Rider's weight?

I'm with Super, horses can carry from 15 to 20% of their body weight.

Just get a horse that fits you, and makes you look "small" for lack of a better word. It's like a really tall person getting a really big truck, because they don't look as tall getting out of it, you know what I mean? I hope that's not offensive, because I'm not meaning it to be. =\

I weigh 260 Lbs, and no problems to date (I am male, and I am considered by a few to be "too large and tall") but this is mostly incorrect!
I can add these historical factoids..Before we had horses for pleasure (and that is relatively new thing, as only 90 years ago, horses were for work ) They were used for transportation/pulling loads..and long before that, I mean in the medieval war era, a 800 or 900 Lbs horse would and did carry it's own armor, the riders armor, and the rider (this could amount to nearly 400 Lbs, in some cases) that would mean, in relative terms, that the horse of that time would theoretically carry 40% of it's body weigh, although I am not sure that was always the case..

I too am happy that you are getting back into it way to go!

I would not be too worried about your weight as far as riding goes, horses can carry a lot of weight pretty comfortably.

Like everybody has said, look for a horse that is bigger boned such as a draft cross or a tank of a QH.

Dont feel bad! Iam in the same boat and even heavier than you.


Good luck with getting back into it!!! Its so exciting!!

You need a short stocky animal. I just purchased a 15 h mule from a black gentleman who was 5'4" and about 280lbs. He was having too much trouble getting on the mare. A short stocky animal with some cob or draft blood would definitely be prefferable. Try and stay in something 13-14 h or you will have trouble mounting.

Was the gentleman using a mounting block? Because those definitely help with the ease of mounting, and it's way less stressful for a horse's back than mounting from the ground. Plus it allows you to get on bigger horses, which makes 17hh horses possible for people my height:) I'm guessing you know what a mounting block is, so I won't go into detail.

This gentleman would have never heard of a mounting block. A stump, bucket, trailer fender, ditch, yes - he used those;.) The problem was that he was a trail rider and magical mounting blocks are not always available and once you get away from the saftey of the barn, you don't want to walk back home should you have to get off, or need to remount. Additionally, when you are out of shape, the closer you are to the ground, the easier it will be if you fall off!

Saw a movie the other day with Sammy Davis, Jr. In it riding a 17 h white mule - very good movie. He had a rope loop from the saddle horn dropped down 6" lower than the stirups and started with his right foot in the extra loop. When he got mounted he simply pulled the loop up to the saddle horn and gave it a couple turns. He was very short, but also very fit in the movie.