# Weightbearing Horses



## Tracer (Sep 16, 2012)

I'm sure everyone is aware of the debates going on around here at the moment about obese riders. Being in the horse market, I've decided to make this thread to educate not only myself, but anyone else interested, in what makes a good weightbearing horse.

So far I know that it's best to look for a short back, solid legs, short cannons and pasterns. 

For example, this horse, though being a Shire x Stock horse, wouldn't be suitable not only because of a sway back, but because of long, fine cannons.

But I'm also really curious about what breeds have been found to be most suitable. I've heard good things about Haflingers as weightbearers, and bad things about draft horses.

So, which breeds/traits to YOU find to make for a quality weightbearing horse? And feel free to post photos of your perfect weightbearer!

But please note that I do *not* want this thread to have any discussions on 'horses only being able to carry 200lbs' or anything of the sort. This is a discussion for the heavy rider, and for those who want to support their search for the right horses.​


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

a foundation bred Quarter Horse. I am a heavy rider - wish I was still thin but I am not at this time. Biscuit has 9.25" cannon bones. He isn't particularly short backed and he isn't a tank per se, but he is a solid built QH that is in excellent shape. I know he is in excellent shape because I ride him frequently for endurance training and I monitor his heart rate. His heart recovery rate is excellent and at a fast trot his heart rate is around 98 to 102 dropping immediately when slowed or stopped. 

I have seen some pretty BIG TALL cowboys on Quarter Horses go all day with plenty of bottom to spare. My horse hauled me around Homochitto Forest's Brushy Creek trails this weekend which is mostly going up or down at all times and wasn't exhausted at all.


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## BossHoss (Nov 11, 2011)

I also recommend a chunk of a quarter horse.  I am 6'0" and roughly 260 lbs. My AQH carries me without issue, and will ride double with even more weight on her if I were so inclined. (I'm not, though! I like to ride all by my lonesome. xD)


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

MY friend (6'7" and 140lbs) bought a foundation QH. But he is really small. just 15hh, in shoes. And not just short, but has tiny feet and kind of small bones. He is fine carrying her, and I (210) have ridden him very briefly when trying him out, so that I coudl get a feel for him, for her. But, I dont' think he can carry me all day or at a canter without compormising him. So, my point being, not all foundation QH's are that big stocky kind.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

here are the two horses I ride. I am 210 lbs. They both carry me comfortably. have been riding the Appy for 5 years and never been lame.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

My gelding is only 15.1. Hubby's FQH is probably 15 HH on a good day, standing at attention! His former owner/trainer is a short chunky man probably weighed at the time around 230 or so. Sarge hauled him all over the place and did team penning. Hauled logs, etc. Now hubby isn't a big guy by any means but Sarge is packing around a little over 200 lbs with tack and can go all day.


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## Tracer (Sep 16, 2012)

At the risk of sounding stupid, what exactly is a *foundation/B] QH?

The problem with Australian QH's is that I have found they are significantly smaller than the American ones. The majority are 14-15HH, and they are rather refined. I've actually seen a couple that I would swear were Quarabs, they were so fine-boned and had a slight dish to the face.

Tinylily, that Appy has a similar build to a gelding I saw this afternoon that I fell in love with, but this guy had legs about twice the size. Also, the bay is a draft cross I presume?*


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

It is a Foundation Bred Quarter Horse. You can check them out by Googling Foundation Bred Quarter Horse. My former horse Red was racing bred QH with white papers, not yellow appendix papers, but he was still 50% Thoroughbred and looked it. 

FQHA ©  Foundation Quarter Horse Association © The Original Non-Profit Foundation Quarter Horse Association
The first step in registering your horse with FQHA is to request a foundation percentage calculation to determine if it is eligible (click here). Only horses that are 90% and above Foundation Quarter Horse blood are eligible for full FQHA registration. Horses at least 85% foundation but less than 90% will be registered in the Appendix section. If your horse is determined to be eligible, we will email you a registration and membership application within 72 hours.



I did pay to have Sarge's heritage qualified. He is 93.3% foundation. I figured Biscuit's out on my on and I believe he is 88.4%. Biscuit is Impressive bred and they are some chunky bunky horses! He is a bigger horse than Sarge but I believe Sarge could go toe to toe with Biscuit any day of the week.


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## Tracer (Sep 16, 2012)

So basically they are horses that can be traced back to the 'original' chunkier Quarter Horses?


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Well, the horses that were the foundation of the studbook. They were pretty stout! 

Biscuit probably weights 1150-1200 lbs. Sarge a little less as he is shorter both in height and length. Biscuit is stout built without being coarse. He actually wasn't broke to ride until he was 5 or 6 so his bones weren't subjected to anything other than running in the pasture. He has nice thick cannon bones. Sarge probably has the toughest feet I have ever seen and the slowest smoothest lope. He is one nice boy!


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