# Am i too old or heavy to ride?



## bearsterski (Apr 12, 2010)

Hi, i have booked my riding lesson and feel that at 5ft 3" and 13st and age 33, i might be too heavy! Is that a problem? :scared:


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## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

Ummmmm....I'm 41...5 foot 7 and over 14 stone and I have 2 horses, compete in showjumping, dressage and (hopefully) cross country!!! So no you absolutely are not too old or heavy!!!! :thumbup: Enjoy yourself I bet you'll love it!!!


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## bearsterski (Apr 12, 2010)

Thanks for that vote of confidence. It's just that when i booked it, the lady on the phone asked my height and weight and told me it would affect my balance. I'm not massive, in fact the average uk size of 16. Until then, i never really thought myself to be overly big. However, i booked in for a 1 to 1 and i'm shocked by how expensive it is. Hey ho, thats the price to pay to have a hobby...again! not ridden since i was 13. Gonna go for it tho! Thanks!


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## RachyBobs (Oct 18, 2009)

im 5,8 13 stone and i have 16 horses!!


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## JSR (Jan 2, 2009)

Some of the lightest riders I know are heavier people!! You're weight has pretty much no reflection on how heavy you are on the horses back. If you have a light seat and don't plonk about on the saddle the horse won't even notice you!! My brother rode my heavy cob last week, and he's under 11 stone and you should have seen the faces my horse was pulling!!! He's too nice to do anything about it but you could tell he wasn't happy cos my brothers balance and seat was so heavy for him!! But then me 3 stone heavier can get on and he doesn't notice!! Because I'm heavy I make sure I always ride with a light seat. 

The school will pick a horse that can easily carry your weight and the whole point of lesson's is to learn balance and seat. :thumbup: I'm sure they won't expect you to be able to sit quietly and lightly yet so the horse they match you with will be perfectly suited to a learner. Look forward to hearing how you get on. :thumbup:


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## Midori (Mar 3, 2010)

A lot of Riding Schools have weight limits nowadays. There is a reason for it, inexperienced riders are not secure in the saddle, mainly because they havent developed their balance, and an inexperienced rider is not light in the saddle, and can cause damage to the horse's back.

You are not too old or heavy to ride, it's just the riding school being safety conscious.


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## _Sara_ (Aug 15, 2009)

Nope, your exactly the same hight, weight and dress size as me!


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## tonette (Dec 28, 2008)

I am 13 and half stone AND in my 40s!!!! they will find a horse to suit you, you are not too heavy. There is a riding school in my area that set a limit on 14 stone but they do not have the heavier horses ( but saying that some small breeds are very good weight carriers ) It has already been said about riding schools being safety conscious, I also think it depends on what horses the riding school has as many do not have the big horses now days but at your weight any riding school would be able to accommodate you........ as for age...... what age lol as long as I can still get on a horse I will ride lol


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## horseychick1 (Mar 26, 2009)

I think you will be Fine Horses are Very Strong


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## Flossiemum (Jul 16, 2010)

No you are not too old at 33 and no you are not too heavy...

Think of all those ancient old farts out hunting!

Get out there and enjoy yourself!


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## DaniiAngel (Jun 5, 2010)

I know riders heavier than you ^^
My local riding school has a 20stone weight limit.
IMO, if more riding schools invested in Suffolk Punches and Comtois/Percheron etc; they could take a lot more average weight riders.

I've never had a problem with any horse weight wise, it's always the height lol i'm 7.6stone and 5ft5. But almost everyone apart from small kids at shows are bigger than me. 
You're a normal weight so there's no need to worry, if the riding school is good then they will have more than one horse to cater for every rider.

And no, at 33, you arn't too old. There's some ancient huntsman at the local meets, they almost look like the kind of guys who'd be sitting at home with slippers and a pipe!


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## Barry G (Feb 13, 2010)

5ft3", aged 33, 13 stone, - not ridden for 20 years.

Lady, you might ache a little the day after your first lesson.

The horse will be fine

PS Did you really book an hour?


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

i can't see a problem with that at all but if the riding school has a problem with your size or is going to make you feel uncomfortable about it then you should find somewhere else as it will affect how your lessons go if you're constantly thinking you are too heavy you won't be able to relax!


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## Koira (Aug 11, 2010)

Seeing that you are going to a stables and paying for a lesson, even if you were a heavy or large person, the stable owner should either have a horse that can handle it, or be responsible enough to tell you flat out that they don't have a horse that can. But you have nothing to fear, you're a great size for a rider.


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## VickyF (Nov 26, 2009)

Are u nuts too heavy or old! I'm 31 and over 13 stone.You will probs be aching after lesson.The last time I had lesson I was cantering figure 8's for ages and i could walk proper for a week!I was on a 16hh ex showjumper which is a bit scary getting off!Good luckx


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## Horse and Hound (May 12, 2010)

JSR said:


> Some of the lightest riders I know are heavier people!! You're weight has pretty much no reflection on how heavy you are on the horses back. If you have a light seat and don't plonk about on the saddle the horse won't even notice you!! My brother rode my heavy cob last week, and he's under 11 stone and you should have seen the faces my horse was pulling!!! He's too nice to do anything about it but you could tell he wasn't happy cos my brothers balance and seat was so heavy for him!! But then me 3 stone heavier can get on and he doesn't notice!! Because I'm heavy I make sure I always ride with a light seat.
> 
> The school will pick a horse that can easily carry your weight and the whole point of lesson's is to learn balance and seat. :thumbup: I'm sure they won't expect you to be able to sit quietly and lightly yet so the horse they match you with will be perfectly suited to a learner. Look forward to hearing how you get on. :thumbup:


+1. Its when you are overweight, have a cold backed horse and bounce about in the saddle that you have issues. Ala some silly bint at my yard.

She's about 14 stone, has a 15 "2 TB ex racehorse and its a b**ch with her because she's cold backed and this girl bounces about in the saddle like no ones business. I got on her, I had no bucking, no rearing nothing. She was perfect.

It's nawt to do with weight. I'm only 9 stone 13 myself and 5 ft 6, but one of the lads that competes by horse at BSJA is nearly 14 stone!


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