The WEIGHT issue

[Trixie]

Christy Henrich.
She was a gymnast who died at about 60 lbs of anorexia.

My best friend is a recovering anorexic… I used to make her drinks at the coffee shop - a small, skinny hot chocolate, nothing more.
The day she walked in and asked for a large hot chocolate with whole milk and whipped cream was a huge victory.
Especially after she told me she’d just finished a 6 inch turkey sub.

But it’s a horrible thing to have to worry so much about your weight. I’ve always been skinny, and sometimes I get whined at about it. Sometimes eating sucks. The thought of it will make me sick, I’m 5’3" and 100 lbs and I know that I’m skinny but the images going around can make anyone feel fat and worry about their weight.

[Coreene]

not to sound like I’m shouting but MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL FORWARD THIS THREAD TO THE AHSA.

[J_Turner]

To the poster who wrote that she would place a taller rider of the same weight higher than the shorter rider of the same weight:

Suitability has something to do with it. The shorter rider may be on a larger barrelled horse … or whatever it takes to complement her body type. Properly mounted, you might noteven notice.

I think fitness is the main issue. Ladies who do crew, for instance, are often over six feet tall and sometime heavy boned, carrying a lot of muscle weight. Don’t tell me these ladies aren’t fit. In fact, the overly skinny (even anorexic) individual may actually have little stamina and fitness.

Call me out of shape, but don’t call me fat – unless I’m truly unhealthy by even unathletic standards.

Also, when was the last time that GM (or anyone else for that matter) called Hugo Simon, Mark Leone, or Katie Prudent “fat,” or even “not the ideal riding figure.”

[JRG]

I believe it is the Source but I will get the exact addy.
With your calculations, Dcm that horse could still carry over 200lb. But don’t you feel sorry for the little horse underneath? and how is his legs?
I have seen more people make 2yr old legs look like they are 15. I have also seen working horses that have the utmost care, because they need to be sound to work.
I feel that in some cases, (I have seen a couple) where the instructor should have put the person on a larger horse but didn’t want to say anything about it. I can understand that theory.
But if you are at a show why wouldn’t you want to show everyone to the best of there ability no matter what size they are.
One way may be putting someone who is larger on a larger horse, as to off set the difference.
I used to be bulimic in HS, I stopped purging and gained 50lb. I have a small frame and I felt terrible, and unhealthy.
Since then 15 yrs ago, I am very fit and I still think I look bad on a horse that isn’t suited to me. I still stand behind suitability and function.

[Glasgow]

I’ve always competed in sports where success was objectively determined - i.e., by time. This thread is making me want to go to the jumpers and avoid hunter judges altogether.

[chicadee411]

Having competed in IHSA and AHSA shows, I am appalled at your story. I cannot imagine a judge, let alone female, saying that to a rider.
Growing up doing the big eq I know how people act and what trainers say. My trainer never said anything to me about my weight, but I always heard stories of other trainers making coments to their students, even demanding their students to lose weight, even if they were thin.
It also upsets me when people judge based on body type. I had a lot of difficulties because I had shorter legs and arms than everyone else. Therefore I didn’t have that “look” that was necessary to win. I think many of the AHSA judges look for the tall thin riders, but the good IHSA judges, I’d like to think, don’t let that effect their judging. In my opinion, IHSA shows are a totally different ballpark. After competing with my team, I almost dread going back to regular AHSA shows. I believe IHSA shows truly judge the ride, not how expensive your horse is or what clothes you wear or what body type you have. But your story doesn’t exactly demonstrate that, which is upsetting. I think many of the judges out there need to start judging the rider for their abilities, not based on their trainer, their clothes, their $100,000 horse.

[Weatherford]

Cozmo - you sound like you need to lose weight about as much as you need another hole in your head (although, if you had a lobotomy, you might loose that 10 pounds !

I am also 5’8", and even when I was aneorxic during my college days, I was never below 145 - (unless I fell below it when I wouldn’t look at a scale, which might have been possible). I have a large frame, very very long torso, lots of muscle, and very dense bones (it took TWO doctors once to insert a needle into my spine for a spinal tap…) (I was also pulled back to reality from the eating disorder by a dear dear friend before I landed in the hospital.)

I think if you look at the MetLife standards for height/weight, you would find yourself well well below norm/average/whatever.

And a size 2??? That didn’t exist when I was your age (no kidding - a 1950’s size 16 equalled a 1970’s size 12 - I found a pattern once from the 50’s and compared the size charts!)…but, it sounds awfully small to me…so you must have very fine bones - I hope you drink lots of milk to keep your calcium levels up!

So, you know what, next time you hear ANYONE telling you you need to lose weight, you just turn around and say, “yeah and wind up in the grave like Karen Carpenter?” (Oh, if you don’t know who she was - a singer - the people you are talking to probably will) (and sooner or later you will be able to use some horseperson’s name there, too) - and tell them to take their comments, and do something useful with them - eat them?

And, we’ll back you all the way!!!

By the way, CONGRADS on your wonderful accomplishments - you might even track the judges/trainers who comment on your “weight”, and refuse to show under those who are prejudical! Start a new trend!

Look forward to seeing you at Devon, where I am sure you will be a star!

[Marimee]

When I rode in the IHSA, I had a judge make a comment that I was “Unfortunate to have pulled the wrong type of horse for my body type, A short-stocky horse and a short-stocky rider make a bad picture!” OK, after that, my then coach (almost 6’ and very thin) told me that she would not have chosen me for the team if I had tried out when she was choosing team members because of my height and weight. Can you imagine, being 20 years old and hearing this?

I know that I’m not a small girl, 5’ 1" and about 120lbs. I really am not fat but carry lots of muscle. I also made a decision that year, to prove everyone wrong about my riding abilities vs. my stature. I went on to win two IHSA classes and place 2nd, 3rd and 4th my other years. I also won an IHSA Alumni class and got a 2nd and 3rd other year that I rode. So, I didn’t do too badly and proved to be a very dependable rider for my team.

For the most part, many IHSA judges are fair about juding the RIDERS ABILITIES. But those few that make these rude weight comments make kids feel awful about their self images. How very wrong to do to the kids of today!

[Coreene]

CTT, I got chills reading your story. How brave you are to share it with us, and how I so dearly hope that lots of trainers have this topic forwarded to them so that it will - hopefully - register.

[hoopoe]

Jumphigh is 101% correct. Write a letter to the AHSA and IHSA about this judge.

Loose 5 lbs? FIVE??? come now give me a break! A tactless comment. I think if it were me I would have said " I will as soon as my chemotherapy is done" And give my best A**kissing smile.

[rusty]

CTT you are remarkable!!!

Cozmo For Get about losing the weight you sound fit and healthy to me.

Peptalk I am not a GP but as the daughter of a dietician you should not try to lose that much weight (50 lbs in 3 months?) you can do some serious damage to your self. Some of these things were mentioned in other posts by CTT et.al. Try a good Balanced DIet, not a fad one. THis will give you a good foundation for excercise to help you loose what ever pounds you need to by getting in better shape. I am stressing in better shape not lose weight.

I would like to do what I can to help withthis issue. I think it is terrible that it has become an issue at all. But I think that ability and sportsmanship should be stressed not how much some one weighs or what brand of clothes they wear.

It is a shame that some adults have ruined or are ruining somthing that started out as a fun form of recreation and excercise for kids to do.

Thats all for now I am sure that I will rejoin this thread again.

[Regalmeans]

I really hate this issue. I am 5’5 and about 118 - but I have worried about my weight for a long time and that worry will likely always linger there.

It makes me so mad - this is a big enough issue in society - look at any women/teen magazine to see that. Why must it get dragged into our sport? Does it really even matter?

Does the average horse really care if his rider weights 110 or 160? I know my thoroughbred certainly doesn’t! Does weight really effect how you ride? Not really at all - if you are following your horse and have that ‘feel’ you will ride well no matter what you weight.

I’m sick of people obessing about weight - sick of people thinking I am anorexic, sick of over hearing trainers at shows telling their clients (after they didn’t win a HUNTER division “oh you should have won I can’t imagine why they pinned her over you you looked SO much better and besides she’s fat!!” (umm… hunters… = judged on the HORSE!!) - sick of seeing diet ads in my horse magazines - sick of this national weight craze - sick of watching girls at my lunch table diet.

When will we be able to move past this and see each other as PEOPLE, not weights or dress sizes?

Sarah

[system]

Marimee - I believe that I rode under the same IHSA coach that you did. We were probably even there at the same time, since I too was selected for the team by the previous coach. I only rode for IHSA for 1 semester. After that, the coach changed, and I got into several nasty confrontations with the new coach. All this after I won every single open class at every show my first semester. And all our “discussions” were about how I didn’t look right on a horse. I was 5’5", 140 lbs. IHSA was the only way I could afford to keep riding in college, but I walked out of the meeting when the official coaching change took place. What could this person possibly have to teach me?

[Jumphigh83]

That’s why I do jumpers…Even though I’m fat, I can ride reasonably quietly and pretty effectively. My horse is 17 now so we are slowing down but I’ll be back in the A/O jumpers as soon as her baby is ready. If I had the means, I would be in that division still…so weight or not, I’ll ride as long as I can get up on the horse. (I have an auto immune thing so I take alot of drugs like prednisone, but stop riding???NOT while I still CAN)

[Regalmeans]

<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WHOA!:
[B]Hmmm…ok. The 14 and 15 year-olds who are posting on this thread and saying that they have no choice but to starve themselves for ribbons are going to give me nightmares. You guys are just wrong. I’m 6’2" and a rock-solid 180 lbs, and I win or pin a pretty good percentage of the time (not just at local shows, but at A shows and at IHSA shows where I’ve drawn horses that made me look like a giant). I’ve ridden with girls who are not extremely slim who win every time they go in the ring. Yes, you will run into judges (lots of them) who have unreasonable standards about riders’ sizes. You’ll also run into lots of judges who don’t pin grays or paints, you’ll run into plenty of judges who’ll pin a fancy horse who missed his changes over a homely one who puts in a perfect trip. Skipping your meals won’t win you blue ribbons at every show. Instead, do something productive; go eat a turkey sandwich and then ride without stirrups for a while.

Oh, and those of you who think carrying too much weight is bad for the horses, give me a break. My TB gelding goes great for me and my trainer most of the time, but has eaten more than one light-weight rider for breakfast.

VTrider and Sea Urchin, will this work as a post that people can flame me over? [/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

AMEN TO THAT WHOA !!!
I totally agree. There are idiots everywhere - why listen to them if what you are doing works for you?

I admit I have in the past struggled (okay, I’ll be honest I do struggle) with my perception of my weight and honestly I hate the fact that I do that (so does my trainer who I love, who lectures me constantly on the topics of why I must eat at the shows * why I must eat before the shows & why I did not eat enough at aforementioned the shows etc etc)

Sarah

[Jumphigh83]

It’s easy to cast stones when you are “tall, slim, and 19…” Walk a mile in my shoes and feel the prejudice…They an glare at me for being fat and be “ok” but I can’t have an opinion about them being anorexic, bulemic, a bad rider pounding on their horse, gay, straight whatever… There are many areas of life where we are judged on physical beauty. That doesn’t make it morally or ethically correct. Hundreds of years ago a beautiful woman was “Rubenesque” Round and firm and fully packed… It is society that dictates what is beautiful…There is NO standard of beauty. I hope those people that only see the slim person as attractive never have a catastophic incident in their lives where they are marred or scarred or (god forbid) in some way mutilated and live to go out in society again. They will then see how shallow their assesment of an individual is based on appearance alone. We can hope they “mature” out of it.

[Robby_Johnson]

I’ll give you my perspective on weight issues.

In 1996 I began having pretty severe anxiety attacks and I couldn’t eat without throwing up. I didn’t want to throw up, but my phobia was actually from being in public and losing control of my gag reflex and hurling (a’la Kyle from South Park)at random. This stemmed from (in addition to other life-changing issues I was experiencing at the time) a trip to Los Angeles when I woofed down two cheeseburgers and hurled in the bushes at Universal Studios, in front of a lot of people that I didn’t know and will never see again. I know. Lovely, eh?

Anyway, for two years I literally couldn’t eat, because I couldn’t go out it public if I did. So I lost a surprising amount of weight. I am 5’11 3/4" and am now 185 lbs. 2 years ago I weighed 145 lbs. I am hoping to lose about 10-15 lbs., because I am actually the heaviest I’ve ever been. But I kind of needed a few years of being “fat and happy” to offset the suffering and torment of having food as such an enemy.

The sad thing to me was the people who would say, “you’re so thin - God, it must feel great.” And all I could think was, “if you only knew how tortuous this is.” I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

There is such a thing as being athletic and fit. I would never encourage anyone to diet or lose weight who is 14 years-old! I would encourage a healthier lifestyle for them to pursue (proper nutrition and exercise), but never “lose weight.”

It’s so unhealthy.

Robby

[woodbern]

KitBC … if you feel the need to do a “value assessment” on any post on this thread, I suggest you spend less time on my 12 words (count them!), and back up and take a closer look at teddy’s original post.

Given the tenor of teddy’s … ah, uh … astounding comments, I hardly think my one little quasi-sentence added much fuel to this particular fire…

And, have a nice day everyone, whatever the scale says!

[dennaj]

We are not sheep or lemmings!!! WHY is it that everyone is so O.K. with things the way they are. If no one ever tries to change things, they will always, always, always, be the same and unfair. Dont any of you want to do something about this??? And before someone writes back asking what it is that can be done, SUGGEST SOMETHING! I know with all you really smart people, who are horse people all gathered here, we can probably figure out some really great ideas on how to try and fix the situation. Come on people, give me some ideas!!!

[dennaj]

Louise, I think that it is great that you are exercising to become more fit. Every time that you get discouraged though, you should think of all the people that love and like you for who you are. How you look does not make any difference to a real friend.

My friends come in all shapes and sizes and I love them all equally, because of who they are, and not how much they weigh or how they look.

Good for you that you have decided to be healthy, but remember that being happy comes from the inside not the outside. So enjoy the time that you spend exercising, because you share that time with a friend. If you exercise alone, enjoy the time because you are healthy and ABLE to exercise, there are a lot of people who cant. Go for it, and become the healthiest person that you can be. Kudos to you for trying (some of us who shall remain nameless, keep promising themselves that they will exercise, but dont actually do anything about it).