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Long term weight carrying ability for horses was tested many times by the 
cavalry.  Expect this info is available somewhere, even today.

For long marches and hard campaigns ridden horses held up best when carrying 
less than 25% of body weight.   Pack animals, mules and horses, did best 
with a bit less.  200 lbs is still a pretty standard load for a pack.  Maybe 
this is the "dead wgt" issue?


Beverley Kane has mentioned some variables as to "kinds of riders."
I've seen some  big men, good horsemen, on not so big horses, not tire them 
as much as a smaller, less skilled rider on a big horse.  Weight makes less 
difference on the flat, easy, country.  Hard mountain work is tougher for 
the lighter horses with more weight.

Somewhere in the article about heavier riders it mentioned body type of the 
horse.  My experience is that horses with strong, wide, loins, close 
coupled, are much better under more weight.



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