Rider getting too heavy to ride-help?

[ISR]

I’m horrid at guessing weight, I never would have never made it as a carnie.

That said, short of forcing your students to step on a scale prior to each lesson, the best thing to do is gauge your horse and their reaction (which I think you did do). I think you handled it as well as you could given the situation.

While i’m hardly a chubby hater, I will say that some people need to consider their own personal fitness before climbing aboard a horse, and some have no place on a horse full stop. I agree that just because a horse has draft blood, does not mean it is more suitable for back-carrying weight. I have an acquaintance who is about 5’6" and over 200lbs (she’s a size 18, so i’m guessing her weight), and rides a very tall senior WBx. He is visibly uncomfortable in motion with his rider, though visually she does not look disproportionate on her horse. Though perhaps not a popular statement, I think some people selfishly continue to ride horses when their personal weight has become a factor in their horse’s overall health.
Furthermore, just because they COULD carry the weight doesn’t mean they SHOULD.

[TrakHack]

[QUOTE=ISR;7307398]
I have an acquaintance who is about 5’6" and over 200lbs (she’s a size 18, so i’m guessing her weight), and rides a very tall senior WBx. He is visibly uncomfortable in motion with his rider, though visually she does not look disproportionate on her horse. Though perhaps not a popular statement, I think some people selfishly continue to ride horses when their personal weight has become a factor in their horse’s overall health.[/QUOTE]

I’m about your friend’s size. I stopped riding my 16.1 Trakehner, who is 27 now, about 18 months ago. He didn’t show signs of discomfort, and he was fine in his earlier 20s, but I just felt I was too heavy for his aging bones and out of shape body. He does fine with a lighter rider, or at the walk and slow trot in a western saddle with my SO (who is 6’3" and weighs about the same as me).

Being someone who has been heavier my entire life, it made more sense to find a suitable horse than forgo riding while I unsuccessfully try to lose weight (I’ve been trying in various capacities since I was 8 years old…).

A Norwegian Fjord is my riding horse now.

OP, my instructor actually wrote an article about teaching the heavier rider based on her experiences with me. I don’t think it was ever published, but she had me read it when I was 19 or so. Weight has always been a sensitive topic for me, and it did make me emotional, but the point of the article was spot on - heavier riders must be extra conscious of how their weight affects horses, and not every horse is up to the job of carrying a heavier rider so it’s important to find an appropriate mount.

ETA - I agree with others that this rider is very likely much heavier than 200 at 6’ tall if she does not fit in a 19" saddle.

And since this is the breeding forum… I would love if there were more cob type horses being bred in this country!

[DancingArabian]

Did she show up to work out?

[Snowfox]

Yes! We are doing Jillian Michaels “30 Day Shred” She even ordered herself a copy off of Amazon to do at home. So hopefully this is the start of good things for her!

[amastrike]

[QUOTE=Snowfox;7309616]
Yes! We are doing Jillian Michaels “30 Day Shred” She even ordered herself a copy off of Amazon to do at home. So hopefully this is the start of good things for her![/QUOTE]

Awesome! I’m so glad she took it well and is working to get in shape!

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=Snowfox;7309616]
Yes! We are doing Jillian Michaels “30 Day Shred” She even ordered herself a copy off of Amazon to do at home. So hopefully this is the start of good things for her![/QUOTE]

Very cool. I’d also talk with her about nutritional help too. Not a diet but more making sure she is eating heathy. As a struggling artist…her diet may not be the best! We have allllllll been there…

[KSquared]

[QUOTE=amastrike;7306340]
I’d guess she’s a good bit more than 200lbs, then. Sounds like you handled the situation very tactfully :yes:. I hope she does work out with you and get into better shape so she can ride again.[/QUOTE]

In this picture I weigh 205 pounds and I am riding in a 16 inch saddle. I am Five foot five and wear a size 12. (My waist is 33 inches) My horse is a Old school morgan, 14.1 hands is weighs 1000 pounds. He has no trouble carrying me what so ever. In the two pictures you can see he is happy and has no trouble carrying my weight or indicates he is struggling to haul my fat rear end around. Nor does he try to move when I am mounting. Our last trail ride was 3 hours long and he trotted 90% of the time and never tired or even broke a sweat.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a104/OTheMessiahO/IMG_6991_edited_zpsb2158ce2.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a104/OTheMessiahO/IMG_6974_edited_zpsc36fc412.jpg

If she is riding in a 19 inch saddle… she is much much more then 200 pounds.
A size 19 is a equal to about a 40 inch pant size and if she is overflowing her saddle and needs a larger one she is probably closer to 45… She probably weighs closer to 300+ and is embarrassed or thought if she weighed more then 200 pounds she wouldn’t be able to ride so she lied.

[furlong47]

[QUOTE=KSquared;7310581]

If she is riding in a 19 inch saddle… she is much much more then 200 pounds.
A size 19 is a equal to about a 40 inch pant size and if she is overflowing her saddle and needs a larger one she is probably closer to 45… She probably weighs closer to 300+ and is embarrassed or thought if she weighed more then 200 pounds she wouldn’t be able to ride so she lied.[/QUOTE]

Saddle size can have a lot more to do with the length of the thigh than it does with weight. At 5’ 10" with a BMI near the top of normal range, an 18 inch saddle just fits me (I have enough room behind me, but my knees are about off the flap). I can see where a person 6’ tall, even of normal weight, would need a very large seat if most of their height is in their legs.

[Fourbeats]

There sure are a lot of assumptions made about this poor girl’s weight. I ride in a 19 inch saddle and my waist is a 38 and I certainly don’t weigh close to 300 pounds.

[alibi_18]

[QUOTE=KSquared;7310581]

If she is riding in a 19 inch saddle… she is much much more then 200 pounds.
A size 19 is a equal to about a 40 inch pant size and if she is overflowing her saddle and needs a larger one she is probably closer to 45… She probably weighs closer to 300+ and is embarrassed or thought if she weighed more then 200 pounds she wouldn’t be able to rideso she lied.[/QUOTE]

How nice of you!

Saddles sizes aren’t just about pants sizes at the waist. It has way more to do with the lenght of the femur of each individual.

Saddles sizes aren’t the same in English and Western/Aussie. A 19" jumping saddle is the equivalent of a ~17 western one…so your aSSumption about this person lying about her weight is just showing your own lack of knowledge about general saddle fitting.

The OP’s student is riding in a jumping saddle and a 19" might seem quite big, a skinny friend (male) of mine is 6’1, rides in one!

ETA: According to the Aussie saddle standards, your saddle is too small for your size.

[KSquared]

Let me rephrase…MAYBE she lied.

as far as my saddle goes, Yes, mine is a bit small right now, I also bought it when I was 20 pounds lighter. I gained about 20 extra pounds at a 12 hour desk job with no time to work out. No need to go buy a bigger saddle when it is functional and I am back to working out again, I have lost 15 pounds since that picture was taken.

Thank You Furlong47 for being a bit more civil then Alibi_18

[_Tradewind]

[QUOTE=KSquared;7310581]
If she is riding in a 19 inch saddle… she is much much more then 200 pounds.
A size 19 is a equal to about a 40 inch pant size and if she is overflowing her saddle and needs a larger one she is probably closer to 45… She probably weighs closer to 300+ and is embarrassed or thought if she weighed more then 200 pounds she wouldn’t be able to ride so she lied.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, sorry, I disagree with this as well. I am 5’10 and feel most comfortable in an 18" saddle. I have broad shoulders but a 28 inch waist - I am not overweight. I think a 19 inch saddle is pretty reasonable for someone of that height; someone who is 5’5 needing a 19 inch saddle might be a better indication of an overweight rider.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/Trottrotpumpkn/media/July%20Schooling%20Show/9329869995_491329cc34_b_zps63a47b09.jpg.html

I would LOVE to hear a guess on what you all think I weigh! LOL. I’m 5’8" and I’m pretty sure that saddle is a 18.5" with an extra forward/long flap. (Yes I know I have mismatched tack going on, btw).

This has been the most fascinating thread. I think you handled it well OP.

[JB]

[QUOTE=fire_911medic;7307124]
Unfortunately some of us were blessed with ghetto booties (j lo butts) and despite being fairly fit still struggle with the fact we don’t fit the saddles well. It truly sucks. I ride in an 18 with a flatter seat which is not what I would like but what fits me and the horse well. I’d love to reduce my bum. Before you say anything I am 5’6 and weigh about 145 regularly run 5k races so I am far from a couch potato. I just have a bum. Any suggestions that actually work ? I’ve tried wall sits and leg lifts and your traditional stuff worked great for my legs not so great for my bum.[/QUOTE]
As you (hopefully) know, you cannot spot-reduce body parts. Just can’t If your liberal bum is as large as it is due to excess fat, then you’re going to have to go on a fat-busting diet/exercise routine. Wall sits and leg lifts are not spot-reducing your legs, they are toning, and a toned leg can look smaller than a flabby one. If by chance your legs did shrink in circumference, then it was about your exercise/dieting at the time causing a calorie deficit, and you happen to lower fat more/faster in your legs than in your bum. While you can’t spot-reduce, most people do have an area of the body that stores fat first and loses it last. That just means you have more work to do for longer to start getting that fat burned out.

Soooo, assuming you have an overall body fat % that is too high, it comes down to 80% how you eat and 20% how you exercise. You need at least 1, maybe 2, HIIT workouts a week, and then lift weights. If your lower body tends to put on muscle mass quickly and easily, then don’t do heavy leg workouts - do lighter (but not light!) weights with more reps. But go heave with your upper body. 1lb of muscles takes up a lot less volume than 1lb of fat, and 1lb of muscles requires a lot more calories to maintain than 1lb of fat. That is why weight lifting - as heavy as you can/dare - is the best thing for losing weight (when it comes to types of exercise), as it increases your metabolism over the whole entire day, day after day, to maintain the muscle tissue. That, and eating “clean” food, and consuming fewer calories than you expend, leads to healthy weight and healthy weight loss.

You might never have a tiny booty, but you should be able to reduce its size, even if it takes a while.

@KSquared;7310581

In this picture I weigh 205 pounds and I am riding in a 16 inch saddle.

You cannot compare sizing of that type of saddle to an English CC or even Dressage saddle. That is not remotely a 16" CC saddle, and VERY certainly not a 16" Dressage saddle. I would buy that it’s equivalent to a 16" Western saddle, which would be more like an 18" CC/Dressage saddle. And yes, it’s too small for you

OP - I’m so happy to hear how you handled the situation, AND that she seems to be taking the issue seriously