| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Meggie-Lu |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 11:06:06 PM
I heard a theroy 2day that a horse can carry one stone per hand?
I think this sounds a bit far fetched, Merlin is 16.2 and Im 14 stone. But if this therory is true i could be riding a 14hand horse??
I know that diffrent horses can carry hever weights, like i know that the cart horses are good weight carriers.
Would love to know your thoughts on this theroy.
Thanks guys
Meg |
| 10 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| debs |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 8:47:47 PM
Isnt the back supposed to lift when the horse is using its body effectively? Some photo's I have of Ali shows a much straighter back than when he is stationary....Surely if the back was straight the saddle would have no where to sit??? |
| deebee |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 8:28:10 PM
This is a really interesting thread, thanks Meggie-lu! I try to stop myself but I often find myself worrying about my 10stone on my Eva, about 14.3. she's part new forest, though, so obviously not as good as a pure arab! My main problem is that I feel her back seems to dip down too far, when I grew up learning that a horse should have a straight back - but I think I'm right in thinking that Arabs' backs do dip? anyway, so then I worry that I'm causing it! So basically you've all helped me to (hopefully) stop worrying!
I've tried to get a picture in, hope it works; sometimes her back looks more dipped than this, this was 2 years ago and she was fitter than now.
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| Meggie-Lu |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 6:07:59 PM
Thanks for all your thoughts guys |
| n/a |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 3:12:24 PM
A vet once told me that a horse should be able to carry a percentage of it's own weight...but I can't remember how much! I think 20% could be right but 1/6 also rings a bell. |
| Holly |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 1:05:16 PM
Think it depends on the horse and what you want them to do like long hacks, short hacks, rough terrain, jumping etc. my 14.3hh arab mare carrys me (10stone) fine and we compete at all diciplines. but the same mare struggled to carry my 12 stone friend on a 50 minute hack.
If you are a slighly heavier person then i think you need to train your horses back muscles to carry your weight by starting off doing shorter hacks and slowly building it up and then the horse will cope much better.
you also have to remember that your saddle weighs about 1 stone plus what ever other tack you use and you need to add that on to your weight as that is the true weight that the horse is carrying.
Also if your horse is young and fit then it will carry weight easier than if it is over weight. I once worked on a livery yard where there was a couple who were very large and unfit(must have weighed about 16 stone) and they had 2 very fat 15hh cobs. numerous times they were told to cut their horses feed down but they believed that the bigger their horses were the more weight that they could carry. They are so wrong...if you have a fat horse then it is carrying the excess fat plus you and tack...can add up to a lot of weight.
And of course the way a rider rides is very important as said by others. |
| Nichole Waller |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 1:03:32 PM
I think i read on here somewhere that horses can carry up to 20% of their body weight.
Ozzy (last time i weighed / measured him) was 405kg so 20% of this is 81kg which is 178lb divide this by 14(lb) and you get around 12 1/2 stone. He is only 14.2hh.
I weigh 11 stone and then with the weight of my saddle and my clothes, boots, hat etc it's probably not far of 12 stone that he is carrying.
Actually now i look at what i've just typed i'm shocked at just how much the poor little man is having to carry... I've started my Special K diet today so hopefully will get a few pounds (stones..!) off and relieve his poor back.. Although he never complains when i get on and always comes home as full of energy as when he went out.  |
| justine |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 10:28:43 AM
It does depend a lot on if you ride or simply sit in your saddle.
My mare is not comfortable with one rider who simply sits on her, she will buck and be very crabby. But if she is ridden properly in a nice outline she is a sparky happy bunny.
A 15hh Arabian should have no problem to carry 14 stone or even a little more.
My nieces show ponies (12hh) are schooled by 10 stone adults, they are happy and move freely.
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| Gerri |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 08:38:14 AM
I have a 14hh asil and he is exactly what carried a bedouin man into battle (although the war horses were usually mares) and some of the bedouins although not very tall are usually very rotund, funny thing is I have never ever seen a crack or chip in my boys hooves...not ever |
| leiat8 |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 07:37:47 AM
'cart horses' lol, aren't always the weight carriers there made out to be. i think a lot of it is down to density of bone and its Arabs and thoroughbreds that have the highest density( i think.lol.) |
| Fleas |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 12:04:46 AM
I think it depends on how you (not you personally!) ride,some people who weigh nowt may ride like a sack of potatoes so depends on the type too. I have Highlands and they could easily carry 14st, mine should make around 14hh (currently rising 3 so not mature yet) I wouldnt quite refer to them as cart horses tho lol |
