Mumsnet Talk

Really silly question but I used to ride as a child and dd has taken it up now, she would love for me to ride with her but I dont know if Im too heavy now

Im a size 14 - 16 and weigh about 12 stone but I have seen lots of adverts where the max weight has been less than what I am!

Also Im a bit nervous about getting back into it and a nervous rider so having to go on the biggest horse they have isnt going to work.

Well i had my first riding lesson in six years on Sunday (my legs still hurt!!!) and was in a complete panic too.

I was worried about weight. I was a 10 the last time i rode and now a 12-14 at 10.5st. I checked a few websites and asked around locally to find a ood riding school. The one I chose had lots of nice things said about it on the Horse and Hound forum. The website was reassuring as it said it's max weight was 13st.

So there are schools that take other people apart from children and lithe teens!! ;)

you need to weigh yourself with boots hat coat, everything you will be wearing while on the horse - there's my weight (naked, first thing in morning after a poo) and my riding weight (with all my kit) - quite a difference!

there are definitely horses who can happily take grown men (weighing more than you) for a full day of hunting so no, you're not too heavy to ride at all

You need somewhere with some nice native ponies (Highlands, Fells etc) as they are weight carriers without being massive. It was a 13.2 Highland that got me riding again after a 30 year gap (thanks, Buckthorn). I'm 5'10 and 10 stone and I expected to look ridiculous on him, but the width takes up your leg

I was really nervous but the fact that I was on something small made me much more confident and because they're stocky you feel like you couldn't fall off. Narrow shouldered horses make me feel a bit like I'm perched on the edge of a cliff, but my lovely wide little mare makes me feel very secure. She's around 14hh and she would easily carry you

oh yes, isn't it supposed to be a stone per hand if they have a lot of bone?

Not too heavy at all - I'm 13st, and have been happily riding a 15hh cob recently (though at 5'9 I think I do look a bit silly).

Not at all. The stables I used to ride at and will get round to again as soon as my boy is less clingy teaches men and women of all shapes and sizes.

The stables that take all comers tend to be a bit more expensive in my experience as they're often very big schools with a wide range of good horses. Often the stables with low weight limits have typical school horses - with bad habits and weak backs.

I thought you were going to say that you were 20 stone or something. 12 stone is nothing and if you were up for taking out some fit point-to-pointers and youngstock I could find you something to ride easily.

I would second the Highland and Fell suggestion. Natives are reknowned for their weight carrying capabilities and you won't be over-horsed.

I have a heavy weight show cob and they are designed to carry over 14 stone in weight so I don't think you are too heavy at all as long as you ride the right horse

Nowhere near too heavy I'm afraid. Must try harder!