How fat is too fat to ride a horse?

Question

just looking - received a violation notice today because i answered a question on where to find size 24+ clothes in the UK for horse riding. While I commend anyone who is up for a bit of exercise, I feel that surely this size is too heavy for your average training horse!

so, how fat is too fat?

Answer 1

This is really dependant upon the horse's size and weight.

I mean you no offense, but I personally would not allow someone this big to ride any of my horses. I think it would be both difficult for you and the horse to train. But horse riding is my life, so get fit and then learn to ride, you'll love it

Answer 2

As long as it was a Shire Horse she should be fine

Answer 3

Maybe it's a shire horse

Answer 4

I WILL ANS. YOUR QUESTION. When the person cannot cast there d**n  FAT  LEG across the poor Horse, If you cannot lift your leg to put it across to sit on the poor Horse then you should not go on that beast back @ all. That is the ans. my dear!

Answer 5

well most jockeys are no more than 10 stone

Answer 6

most places where you can ride a horse around where I live have a weight limit of 250 pounds, and those are for very big horses

Answer 7

You'd be amazed at what a horse can do.  Now granted you'd need a good sized horse and I don't mean a fat one, I mean a tall big boned horse.  But horseback riding is excellent exercise, it works all the muscle groups and I mean all of them down to the tiniest muscles, tendons and ligaments.  All size people can ride and benefit from it.  I've had horses all my life and riding is a great way to shape up, enjoy nature, make a friend (the horse of course) and the work you must do caring for your horse is good exercise as well.  I say ride.

Answer 8

It depends really - as long as the horse is big enough.  I know a couple of people who used to go horse-riding, and who were quite overweight - I doubt the riding instructors would let them do it if they were too heavy for the horse.

P.S. your violation might not have been towards your actual answer, but perhaps how you phrased it may have offended some people.

Answer 9

I think shes pretty big to be riding, but i am sure there is a riding school with shires or Clydesdale's to ride.  But i feel sorry for her horse if she has one!!

Answer 10

In days of old when knights were bold guys used to ride around wrapped in iron suits. the horses managed to carry them then. Depends on the size of the horse.

Answer 11

If the horse sees you, whinnies like mad and bolts, you know you're too heavy.

Obviously it depends on the horse.

Answer 12

Most Places where i live the weight limit is 200 Pounds.

I would say no more than 220 pounds. If the person is over 175 pounds i would consider only riding a draft breed such as Clydesdale, Percheron, Shire, Etc.

Answer 13

Horses are very strong animals. I would put the person's weight limit at 400.

Answer 14

I am not sure but there is a woman who rides through my village from time to time. She is HUGE. You can almost see the poor horses back bending under the weight. I fee so sorry for it. She must be size 24 or more.

Answer 15

It depends on the horse's weight.  A horse should carry no more than 15-20 percent of its body weight (including the saddle)

In an article I read it said that when a horse carries 25-30 percent of its body weight its heart rate and other vital signs were significantly higher after exercise.  If you and the saddle weigh more than 30 percent of a horse's body weight you are definitely TOO HEAVY for that horse.  If the person you commented on weighed that much or more, they are doing serious damage to the horse.  If they want to ride a draft horse, that's fine.  But I would hate to see someone hurting a horse because they weighed too much.  I think you did the right thing (as long as you said it nicely!  :)