How much weight can an irish cob carry?

Question

My Irish cob is 14.3HH and of stocky build. He is reasonably fit and has no problem at all carrying me (around 80kg). My boyfriend has been on him a couple of times (he's around 175kg at 6'5!) and my horse doesn't seem to struggle, in fact last time he was on him he was raring to go! My boyfriend has only walked with him so far, is he too heavy to do anything more with? He is well balanced and seems to have a good position on the horse so far and i've had no complaints or signs of struggle from my horse so far.

Answer 1

You should also measure the amount of bone your horse has and take that into consideration. Welsh Mountain Ponies, for example, used to carry welshman around the welsh hills all day long. These ponies are under 12.2hh but their bone and sturdiness allowed them to easily carry such weights for long periods of time.

Answer 2

25% of his body weight

Answer 3

if yous just walk then its okay =D xxxx

Answer 4

Everyone seems to be forgetting that welsh section A, and the UK breeds, ie exmoor nd dartmoor ponies, used to carry full grown men for a days hunting!!!! your boyfriend maybe slightly tall for the horse, but the stockier the horse is, then the more weight it should be able to carry. Aslong as he has good balance aswel, then this should be fine. Just keep an eye on your horse, after all you know him better than anyone else does!!! Just go steady at first and see what happens.

Answer 5

The maximum weight a horse can safely carry does vary by the breed of the horse and how hard it’s worked. There is no absolute rule about how much weight a horse can carry, but generally speaking the lighter-framed the horse the less he can carry. A well conditioned horse or a stout horse can generally carry more. Some breeds are bred to carry heavier weights like the Quarter Horse, Arabian or Icelandic Pony. Riders with good balance also make weight load less of a problem.

A quick and popular method is to use the 20% rule. You take 20% of your horse’s body weight and the result is the amount of total weight your horse can carry. For example, a 1,000 pound horse should easily carry 200 pounds of rider and tack. The 20% rule typically applies to competitive or otherwise “hard” riding. For pleasure riding, many use a 30% rule, so this 1,000 pound horse could carry 300 pounds for shorter pleasure rides.

I would expect a typical 14.3 cob to be between 420kg-460kg (approx 950 pounds) If your boyfriend is 175kg he is much too big for your pony.

Answer 6

20% rule, he should be able to carry 20% of his body weight

Answer 7

He's too big - hire him a horse & go hacking together - your man is too big for that horse stocky or not.

Answer 8

I just asked my vet this question .... I was told by my vet 20 - 25 % of the horses body weight and that is tack and rider .... I was also told that if it was just a short ride and walking 30% is fine .... but 30% and higher should not be jumping or turning sharp ..... and like you pointed out I have seen light women with terrible balance throw a horse off balance mounting while heavy men with good balance get on with no movement from the horse ...... Just watch your horse ... make sure the saddle fits and has good padding ... and don't over do it ...... remember it is not just the horse but the rider too .... too much weight or off balance can make a horse trip and they both can fall down and get hurt!  

Good Luck

Answer 9

As others have said, the lighter the horses build is the lighter he can carry, but an Irish Cob can carry a lot of weight.  One of the two fat ladies regularly hunts on one!  At 6'5 he may be a bit tall to jump maybe and look a bit odd, but if the horse seems happy then it should be okay.

Answer 10

I would have to say that it all depends on your horse just double check his back when your boyfriend and you are dont riding sometimes thats what gets sore first. I mean occasionally him riding shouldn't hurt but not an everyday thing,,

Answer 11

In Europe, the majority of ADULTS ride ponies.

Your pony is fine.