Overweight horseback riders group?

I'm a long-time horse rider and owner. I have a 13 year old Buckskin mare, and though she has a crazy attitude problem, I love her so much.

I used to feel really uncomfortable when I jumped her. I thought I was way too big (~240 pounds), and it upset me. But then I decided that she's a big girl (over 16 hands), and she can handle it.

I also play polo on a number of different horses. It takes a lot to get my fat butt up out of the saddle and into half seat, but I get it done!

When out of town relatives come to stay with us, occasionally they want to go horseback riding. I've learned that when making stable reservations, if you are over 220 pounds, you have to give them a couple days notice, so they can have an appropriate horse for you. For me, at 265, they would bring in "Tank". I rode Tank.

Now that I'm under 200 pounds, I no longer need Tank. Just another NSV!

I'm a horse addict! I've had 3 Arabians, my first I lost tragically in a fire, my second who is 6 was just diagnosed with Wobbler's disease (he's in my ticker) and the reason I decided to lose weight. His name is Disco. He is currently living with his breeder until we figure out how bad his Wobbler's is and if he can still do any work like maybe carting. I just bought a new 14 year old Arabian named Mateuss and we are just getting to know each other. See the pattern here.

Anyway I am training for eventing and just learning how to jump. Mateuss has primarily been a trail horse so cross country will be no issue for him but dressage is going to be tough. I am also interested in endurance which goes hand in hand with conditioning for cross country so next year I will be doing both hopefully.

I started at 236 and wanted to get to 140 but my personal trainer said I have too much muscle mass for that to happen, a more realistic goal is between 150-160. Still no problem for a fit horse to jump with, especially since the rider helps.

I was afraid I would break Disco, literally when I first started riding him at 236. I am only 5'4". So that's when I decided enough is enough, oh yeah, and when I had to learn to post and hold my butt out of the saddle with just my inner thighs for endurance conditioning, I won't even get into 2-pointing last winter. And being a big girl, my bust always hurt after riding from all the bouncing and several times my stomach was bruised from getting pinched in my endurance saddle.

As far as fitness, in addition to having a personal trainer to get stronger, I have used a book called "The Rider's Fitness Program" and love it. My trainer is going to get me strong enough to do those exercises and is incorporating variations into my fitness plan right now. He said it's a really good program as he's never trained a rider either. It works on balance, core, and the entire arms and legs. I've also started running using C25K and that has really helped my trotting and cantering, I don't get nearly as out of breath and yes I have to post a lot.

Good for you for getting your own horse - a partner in weight loss! I had a horse when I was younger and miss riding so much. I tried to keep it up after my boys were born but just could not spend the money. Unfortunately, in my area it is very expensive to own and ride horses and my financial priorities are not allowing me to treat myself. I want to ride again but at 280 pounds (yup you read right!) - I am an out of shape load. I volunteer at a local therapeutic riding program to get my horse fix - and burn those calories! I want to go riding out in Sedona for a family vacation next spring but I wonder if they have weight limits - and I am too embarrassed to ask. I do think there are horses that can handle larger riders - and that your balance as a rider probably plays the biggest role in protecting the horse. Be warned though that there are some thin riders out there with very strong opinions about overweight riders - but you hopefully won't run into any of those of MFP. Have fun!

I have had a love for horses since I was 5! I think they are beautiful and majestic animals. I use to ride when I was younger and I loved it. Living in North Michigan my cousins had horses and I rode every chance I got; in the fields, to the lake for picnic's, and we would race. I haven't been a horse since I have been overweight (afraid that I might damage the horse). Glad to know that there are places where heavy people can ride. I hope to ride again someday.

I used to love to ride and also drive.

The last time I was on a horse was at a park and they put me on this huge draft horse while everyone else was riding a regular quarter horse mix and I was so embarrassed. I was probably 180 at the time so have no idea why they thought I needed such a a huge horse when there were tall grown men who I am sure weighed more than me on regular horses.

I've ridden since I was very little started western than went English when I was about 14 or 13. I've worked on farms since I was 15 and am now the manager at a stable going on 5 years now. I got my first horse when I was 19. Everything has been paid through my hard work and sweat to own the boys I have.
My first horse was a problem horse to everyone, but he was my boy. A big 16.2hh Thoroughbred/Paint (sport horse). To shorten a long story, he would buck and rear with everyone and refuse jumps. I turned him around and got him performing for me. But it took over a year of hard work and patience to work with him. And still even with all that work...no one else can ride him like I can.

My second horse was a rescue case. Skinny as could be OTTB (Off the Track Thoroughbred). 16hh. He was my baby, and my world. I had him for a short time before he lost his battle to health problems and sight loss. But in that time I had turned him around to become the most beautiful little studly boy everyone on the farm had seen. He came a long way from the beginning. He was high strung and nervous. His story truly showed what love and a second chance could do. Even though I lost him almost a year ago.
After losing my beloved Topper, I have yet to get another horse. Some reason being because all the emotional stress I went through with him and the loss. And with school now coming up, it is not possible. I now ride for others as an exercise rider at the farm. And have ridden many of them, but never really bond with them as I did with the old pasture horse no one rode. He is 30 yrs and loves the trails. He was the one to pull me away from my loss quite a bit.

And now I ride and compete at 3 ft. on a 15.3hh Appaloosa. He belongs to the farm owner. Here again was another horse no one would ride or really could. I remember riding that horse back in high school and getting bucked off, but that didn't stop me. But after getting involved with more project horses then owning my own, I had not ridden that horse in three years. No one but the owner could. And now...no one still can ride that horse but the owner and me.
My trainer says, that horse would never let anyone else ride him the way I do. And it took a lot of patience to get him this far.

Through all the bucks, rears, bolts, and falls I've had in my life....I'd still never give it up.

As far as weight, I gained a bit after I went on leave from school and my riding felt way off. But as far as the main issue over overweight riders goes. I will say, don't change the way you ride to please others because they look at you as being too heavy. But always keep in mind the horse's health in the long run.

I asked to join both groups. I’d love to get back up on a horse. I used to compete in jumping (4ft) and dressage until I began my focus on training with behavioural horses and younger greener ones. Being as big as I was I was solid in the saddle and could handle any bucking horse. The last time I was on a horse was around 7 years ago. Totally embarrassing; they had to bring out the “BIG GIRL” for me to ride. *sigh* All the little kids around were pointing at me and the horse asking why I got such a big horse. Ya, I was on a Percheron. LOL But, I must say the ride on the beach in San Francisco was well worth the embarrassment. Before that, it had been 4 years since I stopped riding all together. This was when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. I gained 100lbs during the pregnancy and never went back to doing what I loved. One of these days I’d love to be confident enough to get back in the saddle!

Please add me! I grew up riding/showing TWHs. (Your horse is beautiful btw, OP (if that is him in your profile pic!) I showed western for our college team. I also showed a spotted saddle horse for a while, but then we bought a house, had kids, and I gained weight (not necessarily in that order). I just treated myself to riding lessons after getting back to onederland, and I am currently learning to jump! I can't afford to buy one now, but plan to continue lessons until I can (probably 1 1/2 to 2 years from now). It is helping me stay focused on getting fit because that first lesson--after a 7 year break from any riding--was brutal!!!

My recommendation for riding exercises is to ride. Often, and bareback or without stirrups as much as possible. Even better if you can get someone to put you on a lunge line, or on a horse in long lines so you don't have reins to hold on to. Then your balance will really be tested. Other than than, work on posture. Yoga, pilates, barre, something like that should do wonders.

My poison is the American Saddlebred, though I've ridden Arabians, Morgans, and Quarter Horses, too. Mostly I ride English saddle seat, I've done a little western (on a former world champion cutting horse, which was interesting to say the least), and I rode dressage once. Loved the dressage. I was given a lesson by friends, and they kindly said I had a knack for it ( liars :P ).

I used to show all the time - three-gaited, five-gaited, pleasure, my horse, someone else's horse, some random lesson horse that needed show experience, didn't matter. I loved to ride. Hated the politics that went with the show ring, but the riding was great.

My favorite of all time was a 4 yr old three-gaited mare. She had a ton of get-up-and-go and was SUPER touchy, but responded well with a very quiet and patient rider. She was the type that just fed off her rider - if you were anxious, she'd be so jumpy and scattered you'd be lucky to get her to move in anything other than a sideways leap, and forget getting her to stand so you could get on OR off! But, if you were confident, she'd settle right down and march forward like she owned the place. Suddenly those spooky shadows and puffs of baby powder meant nothing. She was awesome. Made you feel amazing when everything came together, especially since she obviously felt so much happier. Didn't hurt that she worked 10x better for me than for the stable's trainer (who was a total *kitten*).

I love riding, but have had to give it up for now. It's too expensive unless I do all of the stable work myself - and I live downtown, about an hour from the nearest stable doing my kind of equestrian work. I could go back to taking lessons, but then I just miss the 'real' stuff more. And I've never been a fan of riding the lesson horses, since most of them at my old barn are suited for little kids. I like a challenge.

Oh - and for the person riding in a 15" western saddle. I don't know how you do it. I must have a long thigh - I ended up riding in a 21" saddle seat, and I was really thin at the time. But, in a shorter saddle my butt was partially on the cantle (ouch), even with my stirrups dropped so low I could barely touch them.

I love to ride! Hoping to meet others that love horses and need to loose weight too!

I've really enjoyed reading everyone's horse stories. I actually don't remember learning how to ride a horse anymore that any of you would remember learning how to walk...I have always ridden. I am blessed with beautiful horses and plenty of horseback work on our ranch, and I can tell you that losing weight has just made everything associated with work and competition so much BETTER! I can mount and dismount with much more ease, and my balance during roping and cutting has improved--I'm sure my horse appreciates having less of me to work under!
If that isn't great incentive to lose weight and keep it off, I don't know what is!:bigsmile: :bigsmile:

I was an obese rider... I'm now 5 lbs away from the "healthy" weight range! I had become obese after my pregnancy and stopped riding due to my mare being light-boned and me being too heavy for her. Now that I am of riding weight, she has had an ongoing lameness issue that may be neurological and force an early retirement for her. I haven't been able to ride her, even after losing all this weight to do so! Sometimes things don't go as planned... but I have one gorgeous pasture pet and walking companion. I've had her since she was a weanling (she's now 12) , so I'm happy as long as she's happy.

My motivation was 1.) riding my mare again (oops!) and 2.) I wanted to get back into dressage and jumping.

My parents owned a horse ranch. I fell in love with my first horse when I was 2 years old. I had always kept myself in shape to ride, show and train... However, I let myself go after an emotionally difficult pregnancy and was in denial about how much I weighed. Thinking "I just need to lose 20 lbs." The truth hurt... but eventually I made my way here and decided to get serious about my health and my weight.

I've been here since July 2013, have lost 55 lbs and have 15 more to go before hitting my overall goals! Since my mare is now retired, I am hoping to add a new 4-legged friend in 2015 to pick back up with jumping and dressage. This is the longest I have ever gone without riding in my entire life. It is miserable...