Hiya,
At the '95 and '96 Tevis, the average height of all the starting horses
was 60.47 inches (just over 15 hands). The average cannon bone
circumference was 7.42 inches, measured midway between the carpus and
fetlock joints. The average body weight of the horses was 892.54 pounds
and the average rider + tack weight was 181.48. There were no
significant differences between horses that finished and horses that
were pulled in these measurements. Horses that finished carried an
average of 20.43% of their own body weight, horses that pulled carried
an average of 21.25%, but this was not a significant difference either.
Horses that carried a bit more (as in a moderate amount) of body fat did
significantly better (86.44%- 100.0% completion rate, depending on how
much body fat) than thin-to-very thin horses (0.00 - 44.44% completion
rate).
Hope this helps.
Susan Evans Garlinghouse