What breed/ height is suitable to carry a 15 stone rider?

[Sierraspider]

Hi everyone. What breed would you suggest would be able to carry a 15 stone rider? Are we talking cobs/ shires (?) Or do you think a 16.2hh TB type would be ok? Asking on the behalf of a friend wanting a horse her partner can ride too for hacking. She is 5' 2 and 9 stone and will be riding the same horse. She has found a 16.2hh TB cross warmblood she likes but is worried her husbands 6 foot, 15 stone frame will be too much? Any advice great fully recieved as I'm not sure on this one!

The tb x sounds great for her but I would personally be very wary of putting 15 stone on it; I'd go with a shire type/ Clydesdale if anything hope she finds one soon xx

Yep, what Sparky said.

I'd add that in part it depends on her DH's fitness, balance and riding ability - so a good solid draught/hunter type could be fine if her DH is a reasonably 'light' rider. If he's more of a 'happy passenger' type then shire cross Percheron is more appropriate. Not quite what she's looking for, but better to compromise riders' wishes a bit that overload the poor horse - and if she looks around, there are some really nice bigger, heavier horses around who can still have fun with lighter, more ambitious riders looking to do more interesting and varied riding.

Let us know what she goes for!

horse's size and frame are not the only consideration.
the horse needs a strong back (always a good idea anyway, but esp with a heavy rider) i.e. head down excercises (no idea of techical term). just hackin will not cut it.

All the stables I've seen say they won't allow riders over 14st.

Why are they wanting to share the same horse? Surely nothing will be suitable for both?

Surely you'd need a 18hh heavy horse for that size of rider but they aren't really suited to hacking are they?

Is he a confident and strong enough rider to control such a huge horse?

maybe he should consider losing a stone or 2 as well

mousmous you speak sense - all ridden horses should have a good, developed outline so that their backs are in good nick. Seems that a lot of horse owning passengers 'happy hackers' just won't accept that, though.

And now I must log out of MN before I go off on a proper kvetch fest.

Evening all.

x-post!

I agree, mous.

Right, I'm orf.

A TB type is unlikely to be able to carry more than about 12 stone, at most.

A well-schooled Irish Draught might be a good option- strong back, and with the conformation of a riding horse, rather than a heavy horse.

Mine's a good solid cob, looks like he has a lot of clydesdale in him and the vet has told me 15 stone max (I'm not that btw, was asking for a friend who wanted to ride him!). He's a mature horse as well, not a youngster, and has been brought on slowly to protect his joints.
If I was looking for a real weight carrier for hacking (and I'm not saying 15 stone is necessarily that heavy for a man, he could be a rugby player or something) then I'd get a mainland highland pony. They can carry a 20 stone stag down a mountain! They are bred for weight carrying more than shires are really.
I would be very wary of the thoroughbred type. I know someone who had to have their 7 yo TB put down because his back was wrecked by carrying a too-heavy rider. They thought it would be ok because he was 17.2hh .

Thanks for all your replies! Is there really a pony that could carry twenty stone Pixel? What breed? Would he look silly being 6 foot? I've shown her the thread. Her partner has only ever ridden her friends horse lightly (15hh heavy weight cob but owner wasnt keen on him doing anymore than a walk!) but wants to progress further and she is looking to buy her first horse. She says he's on a diet and has joined a gym, so hopefully the options will open up a bit!

I have a friend who breeds highland ponies, and yes they can carry surprisingly heavy weights and would be fine for 15st.

But they won't be bigger than about 15 hands (I think the breed standard goes to 14.2). They are quite broad, so taller people don't look totally silly on them, but depending on her DH's frame he might look distinctly under-horsed.

Highlands are also really quite tough and really do live out happily even in dreadful weather, which might be a plus for a novice owner.

The husband needs to get himself lessons in an RC until he can walk, trot, canter and hack with confidence, otherwise he risks getting injured.

Ponies may carry 20 stone worth of dead stag across their backs but that is quite different from ridden weight. The more novicey and unbalanced the rider is, the less weight the horse can carry.

I got my novice (but not total beginner) DH, same height/weight as OP,an IDxsuffolk punch, 16hh, 800kgs. I viewed 14 horses over 4 months to find him and ten years later he is still one in a million. While I also rode him to keep him well behaved it is highly unlikely that a beginner and an experienced rider will both enjoy riding the same horse, aside from the weight considerations.

I don't think the op's friend can be very experienced if she thinks anything with tb would be ok for a 15 stone rider.

Even worse then. A novice rider should not buy a horse to share with a beginner, all they will. Learn is the quickest route to the nearest A and E department.

I get the desire to own a horse, I was that phoney mad kid whose parents could not afford one and who had to wait until you could buy myself one, but nonetheless some people's approach to owning an animal that can live 30 years, can flatted you for no good reason and will cost the better part of a salary to keep is rather silly.

Hmm...

I know a couple - her: novice/'intermediate' (sort of...), doing RC stuff, low-level competing etc. quite happily, him: beginner - sensible and smart enough to ride carefully and cautiously as he can - and I'd say he manages to ride a lot more sensitively than many who would see themselves as far more experienced - still really, truly a beginner - not 15 stone, but at least 12.5 stone, I'd say.

They do very nicely sharing a solid ID mare. They are careful, they take advice, they follow it.

They learnt the hard way, having over-horsed themselves a couple of times. (Or under-horsed, depending on how you look at it - pity the poor TB who ends up under the arse of a porky 'average build' novice...)

But they're doing OK now, as is the current horse - and long may it continue!

I agree - it doesn't sound as if either of the OP's friends should be looking for anything too 'interesting' at the moment.

Ponies may carry 20 stone worth of dead stag across their backs but that is quite different from ridden weight. The more novicey and unbalanced the rider is, the less weight the horse can carry.

Oh I agree a rider this weight wouldn't be the best idea, especially a novice. Just pointing out that some breeds have been specifically bred to carry heavy weights. Like the Dales ponies carrying packs from the lead mines.

We have a 17h ISH that easily carries 15 stones, 1/4TB 3/4draft. He has a good short back and short cannon bones with plenty of bone. He is a good men's middleweight hunter type.The only time he has looked uncomfortable was with a 13.5 stone lady who was very novice and was very stiff and awkward on him.

To give you an idea, this is him...

I would suggest to your friend that she steers clear of a tb x warmblood. The potential for this horse to be too much for even an experienced horse woman is great.

I would also perhaps suggest that she maybe part loans to begin with to get the feel for ownership. Its not always a Tilly book of nice sunny rides and a horse to cuddle.

I would suggest that her dp has a couple of years of lessons at a reasonable riding school before they buy something they can share.

An overheight Highland would be one option but the right one won't come cheap. A shire/clysdale x or a heavyweight hunter maybe. But these animals when suitable for novice owners, in good health and a reasonable age come with hefty price tags. And aren't the cheapest to keep either. Anything bigger than 16hh needs either very good grazing or an additional feed or hay each day. And maybe up to a full bale each day over winter.

She could get away with a 14hh native pony so I would tell her to suit her needs first. Then review when he can walk/trot/canter and pop a 3 ft course competently.

I don't think weight is the only issue. If you are an experienced, balanced rider at 13 stone, I'd be keener to have you on my horse than an 8 stone novice. #mostunhelpfulpostever,sorry

Hiya everyone, they both went to view a Clysdale (sp?) cross yesterday to part loan, all went well and they are just waiting to sign a 6 month contract. She's very excited! Thanks everyone for your replies. Regarding the tb cross warmblood she decided against anyway as the vetting didn't go too well. X

Hope it goes well! (and that they follow PPs' advice about lessons!)

Having said that, my friend's two Clydesdales have short backs and tons of bone plus the powerful backside and shoulder that makes them good pullers as well.