Are you to heavy for your horse?

Interesting article.

Myself, earlier this year I struggled with a loss of confidence and major issues relating to my weight. I am not huge, but I am not exactly 'delicate' either.

I have lost about 30 pounds since the summer and am continuing to lose. At my heaviest, with tack, I was about 17% of Benny's weight. Benny is a Thoroughbred, but he also is really thick for a Thoroughbred (frequently mistaken for a quarter horse) and has great bone and a strong back. I had him in pretty heavy work and he seemed to suffer no ill effects. That being said, I am relatively well balanced and watched very closely both my saddle fit and signs of stress. He was frequently seen by a certified chiro to make sure things were good and staying good.

When I got hurt this spring, my much more petite friend worked him for me. Same tack, same horse, but he was stiffer and more tense at the end of it all than he has ever been with me. She is a good rider, but she doesn't ride as 'light'.

Now that I have lost some weight (and Benny is more fit) I do notice he goes better. This could be advancements in his training, or because he has 30 less pounds to pack around, or maybe both. I still ride fairly intensely and have him seen by the chiro and he seems to be doing just as well.

20% is a good guideline, but with all things I think it needs to be considered with a grain of salt and each situation evaluated as a case by case basis.

the same arguement has been used for riding bareback. For most of my life I rode only bareback. I rode a Morgan/Paint cross - she was about 15H and 1000 lbs. Built more like the sturdier Morgans. I have never been light - but have always been an athlete. Modern day trainers - research says riding bareback is hard on a horses back due to concentrated pressure. I rode Cherokee every day (literally rain or shine) with a friend of mine. We rode everywhere. Some weekends we would ride 12-14 hours straight. When Cherokee had to be PTS at 25yrs old her back was a straight as a pin, her legs clean of any blemishes and she had never been sore a day in the 23 years that I owned her. I rode her far into both of my pregnancies - we rode along the roads up and down hills etc.

Now my very large Appy and I struggle with saddle fit - he has large mounded shoulders and a short back and there are days I know that while not testing sore he seems more stiff and less willing to work.

Of course weight should be an issue but rider riding ability and tack play a very major role.

My Rawhide sounds like your Appy. I had a time finding a saddle to fit him and stay on his withers. I got a tucker from a friend and it fits him well. He is only 14.3 but very stocky MFT. My Big Horn fits 15.2  Reno well and so does my Eli miller. The Eli is the lightest of all 3 of them. I guess I ride well enough that I haven't caused any damage to them. I'm not a little thing...  

Remember most all of these types of studies are written to prove a personal opinion.  I grew up with the saying that figures don't lie but liars do figure.  Some are very artful in writing with enough truth to make you think it is all truthful. It looks like the experiences told above by yall gives pause to the article.