Re: Horse:Rider Weight
Samm C Bartee (bartesc@mail.auburn.edu)
Sat, 25 Jan 1997 12:05:07 -0600 (CST)
> General rule of thumb has been that a horse not carry more than 20% of his
> own weight. I knew rides years ago (CTR's) that would not let a rider start
> if rider weight exceeded 25%. So your 200 lb person (I assume with tack?)
> can be carried by a 1000 lb horse. A friend of mine rode my 5 yeard old
> arab-appy mare (about 950 lbs.) VERY successfully on several 50's..she
> carried 250 (rider and tack).
My poor old wonder Appy, Sir Revel has all his miles, over 1300 now, and
gobs more in LD, while carrying me--250 lbs with saddle. I have weighed
the same since I bought him, and although it's been positioned
differently-through weight training and aerobics-the weight has stayed the
same. We have done quite well, and except my my stupidities, and rider
errors, he has only had one pull that was a lameness, and he stepped in a
hole on that one. The other 3 were mainly a product of over riding, me
misjudging a trail that I had never ridden on, and instead of taking it
easy til I saw what we faced, I rode like normal. One of those was due to
a lot of sand and I had not much experience with sand. But, I learned
quickly!! I have been lucky to have such a forgiving horse!!
samm--and Sir Revel, one of the best even though he will never be
recognized by anyone but me!!