Larger rider

[veryblearyeyed]

Starting a new thread instead of piggybacking on a related zombie thread.

My DS has been asking to try horse riding for a while and the stables near me is opening to new riders again. After browsing this thread for a bit I had the brainwave that i could have lessons too. I grew up in the country and two friends had their own ponies (lucky me). However, I am now 14st, so no doubt will not be able to ride smaller horses until I lose some of the saddlebags . I think the ponies I rode were 14 and 14.2, and I would have been close to my adult height when I last rode. I’m (irrationally?) nervous at the thought of riding something bigger. Am I just being silly?

I had SPD problems and still have the occasional twinge so am thinking of seeing a private physio for an assessment before I decide as well, but hoping to get a thumb’s up as I am longing to sniff that hay-ey horsey smell again.

Riding is a wonderful motivator to lose weight and get fitter. It may be hard to find a riding school which will take you at your current weight I’m afraid - the local schools to me have very strict limits of 11 stone and 13 stone respectively as they simply don’t have enough weight carrying horses to offer lessons to larger riders.

Having a physio assessment is a good idea and if you are straight and balanced in the saddle that will help the horse.

Once you’re fit and ready to ride then unless you’re a very short adult, you’ll probably be given something larger than you’re used to to ride. In my lessons, I’ve ridden anything from 14.3 to 16.2 and once you’re on there’s not much difference because of the height - but every horse will take up your leg differently and have a different way of moving so there may be a bigger difference between two 15.2 horses than a 15.2 and a 16.2. Obviously it’s a longer way down if you fall off though

Thanks, Please, interesting to hear about the differences in horses even of the same height. Sounds like I need to shed a bit and then just go for it.

I weigh around 11.5 stone and ride weekly - my riding centre state that they have an upper limit of 14 stone though at that weight you'd only have a choice of one or two horses.

Could you look for a riding centre/school that have some of the heavy horses near you? A school near me (not the one I attend) has Suffolk Punch and Clydesdales which, though big, could be suitable?

You would be at the top limit of acceptability at my riding school, which does have a number of larger horses. Even though breeds like Clydesdales and shires are bigger, their backs are actually weak for their.size: their strength is in the shoulders for pulling. And tbh, with SPD relates issues, I wouldn't want to put you on something as wide as that anyway.

What would be ideal, imo, is a good traditional solid hunter type.

But definitely give the school a call and see what they can do, it could be a good incentive to loose weight if that's what you want to do

It's definitely worth talking to them op. Hairy, weight bearing cobs are very popular nowadays as are heavy horses trained for riding purposes. I wouldn't be worried about riding them because many have quite gentle temperaments.

I'd phone around a few places. Do you have an RDA centre you could get to? Our local one offers lessons to everyone and have 1 or 2 weight bearing cobs they use for adult RDA riders. And they will be ideal people to be discuss and assess your SPD issues.