Hitting the open trail on a gorgeous sunny afternoon sounds absolutely delightful to those who love spending time horseback riding. Unfortunately, for heavier riders, finding a ranch that has the right size horse can be difficult to say the least.
There are two reasons for this with the first being that there are strict weight limitations put in place for the safety of the horses and the riders. Second, the horse’s comfort, physical fitness, and ability to carry the rider is of utmost importance.
No one is going to get a good ride and the horse is not going to be comfortable if the rider is too heavy for the horse, cannot balance their weight properly, or has little horse-riding skills to begin with. With this said, there are certain horse breeds that can carry heavy riders, which we will delve into below.
So, What Kind of Horse Can Carry Heavier Riders?
There are plenty of horse breeds that are naturally heavier and can easily accommodate heavier riders as a result. The below list takes rider and saddle weight into consideration.
- Friesian horse; typically weighs in at 1300-1500 pounds and can carry 260+ pounds.
- Belgian horse; typically weighs in at 2000+ pounds and can carry up to 400 pounds.
- Clydesdale horse; typically weighs in at 1,800 pounds and can carry up to 350-400 pounds.
- Shire horse; typically weighs in at 1,100 pounds and can carry up to 220 pounds.
- Quarter horse; typically weighs in at 950-1500 pounds. At 1500 pounds, that’s up to 300 pounds.
- Andalusian horse; typically, between 1,200-1,500 pounds. At 1500 pounds, that’s up to 300 pounds.
- Draft mules; typically weigh in around 2000 pounds and can carry up to 400 pounds.
Other fantastic choices include the Highland pony, Westphalian, Percheron, and the Spanish-Norman.
How Heavy Is Too Heavy for a Horse?
When trying to determine whether you are too heavy for a specific horse, there are a few factors to keep in mind. However, the rule of thumb is that the horse cannot carry more than fifteen to twenty percent of their own weight.
Therefore, a thousand-pound horse, should not carry more than two hundred pounds, including tack. A nine-hundred-pound horse should not carry more than one hundred and eighty pounds, including tack.
What Factors Need to Be Considered?
Is the horse at a healthy weight for itself?
If it is not, even though it may meet the twenty percent carry capacity, it may not be a good idea to ride it.
For instance, if the horse is known to have back problems and you are trying to ride it at its upward carry capacity limit, you are going to end up hurting the horse. Another example of this would be an overweight horse at twelve hundred pounds, may have a maximum carrying capacity of two hundred and forty pounds, but that doesn’t mean that they can carry that.
A thousand-pound tall horse that is lightly built is going to be able to carry less weight comfortably and safely than say a nine-hundred-pound horse that is heavily built/is sturdy.
If you are curious about how sturdy your horse is, measure the circumference of the cannon bone, as this can give you an indication of how large their weight carry bones are. The more bone, the better sturdiness (in a healthy horse).
The overall fitness of the rider needs to be factored in. A strong, athletic, and well-coordinated rider is going to be easier for the horse to carry than someone who is lighter in their frame but cannot balance properly or is weak in strength.
If your horse is very old or very young, they should carry less weight. In young horses, their joints and bones are still developing and in senior horses, they may be arthritic. The weight of the rider and the time/intensity of the workload should be considered here.
Finally, you also want to consider the height of the rider. Someone who is extremely tall is going to have less security in the saddle as they may feel top heavy on a shorter horse. A tall rider is going to feel more comfortable on an Arabian, Fjord, or Islandic horse as these are stockier in build.
How Much Does a Saddle Weigh?
Saddle weights can vary widely depending on whether they are English made, are show saddles, or are Western saddles.
Generally, though, saddles will weigh anywhere between ten and sixty pounds, with English saddles weighing between ten and twenty-five pounds. Western saddles can range between twenty-five and sixty pounds. The style of the saddle plays a definite role in how heavy it will weigh.
- English saddles are designed to give the rider mobility as they have a close-contact design that allows riders to get into the correct positions for jumping, swinging, and riding, quickly. The English saddle is therefore lighter, because it avoids obstructing the rider’s movement as much as possible.
- Racing Saddles will weigh an average of one pound.
- Close-contact saddles will weigh an average of ten to fifteen pounds.
- All-purpose saddles will weigh an average of fifteen to twenty pounds.
- Dressage saddles will weigh an average of fifteen to twenty-five pounds.
- Western saddles are designed to serve a working horse and were created for riders to sit in for long periods of time and to carry equipment or tie cattle down. The Western saddle is therefore, heavier as it is made to withstand the stress of a hard working horse. They are durable, distribute weight across the horse’s back, more so than English saddles.
- Trail saddles will weigh an average of twenty-five to thirty-five pounds.
- Barrel saddles will weigh an average of twenty-five to thirty-five pounds.
- Roping saddles will weigh an average of thirty-forty-five pounds.
- Ranch saddles will weigh between forty-sixty pounds.
When selecting a saddle, you want to choose one that matches the discipline you
will be involved in. You also need to make sure that the saddle fits the horse
properly in order to avoid causing your horse pain and potential long-term
health problems.
How Much Weight Can a Pony Carry?
The answer to this is completely dependent on the pony itself and how sturdy/stocky the pony is. If the rider is extremely tall, they should not be on a pony at all.
The guideline for pony riding is a small rider should have a weight maximum of one hundred and fifteen pounds, a medium rider’s weight maximum is one hundred and forty pounds, and a large rider has a weight maximum of one hundred and eighty pounds. Someone who is two hundred pounds or over, is well over the maximum carry capacity of a pony.
Best Horse Saddle for Heavy Riders?
When it comes to choosing a saddle, the one that fits the rider comfortable while also being fitted correctly to the horse so that their movement is not hindered, is what you are aiming for.
Heavier riders tend to do better with Western style saddles because these distribute the weight of the rider across the horse’s back, better. Here are some key components to keep in mind.
- The seat size must accommodate the rider’s buttocks.
- Shoulders, hips, and heels should be naturally aligned. Women tend to need extended stirrups to ensure that this happens due to the upper leg being longer than the lower.
- The seat width needs to accommodate the width of the seat bones.
- The saddle should not be too long for the horse. A saddle that extends past the saddle support area (18th thoracic vertebra) will cause damage to the horse.
- There must be enough room around the withers so that the saddle doesn’t pinch the horse.
A heavier rider is going to be comfortable in an 18-19-inch saddle if they are above two hundred and fifty pounds.