# Too Big for an Arabian?



## cfralic (Jan 17, 2011)

I am about 5"3' and I weigh in at around 140lbs. I have dreams of one day competing in endurance races with my own arabian horse. I have seen pictures in breed specific magazines of people who are much larger then me riding teeny arabian horses in these races, and I'm wondering if it's totally far-fetched? Should I try to lose weight before getting an arabian horse? I've heard a horse can carry 25% of its weight... for an arabian that's around 200lbs with rider, saddle etc. 

I've also heard balance has a lot to do with it but I don't know how good my balance is or how I can really work on it. I suppose just riding helps. 

FYI I don't own a horse right now but I am looking into purchasing one in the next year or two. I just lease right now.


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

Short answer, no. You are not too big for most any horse as long as you ride balanced.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

LOL, Arabs are tough, here am I at 5' 9" 180 pounds, on my 15.1hh arab mare










No issues at all:wink:


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

_No_ way you're too big


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

My husband rode a 14.3 HH Arab and he is 6ft, @ 190 lbs. The horse packed him around no problem and looked fine doing it. Arabs have strong short backs and one less rib.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Nope, you're not to big for anything larger than a pony. A very good friend of mine has been competing and winning endurance races/CTRs for years on her arabs and she is about 5'8 and probably 180.

Here she is on her old stud that is, I think, close to 30 years old.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

smrobs, that is AWESOME, what I can see of him looks fantastic for an old timer, just another proof that old doesn't have to = skinny


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Yep, he's awesome and such a sweetie. I broke a colt for her last summer that was a grandson of his and she's wanting me to break another as soon as this stinking heat breaks.

BTW, OP, that colt that I broke for her stood maybe 14.3 and weighed _maybe_ 800 pounds... he was rather narrow and gangly for a 3 year old. I am 5'5 and weighed about 145 at the time and he had no problems carrying me and my 45 pound western saddle (and dumping my butt once LOL).
This was his 2nd or 3rd ride.


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## DustyDiamond (Mar 18, 2010)

Of course not. Horses are a lot stronger than you would think even minis can hold around 50 pounds I think


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## BoxT (Jul 17, 2011)

I agree with the post that you are not too large if you ride balanced. I have friends who do endurance -- top 20 finish at Tevis. These guys know what they are doing. They have told me riding endurance comes down to you and your horses balance (take dressage lessons), your condition and the horses condition. Last it's about you knowing your limits and that of your horse. 

Good luck and stay safe.


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## cfralic (Jan 17, 2011)

Wow thanks for the great responses everyone! 

And Smrobs, your friend sounds totally radical, haha. It's strange how arabians age so well. You look great on that little guy - I don't know why people always think it looks funny for a tallish person to be on a shorter horse.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

One of my best friends is 5-foot even and weighs around 150lbs and she owns two arabs. One is a 16yo 14hh mare who has lugged my heavy butt around with no problem at all (5'7" and 170lbs) and the other is a 9yo 15.2hh gelding who was trained as an endurance horse, but "wasn't fast enough" according to his old owners (he came in seventh out of 40-some horses in his first ever 50-miler as a 5yo).


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

definitely not arabs very in size to begin with and are pretty hardy :] I rode several from a 16 hand gangly one(trigger) to my love a 14.2 hand thicker style one(outlaw) to a pair of 15 hand thickish mares(imprint and black powder) and i am 5'5 at 125 pounds they have no problems spinning around and hauling butt on patterns or going on long endurance rides. You should do fine with one if you pick one that suits you and your level of riding and are comfortable on it :]


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## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

You are about my exact size hun...im just ten pounds heavier...an arab (or any normal size horse for that matter) wont have any issue packing you around. If you really are concerned though just buy a bigger arabian. 

I own an arabian mare who is a 16 hand barrel chested beast...she will take me anywhere, and my narrow chested narrow butt 15.2 hand tb gelding will do it too. Very different horses who both have no trouble with me or my weight.


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

If you're too big for an Arabian, don't tell mine!! I'm 5' 6" and about 150 lbs!


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Pffffft, Arabs can carry full size men for an entire day and still be rarin' to go. I've owned Arabs my entire life, and I haven't been much under 180 pounds for the last 10 years or so. At 180 pounds, I was riding my current Arab's dam who was 14hh and doing everything on her - jumping, gaming, distance riding. She was impossible to tire - she NEVER stopped. She was fighting me so hard one day, I let her run the entire 10 miles home (I was a stupid teenager). The next day, I was sore as heck, and she was prancing in the pasture. My current Arab is 14.3hh and about 850 pounds when she's fat. She's 12 and been carrying me since she was 4 with no problems - she NEVER gets tired either. We jump, game, distance ride, etc. And I'm 206 pounds now, so with the saddle she's packing a good 230 pounds around!

You are TINY my girl. An Arab would run the length of the Egyptian desert with you in it's back! You could find a tiny 13hh Arab and have no problems! I know several men here who team pen their Arabs and they NEVER quit. These animals are packing 200+ men for intricate and high speed maneuvers in cattle and still jig out of the ring full of **** and vinegar!

A couple of my 14hh spitfire and me at 180 pounds:









Jumping 2'9" with a foot to spare









Jumping 2'0"









Riding bareback









Barrel racing









Tiny mare!

And her daughter Zierra:









Jumping 2'0"









Competeing all day at a gymkhana where she got 3 first place ribbons and never got tired despite the heat









Rarin' to go!









Competing all day at a rodeo (this was reining), including gaming classes in 40+ degree heat - never got tired.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> Competeing all day at a gymkhana where she got 3 first place ribbons and never got tired despite the heat
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is it just me, or do arabs seem to have MORE energy in the heat?! lol My friend's two definitely seem to.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Oh I know! The main difference is she actually drank some water for once! She's a healthy drinker, but she doesn't drink a lot when we're out and about. She polished off a few buckets that day!

The ONLY other difference was after a bad morning of her going completely ballistic on me (had to scratch one class), she was "manageable" by the end of the day. :lol: I had to ask for the canter in reining instead of just holding her back from a gallop. So she probably DID get a little "tired" but her version of tired is most horses versions of energetic!

This was her at the end of the day, last class of pole bending - after 12 hours in the heat!


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

She's beautiful macabremikolaj!


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

Most of my horses are around 14 hands. I'm 5'7 and 165 lbs. I like mine smaller! You'll be fine. : )


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

*My daughter's Arab is 29 yrs old in this picture*

Attached Images


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Although she's not a larger person, her father is & he rode this horse many times on some extreme mountain trails.


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## Thyme (Sep 4, 2010)

This is Sandy an arabian my friends mom owned about 6yrs ago. My friend and me were 13 in this picture. . . I am the same size now(5'3"), combined we were about 230lbs, we had pillows in our jackets for this picture (im in the back)
Sandy was a reg Arabian 18yrs old, 14hh
never got tired this girl could haul butt!!!!
Wouldnt really do this to a horse like her now that I am a mature 20yr old >_> but she never quit with us, infact her aunt sold her when the horse was 20yrs becuase she wanted a slower horse! lol
Arabians rule.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Arabians are some tough little ******s. The ones at the ranch are amazing. They can haul around all day and never be tired. My friend's mare is about 15 hh, weighs probably around 900 lbs or so and she is going to run endurance on her. I have never seen Legato tired. LeAnn did a endurance clinic with her and they literally galloped for 20 miles in sand. Legato did just fine. If I were going to get another horse it would be an Arabian!


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## cfralic (Jan 17, 2011)

Thanks for the great responses - once again your horses are BEAUTIFUL, MacabreMikolaj!

I love the breed so much I was just afraid of finally getting close to buying one and finding out I was too big. I've never thought of myself as a heavy person - I weigh a lot more then I look - but I was having some bad flashes of bringing home this gorgeous fine-boned mare and giving her an insta-swayback haha. 

Thanks for all the reassurances, and... I love looking at pretty ponies.


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## Ebzeenah (Aug 3, 2011)

Arabs have 52 vertabra rather than the usual 54 of most breeds. This enables them to carry more weight that other breeds - even draft breeds. And yes, riding balance makes a huge difference. The fitness of the rider is actually more important than the weight. I'm currently training my new Arab mare and she wasn't all that sure about the riding thing when I first started getting on her. She is only 14.2. After some consistent riding, however, she has changed her mind and is now asking to go faster! I'm 5'5" and weigh 185 lbs.


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## myyky (Sep 8, 2010)

Definetly not too heavy! I'm 143 pounds and 5ft 7, and I rode a 22 year old arab that stood at about 14'2.. We walk, trot, cantered, and did small jumps. (I was learning)
He coped fine with my unbalanced learner self, I think you'd do absolutely fine on an arab. They really are hardy creatures.


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## GoneRama (Aug 5, 2011)

Nup, Arabs have plenty of pluck in them and will carry just about anyone.

I recently picked up a 14.1hh 3-4 year old filly with 1/4 Arab in her. I was worried I would be too big for her (I'm 5 foot 11) and mum said that if she's got Arab in her, add another hand to her physical size and that's how big a horse she really is in heart if that makes sense. I still haven't been on her yet (still kind of breaking her in) but I won't have any dramas getting on her when the time comes.

Oh Myyky.......you are sooooo sprung woman!:thumbsup::wave:


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

I'm 5'4" and weigh about 135. I'm pretty dense with muscle. My Arab is 14.3hh and does just fine hauling me around all over! We do Dressage/Jumping/Eventing.


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