# Does your barn have a weight limit?



## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

If I had a weight limit, I would be missing many boarders!


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## Ink (Sep 25, 2009)

I think we had a weight limit of 200 lbs on my college equestrian team. We also had a lot of old arthritic horses who couldn't handle the extra strain. But I've never heard of one as low as 150! Yikes with all of the weight I've gained since graduating I wouldn't pass either one of those now


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## CinderEve (Oct 26, 2010)

I've heard of some barns where there are a lot of lessons given, that there is a weight limit for students but not for boarders with their own horses. I don't believe it's as low as 150 though, least no where I've ever ridden.


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## nuisance (Sep 8, 2011)

I can understand a weight limit, if the person was riding someone elses horse. But, if it's your own horse.... it shouldn't matter! 

But, my horse is at my house, so luckily I don't have to worry about that


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

We have a weight limit of 200 pounds, because we don't feel like it would be right to ask our horses to care 220+ (thats with a saddle) when they work a 6 hour shift many days.

Thank God for stocky quarter horses though! Those guys are great


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

In today's world, 150 is cutting out a LOT of people. I'm only around 120, but add saddle, pad, bridle, boots, clothes, water, etc, & we're pretty close to 150! Do they weigh everyone before they are allowed in a horse?


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## eliduc (Apr 5, 2010)

Yeah, I have seen examples of that with barns that are owned by young single guys.


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## Lynnie (Feb 10, 2012)

Weight restriction?? I've never experienced anything like that but then again I'm from ireland
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

I have never heard of such a thing!!! Yeah i dont feel like a horse should have to carry 500lbs but 150 please


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

I cant say where these places are but i guess there out there.


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## SullysRider (Feb 11, 2012)

No, but If it is a heavier rider my trainer always makes sure they ride a horse that can handle the weight.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

^^ yes i like to see that, having a horse that can handle your weight.


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## ThursdayNext (Oct 18, 2011)

+1 on making a sensible choice for a horse. For me, it's sticky, because most of my weight is in muscle and bone - people who guess my weight always low-ball it by a solid 30-40 lbs. So when I go on trail rides or need to ride some other horse than my own, I'm sure to volunteer the "right" number just to make sure I didn't get put on a horse that isn't suitable. Even so, it's not usually too much of a problem because I'm also pushing 6' tall, most of that in my legs, so I get sent to the big boys anyway just for that.


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

I like people who are smart about themselves and there horse


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Having a cut-off weight set at 150-170 is pushing it way too far, IMHO. Heck, I am not big by any means, but by the time you add in tack, the amount my horses carry on a daily basis is over 175.

Now, on a person that was bigger, whether they were permitted to ride at my barn (it's my personal barn with my personal horses) would greatly depend on which horses I had available and what their riding level was. I only have one appropriate horse for a heavier stark beginner. However, if the person is a fairly competent rider, I have a couple more that could carry heavier weights (I would go up to about 275 for them). If the person was very experienced, I have a horse I wouldn't hesitate to put 300+ on and soon, I will have another that can carry as much or maybe more.

For somewhere like a lesson stable though, I can understand them setting weight limits because, often, it takes too much time to figure in the additional factors of whether a certain horse can carry this certain person who happens to be heavier.


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## myhorsesonador (Jun 21, 2009)

The barn down the road has is 230lbs.

Honestly though it shouldn't be just you weight, but you ability as well. A 100lb floppy unbalenced rider, can do more damage than a 200lb well balenced rider.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

A number of trail ride places I've seen in Arizona will limit weight to 250 pounds, and I think I saw one that limited it to 200 lbs.

I can understand some weight limits. I have a mustang pony who weighs around 650. My 175 lbs plus 25 saddle at or above 30% of his weight. He's a stocky fellow, and I've galloped on him with no sign of strain by him...but I find I have to be very careful on his turns. I always use a more forward seat with him, because his back is short. I also have never ridden him over 30 min, unless we are just walking in the desert. And even then, I'm careful not to just rest on his back.

With my 900 lb Arabian mare, the same percentage hits at 275 - or 250 + saddle. I honestly think that would be too much for her, though. She isn't all that graceful. A GOOD 250 lb rider could make it work, but a bad one would hurt her. She also has very boney withers, and a heavy rider doing some side-side motion would probably hurt her. She is the largest of my three horses.

But 150 lbs? I couldn't get down to that with a team of Olympic-caliber liposuctionists! :shock:


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

I would never pass either lol


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

My barn has a limit of 190lbs and the BO is very strict about it.


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## kim_angel (Oct 16, 2007)

I've seen some riding stables or horse bed and breakfast places that have a riding limit of 250 lbs


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## Wild Heart (Oct 4, 2010)

I was just recently touring stables to take lessons at and one farm had a very strict rule of 150 pounds as the weight limit. They actually have a scale in the barn to measure the rider plus tack. Below is a little tidbit they mention on their website as to why they don't allow heavier riders.

"_*We have a rider weight limit of 150 pounds*. It is a fact that horses, although fast and strong by nature, really do not have the ability to carry too much weight on their backs without eventual back injury (contrary to what many believe!). We are very careful to insure the health of our horses by limiting the total weight of rider plus tack._"


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## ThursdayNext (Oct 18, 2011)

Wild Heart said:


> I was just recently touring stables to take lessons at and one farm had a very strict rule of 150 pounds as the weight limit. They actually have a scale in the barn to measure the rider plus tack. Below is a little tidbit they mention on their website as to why they don't allow heavier riders.
> 
> "_*We have a rider weight limit of 150 pounds*. It is a fact that horses, although fast and strong by nature, really do not have the ability to carry too much weight on their backs without eventual back injury (contrary to what many believe!). We are very careful to insure the health of our horses by limiting the total weight of rider plus tack._"


This is rubbish. I'm sure that they do say this, the rubbishy part is about the care for the horse. Am pretty sure this is Code for "We pride ourselves on our stable's resemblance to the Dover Saddlery Catalog. We don't want big or fat women cluttering up our nice barn and ruining our look. We also don't want men here. But we don't have the huevos to come out and say it, so we're going to pretend it's all about the horse."

Edit: I found that website and changed my opinion of what that is Code for. Given the rest of the stuff there, it looks instead like Code for "We prefer not to have a large number of adults here disturbing our mellow, airy-fairy peace while we bond with our horses." From the looks of the photos they've posted, they either don't enforce this limit, or they're going to be losing a good portion of their teenaged riders.


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

I don't see any reason to be negative about barns that have such limits. After all, there are plenty of places with limits more reasonable for some individuals or no limits at all - anyone has the chance to find a place where being with horses and riding them is enjoyable for them.


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## WesternBella (Jan 7, 2012)

Although I'm glad my barn doesnt have a limit, I can understand why it is done. A horse's health is very important, and if you have someone that could potentially hurt your horse's, you can't just let them ride it. I have been in this situation before and have seen a lady (at least 275 lbs) ride a really old horse and a really short horse...she needs a much stronger horse but I think my BO just doesn't want to lose customers.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Saranda said:


> I don't see any reason to be negative about barns that have such limits...


I do.

A place that refuses to serve men - and limiting rider weight to 150 pounds effectively means almost no man can ride - is discriminating, and pretending it is about weight. I was 135 lbs in college, when all I did was run...looked like a rail, though. But I weigh 175 now, and my heaviest horse is 900 lbs, and none of them seem upset about hauling me around. The smallest (650 lbs?) is quite willing to gallop with me, although I usually don't ask him to do so.

It is also incredibly STUPID, and those who boast about their stupidity on their website deserve public ridicule. I would have sympathy if the reason was they had too many older horses, or had ponies only, or because they were teaching jumping 3+ fences and wanted to save their horses - although I'd bet a lot of very good jumpers weigh over 150.

But for beginning lessons, walking around a yard? YGBSM!


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## smokeslastspot (Jan 11, 2012)

150??? Geeze. I weigh 135 and I am always referred to as that skinny chick. I'm not exactly tall either at 5'6". If a person was very tall or even slightly chubby that would cut them right out. I have seen several riders over two hundred that are less hard on their horses than I would be because they ride so well. 

My ex was certainly over the two fifty mark, but despite that his horse (1,200 lb) actually preferred him to any other rider. All they ever did was mosey around the pasture though, not any hard riding.

I can understand not wanting to strain the horses, but if a place is catering to the public shouldn't they make sure to have horses appropriate for everyone to ride? There is a stable near me that has several drafts and draft crosses specifically to accommodate the big/tall guys or larger women that want to ride.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

For our therapeutic riding program, we do. It is explained in this way:

_Weight Restrictions_
_A weight restriction of no more than 180lbs is enforced. This is due to the challenging work our horses do carrying several unbalanced riders weekly. If you exceed the weight restriction, we can offer un‐mounted horsemanship lessons as an alternative._


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## Showjumper1 (Dec 20, 2011)

I board at a boarding facility so whoever owns their horse obviously can be whatever weight, but if I'm selling my horses, 180-200 lbs is about the maximum weight I would allow a possible new buyer to be to ride them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mystykat (Dec 4, 2011)

If a barn told me I had to weigh less than 150 pounds to ride in a lesson, etc I would tell them to go **** up a rope. Upwards of 200 for an unbalanced rider is acceptable..but 150 is really unreasonable.


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

Wild Heart said:


> I was just recently touring stables to take lessons at and one farm had a very strict rule of 150 pounds as the weight limit. They actually have a scale in the barn to measure the rider plus tack. Below is a little tidbit they mention on their website as to why they don't allow heavier riders.
> 
> "_*We have a rider weight limit of 150 pounds*. It is a fact that horses, although fast and strong by nature, really do not have the ability to carry too much weight on their backs without eventual back injury (contrary to what many believe!). We are very careful to insure the health of our horses by limiting the total weight of rider plus tack._"


this would restrict men and most women 
since men generally weigh more than 150 
and horses back in the day carried cowboys for days on end


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## nuisance (Sep 8, 2011)

There are alot of lean men that are over 200lbs, and even women, depending on height. Hopefully they take that into concideration.

I've always been taller than other girls, and I was 150lbs in Jr high, and not over weight. I would have been severly pi$$ed if someone told me I couldn't ride because of my weight!


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

I can understand if you are extremely over weight not to ride horses


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## hoopla (Jan 29, 2012)

Rather than the limit being for the "barn". It's for the horse.

So each and every horse has a limit and furthermore there's a limit which is different for novice riders as opposed to experienced riders. 

Then it's not "just" weight. It's height and weight taken together and so it's bmi.


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## PaintCowgirl (Jan 2, 2012)

i'm 5'6" and a size 4 and i'm 153 lbs! if i went to a barn that said, no way! i'd tell em where to stick it.


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

I watch my weight and fitness when it comes to Mudpie. I'm not overweight, but I make sure that I eat healthy and exercise (especially in times like this when I can't ride him!) so that I don't _become_ overweight. Mudpie's a really special guy, and he doesn't deserve to lug around my fat butt if I'm lazy and don't watch it.


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## MelissaAnn (Aug 26, 2011)

In London on vacation I rode in Hyde Park and I told they had weight limit of 170 pounds. I think about 50% of their business was tourists, so I can understand that they don't want both bigger and inexperienced riders. I did see a bigger lady riding there, but she was obviously involved in a lesson program. 

When we went to Ireland my friend was worried that he couldnt ride because he is about 240 pounds. I asked about a weight limit and they paired him a HUGE Irish Draught. The saddle was too small, but he has a nice time! 


If anyone wants to ride while on vacation in London, I really reccomend Hyde Park Stables! It was such a great experience!!


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

The worst weight restriction I ever saw was at a Boy Scout Camp and they had a weight restriction of 90 pounds. Only little twigs were allowed to ride at a walk. They claimed that any heavier would be too much for the large Shetlands.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

150? Seriously? The only riders I know that match that are teenagers!!! 

I purposely chose a QH because I am overweight - but an Arabian could also easily carry a heavy weight rider because I see them do it! Years ago I had my horse at a show barn. The owner easily weighed 325 or more - he was tall and overweight. But he was an excellent rider and rode other's horses in shows and had a wall of trophies in top notch QH shows. He was riding a good sized QH named Mac that was trained out the wazootie.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

bsms said:


> But 150 lbs? I couldn't get down to that with a team of Olympic-caliber liposuctionists! :shock:


Do such a team exist? If so send them this way, I still would struggle to make 150!!


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## MelissaAnn (Aug 26, 2011)

I can understand to an extent, riding is a sport and we should expect to be athletic. However, for a lesson barn or for trails, there should be horses big enough to accomidate the public.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I think I could pretty easily accept a statement like:_"Our horses work hard for us, and we need to take care for them. Our instructors reserve the right to turn down a potential student if they believe the rider's skill and size are not a good match for any of our available horses. We apologize for any inconvenience or discomfort this may cause."_​A good lesson horse can be tough to find, and depending on how much work they do each week, may not be ready to handle a heavy & inexperienced rider. But I really haven't met too many horses - even my 13 hand BLM mustang - who couldn't handle a 150 lb rider who was at least trying. And most of the Quarter Horses I've met could handle an inexperienced 200 lb rider easily.


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## FirstLightFarm (Jan 20, 2012)

I don't think my barn has a weight limit. I started taking lessons there three weeks ago, and when I first called about lessons I told the RI I am 5'9". 

There was this loooong pause . . . during which I thought "Oh, I bet she's waiting for me to tell her how much I weigh!" 

So I added "and I weigh 165 lbs."

To which she quickly replied "Oh, that doesn't matter. I'm just trying to think if I have a horse tall enough for you."

So I guess there's no weight limit. 

Funny, the "little" horse she's put me on is 15.1 hh, which is the exact same height as my horse. Conjure is a bit more, ahem, full-figured, than Jack, my lesson horse, though. So Jack really does feel smaller. No trouble carrying me, though - he was as full of ginger at the end of today's lesson as he was when we started.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

At the riding center I used to work at, we had a weight limit for each individual horse and a scale of "tough rides" that the horses could handle comfortably. 

It was for the sake of our horses, but we never capped an entire barn. That's ridiculous in my eyes.


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## skittlesfirehawk (Mar 5, 2011)

a barn i was looking at around here has a limit of 160. I am 157 but i was 160 and now I'm loosing weight in part because of it and because I'm also only 5'1.the place also didn't allow any jumping at all in any lessons.

this reminds me of when i was at summer camp.there was a very heavy girl and she rode one of the campers horses because the girl had hir being used as a lesson horse.as far as i could tell and she was in a few of my lessons dusty who was a pretty big QH i believe had no issue carrying her.but every time anyone saw her on or tacking him up they would say poor dusty and the camper seemed to also take an issue with her ridding the horse but couldn't do anything about it.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Saranda said:


> I don't see any reason to be negative about barns that have such limits.


I do, when there is no basis in fact for them

Take a good look at me and at my horse and tell me if I look too heavy to ride her. Tell me if you think that I would be turned away from your barn or not? Then I will tell you reality.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I'd like to know if you think this person will make the limits


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Bad thing is, guys, I wouldn't have made the "under 170" limit last summer when I was really skinny....


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## hoopla (Jan 29, 2012)

QOS said:


> 150? Seriously? The only riders I know that match that are teenagers!!


In that case unless they're all over 5ft 6ins they're overweight.

For sure teenagers shouldn't be so heavy.

But then there is an obesity crisis

Riding is a sport and requires fitness, core stength, balance, flexibility, suppleness and muscle strength. That all helps to prevent pain and strain...... of horse and rider.

Excess weight or obesity is just not condusive to good horsemanship.

Though of course I absolutely know there'll be folks who will argue to the contrary.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

hoopla said:


> In that case unless they're all over 5ft 6ins they're overweight...


Very few men are under 5'6". At 5'7"...maybe 8 on a tall day...I'm the shortest adult male I know, other than the son I adopted while we were in the Philippines. At 160 pounds, I'd be in great shape. At 175, I'm not ridiculous - and certainly not unable to ride a horse without injuring the horse!


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## hoopla (Jan 29, 2012)

So you're over 5ft 6inches then and your point is?

Incidentally though you're shorter and heavier than me and I'm far from underweight.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Any limit that is set below 200 pounds is a joke.

I'm 5'9" and 185-190 lbs depending on whose scale I get on.

To tell me that I cannot ride a horse effectively or without hurting him is a complete joke.


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## tlkng1 (Dec 14, 2011)

I can/t rememer where I read it but there was an article written by a vet who was addressing this same type of issue..max weight on a horse. He said that a horse should not carry over 20% of its own weight. 

The size of the horse is what makes the difference. My barn is a large lesson barn with roughly 70 lesson horses on property. Each level of riding has at least 5 horses that can carry larger riders whether by height and/or weight. Now, understandably, not every barn has that option but limiting to a weight that barely any adult, even those in good shape, could meet is just ridiculous.

I spent 24 years on active duty in the military and even after boot camp was never under 175.


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## ThursdayNext (Oct 18, 2011)

tlkng1 said:


> I can/t rememer where I read it but there was an article written by a vet who was addressing this same type of issue..max weight on a horse. He said that a horse should not carry over 20% of its own weight.
> 
> The size of the horse is what makes the difference. My barn is a large lesson barn with roughly 70 lesson horses on property. Each level of riding has at least 5 horses that can carry larger riders whether by height and/or weight. Now, understandably, not every barn has that option but limiting to a weight that barely any adult, even those in good shape, could meet is just ridiculous.
> 
> I spent 24 years on active duty in the military and even after boot camp was never under 175.


Exactly. It's the horse. When I was going through a divorce and grad school, I got down to 168, and you could count my ribs and see every bump in my spine through a t-shirt. People kept asking me if I'd been seriously ill. I was also playing racquetball for 90 minutes a day and riding my bike 6 miles a day. You could have bounced a coin off my abs. Then I put on enough weight that people stopped commenting on my health, and I was up to 175. And fit enough to go cross-country skiing three times a week for two hours at a pop.

It's very irritating when people assume that mass = unfitness.


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

Hmmm....150 pounds seems unrealistic to me, especially if that is including tack.

Here I am on my gelding. I weigh 125, but one of my saddles is over thirty pounds. Plus, my horse is 16 hands and incredibly stocky for his height. He can handle a lot more than that. 

For that matter, here is also a picture of my brother, skinny as a rail. But, he's six feet tall and weighs around 145. I KNOW he is not too overweight to ride horses. Especially ours, because they are so dang tall and stocky.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

hoopla said:


> So you're over 5ft 6inches then and your point is?
> 
> Incidentally though you're shorter and heavier than me and I'm far from underweight.


My son is 5'2", and he would be in great shape at 150 - but his shoulders are wider than mine. I couldn't hit 150 if I had liposuction. At 175, my horses aren't complaining - and they weigh 700, 830 & 900. As best I can tell, Trooper & Cowboy prefer me riding them to the 100 lb females in my family...a lot depends on how you ride. (And no one else in my family WANTS to ride Mia).

What is my point? You don't need huge muscles to ride, and huge rolls of fat don't help any - but you also don't have to look like a rail to ride horses. In fact, unless you are racing your horses and a 1/5 second difference over a mile is critical, I'd say there is no functional difference in weighing 135 or 190 - IF you ride reasonably well, and your horse isn't tiny. Horses have a large surplus of strength.

I used to have a 750 lb Arabian mare that I rode when both of us were new to riding - she was just broken to ride, and I was learning to ride. For a few months, she had problems figuring out how to balance my unbalanced load at faster paces and tight turns. With a bit of practice, she figured it out and never had a problem with me after that - and with saddle, I was at 27% of her weight.

Based on riding small horses, and doing it while a beginner rider, I'd say anyone under 20% of their horse's weight shouldn't even THINK about problems. Over 30%, you need to know how to ride. Between that is a gray area - but a 150 lb rider with a 25 lb saddle is only at 25% of a 700 lb horse. And I doubt all that many 700 lb horses are being used as lesson horses for adults...

Old thread on weight & horse soundness:

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-hea...effecting-horses-soundness-96747/#post1164700


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## hoopla (Jan 29, 2012)

mildot said:


> Any limit that is set below 200 pounds is a joke.
> 
> I'm 5'9" and 185-190 lbs depending on whose scale I get on.
> 
> To tell me that I cannot ride a horse effectively or without hurting him is a complete joke.


In that case I'm a joke and likewise you'll need to get busy writing to the likes of Christopher Bartle, Mark Todd, Mary King etc etc etc and all of whom have weight restrictions for lessons at 175 lbs and as is very common in Europe.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

hoopla said:


> In that case I'm a joke and likewise you'll need to get busy writing to the likes of Christopher Bartle, Mark Todd, Mary King etc etc etc and all of whom have weight restrictions for lessons at 175 lbs and as is very common in Europe.


Golly. Sorry to hear Europe has such weenie horses...:twisted:

FWIW - Christopher Bartle is 5'11" & 143 lbs. I don't doubt he is an excellent rider, but you won't find very many men built like that. Mark Todd is 6'2", and I don't know his weight...but there are not many 6'2" men under 175. Not in the USA, at least.

And someone coaching for the top levels of eventing MIGHT have a different standard than someone teaching beginning riders how to ride a horse down a trail...maybe?


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

So the pic below, I bought this mare, 15hh on a good day, needing a trim, and maybe before I pick her feet, to reward myself for getting down to 170 pounds, at 5'9" tall.

I know that people are blind to their own defects, but can anyone honestly say that at 170 I look to heavy for this weedy Arab? I won't mind if you say that I do, that isn't the point, but I reckon I look pretty good at 170, there is no way that I'm going to get to under 150 again, *sigh* I have a long journey to get back to 170


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Psh, Denny, you look great!



tlkng1 said:


> I can't rememer where I read it but there was an article written by a vet who was addressing this same type of issue..max weight on a horse. He said that a horse should not carry over 20% of its own weight.


That is a good basis for people who don't want to go into the more complex figures and reasonings behind limits on horses. Not only does the weight of the horse come into play but also his conformation and, as others have said, the rider's ability.

A horse that weighs 1100 pounds and is short, has a short back, a big barrel, a wide chest, big bones and feet, and good muscle mass will be able to carry more weight more comfortably than a horse that is tall and lanky with chicken legs and tiny feet and a narrow barrel.

My 14.3 hand mustang that weighs about 1100 would be able to carry much more than, say, a TB that stood 15.3 and weighed the same.

Dobe has no problem carrying my brother around (who is about 210 pounds of pure muscle) and his 40 pound saddle for 12-14 hour days that consist of all 3 gaits and roping too. Matter of fact, a few years ago when Jason borrowed him for a winter to work in the feedlot, Dobe thrived on that kind of work.

Hoopla, you seriously need to get over your bigotry toward anyone that isn't built like a freaking rail. I stand 5'5 and when I was in high school, I averaged weighing 150-155 pounds. I was running about 5 miles a day and I was hauling about 3 tons of hay, by hand, every 2 weeks. I was not unfit, I was not overweight, I was very muscular and strong.

You should probably try to educate yourself a little bit better before you start making the ignorant assumption that everyone in America is a tub of lard:?.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

^^ You look great on her. You look a lot better than I do on my little 830 lb Appy/Arab gelding - and he cheerfully canters around with me, his neck level & ears forward, stretching himself out.

The 750 lb Arabian mare I used to own did great with my 175 lbs, after she learned how to balance with me. I was pretty unbalanced at the time, myself. If we could do OK, as a horse & rider both completely new to riding, how much more larger horses and better riders?


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## OwnedByAlli (Nov 8, 2011)

hoopla said:


> In that case I'm a joke and likewise you'll need to get busy writing to the likes of Christopher Bartle, Mark Todd, Mary King etc etc etc and all of whom have weight restrictions for lessons at 175 lbs and as is very common in Europe.


Its a little different when getting lessons of international event riders seen as you are probably going to be having a lesson where you are jumping difficult fences and courses.

150lb is ridiculous, especially including tack. Where I used to get lessons there was a girl who was told she couldn't ride the 2 TBs at the yard because she was too big. All the other horses she could still ride. She was probably one of the largest at the EC and was probably about 280lb (most of the costomers were kids, teenagers and young adults. Suprisingly not many were particulally fat... but methinks thats a fluke!) and I think this is reasonable seen as she was jumping and doing lots of hard schooling in the lessons.

Hell, Im about 148lb on a (really) good day and I am not exactly obese! I have also ridden really ickle ponies (11hh kinda thing) for people so skill and workload is more important than weight really


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

What I meant by what I said - barns with those limits are private businesses, they have the rights to set all the silly rules they want - it's their business, how and where they get their clients, and anyone can find the barn that fits them best, also - ignore those which they don't like. Being really fussy about something one doesn't like in a private business is like going to KFC and complaining that they don't serve any McAnythings.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

hoopla said:


> In that case I'm a joke and likewise you'll need to get busy writing to the likes of Christopher Bartle, Mark Todd, Mary King etc etc etc and all of whom have weight restrictions for lessons at 175 lbs and as is very common in Europe.


Dropping names doesn't help make your point.

Very, very few men in the US are less than 175 lbs. Many are fat, most of us are not. We are strong and put on muscle mass. I was a sprinter in high school and military college as well as a naval officer for six years. At 45 I still have legs as thick as trunks and made of rock solid muscle.

I'd really like you to tell me I shouldn't ride my 15.2 hh Thorougbred x Quarter Horse. I could use the laugh.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

By exceeding the 20% the vet recommends that the rider takes extra care with a conditioning program for the horse.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Saranda said:


> What I meant by what I said - barns with those limits are private businesses, they have the rights to set all the silly rules they want - it's their business, how and where they get their clients, and anyone can find the barn that fits them best, also - ignore those which they don't like. Being really fussy about something one doesn't like in a private business is like going to KFC and complaining that they don't serve any McAnythings.


Your point is well taken. 

However, here in America, any barn with a 150 lb rider limit will do zero adult business. So in the end the market will sort itself out.


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

Well, then such barns in America act really silly and, as you said - the market will sort itself out.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Saddlebag said:


> By exceeding the 20% the vet recommends that the rider takes extra care with a conditioning program for the horse.


Hmmm...I exceed the 20% rule every time I get on my horses, and they are doing fine. At around 20%, the horse will start to alter how he moves to make it easier for him. They also will start going slower than they would with a lighter rider. If you want to max perform a horse for speed or jumping, rider weight is pretty important. But if you just like to ride, a horse can handle up to about 30% unless used at that level for long hours every day.

Horses

How Much Weight Can Your Horse Safely Carry?

Heavier Riders' Guide


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## tlkng1 (Dec 14, 2011)

What is also forgotten many times is that muscle ways more than fat. If you get someone, especially men, who are bodybuilders, they could easily and quickly exceed a 150-200 pound weight limit but be FAR from considered fat, obese or overweight.

I have to admit that one lady that boarded at the same barn as I back in the early 80s (when I had my first couple of horses) was big..she had to be 300+ easily, yet, she rode this mare that was only 15.2..an Arab/TB cross and small in stature...the horse wasn't stocky at all, yet, this mare was able to jump 3 foot courses with this woman on her back...I admit how, I have no idea as this woman would land on her back hard after every jump. This woman was just a hairs breath from having the SPCA called on her as she wasn't the most caring owner...the mare cut her nostril on a nail the woman had put into the wall in the horse's stall for whatever reason...nothing was hanign from it or attached to it. The woman, rather than callling a vet to stitch the nostril, tried to bandage it with, I kid you not, paperclips and scotch tape. She was only at the barn a few months when she took the mare away in the middle of the night for whatever reason without word to the owner.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

If I was too heavy my mare wouldn't have been able to launch me like I pulled the eject handles this morning.....LOL

I don't know what came over her but I asked for the canter and got a little buck. I ignored it and trotted on a little more. Asked again and went flying.

So out came the lunge line and I drove her until she got the mareishness out of her. Then we had a lovely ride in the arena and on the trails.


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## ThursdayNext (Oct 18, 2011)

mildot said:


> If I was too heavy my mare wouldn't have been able to launch me like I pulled the eject handles this morning.....LOL
> 
> I don't know what came over her but I asked for the canter and got a little buck. I ignored it and trotted on a little more. Asked again and went flying.
> 
> So out came the lunge line and I drove her until she got the mareishness out of her. Then we had a lovely ride in the arena and on the trails.


Can you come work the spring fever out of my gelding? Spring rolled in, and he doesn't think he needs to go in the halter. I thought lunging in the round pen would help this attitude problem, but now he wants to free-lunge in 3 inches of thawing mud in his paddock. :-| I think he's Showing Off for the mares. I wish I could blame this on him having to carry me around, but since he's been off work for the winter since early Dec, we don't have that excuse...


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Eh....no thanks.

I actually got bucked off twice yesterday morning before my trainer said go longe her before she kills you. :lol:

I rode again today and decided to longe her first. Good thing I did because the very first canter depart on the longe was rodeo buck quality. I made her transition up and down enough on both reins until I could tell she was settled down. Then mounted up and went trail riding with two of the gals from the barn.

I learned a painful lesson in horsemanship yesterday about spring fever and mares......today I feel like I got rear ended by a truck. My first buck yesterday I got launched high enough to pass over her head and landed almost flat on my back.

I see some chiropractor visits in my near future.


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## Irina (Feb 19, 2012)

egrogan said:


> For our therapeutic riding program, we do. It is explained in this way:
> 
> _Weight Restrictions_
> _A weight restriction of no more than 180lbs is enforced. This is due to the challenging work our horses do carrying several unbalanced riders weekly. If you exceed the weight restriction, we can offer un‐mounted horsemanship lessons as an alternative._


Un-mounted ?? Isn't the whole point of horse riding is that you get to ride a horse ?! :lol:


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Irina said:


> Un-mounted ?? Isn't the whole point of horse riding is that you get to ride a horse ?! :lol:


There are many different forms of therapeutic sessions with horses. Hippotherapy not only includes riding but also grooming and leading and just handling the horses in general. Just being around horses (not necessarily riding) has proven to be so helpful to both the physical and emotional state of handicapped persons. Even standing (or sitting in their wheelchair) in one place petting the horse's nose can help someone who is autistic or mentally challenged. Even those with physical disabilities often feel better after just being _around_ a horse, even if they are unable to ride.


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