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RE: [RC] concerns about small horse/not so small rider - Nancy Sturm

Hi Karen,
 
Please , please don't take offense, but just how chubby are you?  My favorite horse for just going out and trail riding is actually a 14.1 hand pony,  probably weighing in at somewhere between 700 and 800 pounds.  He is a mature horse, not a youngster.
 
I lost my girlish figure a long time ago, but this little guy is tough as a boot and really doesn't have any trouble hauling me up and down our steep Oregon trails.  I have a friend who is a good deal "chubbier" than I am and her favorite mount would be lucky to make 14 hands if his feet were long.
 
Then from the "do as I say, not as I do" column, there's always rider weight loss.  If you find something that works, please call.
 
Nancy Sturm
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: 3/18/2005 12:49:28 PM
Subject: [RC] concerns about small horse/not so small rider

I wrote about this last year and got some encouraging email, but I'm still a little worried if this young horse will get big enough to tote my chubby self around!  The horse in question is an all-CMK gelding currently age 3 years, 8 months.  Last spring, I measured him at 13.3 hands and 700 lbs according to the weight tape.  I know the weight tape may not be real accurate, but it's all I have to go by.
 
Last week, he measured 14.1 hands and 770 lbs.  He still LOOKS immature.  His cannons circumference are somewhere between 7-1/4" and 7-1/2" (where exactly am I supposed to be measuring that?).  His feet take size 00 shoes all the way around.  His blanket size (mid chest around to mid tail) is 68".
 
In contrast, my mature riding gelding, who has no trouble hauling my fat butt around, is 14.2hh, 875 lbs, 7-3/4" cannons, 72" blanket, 0 front shoes and 00 hinds.
 
I seem to recall that the rider/tack weight should not be more than 25% of the horse's weight to avoid overstressing the horse, is that correct?  I have not yet ridden him, will start this year, but I'm a little over that percentage.
 
I really hate to sell him because he has loads of personality and is going to be a terrific trail horse -- I've ponied him lots of miles the past two years including some very tough mountain country (any other fools out there been up the Nye trail in the Oregon Steens?), he's very surefooted, has a real willing-to-go-conquer-the-trail attitude and a nice big trot.  And unlike my other gelding this guy lets nothing get in the way of his eating and drinking, he'll suck down water every time it's offered, has drunk out of a plastic bag and even tries to drink out of my water bottle!  I've hauled him 9 hours one way several times and he cleans out his hay bag during the trip and will drink IN the trailer on the road.  And he's PRETTY, to boot, an eyecatching red rabicano roan with blaze and socks, and flaxen mane and tail.
 
So whaddaya'll think, will he get stouter in the next year...?  My other gelding is 13 now, I can't even remember how big he was at age 4, but I didn't start him anyway til he was 6. 
 
 
Karen Bratcher aka Ready
"On the back of a horse there are no limits"