Do you believe heavier people shouldn't ride horses?

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Replies

  • Princess71117
    Princess71117 Posts: 91 Member
    Oh man-I went to the Dominican Republic a few years ago, and we ended up getting credit for activities at the resort as they screwed up something. My cousin and I really wanted to go horseback riding so that's what we did. The horses were of a good height, however, they were so skinny you could see their ribcages. I felt like SUCH a terrible person, because we were getting pleasure out of them when they were clearly too skinny to be dragging inexperienced tourists over uneven/sandy terrain in like 40+ degrees.
  • redversustheblue
    redversustheblue Posts: 1,216 Member
    To ride the horses onto the battlefield at Gettysburg, you must be under 250 lbs. To ride a horse in Hyde Park London, you must be less than 175 lbs. These are businesses, so you know they don't make the rules lightly. They want to have as many people ride as they can get to pay. But they also want to protect their investment in the horses. But as someone upthread stated, draft horses, such as Percherons, can be trained as saddle horses and ridden by heavier people. And some of the larger warmblood breeds used for dressage are descendants of breeds that were used as war horses at times when armored warriors weighed quite a lot. They can be ridden by larger riders, as well.

    wait, you can do this? That's awesome! I really want to do this!
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    Depends on the horse and how obese the individual is.
  • dsm1991
    dsm1991 Posts: 156
    i dont mind as long the horse is okay with it
  • Smirnoff65
    Smirnoff65 Posts: 1,060 Member
    I always said that I would like to have went horse riding but always felt that I was too heavy and wouldn't have put a horse through that, now I think I am getting a lot lighter this is definitely on my to do list.
  • Princess71117
    Princess71117 Posts: 91 Member
    I always said that I would like to have went horse riding but always felt that I was too heavy and wouldn't have put a horse through that, now I think I am getting a lot lighter this is definitely on my to do list.

    It's the best feeling in the world!! You'll be pretty sore if you do it often, but honestly, it's amazing! :)
  • LadyRN76
    LadyRN76 Posts: 4,275 Member
    It is all dependent on the size, age and health of the horse; with that being said - you have to add on the weight of the tack as well as the weight of the person. If you already weigh 300+ and you add 40-50 pounds of tack - that is A LOT of weight. I love my horses - and would never let them be ridden by someone that overweight - and they are young, sound and in the best shape possible. Percherons and clydesdales? Maybe - but again, it would be dpeendent on the size, health and age of the horse.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,302 Member
    2012 thread resurrection!! :laugh:
  • LadyRN76
    LadyRN76 Posts: 4,275 Member
    Passionate subject for quite a few people no matter the year.. :smile:

    2012 thread resurrection!! :laugh:
  • splashtree2
    splashtree2 Posts: 277
    It would probably depend on the size and age of the horse. Most people don't realize it, but horses are very sensitive, and get thrown out of whack quite easily. That being said, a relatively large adult horse shouldn't have any problem with it.

    I agree with that...and anyway i'm a horse back rider and i've found very damaging sport for my lower back unless you really like horses!!!
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    Hoss Cartwright rode a horse.

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