New weight restrictions on college riding team... opinions?

I'm not saying I disagree with the policy but they will get sued sooner rather than later. Name one other sport that has a wieght limit before you can join the team. There is always someone out there looking to make a buck off someone.

They can join the team Kevin, just not ride until they've met the weight requirements.

Oh, and I can name two sports that have weight restrictions: boxing and wrestling.

Those are wieght classes not wieght restrictions.

If they don't meet their weight class they can't compete, correct? So in essence, it is a weight restriction.

I know that some of them change weight classes, but there is a ceiling. If they go past that weight, they can't compete.

Doesn't mean they're off the team, just that they can't participate until they make their weight class requirement.

How is that different than a college riding team?

The team I help with is all female. As are the teams they travel to compete aganist.

Now the rodeo teams are mixed genders.

No, because they can always move to the next weight class.

Here there're setting an arbitrary 200 lb limit for everyone - even if you brought in your own draft horse. It'd seem more sensible to approach it from the other direction, and have weight limits for each individual horse, depending on their build, age, condition, and so on.

That does not work with college teams though because they travel and use the horses that the host team provides. So bringing your own draft will only help you when riding at home.


I see nothing wrong with the rule. All the teams I know of are all women anyway. They use the riding team to give them female athlete numbers.


From what I understand (from my co-workers who seem to have kids who are way into the wrestling thing) just moving up a class is not that easy. There are not endless opportunities in each weight class. If the spot in the class above is taken then you have to fit into your class.

Thats very discrimanating for the bigger riders it has to be a breech of rule!


Read more: http://www.horseforum.com/english-riding/i-think-im-too-tall-my-47106/page2/#post548422#ixzz0f9n7ZQs5

Exactly, Always.

Usually the team barn hosting the show provides the horses, so unless a team member wants to ride only at their home barn, bringing their own horse isn't a solution.

I'm surprised more people aren't aware of this.

No Maire, it's not a breach of rules nor discrimination; it's to help keep the team horses sound and rideable. They're being ridden multiple times a day by different riders. There has to be some sort of requirements to keep them healthy.

I rode in college and we all had to work with a trainer 2 times a week. All of us went and did a strenuous workout. If you weren't able to do the workout then we had to meet with our trainer and the workout trainer... I never had to do this but there were people who did.

I think that it is ok for them to put a standard in place to protect the horses- I am not saying weight is the right way to do it but someone had to make the decision.

I will be interested to hear how this plays out so keep us posted!