Mary Allen
How much rider weight a horse can carry is a controversial topic. For the answer, you have to consider the level of training of horse and rider.
At the Great Yorkshire Show in northern England in July, eight adult riders were asked to dismount because they were simply too heavy for the ponies in the warm-up ring. In the future, the committee announced, it is conceivable that riders who weigh more than 20 percent of their horse’s weight will be excluded from the tournament. The 20 percent limit, which experts regard as the absolute upper limit, means in practice, for example, that the rider of a 350-kilogram pony may not weigh more than 70 kg, while the weight limit for the rider of a 560-kilogram horse would be 112 Kilogram.
“Normally, the rule of thumb is a ratio of one to seven, so the rider on a 560-kilo horse shouldn’t weigh more than 80 kilograms,” says Anne Hoffmann, an equine osteopath. The action in Great Yorkshire was well received by the viewers. Not for nothing, because a rider who is too heavy about it hinders the horse in much the same way as a backpack that is much too heavy for us on a mountain tour – it gets out of breath faster and loses balance more easily.
Horses that carry too much often tend to stumble, do not contact correctly, do not step under the center of gravity, and avoid the aids. In the long term, an unfavorable weight ratio can have serious health consequences, including abnormal changes in the vertebral bodies, shrinkage of the back muscles and saddle and belt pressure.
Those Who Sit Well Can Be Heavier
Some breeds, such as Icelanders and Norwegians, have a reputation for being “weight carriers”. But whether a horse can bear a few kilograms more in the saddle depends much less on its breed than on the individual and the level of training. As a rule, fully trained, well-muscled horses with a rather square physique and a steep shoulder and pelvis configuration have a higher carrying potential. On the other hand, you should be particularly careful with young, little trained, overweight, or health-impaired four-legged friends.
How much a horse can carry also depends on the discipline and, last but not least, on the skill of the rider. A heavy, well-balanced rider is more comfortable for the horse than a lightweight that keeps stabbing the horse in the back. The proportions and mobility of the rider also play a role. If you are very overweight, mobility is naturally restricted, explains Anne Hoffmann, who has also completed training as a physiotherapist. Ten superfluous kilos are not a drama in themselves, but if they are mainly on the thighs, it becomes difficult when the rider has to enclose a horse with a rather bulky torso. But the same problem also occurs with delicate, small people on draft horses.
To improve fit, the expert recommends strengthening your abs and obliques and stretching your inner and hamstrings. The middle posture can be mobilized excellently through belly dancing. Alternatively, it also helps to circle on a 65-centimeter diameter exercise ball with your upper body upright.
If the weight ratio is not ideal, you should give the horse enough rest breaks, i.e. dismount and lead in between on longer rides. Driving, groundwork, circus lessons, as well as training on the double lunge or the long reins, can be good employment alternatives on non-riding days. Riders who are a bit too heavy for their horse should avoid very performance-intensive disciplines such as jumping, eventing, endurance riding, and gallop racing.