# Riding isnt important...lol



## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

So Lets see if this makes sense to anyone over the last three years i have been looking for someplace to ride.. being a plus sized guy its really hard to find something apparently.. and i get the same line from everyone I talk to .. riding isnt important... fine I get that.. but I havent ridden in 6-8 months, so If i could ride occasionally it wouldnt be a big deal.. so I bought ginger.. as I figured something with horses was better than nothing, so I caught flack for that as she was a yearling, and I had a deal i was supposed to keep riding.. well when she came the deal stopped.. so I told everyone if i was riding occasionally i wouldnt have bought ginger.. so I started looking for a place to ride, again found nothing.. so I sold ginger.. and i told everyone if I could ride occasionally I wouldnt sell her.. why does everyone who can ride tell me I never need to ride, that I should never get to ride, as who needs to ride so to speak..lol.. I hear all the time that guys ride, but no one has proven me wrong.. I still think unless I hold a gun to someones head at times, I wont get to do anything.. and the thing is.. I dont have the money to buy another horse right now, but im looking again anyways.. I guess I have to put financial strain on my family if I want to do this..oh well..lol sorry for the rant


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Look for trail riding barns. Many do allow plus size riders in.


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## afatgirlafathorse (Feb 21, 2012)

When I went looking, I just posted an ad on Kijiji (the equivalent of CL here in Canada) - straightforward and simple "Plus sized rider looking for lessons." -- so there was no having to broach the subject later, the only people that would reply (hopefully, lol) were ones that could accomodate me. It was actually "in my own backyard" that I ended up getting the saddle time... a client of my mother's who owns friesians replied to my ad - I would never have thought to have asked her. I now ride weekly at a very fat-friendly barn that I wouldn't have even known existed had I not put out my shingle.


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

afatgirlafathorse said:


> When I went looking, I just posted an ad on Kijiji (the equivalent of CL here in Canada) - straightforward and simple "Plus sized rider looking for lessons." -- so there was no having to broach the subject later, the only people that would reply (hopefully, lol) were ones that could accomodate me. It was actually "in my own backyard" that I ended up getting the saddle time... a client of my mother's who owns friesians replied to my ad - I would never have thought to have asked her. I now ride weekly at a very fat-friendly barn that I wouldn't have even known existed had I not put out my shingle.


 been there done that actually.. have put ads on cl and in feed stores in the past.. and Im upfront with size and weight.. so people arent surprised, but it just seems there is very little within 100 miles of me to ride at


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

gs, I'm sorry for politically incorrect question, but what is your weight that you can't find any mount at all? May be it's a good time to join "losing by tens" club. :wink:


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

kitten_Val said:


> gs, I'm sorry for politically incorrect question, but what is your weight that you can't find any mount at all? May be it's a good time to join "losing by tens" club. :wink:


 heres the thing im not super heavy.. I know many people heavier than me who ride.. just in other parts of the country.. Im in the low 240's right now.. I did gain some back over the last holiday, but as the weather warms up I can get outside and work on getting more off again.. tons of people tell me it shouldnt be a problem,but for some reason it is.. oh well what can you do.. you cant force people to do things:lol: goal is to hit 200 by the end of the year


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

although I know im not the lightest person.. so that has some to do with it. but everyone just saying lose more weight.. yeah if it were that easy..lol, but it would be easier if I had something to shoot for.. Im trying to lose weight so I can ride more, better... but other than being more healthy which is a plus.. I still am not riding.. even though ive lost close to 80 pounds over the last 3 years.. and at like 330 I actually had a horse to ride.. now at 240 im too fat as one person told me...lol


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

gingerscout said:


> Im in the low 240's right now..


That's not bad at all! I'd say keep looking and checking different places. There is a possibility some places can be just booked. And many places (in my area at least) only give lessons on your own horse (which is not a case for you, unfortunately). Wish you best luck in your search!


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## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

if you were in my area i know plenty of people who would let you ride..  good luck in your search


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Have you tried lesson barns?


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

farmpony84 said:


> Have you tried lesson barns?


 yes I have looked into them.. I dont meet the weight limit for the ones around me.. some are really low.. and either I drive 70-100 miles north or 70-miles south to find more that are open for the idea of me riding there.. and as of trailriding places.. Creampuff said I could come out to her place and come ride.. its still like 80 miles away.. but Im planning on goin gsometime next week weather permitting and such.. so hopefully that is something


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## myhorsesonador (Jun 21, 2009)

I'm on the same boat. So meny people Keep telling me that I can come ride with them, but I see them out all the time, with out me. I even got screwed over by my neighbor, I house sat for her over christmas for 9 days. I watched her 2 spoiled rotten braty horses (I got kicked by one, just because he felt like it) and her 2 dogs that she doesnt have a fenced in yard for so I had to fallow them for hours till they decided to go. >.<

I did all that for almost free, becaue she was saposed to take me riding, well that was christmas..... she wont even talk to me know. I see her ride by herself all the time. My mom even house sat for a few days FOR FREE!! so she would take me riding....yeah I learned from that. NO MORE FREE WORK! 

My mom told me she would keep me around horses when I sold Sonador, because she was taking the money (I didn't know this till after I had sold her, or I never would have sold her at all) I haven't been on a horse since and that was in July. I sold her, so I could stat a bank acount to save up the money to buy a car (I'm 19 and don't have any car I'm stuck at home all the time) and I was going to buy another horse eventualy. 

So now I'm broke, fat, and horseless. lol


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

NO MORE FREE WORK!
So now I'm broke said:


> agreed.. Im not into doing favors for people anymore who said they would trade riding time for it.. and never do.. I mean in happy to bust my rear end to help someone if need be, but not for an empty promise.. so I feel you there
> Im not completely broke, but I feel the same way about everything else in that line somedays..lol


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## myhorsesonador (Jun 21, 2009)

gingerscout said:


> agreed.. Im not into doing favors for people anymore who said they would trade riding time for it.. and never do.. I mean in happy to bust my rear end to help someone if need be, but not for an empty promise.. so I feel you there
> Im not completely broke, but I feel the same way about everything else in that line somedays..lol


 
I'm not kiding you when I say I don't have a single penny to my name. My dad said I wasnt alowed to have a job till I finished college. Well I'm not going to college, I'm going to horse training "school" Thats going to cost money I don't have. >.< Now that I'm actualy alowed to have a job its imposible to find one. :lol:


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

good luck with your search


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I wish you were in my area. I'd give you my gelding to ride and give you lessons too on him if you wanted...I have a plus sized woman right now taking lessons from me in the beginners class, and doing extremely well. You're not bad weight wise anyhow! I've seen horse carry a lot more with zero problems.


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## mystykat (Dec 4, 2011)

I would honestly look into lessons once every two weeks or so at the barns that are the long drive away.. With gas and lessons it may be harder to save up for another horse but I would try anyways. Once you've had a decent amount of lessons under your belt maybe you'll have put enough away to buy a horse. 

Then you can tell all those people, "See I don't need to ride, but I'm going to."


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

SorrelHorse said:


> I wish you were in my area. I'd give you my gelding to ride and give you lessons too on him if you wanted...I have a plus sized woman right now taking lessons from me in the beginners class, and doing extremely well. You're not bad weight wise anyhow! I've seen horse carry a lot more with zero problems.


 see I hear that all the time.. thanks though.. but 1000+ miles away isnt helpful in cases like this...lol


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## tecara (Nov 28, 2011)

What area are you in??? That seems to be more of a southern issue... I"m in Michigan and have never had an issue finding a place to ride... I lived in Canada no issue there either... I"m 5'8" 250 now but at one time was just over 300. I honestly think the barns aren't worried about their horses as much as they are worried about liability... they feel a big person has no balance and will more then likely get hurt. Just an opinion I have... have seen simular post to often to think otherwise. And yet I know lots of plus size riders that ride "normal" horses... 1,200 lbs QH for example and without an issue one.


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

tecara said:


> What area are you in??? That seems to be more of a southern issue... I"m in Michigan and have never had an issue finding a place to ride... I lived in Canada no issue there either... I"m 5'8" 250 now but at one time was just over 300. I honestly think the barns aren't worried about their horses as much as they are worried about liability... they feel a big person has no balance and will more then likely get hurt. Just an opinion I have... have seen simular post to often to think otherwise. And yet I know lots of plus size riders that ride "normal" horses... 1,200 lbs QH for example and without an issue one.


 im quite far from you.. like 500 miles or so.. by the township name on your profile.. so thats not helpful.. just trying to find something close is like asking for winning lottery numbers


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

well I guess im on my own now.. ether I quit or I do this without help.. so even the things I think are going to pull through fall through it seems.. so I wish people wouldnt act like they really want to help.. if they dont.. especially if they know what ive gone through and then do the same thing to me themselves..its real easy apparantly to look good on text and say you want to help someone


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Ginger, I'm sorry if I came across that way to you in my post. I really do wish I could be of more help. It rubs me the wrong way when barns have a "weight limit" on the entire barn instead of "weight limits" for individual horses.


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

SorrelHorse said:


> Ginger, I'm sorry if I came across that way to you in my post. I really do wish I could be of more help. It rubs me the wrong way when barns have a "weight limit" on the entire barn instead of "weight limits" for individual horses.


 no not you.. not really anyone individually.. just sounds like im bashing someone.. I asked them to remove that post so people dont think im singleing them out.. Im not trying to bash anyone personally


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

don't give up so quick 
have faith in finding a place to go riding 
Here where I am there is no weight limit 
remember Dan Blocker aks Hoss Cartwright he was plus size and he 
rode a 15 3 Quarter Horse Thoroughbred named Chub 
and James Arness aka Matt Dillon he rode Buck a Buckskin Quarter Horse he was 15 1


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Volunteer! In either rescue or lesson barn. There are plenty of kids volunteering there, but there is never enough man power. You can try to negotiate help for lessons.


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## gingerscout (Jan 18, 2012)

kitten_Val said:


> Volunteer! In either rescue or lesson barn. There are plenty of kids volunteering there, but there is never enough man power. You can try to negotiate help for lessons.


 I have thought about that actually.. but the lesson barns in my area.. are the ones I dont meet weight limit for anyways.. so I'd have to drive again...lol ( see a pattern here) I dont know of any rescues real close to me either.. there are a few 2-3 hours away in both directions I have seen online always could look into it though.. and with people is it wrong to have a put up or shut up attitude now.. Im thinking on starting that.. because people will say they want to help, or try to schedule something.. then back out on it or cancel on me.. and Im tired of trying to rearrange my schedule for people who don't really plan on doing anything to begin with.. i mean im easy to get along with.. just I hate having to try to work around schedules, or find a babysitter if need be when wife isnt working and im not working and someone can watch kid, and all that just to be cancelled on the day before, because washing their hair is more important than the lesson they scheduled ( not me)


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

well don't give up on your dream


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