She seems happy as a pig in mud to plod around with me on her though. I went out there today after a week, haven't ridden her in almost 2 weeks, due to busy schedule. She took one look at me and barreled across the field and practically threw her head into her halter to come be worked. I rode her for almost an hour 90% walking in 80 degree weather and she barely even broke a sweat


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## Cori Moss

*250 lb 62 yr. old Grandma*

I've posted here before, but seems my pics were lost. This is my 5 yr. old foundation AQHA mare, Bee. We had an accident 3 wks. ago where she stumbled and went down on pavement with me. Had a good farrier come shoe her with a roll-toe show to help her break over easier. Had a nice relaxing 2 hr. ride today and did great! She's almost 14'2" and is a wide, stocky girl with heavy boned legs. She is perfect for me....she waits while I slide over on her back from the round pen and stands perfectly while I dismount, using the round pen also. Often think I would look better on something bigger though.


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## Perchance5

Yissy, that's a great way of thinking about it. Don't know if that means I can post pictures here though if people don't know already what I'm like haha 

Gingerscout, your mare sounds so lovely and driven to work! When I rode yesterday Balerion broke a bit of a sweat under the saddle, and neck, I know he's unfit but can't help but wonder how much of an effect my weight has on the work load for him. It's good to know I have good company for my issues though  


Cori Moss, I saw your pictures! Not sure if they were on this thread or the other one in this sub section, but I said your mare was gorgeous. Such a great build, so stocky and looks like she could work all day. I love that bridle in the top picture, so pretty on her! Then again I am partial to duns and buckskins and she is just a wonderful looking horse. I'm glad the farrier could help with her stumbling, that would have been scary.


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## Drifting

Bumping this thread up for anyone new to this section of the forum!

Also, wanted to show off how dark Luna has gotten and uh.. she's a little chunk now. Haven't been riding because she got injured, but hopefully soon.


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## EquineBovine

Please work...
I'm on the right. This is the best photo I have of me riding atm. I'm 240lbs...I hate photos of myself but this one is at just the right angle haha


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## oobiedoo

Cori Moss, Your mare is beautiful !Love those foundation bred quarter horses. Being stocky she takes up your leg well and you look great on her. I wouldn't give a second thought to needing a taller horse if I were you. ☺
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Drifting

I don't see a picture Equine


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## ArabLuver

Hello everyone!

Crazy to think that this year is almost over! I have finally been able to start riding again, and it is beyond wonderful! Although I don't have a horse of my own yet, an old friend of mine and I have reconnected and have been riding together!

This beautiful boy is called Racket. He used to pack me around when I was younger, and I feel so blessed to be able to ride him again!

How is everyone else doing?? Any fun news to share??


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## AnitaAnne

EquineBovine said:


> Please work...
> I'm on the right. This is the best photo I have of me riding atm. I'm 240lbs...I hate photos of myself but this one is at just the right angle haha


I had to click on the picture to see it, and it was on FB...if you save the picture to your computer, then insert it here, the picture will show up. 

You look great! Nice angle


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## DissolvedInk

I may have introduced myself earlier. Quite some time ago, but then I had left for a very long time. so I guess this is a reintroduction! 

My name is Makayla, and I'm 17. I own three horses, and enjoy them sooo much! I want to train horses as a profession, though i'm lacking the drive right now since I'm stuck in the 10th grade right now. 
I'm 5'4 and 240 lbs (last time i checked about a month ago).


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## Mulefeather

Well I guess I’ll do a re-intro for those people who don’t know me from the 30-somethings thread!

My name is Kelley, and I’m 31 years old. Currently horse(mule?)less, my last mule died in early 2011 and due to a divorce and a job loss, I was just never able to afford another horse. I’m hoping to change that this year and I would love to get another draft mule like my Buddy, but I will be waiting until after summer is over and my other financial things are recovered. I just was made permanent at my job after a year and a half of contract work, and two years of being in “survival” mode financially due to that lack of permanency. 

Size-wise, I think the “plus” label is appropriate for me – I am 5 foot 8 and over 300 lbs right now. I’ve lost close to 80 lbs over the past two years, though I’ve gotten a bit lazy about my eating over the past 3-4 months due to stress (death in the family, trying to get permanency at work, finances all over the friggin’ place, expensive car problems, holidays etc etc etc). 

Now that things are settling down for me, I plan to kick my weight loss and fitness into high gear this year. I’d like to be ready to start riding lessons again by April/May, but I need to find a trainer who is sympathetic to working with a plus-size rider as well as someone with some fear issues. I’ve considered seeing if I can find someone who would be willing to work with me on horsemanship lessons (ground work, lunging, ground driving) until I feel more comfortable about climbing in the saddle.


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## anndankev

Mulefeather, 

I think you have a good plan. 

Now that you are settling down a bit possibly you could volunteer at a rescue or therapeutic center.

Start out cleaning stalls, sidewalking, feeding and such. Then maybe before long they would see your abilities and start you with handling, groundwork, lunging and so forth.

You would be paying with time and effort in place of money, and receiving time and experience with horses again in return. 

Also, I find that being in a barn reduces my tendancy to snack.


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## michaelvanessa

*great posts*

hiya i love all your posts.
i think middle aged spread is catching me up lol.
i use to ride tricky but i only drive him now.
i laughed about the post jigleing mussle seem to be my problem and the comeing down owch lol when troting.
well thats man boobs for you lol.


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## LoveofOTTB

I would like to introduce myself! Hello! My name is Chelsea I am 23 years old 24 in a few months (ahh!) I currently weigh 177 lbs and I am 5'1 So that means I am short, stubby, with some hips and thighs ;]. I have always had issues with my weight and during high school it went from being skinny to gaining a lot of weight, and I have always had issues keeping my weight off, but it normally stays around the same for the most part. I never gain a lot anymore, but I never lose any. ok onto the horse part! haha

I have been riding horses since I was little, my first horse experience I kind of remember I was about 4 and my grandpa put me on the back of a TB Stallion my uncle had (he raced, breed and trained TB's). There is a picture of this floating around photo albums somewhere haha but I remember being up so high, and feeling this big animal move under me! I was hooked! So my grandpa would take me from then on, to a farm that gave lessons. This was during the summers when I went to visit my grandparents all summer! I took lessons from the age of 5 and by the age of 6 I was riding the big horses by myself. My man horse was an appy named apple jacks (gotta love the name ;] ) and he really loved me as well. He was the best horse ever. So since then I have been riding. I did have a very bad fall in high school, that injured my back, but I still rode and jumped. I loved it!

Then life got in the way like it always does, and I put off riding and horses for 7 years! I got married within those 7 years, moved to Japan (my husband is Military) and then moved to North Dakota. I made horse friends and that is how I ended up back in riding and with my first mare moon, she was green broke and a spit fire, me having little confidence bought her thinking it would be ok, and sadly it was not ok. I eventually had a heart to heart talk with my trainer and I looked deep inside me and knew that she was too much for me, and I had to let go. So I traded her for my Gelding I have now! He is the perfect horse for me! Moon was the first horse I ever bought, and I think I rushed into buying her. But with Manhattan I thought about it long and hard, and finally decided to trade my mare for him. Moon taught me a lot on the ground (she had no ground manners) but in the saddle I lacked confidence because 1. I hadn't ridden in 7 years, and 2. I am bigger then I was, so I was nervous about how I looked in the saddle. She made it hard for me to work on myself since I was constantly struggling with her, I actually started to become afraid of her under saddle.

So now I have my gelding, he is an OTTB, and a wonderful confidence booster for me! He has taught me so much in my little amount of time owning him (I got him in september!) yeah he has his quirks, but under saddle he is just a dream to ride. He listens to me well, and tries very hard for me when I am not riding very good (we all have those days!)

But ok, I started to ramble a little bit. haha Here is the only picture ( right now ) of me riding Manhattan, it was our very first trail ride together with my friends and he did WONDERFUL! Never spooked once! He turned his head because there was some puppies playing in the field lol Not the best picture...









Better picture of my handsome red boy!









Here is a professional picture of moon and me, I miss my crazy little mare, but she has a better home now =]


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## AnitaAnne

Welcome Chelsea!! 

Your horses are both beautiful, but I do love a red horse!! So glad to hear you are having fun riding Manhatten (cute name btw) he looks so sweet and you two look great together.


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## LoveofOTTB

Thank you! He is very sweet, such a fun personality too! he makes me look good I swear! lol


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## Charli

Hi everyone, I thought I would introduce myself. Definitely a plus size rider. I was always on the bigger side but it wasn't until I injured my ankle and had to have two surgeries when I really stacked it on. It was stopping me do everything I loved so I finally decided it was time to do something about it so I could get back into sport and horse riding. 

It's been a long journey, I've lost a lot already (30kg/66lb) but still have some way to go. I had lost more - another 15 kilos, but put that back on as I lost that from getting pancreatitis from gall stones and so couldn't eat for 3 months! I have been a stable weight for about a year now but I have just started the hard work of losing again. I have been back in the saddle for about 7 months now and I am loving every minute of it!

I am probably the fittest I have been even when I was thinner. I train with a PT 3 times a week and play basketball 3 times a week too! But I just haven't been losing for a while - time to get my food right 

The pic is of me at my second comp with my new horse Simba. He is a Belgian draft x thoroughbred....and 18hh!! I was terribly nervous about competing and joining my riding club because of how big I am as I was sure I would get comments. But all everyone seems to notice is how much a beast Simba is and comment on how perfect we are for each other 

FYI I am not just big outwards but big upwards too, being plus sized at 6ft 2 makes me especially conscious of my size


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## tinyliny

you look made for each other!


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## Charli

Thank you! He's my pride and joy


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## Mulefeather

Hi Charli! Your horse is absolutely LOVELY! I feel you on the “tall” part too, I am 5’8” so while I’m not as tall as you are, I tower over just about every other woman in my workplace. I too am working on losing, down 80 lbs in the past two years- you start feeling like you are digging through bedrock with a spoon, both literally and figuratively


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## Horsesaremylife150

Hello everyone! I would like to interduce myself! I Have always been on the "larger side" my whole life. I turn 21 this year. At my heaviest, which was December 2013 I was 185 pounds. I am now 160 pounds. I should add that I'm 5 foot 7. I still have a long way to go as my goal weight is 130 pounds! I own 2 ottb's that I trained myself right off the track. Here are some pictures of my youngest one billy. 
https://instagram.com/p/zfzIX9mA8b/
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Horsesaremylife150

Here's one more 
https://instagram.com/p/zfzHfCmA8a/
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Charli

Mulefeather said:


> Hi Charli! Your horse is absolutely LOVELY! I feel you on the “tall” part too, I am 5’8” so while I’m not as tall as you are, I tower over just about every other woman in my workplace. I too am working on losing, down 80 lbs in the past two years- you start feeling like you are digging through bedrock with a spoon, both literally and figuratively


It is definitely a hard job trying to lose weight. There is absolutely no where to hide when you are so obviously bigger than everyone when you are a head taller (than males too) and a foot wider too  

I agree, it gets hard after you have already lost a lot. I am at the plateau stage I call it. Where I lost a lot and now I am stuck at a certain weight. But I am now getting my diet right and it seems to be very slowing starting to come off again. I'm going on holidays in a few months so my goal is to get down a bit more before then because I can guarantee I will not be watching what I eat while I'm away!


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