Am i too overweight to ride?
 

This just occurred to me, I'm about 247 and 5'3.

Am I too heavy to ride?

I'm looking to get my first horse in a few months, but I don't want to get a horse I'm too heavy for.

You can ride. I wouldn't get a mini though ;)
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Choose the right horse and you'll be fine. Have you ridden much before? A heavy rider with a good seat is often kinder than a lighter rider who bounces.
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No, you are not too heavy to ride. My husband weighs about what you do, and he rides our 15.2hh quarters with no problems at all. As long as the horse has good bone, no major conformation faults, and is kept reasonably in shape, it could carry you with absolutely no problems. Good luck on your horse search.

There is a rule that the horse shoud carry no more than 20 percent of their weight. So a 1200 lb horse can carry 240 and that includes the saddle and pad. Anyone larger than 200-225 should find a big built horse. 1200 is above average for a typical qh. Maybe a draft cross for peope much bigger. Especially if riding long, hard or hilly. Yes they can carry more, but consider you are 250 and carrying a 50 lb bag of feed all day at work or during a trip to the grocery store. Getting sore and tired yet?

Zubie - that's an old, old rule that doesn't consider other factors. It's far more important to get a properly fitting saddle that supports weight across a large area and to have a good seat. A 1000 lb horse can easily cary 240 lbs when done properly; a 1500 lb horse will have difficulty with an ill-fitting saddle and a poor rider that combined weigh 150.

OP -- yes, you can ride. Question though -- if you are asking now if you can ride, but you are going to get your first horse in a few months, what kind of experience do you have? Are you ready to atually own a horse? Maybe you should look at learning more about horses first?

More of a theory and a guideline than a rule!

Some horses can carry more, some a lot less, but it is a good starting point. Remember to that a fat horse can't carry 20% of their weight, their fat is part of the that 20%.

Also a draft isn't always a good choice for a heavier rider. At 247 you will be able to find a mount quite easily, and if you are shopping on a few months maybe that would be an incentive to work on your fitness, the fitter you are the more you will enjoy your riding, ask me how I know:oops:

I too agree with GH as the fitter you are and the better your seat the easier it will be for you and for your horse. That being said, your horse also needs to be kept fit as well. Have you taken any lessons previously? It would definitely be beneficial for sure.

Also, contrary to popular belief, drafts cannot carry a huge amount of weight on their backs. Really they shouldn't carry more than their lightweight counterparts can, if not less. They aren't built to be ridden, they're built to pull. A lot of weight on their back can cause major problems.

I'd suggest a 15-16hh 'stout' (good bone, fairly wide. And by wide I don't mean fat, but rather wide by bone structure) horse. Perhaps a nice QH (be ware of the 'stocky' ones with tiny feet. They look strong but really shouldnt even be ridden at all...) or even an appy or cob type horse.

This is still the standard used by vets and by the riding schools. Of course a horse can carry more, you can give a piggy back ride to someone our own weight...for a while. Not long. The good fitting saddle should be a standard requirement for any rider of any weight. Old rule doesn't mean incorrect.