To think I'll never ride again?

[IroningThrone]

I've had some health problems over the last few years that have resulted in me gaining a significant amount of weight. I'm now 19 stone (at 5'7) and just can't shift it despite eating sensibly and exercising. Waiting for a PCOS diagnosis due to symptoms but it's taking ages to get help! I'm not overly unfit (can run up the stairs without getting out of breath, walk 5+ miles every day!)

I really miss the horses and riding! Would love to go for a ploddy hack and enjoy the autumn weather but I feel like I'm just too heavy to sit on a horse and with how hard I'm finding losing weight it just feels impossible. I don't want to jump and race around, just hack and see the world.

Friend pointed out that going by the 20% rule, a big heavy horse would carry me. Not sure it counts for my sort of weight? It would be unfair to the horse, right?

Have you considered ketogenic diet? That has often been the only thing that has helped women with PCOS lose weight. Once you start losing, then it will be easier to start exercising more. Sorry cannot comment about the horse.

I've every sympathy as I'm in the same boat.

One thing I've found is that there is a company called Cumbrian Heavy Horses, offering lots of different sorts of rides on their heavy horses (see their Facebook page for lots of info). They do have a weight limit - lower than I'd thought- but give reasons for it. It depends on height as well as top heavy people are more likely to fall off but a six foot person can't weigh more than 16 stone I think.

Different stables might have different rules. Good luck

I can't do keto because if I go super low carb I'm floored with migraines! 😕 Don't eat much carbs anyway, maybe a slice of brown toast for breakfast or pasta for a quick tea once a week.

Thank you though! 😊

14 stone seems to be the max at most places. I'm at a point where I could buy or loan a horse (using to own a CB cross who was fantastic but sold him when the health issues started!)

I just really miss plodding down the lanes exploring!

Riding would be great exercise for you! Surely a lovely big heavy horse like a clydesdale would be ok for you?

There are certainly plenty of horses who can carry your weight, bone (as in thickness of legs ) and their general strength (well muscled back) is more important than height or weight. I have a huge boned 14.2hh and I guarantee she'd be fine to take you in a ploddy hack.

Shetlands and Welsh ponies were bred to carry grown men up mountains!

Being a good rider also helps, a well balanced heavy rider is less of an impact than an unbalanced mid weight rider.

The issue you're going to have is finding somewhere that'll take this into account. Most riding schools or hacking centres have a maximum weight with no discussion.

You might be better off advertising for a very occasional share with a healthy contribution to costs to ensure people give it a good think.

I think the answer then is to buy a shire / Clydesdale or some heavy weight carrier . Good luck with it .

Unfortunately, I do think you are too heavy at the moment. Adding the weight of a saddle then it is a lot for a horse to carry, even a bigger built one. Horses like Clydesdales are often not the weight carriers that people think. Although they are bigger built they are designed for work like pulling, not weight carrying.

For the horse's sake I really do hope not. Very bad idea.

The thing that was drummed into me is that Shires and such were bred to pull weight not carry it and so don't have the strongest backs. No idea if that's really true but my old school BHS instructor certainly believed it!

I used to be a good rider - competed in Eventing to 100, jumped Discovery. But my body is totally different now to what it was then! 😭😭😭

Was this handsome and chunky lad that made me think about it again today! mobile.twitter.com/MerPolMounted/status/1583774730259398656

Our local Clydesdale horse place does hacks and cart driving.

Perhaps you could console yourself with learning to drive in a cart instead of riding while you lose weight. You still get to plod along and enjoy the ride.

Don’t give up.

@IroningThrone ring around local stables, some places have an upper weight on their website, but will allow heavier people with a lot of riding experience on certain horses, ring & talk to them, I found them very helpful.

I have medical issues too & not being able to lose weight is horrible, so you have my full sympathy too.

I’ve just looked it up and apparently a well built shire can carry 24 stone so you should be fine , your hardly wanting it to run the grand national . My research also told me that Percherons are the best weight carriers .

Thank you both! It's so fucking hard! I'm doing everything I can and yet just can't shift it. I don't even think a gastric band would help because I don't overeat or binge. I'd say my diet is very much the same as it was when I was slim but my body has changed completely.

He is a handsome lad!

I think you do have options, ring around, talk to people. I found once they realised I was an unwell rider they were very helpful.

As for losing weight. Low carb worked s tiny bit for me, but then stopped. I do it for other reasons (one being diabetic, it keeps my blood sugars in check without medication) but my weight stays the same.

the headaches are normal for the first few eeeks while your body adjusts, it might be worth you trying again, most people lose on it. Drinking lots of water is a key point.

if you're interested, find BIWI on the latest 'Bootcamp' the girls will help you loads!!

Have you seen your GP for medical help with your weight?

As previously said, shires/heavy horses are built to pull, not carry. If you want to ride again, make this your incentive to lose weight

Unfortunately it's not headaches but proper migraines complete with aura and nausea. I suffer with migraines anyway but low carb really triggers them. 😕

Yes, as I said in my first post. Waiting for a scan and a diagnosis of what will likely be PCOS.

Sorry, not the answer you want but 19 stone is too heavy to ride. Yes, you could probably find someone with an old fashioned hw hunter you could plod on occasionally without permanently damaging it, but if you’ve ridden decently in the past I can’t imagine that being satisfying. Nor do I agree with general 20% rules, asking horses to carry their max weight limit or ‘riding light’ etc.
It doesn’t mean you’ll never ride again though. Have you considered finding a horsey voluntary role or share horse and exercising some weight off? I’ve never been overweight in my life so I’m not going to suggest diet plans. However the one occasion in my life I haven’t been slim and muscular was the first lockdown, I wasn’t riding properly as such but nor did I have all the winter jobs and it was amazing how quickly the weight fell back off when I was doing everything again.

Don't give up, like others have said I think there is a horse out there that can carry you, it's just a case of finding the right one/right situation. Every lb that you do manage to lose (sorry, I do appreciate it's very hard) that would massively help. An experienced rider is much easier for a horse to carry than a beginner and if you can work on your general fitness that can only be a positive too. Do you think you definitely need some lessons first or can you look for a suitable share/part-loan as the latter probably easier to find esp if you are a capable rider and happy to help out with stable duties and/or make a financial contribution too.

That being said, I do think the, 'just go out and buy a heavy horse' advice which you sometimes hear given to heavier riders is a little over-simplistic, not so much the whole they're bred to pull not carry thing (I think a big strong horse should be capable of plodding around the lanes with someone your weight, particularly if well schooled to use his/her back end and lift over the back rather than to slouch along on the forehand) - it's more availability. There aren't loads of these horses being bred full stop and those that are that are quality are mainly in the hands of show producers or for driving, as far as I know, so it's unlikely they're being brought up as nice ridden all-rounders for the amateur market in the same way cobs, warmbloods or sports horses are. And you don't see too many older ridden heavy horses advertised for sale comparatively . You can get around that of course by buying a youngster if you have the experience and enjoy the bringing on process but (disheartening anecdata incoming, sorry!) a lady on my yard in exactly your predicament did just that and it all went a bit pear-shaped, she bought a lovely 4yo clydesdale, gorgeous horse and seemed quiet as a lamb when she first had him but then she didn't do a huge amount of schooling or training, just gentle hacking, understandable in a horse his size she didn't want him doing loads of small circles, but he wasn't getting a whole lot of physical or mental stimulation, and he ended up going through an epic teenage phase aged 5-6. The trouble is that behaviours that would be amusing in a pony and only mildly alarming in a smaller horse were bloody terrifying in a horse his size, she wasn't massively tall/strong and he unfortunately learnt to use his strength against her and in the end it was all too much and he ended up having to be sold to a home experienced with draught/heavy horses - now to be fair I think it was her first youngster so I'm not saying that would be everyone's experience. Just more be careful about feeling your only option would be to buy, or perhaps more pick carefully and be prepared to wait, or if you can consider a more common breed like an ID or a crossbreed, that would help too?

Good luck!

I've brought on youngsters in the past and actually really enjoy it! 😊 You do have to be careful with them though I agree.

Honestly at the moment it's hacking I miss the most. A big ploddy cob would be perfect but of course I'm not sure it would be fair to the horse!

Can you ask around locally to see if anyone has one they need help exercising in hand? Not quite the same as riding but it’s still a good form of horsey exercise. Obviously avoid small children on lead rein if you like quiet plodding hacks!

I like small children too. It's a good idea, might give me my horsey fix.

Liking small children and enjoying what amounts to doing long distance hurdles at a sprint are two different things! But joking aside I’m sure someone would bite your hand off if you offered to walk out small ponies, with or without jockeys. Especially on livery yards over winter when so many have inadequate turnout.
And it would be impossible not to lose weight doing it. Prior to dd being balanced enough to lead from another horse I swear I could have broken world records in every running event.