Re: adding rider weight

[Debbyly@aol.com]

I have done a lot of rides carrying weight and everything I have tried causes
some problems.  Unless there has been some recent rule change, weight can be
carried on the rider.  I used a weight vest that I ordered from the Road
Runner Sports catalog in the North American championship in Flagstaff.  There
were one pound weights that could be attached to the vest up to a maximum of
12 pounds.  I carried ten.  It was the easiest on the horse of all the ways I
have carried weight.  Since it was an FEI ride, the weights had to be sealed.
I was closed in with duct tape with initials of an official accross it.  At
the vet checks an official had to unseal me so I could rest without the
weights and then had to reseal me.  It caused a bit of an uproar and there was
some discussion of making yet another rule to eliminate carrying weight in
this manner.  As far as I know no such rule was ever made.  The biggest
problem for me was going out of the third vet check in a lightning storm
carrying 10 pounds of metal weights on my body.  I finished the ride with
slightly sore shoulders and I didn't get struck by lightning.

Other ways I have carried weight:

Lead shot inside of the hollow tree of a Boz saddle.  It make terrible noise
and it is impossible to get it all out.  I also tried a combination of lead
shot and acquarium rock so that the tree was full so it wouldn't make so much
noise.  That was better, but the horse ended up with a slightly sore back.  I
think the weight in the hollow tree can deform the shape of the tree.

I have used scuba diving ankle weights.  They have lead shot inside neoprene
sausage casings that stretch.  They can be stretched around the cantle of a
saddle.  I suggest attaching them with screws so that they don't bounce.

On Tevis when the weights do not have to be sealed, I have carried feed for
the horse in my cantle pack.  When I give the feed to the horse, I pick up
rocks on the trail and put them in the pack to replace the weight.

Debby