# Are there any big girls who jump?



## EighteenHands

Hi everyone, 

I was wondering if there are any plus sized girls out there who jump with thier horses (competitively or not)? I've seen bigger riders do just about everything else, but I have yet to see a rider of any size jumping with thier horses (except for1 slightly fluffy professional cross country competitor)

I have a 15.0 morgan/percheron cross and I am interested in learning how to jump (VERY low stuff, mostly for low level hunter paces and fun on the trails) but I'm afraid that I will be told I can't because I'm too big. 

I don't want to strain my lovely horse or do wrong by him....BUT he used to jump clear over a 4" spring coil gate to get to the lawn on the other side before I added a foot to the fence and brought the gate up! (little brat!!!!!) so I know he CAN jump, LOL!!! I just figure if he can jump 4 feet without a rider, surely he can hop a foot or under with me on him.....?

If I am able to do this, can anyone reccomend a size-friendly barn in the MA, RI, CT area who would be willing to teach a fluffy girl correct jumping form? (again even if it's only to jump over small logs in the woods) 

I'd love to here from the big girl jumpers out there...and feel free to share a picture or two 

Giddyup!


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## HorseyyGal

Moi!! I'd be considered plus size for my age, size uk16 in clothes to give you a rough idea. I compete in show jumping regularly, upto 90cm & jumping 1m or so regularly! My built in airbags get in the way sometimes but other than that we have no problems at all


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## IslandWB

I also jump! I have never had a problem with my girl or any of the other horses I have jumped in the last few years. 

here are a few pics
most recent










last year


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## donovan

i compete in not only showjumping but also in 3 day events
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse

Looking good Island, hope you don't mind but I had a go at changing your pic a little..


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## nuisance

Only by accident, or a big hairy spider is after me!


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## Cinder

I love jumping!





 
I'm not sure if you guys would consider me plus-sized, but the people around here definitely do. Doesn't do much for my (already abysmal) confidence. 

And if you were wondering, yes this is the same video I posted on the "Horse Fall" topic. I don't have a more recent video of me jumping, unfortunately.


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## rissaxbmth

I jump! I do eventing and my horse is just fine with a plus sized rider! He loves to jump!


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## ohmyitschelle

_I used to jump as a chubby teen. Got a nervous with age (now 25) and so I haven't in about 4 years. Really want to get back into it with my mare, who is a bold, albeit green jumper. 
I've regularly seen plus sized riders doing eventing and show jumping over here in New Zealand too 
_


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## PeaceLoveHorses

I don't consider myself huge, but I am deffinatly not skinny as a rail. I jump! It has not affected my riding or anything!


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## BurningAmber520

I sure do jump!! Ambers still learning we haven't gone above 2'3 yet, but she has no trouble what so ever hauling my butt over the jumps!! 

Please ignore my craptastic position in some of the pics haha not all jumps are perfect!


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## diggerchick

im a size 13, and i showjump!


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## BuddyBunny

I am plus size and I jump. just started learning actually. It's fun. I have a cute little quarter horse and she carries me just fine and loves jumping.


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## Brighteyes

I'm a fluffy thing and love some jumping! I'm 5 feet tall and 160 pounds (I know... Daaay-umnn...), but my little mare carries me over jumps like she has wings. She isn't a professional jumper by any means either. She's a competitive distance horse who I jump for cross training/kicks and giggles.

And as you can see from the picture below, I'm not a very good jumper myself!


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## WildAcreFarms

burning amber 520 and brighteyes LOVELY horses


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## jhncck

psh girl get out there and have fun with your horse! she weighs a heck of alot more than you do!!! haha i understand being concious about her health without legs you dont really have a horse but she _is_ a horse and im sure you both will enjoy jumping,or whatever else you decide to do with her. go check out some videos of hunter over fences riders there are plenty plus sized lovelies who know their way around a course


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## Randella

I wear a size 16 jean, (Canadian sizing, not sure how it differs from any other countries), and I'm currently in the process of teaching my 16.2 TB gelding to jump; and other than being incredibly klutzy, he's been doing well - with no issues! 

Honestly from all the horses I've ridden (used to work at a schooling barn, so I've been on a few), I've never had an issue. It's all about building up the horse's stamina, just as much as it is about building up your own. 

You should be just fine


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## SportHorseHeaven

I wear a uk size 20\22 now was bigger and I love to jump!! I am very fluffy indeed! Size is nothing but a number  plus size riders can do what the skinnies do 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Country Woman

Randella said:


> I wear a size 16 jean, (Canadian sizing, not sure how it differs from any other countries), and I'm currently in the process of teaching my 16.2 TB gelding to jump; and other than being incredibly klutzy, he's been doing well - with no issues!
> 
> Honestly from all the horses I've ridden (used to work at a schooling barn, so I've been on a few), I've never had an issue. It's all about building up the horse's stamina, just as much as it is about building up your own.
> 
> You should be just fine


I am in a size 16 jean now I was in a 12


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## Country Woman

its just in your mind


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## annaleah

I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one with those same fears. I was just talking with one of my friends about this same topic. I absolutly love jumping..been doing it since I was young...but haven't for some years..and now,three kids later and about 50 pounds...I am so afraid of calling up a stable and asking them about it. But, I so want to get back into it!!!


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## MissColors

I am above 200lbs and I jump. I'm also really tall. 5ft 9in kinda tall for the horse world I'm told. My Ke and I jump all the time. He'd rather cross country than in the arena but will do both. One footers or even two footers wouldn't hurt. Just take your time.  and even on top of that I jump western.


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## MIEventer

BurningAmber520 said:


> I sure do jump!! Ambers still learning we haven't gone above 2'3 yet, but she has no trouble what so ever hauling my butt over the jumps!!
> 
> Please ignore my craptastic position in some of the pics haha not all jumps are perfect!


What's going on? In most of the pictures you've posted, your horses ears are pinned back, showing displeasure. There's something going on....ill saddle fit, back pain - etc, etc, etc...........I'd do some investigating.


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## feistymomma

I jump. I wear an 18/20 size jean. I am really tall (6 ft.) too. I ride a 16.2 TB and we jump 3 to 3.5 ft. Size doesn't matter...it's how you play the game! Have fun and don't let anyone discourage you.


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## ohmyitschelle

I just started "jumping" my mare Honey. She's green to jumping but has jumped with another rider before. I'm not exactly the most confident jumper, and that's why it's ridiculous baby sized jumps! But I do plan to get better with technique and height once we're both fitter. And hopefully by then, I'll stop thinking that jumping is so scary... considering I once used to jump anything in front of me!!


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## Sparkyintention

I'm 5'10 and weigh somewhere around 220 ( Granted I hit the gym 4 days a week) and I'm by no means small and I jump  Size matters is you have a 15 hand horse with a small structure and the rider is 300+. I think what I read was a horse can carry 1/4 of its weight. My horse is 16 hands and pretty stocky so hes alright but no, size really doesn't matter. Women with curves are the real ones anyway


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## NeuroticMare

Yep  My mare and I used to event, but we haven't gone to any horse trials in a couple of years. I competed her in the low jumpers a bit last year, which was fun too, but it's just not eventing  May get back into it this year, I'm not sure yet. 


















































































I even jump my adorable gelding sometimes too


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## ziptothestar

I jump! My only word of caution would be, when you're plus sized and jumping you have to be better than the skinny girls. If you haven't jumped much before, I would try to do a few lessons on a horse that is used to jumping. That way you have a feel of where your weight and balance need to be before trying it with a green horse. 

The more no stirrups you do, the better the jumping gets


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## BurningAmber520

MIEventer said:


> What's going on? In most of the pictures you've posted, your horses ears are pinned back, showing displeasure. There's something going on....ill saddle fit, back pain - etc, etc, etc...........I'd do some investigating.


Shes ****y and hates to work haha! But you are right I had that saddle checked by a chiropractor/massage therapist after Amber fell down while I was on her back in April (all of those pics were from before then, I dont jump any higher then xrails these days, my confidence has pretty much disappeared...), the saddle fit horribly.. you live and learn right? and now I learn a lot more about saddle fit! I have a new saddle now that I got over the summer, and we're both soooo much happier now!


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## kitten_Val

^^ Nice pics, Amber! Yes, saddle fit is unstoppable pain in butt (at least for me, my mares keep changing and I have to call the fitter out every 6 months).


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## TheLastUnicorn

I would tend to say it definitely depends on how plus size, the size and balance of the horae, and muscle to fat ratio of the rider.

Just being heavy is less of a concern if most of the weight is in muscle bulk... More of a concern if it is mostly fat.
There's a few reasons... The first being without the appropriate muscle bulk you won't have the body strength to jump properly, and jumping improperly (At any weight) is unsafe for both horse and rider. The second being it becomes very challenging to get correct position and balance the heavier you are. Third, your endurance becomes taxed at higher weights, as exhaustion sets in your horse will have to work even harder to compensate.

The general rule is the rider, with all tack and outerwear, should not exceed 20% of the horse's body weight. For jumping, any height, I might even be concerned about that much if the rider is not EXCELLENTLY balanced. I have seen wrecks from unfit, overweight people jumping and causing the horse to come off balance because they felt it unfair to be excluded simply because they were heavy (granted I would say that in each case it was a rider who I would consider "morbidly obese" as opposed to "plus sized" )

The heavier the rider the more important saddle fit is too!


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