Some riders "too obese" for their horses? I talk about this on the Peter Levy show

I am sure most of you reading this are by now well aware of the recent story which broke earlier this week about "some" riders being too obese for their horses.

It has sparked a variety of opinions from riders across the country, with some in agreement with the research results and some in disagreement.

Earlier on in the week I wrote a blog about the story, so if you missed it then head on over now to read what I had to say.

As you may know, I am becoming quite a regular on the Peter Levy show on BBC Radio Humberside and when his producer contacted me yesterday morning to see if I would go on the show to discuss this topic I was more than happy to oblige!

To listen to the podcast click this link and the discussion starts at 1hour and 13 minutes in.

It was brilliant to be able to hear from the researcher and her opinions and it is evident the research is still not finished.

I would just like to thank Peter for having me on his show again - I love being able to discuss my opinions, especially with a topic I am so passionate about.

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It has been claimed overweight riders are putting horses at risk - Do you agree?

According to research, our equines are the latest victims of Britain's obesity crisis because their riders are simply "too heavy".

The recent study has found that almost a third of riders were too obese for their equines, leaving them at a greater risk of ailments such as back problems, lameness and bad behaviour.

The study comes after the first saddle designed for the plus sized riders went on sale earlier this year.

Around 150 horses and their riders were assessed from stables in Devon and Cornwall.

According to the research, only one in 20 riders are the correct weight for their horse and have warned an increasing number of animals are suffering health problems as a result of this.

It was found that nearly two thirds of riders (63 percent) weighed between 10 and 15 per cent of the weight of their horse, which is only considered as "satisfactory".

One researcher, Dr Hayley Randle, said: "the findings should trigger alarm bells among horse owners."

Randle added: "People tend to think that horses are such big animals, they must be okay, and not to take notice of the weight issue of riders."

Dr Randle and fellow researcher, Emma Halliday found that just five per cent of people weighed less than 10 per cent of the weight of the horse - which is the recommended weight ratio.

Forty-nine of the riders (32 per cent) weighed more than 15 per cent of the weight of their animal; a ratio which states there is a risk to the equines welfare.

As well as all the obvious issues such as back pain, an obese rider can cause lameness in horses and the overuse of certain muscles. Not to mention behavioural problems such as rearing, bucking and refusing to go forward.

According to researchers the problem needs to be raised in the equine community and riders need to be made aware of the implications of riding a horse too small for them.

It clearly begs the question of what is the correct weight for a rider to be and what if you don't want to over-horse your self?

Do you agree with the recent study or what researchers are saying? Let me know by tweeting me @FurryMane. 

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