# Am I TOO Heavy for my Mare?



## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I think you look fine for her. Also, it doesn’t sound like you are riding her into the ground, although I’m sure she could handle some long days with you.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Your fine. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not. You'll lose weight if you'll start riding her on a couple hour trail ride once a week. If you can ride more often, that's even better.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I agree, you are fine. I do appreciate that you have concern about that. We big folks SHOULD be aware and realistic. I rode some hard trails, hours upon hours, at 200LBs plus a regular western saddle. It's important to be realistic.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Not only do I think you look fine on her in the pictures but your mare's expression says she fine with it too. I would work her up to longer and more difficult rides in order to get her more fit and then I think she could carry you for 1/2 or all day trail rides if that's what you wanted to do.


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## Magnum 59 (Oct 26, 2021)

You look fine. If you are balanced and only doing light work you will be fine. If you were a beginner doing hours of jumping everyday then that would be another case. But as you are you look good!


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

claudia.n.dallas said:


> I rarely ride, but when I do I ride her mainly. Like I said, I rarely ride.


Ride more. It'll do you both good. She'll get fit and you may lose weight. Win/Win. As others have said she doesn't look like she is struggling at all. You both look happy.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

I believe in the 20% rule, with a little leeway for terrain and rider's ability to balance. Most of the time I see the question, "Am I too heavy?" I think the rider is. But in your case, I'll say you're not too heavy for your mare.


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## BethR (Feb 17, 2021)

When I bought my 21-year-old Morgan mare (14.3 hands) her former owners told me that she had been their son’s horse, and he weighed between 250 and 275. Barefoot as well.
And your horse is a draft cross. No, I think you’re just fine! 
And to the posters who express concern about their weight, I would say, love yourself the way you are, because as that old song said, “Everybody’s beautiful in their own way”!


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Draft or draft cross does not guarantee suitable for a heavy rider. Short back, strong coupled, dense bone, healthy big feet closer, closer to the ground - those are what you look for. Many draft and crosses have backs that are too long to carry the weights people assume they can carry. Many well built QH are more suitable than a draft or cross.

This is a post from a while back but it goes over this using a formula with cannon circumference to help determine weight a horse is able to carry.









Tall rider on a chincoteague pony?


So I'm a tall rider 6' 1". I read today that the chincoteague pony swin and carnival was canceled for 2021 and they are doing an online auction for the ponies. July was the time frame I was planning on for buying a new horse. So it kinda works out, but my grandmother (and myself kinda) are not...




www.horseforum.com


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## stormfront (Oct 19, 2021)

You two look great together.

Aside from riding, take her for hand walks too (if you aren't already). Start at 20 mins a day and increase from there. It's brilliant exercise and bonding time for the both of you.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

The US Cavalry assumed a normal load of 25% in the field. Before I lost weight ( https://www.youtube.com/user/lowcarbdownunder/videos ), I rode at 25% or more all the time and my horses had no trouble. Before I owned him, Bandit was ridden 10-15 mile training runs carrying over *35%* of his weight - which was crazy but doesn't seem to have done any physical damage. It did, however, take a long time to get him to trust me with his back!

The simplest way is to just ride and see if the horse acts uncomfortable. A horse who is struggling will move similar to a human carrying a too heavy backpack, and will brace his back.

LOTS of men are 200-220 lbs and we ride horses just fine.

"_The second Cavalry Endurance Ride was held in 1920. The U.S. Remount Service, representing the Army, became much more involved in the ride this year. *The Army wanted to increase the weight carried to 245 pounds and the Arabian owners agreed. The horses traveled sixty miles a day for five days* with a minimum time of nine hours each day. The highest average points of any breed entered went to Arabians, although a grade Thoroughbred entered by the Army won first.

According to Albert Harris (Arabian Horse Registry Director 1924-1949), the (Thoroughbred) Jockey Club gave the Army $50,000 in 1921 to purchase the best Thoroughbreds they could find for that year's endurance ride. Mr. Harris wrote: "With two endurance rides to the credit of Arabian horses in 1919 and 1920, the U.S. Remount, and incidentally the Jockey Club, felt something had to be done to beat these little horses in the next ride..." The Army selected all Thoroughbreds or grade Thoroughbreds which were all ridden by Cavalry majors. *The Army also wanted to lower the weight carried to 200 pounds, but the Arabian people, having proved their horses at 245 pounds, objected. A compromise was reached at 225 pounds.*

In spite of the Army's efforts, the first prize in the 1921 Cavalry Endurance Ride went to W.R. Brown's purebred Arabian gelding *CRABBET #309. Mr. Brown won the trophy once again in 1923 with his Anglo-Arab gelding GOUYA._"



ArabianHorses.org - Arabian Horses


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## minidonkeymom (Nov 29, 2021)

claudia.n.dallas said:


> Hello, all.
> 
> I have been trying to loose weight my whole life, but this may actually motivate me to do it for real this time. Lol- To put it plainly, I fear I am too heavy for my draft cross mare. I have always had this worry in the back of my mind, but I need some real, non-biased (from my own brain) answers.
> 
> ...


You guys look like a great fit! She’s a really pretty horse!


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## SmokeyC (Nov 4, 2021)

You two look great and your mare looks perfectly comfortable carrying you! My husband is a heavy set fellow of about 250lbs, he rides 2 horses a 16 hand QH gelding and a 14.2 hand QH mare and truthfully the mare carries him better and performs better for him, I do believe in the 20% rule however even more so I believe in listening to your horse.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

You look fine. She looks fine. Cute mare. Riding is good exercise, plus all the brushing, pen cleaning, hay moving should help you with some of the lbs.


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## Zimalia22 (Jun 15, 2021)

Look at your mare. She's relaxed, happy. If you were too much for her, she would not have that easy expression on her face. 
Like the others, you're fine. Your horse will tell you when it's too much.


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## SuzannahK (May 12, 2021)

Yeah, just want to point out that 200+ lb men routinely ride horses that are smaller than your mare and don't ever ask this question. 

Keep riding.


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## wvfarrier (Sep 13, 2021)

When I was riding patrols in the Army we used the 30% rule which was approved by Army Veterinarians and a panel of professionals. Basically, the rider plus all his gear could not exceed 30% of the horses body weight (this was a baseline). We never rode the same horse 2 days in a row so they got at a minimum of 24 hours rest. We also monitored their behavior, trust me, a horse will let you know if its uncomfortable


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

wvfarrier said:


> When I was riding patrols in the Army we used the 30% rule which was approved by Army Veterinarians and a panel of professionals. Basically, the rider plus all his gear could not exceed 30% of the horses body weight (this was a baseline). We never rode the same horse 2 days in a row so they got at a minimum of 24 hours rest. We also monitored their behavior, trust me, a horse will let you know if its uncomfortable



that is a great way to look at things. Thanks for sharing!


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## Robert Atwood (Apr 27, 2021)

The best way to tell if the horse is not liking it you will see their ears back and their tail switching. Also the most pressing gait is a hard trot versus a walk or cantor. Your horse looks very stout and should be good.


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