Rider weight debate -riders asked to dismount

[Namechangetempissue]

Just catching up with the news in Horse and Hound and yet again 12 riders had to be asked to dismount this year after being found to be over weight for their ponies. This was at Great Yorkshire Show where 8 were asked to dismount last year.
I for one am really pleased about this. We show, and I am sick of watching heavy adults warming up and competing tiny ponies. Section A classes in particular were dreadful last year. I am well aware of the weight carrying capabilities of mountain and moorland breeds, but a 13/14 stone tall adult should not be showing or warming up a 12hh section A. I see so much of this in the warm up ring.
What do you think?
www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/great-yorkshire-show-asks-heavy-riders-dismount-626324

13 stone is the limit at stables here too. I am 13 stone 8 and am losing weight in order to ride.

Maybe some riding schools have a 13 stone limit to factor in that novice riders ride much 'heavier' than experienced one's.

interestingly, what about the Show Hunter weight criteria? 13 stone is well under the expectation of the middleweight?

A lightweight hunter should be capable of carrying up to 12st 7lbs, a middleweight between 12st 7lbs and 14 stone and a heavyweight, over 14 stone.

I think the fact WF-P can ride a lw sports horse around a 4* track at 12/13 stone makes the statement '13stone is the maximum for any horse' even more stupid.

As long as it's the appropriate horse for the appropriate rider then there is no problem. Bandying silly statements like the one above about is more damaging to horse welfare as people will stop listening as it's nonsensical and when a genuine concern is raised - such as a 13stone teenager on a 12hh Welsh B - then it's less likely to be listened to.

Yes and further to Baldrick's answer the BSHA say that a Lightweight Cob is capable of carrying a rider up to 14 stone and Heavyweight Cob is capable of carrying a rider over 14 stone.

Luckily this means that some of the posters above won't be dragging off Allister Hood !

I don't think WF-P is helpful to the cause of heavyweight riders - how many people (in the world) can ride like him?

The argument about 'good' heavy riders and novice heavy riders is a whole different debate 😉

Yes and no FGF- I think the examples just prove that the weight 'guidelines' are not workable. Under these would Alistair have been too heavy to collect supreme at HOYS? Was Nick pushing these rules to win an Olympic gold? That is between them and their bathroom scales of course but I just cannot get worked up about weight guidelines as it is IMO a non-issue.

I'm laughing at the concept that WFP is being classed as a heavyweight rider!!! He is 6'5 and about 80kgs!!!

I do agree that people should be stopped from riding horses which they look too heavy for. Last Sunday at an unaffiliated one day event we saw some very large people on some very average sized ponies and it was not pleasant. Xc was particularly bad, especially in one case where the rider was large and unfit and spent the entire round sat bouncing on her poor small horse's back. She shouldn't have been allowed to compete...

That's my point gin, of course he's not a heavyweight rider but when posters are suggesting anyone over 13stone shouldn't ride then all it would take is a dose of a constipation and a big Christmas dinner to tip WF-P into the 'too fat to ride' category.