You’re kind of missing the point by about a mile.
We haven’t been talking about fitness. We’ve been talking about weight. And those two things, believe it or not, are NOT connected as tightly as you want to believe.
And therein lies the problem.
14 Likes
So you’re saying overweight people lack fitness? Or at least as the weight increases, the fitness level decreases?
1 Like
This was your assertion, not mine.
Fitness and weight are NOT tightly coupled. Which is why a conversation only speaking about weight is not super useful when speaking about riding.
For instance, Saquon Barkley, undoubtedly one of the fittest players in football, weighs 234 lbs. There are marathoners that are well over 200 lbs. These folks are definitely fitter than your average rider.
9 Likes
Exactly. Football players are not, however fit, riding on the back of an animal. There lies the difference. The weight of the rider does affect horses. Most horse people know this and ride appropriately. Some don’t.
6 Likes
Actually there are quite a few who do ride 
but I digress. My point was that you cannot assume weight visually, nor can you say “they are fat therefore they are not fit”, which was an assertion made by another poster.
Most people who are over the magical BMI numbers do ride appropriate horses, and many are quite fit. The whole thread started by talking about weight alone, and many people on the thread, myself included, find that inadequate.
Horse health, horse fitness, rider fitness, saddle fit, rider skill, terrain, and type of work are all variables in whether a horse and rider combination are suitable.
11 Likes
The point that I was attempting to make is that is seems that rather than helping to prove the point that fitness might improve your riding, or your health, it seems people are attempting to support their right to be overweight. No one is denying anyone their right to do as they wish, however, what is at hand is the idea that it might not be best for you, or your horse, depending on the situation.
4 Likes
There is an assumption baked into your assertion that they are not attempting to improve either, simply because they are saying “please don’t send nastygrams because I am on horseback and I don’t look like I weigh 100lbs”.
To that end, I’ll leave it because clearly you still associate fitness with thinness even though science has disproved that it is the case.
13 Likes
Ummmm no. First of all, it’s incorrect to conflate weight with fitness.
Secondly, the vast majority of people who participate and compete in any sport are recreational athletes. They compete in their local tennis or golf club leagues, run 5k races with the goal of beating their own PB, ride in schooling shows or local rated shows, play in Little League, etc.
At the lower levels of almost every sport across the board, you will see people participating and competing of every size, shape and weight, and fitness level. Sport is for everyone.
As you move up the levels of competition, fitness plays a much bigger role and not incidentally, so does weight. Not that there aren’t overweight but still very fit athletes competing, just that there are fewer of them.
And at the highest level of any sport, including equestrian sports, significantly overweight competitors are extremely rare. And of course no athlete could reach the elite level of competition without an exceptional level of fitness.
15 Likes
We have very different connotations for the word “compete”. I consider the ability to compete being able to have the prospect of winning. Otherwise, for me, it isn’t competing, at all.
Others have touched on this point but something to keep in mind is the weight distribution over the horse’s back. IMO, that’s why we tend to see heavier riders on smaller horses in western events. Western saddles have a much greater surface area than English saddles over which to distribute the weight of the rider. It’s like a person using a well-fitting backpack vs having a large rock between their shoulder blades.
5 Likes
Having the prospect of winning does not equate to not being overweight. You are being deliberately obtuse. As @BigMama1 already noted, at the lower levels of almost every sport, you will see people participating and competing of every size, shape and weight, and fitness level. And some of those overweight, out-of-shape people are winning.
The same can be said for showing horses. I’m a perfect example. I show at a level that is entirely appropriate to my current abilities as an old, out of shape, fat lady and I win my share of ribbons - including blues.
If you aspire to something greater, that’s great. You want to be thin, fit, and ride at a higher level, that’s great. That’s your thing. But that isn’t the only thing out there. Not everybody has to be you or follow your preferred path.
22 Likes
And you’re completely missing the point. I don’t need you to agree that it’s OK. You’re free to think anything you want. Dog knows that there are plenty of things people do that I disapprove of.
It’s your seeming insistence that I shouldn’t be riding if I’m overweight that I object to. Weight is only one of many factors to consider and you’re ignoring all the rest in your “anti-overweight rider” crusade.
16 Likes
If all equestrians felt that way then we wouldn’t have shows. Only one pair can win after all.
Certainly being juicy hasn’t prevented me from collecting a pretty ribbon or two.
By and large winning horse shows is about having a winning horse. Arguably, income is a bigger limiting factor than some extra pounds. I win against fitter riders. I have a nicer horse than they can afford. I’d be more competitive if I had money to show more regularly.
Would I ride better if I was fitter and less fluffy? Sure. Is it a work in progress? Yup. Am I worried about it? Not really.
I can support skinny people and fat people. I don’t support abusive riding.
24 Likes
So fat or unfit people never win at schooling shows, tennis clubs, local golf tournaments, Little League games, etc? Huh. Good to know.
12 Likes
Exactly. You are free to think it’s not ok for an overweight person to ride. You are not free to tell them so.
12 Likes
Do they win at a competitive level? I don’t know that.
Do they win at the “backyard” level, as those things that you mentioned would qualify for, IMHO? Possibly. I just like to do better, and I am very competitive. It costs the same amount to win as it does to lose. If you are simply there to enjoy the atmosphere, then that’s why you should do it. However, at the National level in most sports, fitness really matters.
2 Likes
And I respect that attitude. I do not recall saying that heavy people should NOT ride, anywhere on here. I have, however, stressed the idea of health and fitness in any sport, and particularly riding.
There was a gal on here some years back that got really indignant about a weight discussion on the Dressage Forum. So much so that IIRC, she left the board, for awhile. Several months later, she came back, and shared her experience. She had lost 30 pounds, and couldn’t believe how much better her riding had become. I wish I could find the thread, but the point is that weight and fitness matter when you are trying to do more. Higher levels, bigger jumps, more serious competition. It’s not just my opinion.
If you’re having fun with your horse, and your horse is having fun with you, carry on!
3 Likes
Sumo wrestlers and some major league football players are huge. Some Major League Baseball players have paunch.
The line about competing and at what level is a bit offensive to everyone, actually.
There are many slim, fit, good enough riders and horse people that are (a) limited to schooling shows and/or (b) rarely or never placing in shows because of time and money constraints. It is true that, skill level being roughly equal, the quality of the horse and the quality of the training and instruction will be the deciding factor, not the rider’s weight.
It’s especially true in dressage. If your horse doesn’t have top movement you will not get top scores, period. Now many riders take pride in getting decent scores on modest horses with super accurate tests. But that may not get them a ribbon.
Someone has to lose in order for someone else to win. That’s the nature of competition. If you only had one person in every class, that show would soon fold. The bigger the classes the healthier the show and discipline, and the better everyone feels about winning in large company. So while obviously no one prefers to lose, sportsmanship is realizing that competition involves winning and losing, and that the people who lose that day enabled you to win. And if you (general you) personally are winning every time, it’s time to consider moving up a notch and out of your comfort zone to stretch yourself. Otherwise it’s kind of pointless.
18 Likes
What does it say that in college, I was on the varsity IHSA team, fitter than about half the team, regularly placing top 3 in a competitive region at novice (now limit, one of the most competitive divisions), all while being about 190 lbs at 5’4". I also was competitive in lower training on the dressage team, but I only did it for one year.
For the people in the back, weight has nothing to do with fitness or competitiveness.
18 Likes
Becky Holder (eventing)
John Daly (golf)
Shaq (basketball)
Babe Ruth (baseball)
Fun fact - what’s best for someone else is actually none of your business. Frankly, what’s best for their horse isn’t, either (outside of clear abuse or neglect), though I’m slightly more understanding of this “concern” since horse’s don’t really have a say. However, your “concern” is just thinly veiled judgement, and doesn’t do anything but annoy people.
Might some people’s riding benefit from losing weight? Sure.
Does it have anything at all to do with you? No.
Are they allowed to enjoy the hobby they’ve chosen no matter what their weight is? Yes.
Are they allowed to enjoy being at whatever level they want to be at, even if it means not constantly striving to move up and compete? Yes.
Are they allowed to move up the levels at a slower pace than you or anyone else might think is best? Yes.
Fun fact #2 - not everyone wants to jump bigger jumps, or get to FEI dressage, or run the fastest barrels. And that is O.K.
We fat people don’t need you to “agree that’s ok!” We just need you to not be a friggin jerk.
25 Likes
