# Am I too fat for this horse?



## Kyleen Drake (May 26, 2016)

20% Rule: 1000 lb horse can carry 200 pounds.


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## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

Unfortunately, most TWH's won't be suitable for a larger rider. Look for draft crosses which can handle more weight since they are larger and have heavier larger bones.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I think you look FINE on that horse!! I would not worry.


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## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

They say 20% rule, but really if you are not doing anything too strenuous your horse will cope. ie trail riding all day, or competitive showjumping (which i doubt on a TWH).


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Looking at the pictures I was actually surprised how good you two looked. That's a nice horse!! Not one of those flimsy ones.

That said I am concerned about "old" (what does that mean?) and fitness/muscling. From the pic he seems ok for a stroll and is moving out nicely, but I wouldn't do much more than the occasional stroll. You look like a balanced rider (from the little seen lol) and that counts for a lot.

Make sure the saddle fits well (maybe push it back a tad?) A western one may be more appropriate for you. Don't push him, but you two look fine.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

What sort of work are you doing with this horse, and for typically how long?


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I'll post some links with some food for thought:

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding/am-i-too-big-his-horse-605666/

Heavier Riders' Guide

How Much Weight Can Your Horse Safely Carry? | EquiSearch

How to Ease the Burden | The Trail Rider

http://www.taunusreiter.de/The1995-1996TevisWeightStudy.pdf


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Prairie said:


> Look for draft crosses which can handle more weight since they are larger and have heavier larger bones.


This is not always the case. A draft or draft cross is built to pull, so often their own mass gets in the way.

My 15.2 arab mare has the same diameter cannons as my friend's perch mare.. yet my arab weighs about 950 whereas the perch goes closer to 1300. So my arab is actually better able to carry weight than the draft!

And don't get me started on the 20% thing.. that is only a guideline. We compete a horse who has been routinely breaking that "rule" for years. He is the one in my profile picture.


I don't think the OP looks to be too big for that horse, though a lot depends on what he plans to be doing and for how long.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I wanted to add- I would be curious for some conformation pics of the horse. His back looks weak, maybe swayed, and esp if he's older that could be a weak link for him. Even the strongest horse is the sum of it's parts.


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## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

phantomhorse13 said:


> This is not always the case. A draft or draft cross is built to pull, so often their own mass gets in the way.
> 
> My 15.2 arab mare has the same diameter cannons as my friend's perch mare.. yet my arab weighs about 950 whereas the perch goes closer to 1300. So my arab is actually better able to carry weight than the draft!
> 
> ...



This has been debated for years, but the 20% rule seems to be the standard now although research has shown that even 15% can cause inflammation. There is a difference between a pure draft used for pulling vs a draft cross which have been used for a couple of centuries as heavy hunters for those whose weight is greater than a light horse can handle.


However, perhaps the greatest determiner of the suitability of horse and a heavier rider is the rider's ability to be in balanced and in synch with the horse's gaits and movement. A light weight rider who is out of balance and jerking on the horse's face at every stride is harder on the horse.


TWH's can and do makes great trail horses for long distances-----the breed was developed to carry a rider comfortably at a ground covering gait for miles. Our 2 TWH's excel at challenging trail rides, coming back into camp cooler and with more energy than any of the stock horses and many of the mules.


TWH's are also a horse first. They also are quite capable of jumping. I'm working our 20 yo TWH mare over 3' 6" and the only reason I haven't moved her up is due to her age----at 20 I don't want to add additional stress to her joints.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Prairie said:


> This has been debated for years, but the 20% rule seems to be the standard now although research has shown that even 15% can cause inflammation....


Incorrect. The "20% rule" has only one study that I know of justifying it. It used horses who had not been ridden for 4 months - so out of riding shape - and even then it needed "a subjective scoring system" to determine signs of stress at 25%. The bloodwork only showed signs of increased stress at 30%.

http://www.j-evs.com/article/S0737-0806(07)00413-3/fulltext

Horses? Weight-Carrying Ability Studied | Equinews

So if someone wants to ride a completely out of shape horse in an English saddle and have a very large buffer for error - then 20% is OK. 15% is ridiculous.

Many riders too heavy for their mounts - study - Horsetalk.co.nz

Contrary to popular myth, the US Cavalry did NOT use a 20% rule. They bought horses weighing 900-1100 lbs with the expectation that they would carry loads of 250 lbs (rider plus gear) for 20+ miles a day, day after day.

I ride Bandit at 25% every day. His previous owner raced him (a type of relay endurance race popular in the Four Corners region) at 30%. I was a bit heavier when I owned Mia, and I rode her at 25% for 7 years. I've ridden Cowboy at 30%. That is at the upper end of his ability, based on him struggling more when the terrain gets rough. If the terrain stays smooth, he can carry me 3 hours without any signs of discomfort - and he rarely is ridden more than 2 times a month!

Obviously, there are exceptions. If you want to race, or to do reining spins, or to jump, or expect the horse to lift at the withers in a sustained collected gait, then lighter is better. But I'm still waiting for someone to show me a study where riding fit horses cannot carry 25% without a problem.

The Tevis Study made sense - that it is the TOTAL weight of horse and rider, compared to leg bone cross section, that makes the best measurement. That is reasonable - weight against weight bearing structure. ( http://www.taunusreiter.de/The1995-1996TevisWeightStudy.pdf )

Also, saddle fit can be very important. Mia did not like being mounted/dismounted when I used a Bates Caprilli CC saddle. It also had a narrow channel that put pressure about an inch from her spine, which would obviously stress the muscles along the spine. She had no trouble with the wider Australian saddle, the Bates Caprilli AP saddle or any western saddle.

BTW - I experience muscle soreness and elevated heart rates every time I go jogging, which I've been doing since 1972. I conclude jogging is good for me, and riding is good for horses. Want a horse to get fat or look wasted? Don't ride them...


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

You don't look fat. You would look better if you had a head..........
Seriously, if the horse is doing well for you, you look fine on him to me unless you are planning on doing 100 mile rides or something.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

I am currently riding a short Foxtrotter and weigh 250lbs My saddle adds another 30lbs or so. My mare weighs about 1000lbs. I have had my vet look at her and we have even ridden together once on the trail. My mare did not break a sweat - even though she is still in spring riding shape (unfit) my vet is a firm believer in rider ability vs weight and soring of horses. We try to ride 2-3 x per week trails with steep hills etc. I rode a 16.1H 1300lbs horse for the last few years and he seemed to struggle more when being ridden than my short horse. I get very tired of hearing the 20% rule when there are so many examples of really fit healthy horses with riders who are over that 20%


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## danny67 (Nov 27, 2012)

Someone was correct. The back end needs some conditioning. No not a sway. Yes, I had a saddle fitting by a certified person. I am keeping rides short and at a walk trot only. Goal will be to make a trail horse out of him. I appreciate all the input! Good stuff. Thanks.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

danny67 said:


> Someone was correct. The back end needs some conditioning. No not a sway. Yes, I had a saddle fitting by a certified person. I am keeping rides short and at a walk trot only. Goal will be to make a trail horse out of him. I appreciate all the input! Good stuff. Thanks.


That all sounds good. If not a sway (good) is it still long and weak or is his back good (conformationally) and just needs fitness? A horse with a long weak back just won't be as strong for you. Yes he does need conditioning but sounds like you are going about that.

All sounds great, many happy rides!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

danny67 said:


> Someone was correct. The back end needs some conditioning. No not a sway. Yes, I had a saddle fitting by a certified person. I am keeping rides short and at a walk trot only. Goal will be to make a trail horse out of him. I appreciate all the input! Good stuff. Thanks.


I went back and read all the posts. I thought you were saying that someone had accused you of needing to condition your back end; not the horse's. I was thinking, geez that sounds rude. My horse and I, however, could both use a little back end condition..............

I suspect that the more you ride, the better shape your horse (and you) will get in. I wish I had the time and energy to ride some of the fat off of my horse.


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## Eme1217 (Oct 27, 2014)

My first thought was "Gosh, they look really good together!" I think you two fit nicely. Many enjoyable rides!!


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