# How much weight can a horse carry comfortably?



## LetAGrlShowU

I have googled and found a fomulas suggesting different things. But everything it suggest is different than things I've seen- not saying right or wrong. 

My dilemna is.. I have a 12 year old paint gelding 14.3 hands around 900 lbs. pretty fit, could use some muscle.

I now own a 2nd horse who is 20 years old, 14.2 hands and about the same weight, kinda chubby, needs to get more fit. 

I want to ride with other people, but not everyone is at vertically challenged as me, lol. My dad is 6'1 and probably 185 lbs. My fiance is a big guy, about 240 lbs. My brother is 180 lbs. Granted they all lives in another state, but when they come up, are they too heavy to ride? I let my fiance sit on my 14.3 gelding bc he insisted he'd be fine. LOL!!!! Cooper's eyes widened and he stood stock still, with his legs out like he was parking. I told him, get off!! It was funny but are these "general" rules true? I see BIG men and woman on smaller horses, even on a 16h horse a 240 man is still considered "too heavy".

I got a lot of my info from: 
How Much Weight Can a Horse Carry?

What do you all think? i'm like to hear from the heavy riders too. How can you tell its too much for the horse?


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## donatellodemerlieux

I've always been told 30% of the horses weight. A little less than 1/3. But I was told that before I could remember, so that may have actually been the amount of weight they can hold before they are seriously injured. It should also depend on their build and muscle. I'm not sure anyone can tell you for sure, considering some horses are drama queens, and will refuse to hold more than 150


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## MN Tigerstripes

I've heard 20% of their body weight for any sort of "work" but more is acceptable for short periods... Not sure how accurate it is. I've always gone off of my horse's response, none of them have ever been afraid to let me know they're uncomfortable. It probably depends on the horse's individual build too. 

Soda is about 1350 pounds and 15.3, Lily is 13.2 and about 900 pounds, I am 5'9" and weigh 140 pounds. I ride both of them with no issues. Lily has carried 175 pounds for an hour long trot/canter/gallop trail ride without any complaints. Soda complains when my friend and I ride him double for 10 minutes. We probably weigh about 280-300 pounds together. I wouldn't ride Lily double.


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## Silvera

It also depends a lot on the build of the horse. How long the back is and how muscular they are. If a horse has a longer back they can't carry as much weight as a horse with a shorter back.


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## verona1016

I suspect your fiance is going to be too tall and heavy for your horses, though they would probably be OK with your dad/brother for light riding.

I've always heard the 20% rule which puts the limit right at 180, but for light riding I think you could go slightly higher so they don't have to ride bareback


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## bsms

I have a short-backed gelding that used to carry 200 lb of rider plus 40 lb of saddle for 8-12 hours at a time (30%). He weighs around 800-830, so that would be 29% or higher. I weigh 175, and he has no trouble with me - but his back is very short.

My mare is around 880, so I'm at 24% with her. Another Arabian, so another short back - short enough that finding a saddle that isn't too long is a real challenge.

I had a mare who weighed in at 750-800, and when I first started riding her, it was a challenge for her to carry my weight...partly because it affected her balance, but some of it was a lack of muscle. I sold her after a couple of years, but she had gained weight and learned to carry it...that would have been around 800-850 lbs.

That mare was hurt by a too heavy rider...the guy who sold her to us (unbroken) got on her back for picture taking. His 300+ lbs on a 750 lb horse left her back sore for a month, but that was, with saddle, around 45% of her weight.

A western saddle will distribute the weight over more area. Sitting a trot puts more pressure on their back than posting, and trotting more than walking, so some of it depends on what you plan to do, how long, and how well they can ride.

I'd watch the horse when the rider gets on, and then let the horse walk some with the rider. If it hollows its back, have the rider get off...


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## Kymbadina

It also depends on horses back length.. my gelding has a rather long back so my boyfriend and I have agreed nobody over 200lbs. He is 180 and rides a synthetic western with a good reinsman pad when he ever rides at all. Yes my gelding could carry someone 250 easily but with a long back I worry about swayback as he ages so we keep it under 200. He weighs roughly 900.. I'm curious to try the cannon bone method..
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny

It also depends on the skill of the rider. A 240 lb rider who know nothing about riding will flop all over the place and be really hard for the hrose to carry, while an experienced ride with good balance and a good seat, but of the same weight, is MUCH easier for the horse to carry. It's not all mathmatics.


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## Cat

On the horse you have to look at the overall fitness, the length of the cannon bone and circumference (shorter and thicker cannon bones the better weight carrying usually), the health of the joints, the length of the back - shorter is better, and finally and I believe the most important - the quality of the loin. Everyone forgets the loin. If you have a good strong loin area the better weight carrying. The weaker the loin area the less carrying capacity - sometimes drastically so. 

As for the rider - are they balanced or do they flop around like a sack of potatoes? Is their weight evenly distributed or are they top heavy? Also their leg length vs body length can impact if they are even comfortable on a certain horse.

How long and how demanding is the ride? Is it going to be a short easy, mostly flat and well maintained trail? Or is it going to be a longer or more rugged ride with hills and challenging obstacles? 

All these are factors. There are formulas out there -such as the 20 or 30% rule, but people can't even agree on those because it can truly vary so much from horse to horse. Even the long calculations can over or underestimate the true weight carrying capacity. If there was one sure-shot way life would be easier, but there isn't. Now there are obvious choices - a 300 lbs person on a 12 hand pony isn't going to fly, but there is a lot of grey area and sometimes it comes down to either trying a small ride first and move up seeing how the horse does or just choosing to stay on the safe side.


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## Beauseant

Take a look at this video;





 
In this video are: 

My adult daughter, 5 ft. 2 : weight 155

My adult son, 6ft 2 : weight 225

Epona, a Belgian, 16 hands : weight approx. 2,000 lbs

Beau, an OTTB, 16.2 hands: weight approx 1,200 lbs

My son is riding Epona. Both horses are owned by him, but Epona is his riding horse. He has ridden Beau for short rides, 15 minutes or less, at a walk on flat ground in an english saddle. He does not do it often as he doesn't want Beau carrying over 170 lbs. soooo...

My daughter, in the video, will be Beau's primary rider, once she gets him a synthetic western saddle as she can't ride english.

Per the calculations, what is the maximum weight Beau can carry?

What is the maximum Epona can carry? 

I get so confused.


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## senecawoman

The general rule is that rider plus tack should not equal more than 25% of the horse's body weight. Do the math. If your horse weighs 1000 lbs, you have a 150lb rider and a 40lb saddle, 
(150 + 40 = 190) you are under the limit which would be 250 lbs.
I really don't think it has that much to do with how long or short the length of the horse's back is since the rider sits near the shoulders. Also the skill of the rider has very little to do with the weight load. 
(This formula comes from a veterinary study done in 2008.)


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## tinyliny

senecawoman said:


> The general rule is that rider plus tack should not equal more than 25% of the horse's body weight. Do the math. If your horse weighs 1000 lbs, you have a 150lb rider and a 40lb saddle,
> (150 + 40 = 190) you are under the limit which would be 250 lbs.
> I really don't think it has that much to do with how long or short the length of the horse's back is since the rider sits near the shoulders. Also the skill of the rider has very little to do with the weight load.
> (This formula comes from a veterinary study done in 2008.)



the study is just an outline. the skill of the rider DOES matter. an unskilled, heavy rider will move around and bump on the horse's back, flopping and banging with every trot stride. the skilled rider knows how to post in such a way as to diminish the impact.

also, the conditioning of the horse is VERY important. an unconditioned horse should not be asked to carry a heavy rider, skilled or not. but, once the hrose is conditioned, they can carry a lot more.


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## senecawoman

A horse should not carry more than 25% of its body weight. Do the math. In your example you have 2000 lb horse and 225 lb rider. Don't forget the weight of the tack. Let's just say 75 lbs. So 75 + 225 = 300 lbs. Now 2000 / .25= 500. In this calculation our horse can carry 500 lbs. Your son plus tack is well below the weight limit of 500 lbs. This formula was created by veterinarians after a university study in 2008
I do not think the skill of the rider or the length of the horse's back has much to do with how much weight a horse can carry. Congratulations to you for thinking of your horses comfort.


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## Mulefeather

We could go around and around this topic (and we have, ad nauseum) but the main point?

This thread is 5 years old.


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## trailhorserider

I don't even want to think of what some people would think of ME riding. All 225 lbs of me plus western tack. 

But I love my horses and am very mindful of how they carry me. My main riding horse is a 16.1, 1350 lb QH cross and he carries me well......almost too well......he's so full of energy that I usually round pen him before I ride. I don't think he thinks a whole lot of me being up there, judging by how he acts sometimes. :wink: 

Before I had him I had smaller horses including some under 15 hands and under 1000 lbs (Arabians and a Mustang). I don't think I physically damaged any of them, not more than any other horse/rider riding for years does. Only one was put down due to arthritis issues and he was 20 when I got him and died in his 30's. (And he was a big Paint not one of the small horses). All my other horses died from other causes and were at least in light riding (if not full riding) when they passed away in their 20's. 

I guess what I'm saying is, I never push them to their limits. They are just pleasure horses for me and I try to make sure the rides are pleasurable for both of us. When a horse gets into it's 20's I still ride them if they are healthy enough but they go on shorter/easier rides than when they were younger.


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## WhattaTroublemaker

My boy is 14.3, maybe 800 pounds and carries me just fine. I'm 200 pounds.


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## tinyliny

Mulefeather said:


> We could go around and around this topic (and we have, ad nauseum) but the main point?
> 
> This thread is 5 years old.



really? I didn't even notice that. see? how this topic just wont' go to bed like it should?


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## trailhorserider

tinyliny said:


> really? I didn't even notice that. see? how this topic just wont' go to bed like it should?


I noticed the thread was old, but since a lot of people were replying anyway, I thought I would put in my 2 cents worth. :wink:


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## QtrBel

Old thread as has been mentioned and a topic that has been covered many times. as those that have responded to seneca have covered the basics I'd like to respond to the last post asking for info eventhough it is old and poster is no longer here just to make a few points of my own. Looking at the videos and going by the info given I'd say both of those horses are closer to 1500lbs than the weights given. Both look fairly fit and in good flesh. Having been in the business of breeding drafts and crosses for as many years I've found most people just use blanket weights based on breed and/or height and over estimate draft weights just because they are drafts. Crosses go either way. My tank of a draft mare at 16.2 weighs in on a scale at 1600 to 1800 depending on condition and how much pasture is available. She is built like a bulldog and she makes the draft in that video look like a lean cross. Her grandmother at 18.2 weighed in at 2000 - 2200 fit, same build but her other sisters at 18 - 18.2HH that were leaner with a build more like the horse in the video are 1800. Most of our crosses bred for police mounts were TB Saddlebred or QH crosses weighing in at 1200 to 1500 and with heights between 15.2 and 17.2HH. The tank's sister same height as granny but even thicker (not just tank like but built like a stallion with the thick heavy crest) was absolutely massive and weighed in at 2400 - 2600. You can't just use breed to determine weight. Using the calculators that use heart girth and length come closer than those that use a single factor to make a determination. As for weight a horse can handle carrying for riding you have to look at confirmation and fitness. You want a fit animal with a short back, strong loins and a nicely sloped shoulder, then you want to look at saddle, fit and weight distribution. And yes, you do also have to consider skill of the rider. A heavier rider that is better at balancing and has experience riding can ride much "lighter" than a lighter rider that throws themselves around and lands like dead weight. There is a poster that regularly posts about having lighter horse, heavier riders. Those horses are very well put together, fit, well saddled and the riders light in their seats. It works.


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## ToManyHorsesAndOnePony

Well, there is a 1,400 pound LARGE halflinger mare here. Her owner is a man that is 6 foot something and was close to 400 pounds. That mare has never shown any issue carrying him, nor has she ever acted like shes not having a good time under saddle. That being said he is trying to lose weight for her and of course himself. When we first got her she would sweat really badly but she'd do that even with me on her walking on flat. She sat in the field for about 3 years and did nothing before he bought her.


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