Eating Disorders and Equestrians?

[Synthesis]

[QUOTE=Velvet;8646234]
I wasn’t speaking of stocky, I said SERIOUSLY overweight.[/QUOTE]

Well, I’ll sign in here on behalf of the seriously overweight. I am, and have been as a rider for a long time. I also pick appropriate horses, work on a very careful consistent program and on my own fitness.

This year I’m particularly ambitious and I’ve added in jogging. So that’s riding 4-5 days/week and jogging 2-3 days per week. I hurt every damn day.

At this point I’ve also pretty much given up on clinics unless auditing. When you’ve heard ‘what a sweet/sympathetic/forgiving horse’ enough times while the horse is charging through the bit/bracing/tanking or something else rude, you start to figure out the subtext.

I’ve had a long series of green and/or difficult horses. I manage them well, ride them very well and rarely, if ever, get credit for that until I hand over the reins to say “Please, show me how you’d do it” Then, they ride and the tune changes completely.

It gets very very VERY old.

[BigMama1]

I’m at least 40 punds overweight and not nearly fit enough to ride at the level I want to. I am well aware of this and am working on - certainly don’t need a trainer or clinician to point it out.

People may talk about it or make comments behind my back but I have not (yet) had anyone at my barn or at shows say anything unkind or shaming to me.

I enjoy riding. It makes me fitter, stronger and happier. And my horse (who is appropriately sized to carry my weight) couldn’t care less how fat I am as long as I bring him treats.

I think weight / size / appearance is only a big issue in the competitive ranks, as it would be in any other sport.

[RodeoFTW]

[QUOTE=Velvet;8646588]
What a whiny, train wreck thread this has become. Fine. There are eating disorders everywhere! Some people are super fat from them, and others are so thin they look like skeletons. Now, should we all move on to REALITY? (This topic seems to be dredging up demons in people’s imaginations, not reality.) :rolleyes: Yes, that’s an example of reductio ad absurdum, not what I actually believe. Sheesh![/QUOTE]

Just because something isn’t your reality does not somehow not make it someone else’s. We’ve all lived and experienced different realities and you can’t force yours on other people.

Just food for thought.

[Eclectic_Horseman]

[QUOTE=RodeoFTW;8650875]
Just because something isn’t your reality does not somehow not make it someone else’s. We’ve all lived and experienced different realities and you can’t force yours on other people.

Just food for thought.[/QUOTE]

There is only one reality. The rest is perception and/or opinion. The reality is that obesity has recently been recognized by the World Health Organization as an increasingly global problem. Obesity is a health problem because, among other things, it causes diabetes and heart disease.

Eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia) are very uncommon psychological conditions which can lead to serious illness and death.

I don’t know whether the actual numbers of obese riders versus riders with eating disorders has ever been computed or verified. But those numbers would be REALITY, not someone’s individual perception.

I would venture to GUESS that neither is very common among riders, but that the numbers of each are probably in the same proportion or ratio as they are in the community of large.

[exvet]

I haven’t read all the threads but those I’ve read I have found ‘interesting’. I’ve ridden and had horses all of my life. I’ve ridden and competed in multiple disciplines during my 52, almost 53 years, on this planet. I was diagnosed with anorexia at the age of 20. I currently weigh 105 but range between 105-110 lbs typically. I am 5’2". My lowest of lows was 84 pounds. I’ve spent my time in the hunter world and at the track before joining the life of a DQ wannabe. None of those experiences contributed to my eating disorder. My eating disorder can be attributed to challenges I faced in other areas of my life and my personality. Not too surprising, at least to me, my personality is one that not only is attracted to disciplines like dressage but is also one found to be commonly associated with those who possess a variety of eating disorders. While I will admit to hearing and witnessing body image issues within the equine community, I have to say that the equine community did not cause or contribute to mine. In fact my riding, my horses have been my salvation/therapy.

[Pipkin]

Thin working pupils - a teenager doing 10 hours a day of manual labour is probably going to be on the lighter side… Assuming they were selected for the position solely because of their figure is a little unjust…

I personally haven’t heard too much bitchiness in dressage (sj on the other hand ). I don’t think the judges give rider weight a second thought.

[CrittersMom]

Frankly, I’ve seen both overweight and underweight riders score very well, so trying to blame body shape for overall performance is just a cop out, in my opinion. I’m lucky, I have a doctor who does not sugar coat topics like weight, nor does she harp on them. Over a year ago, she told me I was on the top of my BMI index, on the edge of normal/overweight, and she would like me to lose 20 pounds. Last summer I saw pictures of myself on dressage clothes, sitting on the horse, with a few extra roles. I’ve been dieting since and now am happy to say I’ve lost about 30 pounds and am holding steady at 123 lbs and 5’4". And yes, I am one of those people who ride a 17.2hh horse and I don’t look stupid up there (I don’t remember who said that). Fact is, I ride better and am more comfortable at this weight than I was last year because I am in better shape.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

[QUOTE=CrittersMom;8658997]
Frankly, I’ve seen both overweight and underweight riders score very well, so trying to blame body shape for overall performance is just a cop out, in my opinion. I’m lucky, I have a doctor who does not sugar coat topics like weight, nor does she harp on them. Over a year ago, she told me I was on the top of my BMI index, on the edge of normal/overweight, and she would like me to lose 20 pounds. Last summer I saw pictures of myself on dressage clothes, sitting on the horse, with a few extra roles. I’ve been dieting since and now am happy to say I’ve lost about 30 pounds and am holding steady at 123 lbs and 5’4". And yes, I am one of those people who ride a 17.2hh horse and I don’t look stupid up there (I don’t remember who said that). Fact is, I ride better and am more comfortable at this weight than I was last year because I am in better shape.[/QUOTE]

EXACTLY. It should be discussed as part of health and not made into a federal case either way.

“It isn’t bealthy, this is what it will lead to, this is where you should probably be. I can help you get there.”

I think I remember who said you will look silly, but I put her on “ignore,” so I’m not sure :).

[Velvet]

[QUOTE=RodeoFTW;8650875]
Just because something isn’t your reality does not somehow not make it someone else’s. We’ve all lived and experienced different realities and you can’t force yours on other people.

Just food for thought.[/QUOTE]
What the fruitbat??? You really have lost it. It’s not about reality, it’s about looking for criticisms that were never made. Sad, sad way to live life. Trust me, reality is better than listening to your inner voices, if that’s the case.