# Please Help! Best breeds for heavy rider?



## LopinKing (Sep 20, 2014)

Horses can pick up a lot.. so dont worry.. But i would find a horse that is bigger.. not like a pony or something


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

It is as much the build and length/strength in the back and bone in the leg that determines suitability for a heavier rider. You also have to factor in fitness. At 17 stone you are looking at 270lbs with a lighter saddle as an estimate of what the horse is toting. If your partner is unbalanced then that makes it even worse on the animal. At 12.5 stone for a cutoff we are talking 200 with tack and while that seems light for a draft - all drafts are not built to ride. They are built to pull and there are many that have backs that are not going to lend themselves to riding because of length. You want something stout with a short strong back and solid legs. You aren't looking for a breed per se but a type. I had a good friend that rode and drove his Suffolks because he was on the heavy side and they were perfectly built for his size. I have one compact bullish built Belgian mare I would put a heavier person on if they could ride well enough and a tank of a QH that we are trying out that could handle a heavier load (me + tack = 240). As for lessons you may just have to keep looking. I know my son's instructor is looking for a stout horse for heavier riders because she hates to turn people away. She has a boarder that has one that may work out but he'll still be hard pressed to carry that weight as he is long backed. ETA Drafts have each their own unique personalities and with my crew sluggish would never be a word you would use to describe them.


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## Bellasmom (Jun 22, 2011)

Being as 17 stone is just under 240 lbs, which is a VERY reasonable weight for an adult male, any well conformed horse with decent bone should be up to the job. I am currently 220 and ride either a 15 MFT or a 15.2 RMH over fairly challenging terrain for several hours at a time.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

A lot of schooling facilities have restrictions on weight for good reasons - their horses often do multiple lessons per day and carrying heavy riders is a lot more wear and tear vs a light rider..and if a horse goes out lame because of a constant barrage of heavy riders it's money out of their pocket.

There are also horses that have had issues before for which the owners now restrict their weight limit even more, so it can be a vicious circle.

I'm a heavier rider myself and I respect that facilities have these restrictions for very good reasons. 

That said, look for a facility with lot of horses and some drafts in the mix. I spent a lot of time learning on a Belgian and a Belgian X Hackney and both were great - short backs, stout legs, and very willing. I also spent my fair share of time on a Clyde as time progressed and I became a reasonable rider, but as mentioned, it's a bit of a misnomer that the drafts can carry more weight so even then there are limits.

A well balanced experienced and fluid rider (even a heavy one) is far easier on a horse, so once he's experienced it'll become easier to find places willing to offer you a suitable horse for lessons, but a deadweight beginner who's flopping around can be brutal on a horses back. Unfortunately ALL new riders are the latter to begin with, hence why many schooling facilities have what may seem like unreasonably low weight limitations.

We have to place the animals well being before our own desires sometimes.


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## bassjunky (Sep 20, 2014)

The Belgian seems to be a firm favourite (on this and other forums) and we boh like the look of the breed but could do more research into characteristics. 

The Irish Draft has been recommended to us and this seems very promising as they're built for strength and stamina with a friendly disposition and intelligence. Would be perfect for our needs. I suppose it would be a good step to get him on a riding simulator for some practice before putting him on the real thing (I intend to part loan at some point soon before ownership). I don't think we will find a school that will take him for lessons as he is way over the limit of every place I have rang with most of them having predominantly heavy horses. Will keep trying though. I think a Belgian specialist might be worth looking for though I don't know where we might find one locally....


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Here in the state most Belgians are bred for show and hitch which means taller, leaner and longer backed. You want old style. Short backed and stout. You can find those that are still work bred and conformationally more suitable; it just takes time and effort. Have you looked at Brabants and Suffolks? If you pm me I can give you the mane of a Suffolk breeder that can help you. Even many of those that farm with Belgians breed for hitch type horses as that is where the money is. There are a few breeders out west that cross with QH to get that short backed stout work horse that can log many miles on the trail with heavier riders.


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## bassjunky (Sep 20, 2014)

Over here a Brabant is a Belgian, so yes I am considering them hah 

Suffolks didn't appeal to either of us and the concern with a Belgian is that it would cost a fortune to keep, hence the need for more research. 

A Belgian X Irish Draft would certainly be a consideration although by all accounts an Irish Draft would be more than capable of not only carrying my partner but being athletic for lengthy periods on a daily basis as this is what they were bred for. Sounds like a very good all rounder. Need to spend some time with both breeds to analyse their individual merits. 

I quite like the stocky look of the Belgian and they are by no means slow. They can move and gracefully! Hard to believe given their size. 
Both breeds are stunning in my opinion so it may come down to which is the most available/affordable/easy to manage or even which my partner feels most comfortable around. We have some contenders that we like so that's a relief, it's hard to get him interested in anything so I was very happy when riding piqued his interest


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Didn't realize you weren't in the states. I wish we had better access to Brabants here. You shouldn't have trouble finding something to suit. Stay on top of the feathers. Either way every individual is different but in my experience drafts are easier keepers as a general rule no matter the breed. Age and genes play a big part. Good luck. Looking forward to seeing what you find!


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## greenhaven (Jun 7, 2014)

I wanted to comment on the easy-keeper aspect, too. Yes, they are larger horses and will require more feed, but you might be surprised at how little more it can be since many were bred to be thrifty keepers.


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## bassjunky (Sep 20, 2014)

Thanks I think we will most likely go for an ID or and ID X Belgian, assuming we could find one on part loan as a trial with a view to full loan for a while before getting one of our own 

I'm glad to hear they keep well as I would like to afford to keep other animals too but a horse will be more than enough for now.....


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## ducky123 (May 27, 2014)

Bonanza's "Hoss" road a Morgan.


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## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

I love to recommend draft crosses for larger riders. A full draft is a massive horse to get up on, mounting using stirrups is never advisable, but less so with heavier riders, so a tall horse would produce more challenges than it would prevent. The cross can result in a normal height horse that is big boned and short backed, both things you want to aim for. I would think many Cobs would also suit, once again, we're really looking at bone and back length more than height or the horse's weight.

Mules are also very well known for carrying heavy weight with no problem.

Also a good thing to keep in mind, driving horses is a ton of fun too, and massively reduces the weight a horse is bearing. I've seen some people in the 20 stone and up range driving 12.2 ponies to cart, and the pony is perfectly content.

As for hardiness, my 18hh Shire is generally easier to keep weight on over the winter than my 14.2 Arabian on grass hay only.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

I have heard that Belgians can actually be a bit on the flighty or sensitive side, at least as draft horse temperaments go. The gal who trims our horses owns one who is so unpredictable that he cannot be safely ridden or even properly trimmed. Of course, he had some pretty poor training at one time, so that didn't really help matters. Anyhow, it's just something to keep in mind: a Belgian may or may not have the ideal temperament for a novice rider.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

A breed I had never heard of before, but BOY are they gorgeous, is the Comtois, no becoming available in the UK

Horses for Sale - Comtois Horses, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG24 8AG UK


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

They look adorable and like fantastic weight bearers Golden Horse!


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Instead of looking for a breed, look for a type like a horse with good bone and a strong back. A nice heavy (read, thick/strong) 15h QH can carry more then a 16.2h dainty TB with a long back. Even within breeds their suitability to carry weight will change. Consider conformation as well as breed!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

falling said:


> They look adorable and like fantastic weight bearers Golden Horse!


I will have to send Fellpony this way to update http://www.horseforum.com/plus-sized-riders/meet-my-new-plus-size-riding-438874/ I see she hasn't signed on for a while. This was when I first saw them, love them:wink:


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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

As has been mentioned sturdy, good bone, and a short back are all things to look at, but also, don't forget to look for broad strong loins. A study done a while back (I can't remember who did it.) Found that shorter horses with broad loins and good bone were much better at carrying weight than taller horses.

It stated something along the lines of optimum height being from 14.2-15.2 or 15.3 hands if you could combine that with dense bone, broad loins and a short back.

I'd definitely look for a draft cross. Belgians ( when I say Belgian I'm referring to the American 'version' of lighter, taller, and longer.) Can make good crosses if you can find an actual 'old type'. Brabants of course (I'm referring to ones that haven't been 'mucked up' and could pull a 747 with no problem) would be even better.
An Irish Draft/ Draught is a good cross option, but also look at Welsh cob (section D) crosses as well, Morgan crosses, or even a nice Cleveland Bay cross if available.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Since driving has come up I'll add driving is also the perfect way to share your horse. You don't have to worry about riding ability or horse's personality. Depending on what you drive you can open the possibility of sharing with more than one person at a time. An aside on the Belgian comment about sensitivity - they are like any other breed. There are different personalities for each animal. You can't really make a broad based statement and assume that is true across the board. Handling makes a big difference and those that are handled by inexperienced or even experienced users that aren't used to heavy horses can impact their reactions and personality. Breeding can also make a difference if they were bred without thought to disposition.


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## rbaker0345 (Nov 2, 2014)

I used to weigh nearly 200lb (2 babies in 2 years), I am now down to 185lb and I ride a 13.1 hand arabian, and a 14.3 hand arabian and a 16 hand morgan. I ride dressage at 2nd and 3rd level. We have a rider at our barn who weighs well over 220 who is taking lessons on a 15 hand arabian mare. Look at those little mongolian ponies who carry those big burly men. Injuries, age, arthritis etc. notwithstanding, what a horse can carry is all in the riders mind and balance.


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