I am 6'5'' and weigh 300lbs. what size horse would be suitable for trail riding?

Question

I am 6'5'' and weigh 300lbs. what size horse would be suitable for trail riding?

Answer 1

Oh, I'd say a percheron...

Answer 2

When I think of a saddle horse built for heavy riders, a compact horse with a short back, a broad chest, powerful hips and shoulders, strong dense bones, solid feet, and superior stamina, I think of Arabians. But more than 240 or 250 pounds is too much load even for the fittest of Arabians. At the risk of sounding demeaning and malicious, which I assure you I have no such intent in mind, I suggest you lose at least 60 or 70 pounds before looking for a saddle horse and then I recommend looking at a heathy stout Arabian. I have a fine 10-year-old Arabian mare standing 15.3 hands and a local man who rides her 4 or 5 times a month is about 6'2" or 6'3" and weighs 230 pounds, or did when I weighed him a couple years ago when he first started renting her. She carries him fine and after a 2 hour ride she struts and gallops around the pasture so light on her feet it seems she hardly touches ground. I normally rent her for $35 an hour but I started letting this guy have her for $25, not just because he is one of her regular riders, but also because I think his weight is actually beneficial in helping to keep her healthy, strong, and feeling spry as a featherweight. There is a tiny little twenty-something lady who likes to rent her too and she can get that mare going something like 0 to 40 in about 4 strides and I'm sure that's because that horse is used to carrying that 230 pound man. So you can find a horse well suited to carry you if you just lose enough weight to get down to the 230 to 240 pound range. I really hope you will try to do that.

Answer 3

an oldenburg, tennessee walker, quarter horse, paint/pinto

Answer 4

A clydesdale?

Answer 5

a clydesdale...

Answer 6

a stout warmblood, or a gypsy vanner, or a large haflinger

Answer 7

My neighbor is about your size.  He rides a 16.2 hand mule.

Answer 8

Riding mount should be sturdy to carry weight and tall to accommodate height.

Suggestions:

American Saddlebred

Andalusian

Cleveland Bay

Friesian

Lippizan

Quarter Horse  

Tennessee Walking Horse

Height should be sixteen hands or taller

Answer 9

A Quarter Horse Appendix or Friesian.

Answer 10

A mule or donkey is stronger than a horse for carrying larger people.  Clydsdales yes of course. Especially retired  racehorses. I have been there. Horses are very strong and can carry more than 190lbs.

Answer 11

In the most recent issue of Equus a reader asked a similar question, unfortunately I can't ccp the answer for you, so I recommend going out to a tack store and checking out the Q & A.  I can only give you the gist of what the vet that responded said: the upper weight limit for any horse to carry was 280 lbs and that the size of the horse was irrelevant, it had to do more with the horse's build.  A shorter, broader backed horse is best and the leg length does not matter so much as leg circumference, a horse with a shorter, thicker leg will have less trouble than a thin legged breed such as a thoroughbred or arabian.  This means that for heavier riders, horses breeds or mixes that resemble breeds like morgans and haflingers are best, and a cross between a pony breed and a draft breed often produces a short draft type horse with good bone in the leg and a short pony back.

Answer 12

a shire horse

Answer 13

A pony would probably work..

Answer 14

safer to ride a bike,you might kill yourself and the horse .

Answer 15

Don't let these people bring you down.  You can ride any horse that is large enough, strong enough and fit enough.  You can ride a quaterhorse that has maybe a half or more clydesdale or percheron (or other heavy bone breed) in him.  Just think...stout horse, heavily muscled and fit for a work out (the fit part is important because you can't just get a fat horse and think that it is in good enough shape to carry weight).  

You might want to look at horse rental places because they usually have horses that are big enough and strong enough to carry just about anybody.

Enjoy!

Answer 16

don't listen to them ur not fat its ok

well i dont think any horse would be suitable because ur stilty heavy and horses can only carry around 190 pounds

but theirs always others stuff you can do on trails lik rides bikes or walk have funn dont be concerd