Re: adding rider weight

[Teddy Lancaster <Teddy@runningbear.com>]

I have looked at the FEI rules and they do not specify anything about how weight
is carried, but in Bend, our riders were NOT allowed to have the weights on
themselves. I sometimes wonder where the rules come from...maybe the ground jury
made that decision?

Teddy

Debbyly@aol.com wrote:

> I have done a lot of rides carrying weight and everything I have tried causes
> some problems.  Unless there has been some recent rule change, weight can be
> carried on the rider.  I used a weight vest that I ordered from the Road
> Runner Sports catalog in the North American championship in Flagstaff.  There
> were one pound weights that could be attached to the vest up to a maximum of
> 12 pounds.  I carried ten.  It was the easiest on the horse of all the ways I
> have carried weight.  Since it was an FEI ride, the weights had to be sealed.
> I was closed in with duct tape with initials of an official accross it.  At
> the vet checks an official had to unseal me so I could rest without the
> weights and then had to reseal me.  It caused a bit of an uproar and there was
> some discussion of making yet another rule to eliminate carrying weight in
> this manner.  As far as I know no such rule was ever made.  The biggest
> problem for me was going out of the third vet check in a lightning storm
> carrying 10 pounds of metal weights on my body.  I finished the ride with
> slightly sore shoulders and I didn't get struck by lightning.
>
> Other ways I have carried weight:
>
> Lead shot inside of the hollow tree of a Boz saddle.  It make terrible noise
> and it is impossible to get it all out.  I also tried a combination of lead
> shot and acquarium rock so that the tree was full so it wouldn't make so much
> noise.  That was better, but the horse ended up with a slightly sore back.  I
> think the weight in the hollow tree can deform the shape of the tree.
>
> I have used scuba diving ankle weights.  They have lead shot inside neoprene
> sausage casings that stretch.  They can be stretched around the cantle of a
> saddle.  I suggest attaching them with screws so that they don't bounce.
>
> On Tevis when the weights do not have to be sealed, I have carried feed for
> the horse in my cantle pack.  When I give the feed to the horse, I pick up
> rocks on the trail and put them in the pack to replace the weight.
>
> Debby