I took pictures of the snow but you've all seen them before. The snow we shoveled into piles was so high and deep it had blue in the cracks.
I am so tired of snow I have gone past annoyance into almost nothingness, like I'm numb. I can't care, it will just keep coming.
Like today. No more accumulation so far, but hateful white coming down.
I'm reading a German horsey forum and it's so odd. I've yet to find German forums that are not full of women ranting about what horses must endure. Or maybe I just notice it more because Germans over-use exclamation points (as I abuse parentheses).
The topic of the day for me "How much weight can my horse carry?" and the thread was over 200 pages long. You submit a photo, and the forum gives you a number. After reading maybe 50 pages I can summarize it.
"If you weigh more than 132 pounds, you have no business on a 14HH horse." Hrm.
I read two articles lately that the width of the back (loin) is more important than the length of the back, in predicting breakdown.
Also, for almost every photo submitted, people gave the maximum weight that the horse can carry at 165 pounds, regardless of breed or body type.
Only one person responded in line with Deb Bennett's research about larger horses already being stressed by their own weight (bone density does not increase proportionately with horse height).
A few people used cannon bone circumference, but more than one person said certain breeds cannot carry 15% of their own weight, period. Light breeds like Arabians and German Riding Ponies.
So I did a little experiment, because there are so many Icelandic horses around here. How much weight can an Icelandic horse carry in America vs. in Germany?
Iceryder has a well-known article about this. Of course if you ride Icelandics, you're proud of the fact that they are one of the toughest breeds on Earth. Just look at one, you can see they're made for hard work.
America says:
- The average Icelandic will be fine with weights of up to 250 lb.
- The Icelandic horse ranges from 13 to 14 hands yet can carry two-thirds of their weight. (66%!)
- If the average Icelandic weighs 800 pounds, then it could carry about 266 pounds.
In Iceland, they are the only breed of horse, and they carry men with no problem, even Germans admit this.
But in Germany:
- Einen 70-80kg Mann können die schon wohl tragen. (176 pounds)
- Die meisten Isis können 70-75kg ganz gut tragen (165)
- "I'm 132 pounds, am I too fat for an Icelandic?"*lol*
- Lt. unserem Isländer Besitzer, können Isi´s ohne Probleme 70 kg, tragen. (154)
- Auch bei einem sehr stabilen Islandpferd ist um 90 Kilogramm Reitergewicht Schluss (198)
It's rough being in a country where I'm one of the largest women in the state, and not being able to go shopping for clothes because the XL is too small (funnily, in England, it fits!). It's not just clothes shopping, it's horse shopping. Maybe you remember my frustration at all the ads for Arabians that said, "No rider over 140 pounds." It's humiliating to realize that at my weight, I'm not allowed to get on acquaintances' horses. What is my body image? Honestly, I feel closer to normal than to disgusting.
I started a diet at the beginning of the month, and I'm tracking my nutrients and exercise in a database. It's fascinating for me to find holes in my nutrient intake, and to see where I go over the RDA for other things. I'm on an "all from scratch" diet and I must admit, it helps that I don't have the option of going to Azteca! Also, there's no Starbucks or Burger King within a half hour. We're down to once a month eating out, lately, less. Nothing to do but take the horse for a walk up and down hills! And maybe someday, I won't break an Icelandic horse in two.
(My goal weight is way more than 140, no worries.)
9 comments:
Ah well... forums and big boarding barns. Ask three people one question, get five answers. I only read on these forums if I need a laugh, to be honest. There just tend to be too many people with too much spare time and too little to worry about, so they start worrying about other people's business. The same applies to big barns. I don't think I could ever face the average 50-horse barn ever again.
As to weight - sometimes I would like to know exactly how old the people are who truly believe anything above 70 or 75kg is going to break any horse's back. Maybe that makes sense if you're surrounded by stick-thing teenagers, but otherwise? And never mind that the average man will be heavier than that, regardless of body type.
Interesting. I guess all German men who ride are feather light? I was worried about riding Gabbrielle with my weight, because her bones are so petite, but then my 200-and-something pound horse trainer rode her with no problem. She didn't look stressed. She galloped with him on her back and didn't stagger or stumble. Now that Gabbrielle has gained weight, she has a fairly broad back.
When we were shopping around for a horse for my 240 pound husband to ride, one man tried to sell us a horse that was an identical size and shape to Lostine. 14.2 hands. We said she was too small, and he said, "Oh no. That mare could pack you around with no problem. She's strong and sturdy." I was surprised to hear that, because usually people have less confidence in a horse's ability to carry weight.
It's nice to know that in America I could ride an Icelandic. I'm sorry that you are the victim of discrimination because of your weight, regarding which horses you can buy. I heard somewhere that the last human characteristic to gain acceptance in our society will probably be obesity. We will be long past our racism and sexism and sexual preferencism (just made that word up now) (see, I use parentheses too, and I like them) (I don't like ALL CAPS WITH !!!! though) before people will accept a little meat on our bones.
I'm not a tiny person either. It's crazy how standards are different everywhere. I was considered quite small this weekend at a reining clinic, but at the last hunter jumper barn I was considered on the big side and usually put on bigger horses.
I do believe I owe it to my horses to be as fit and healthy as I can reasonably be, so I keep a close eye on what I eat and how much I exercise. I'm still not thin or light by any standard though!
I'm a big girl. 220lbs (size 16) and I ride a 14 hand QH. He's got a short back and thick legs. He never shows any sign of trouble carrying me. Shoot, my 275lb husband rides him no problem. That is just like bigger people always saying they need a tall horse...it's a crock. Taller doesn't mean stronger. Oh well, can't fight other people's ignorance. I will have to say, I would get depressed about the clothes shopping though. I'm always having a problem finding shirts that don't make me look prego because of my boobs.
..but I like your abuse of parentheses though ;)
I eat far healthier than probably 90% of the American male population and I frequently get compared to bear in terms of my general and relative proportions.
What size horses to bears ride in Germany?
Fletch, hello again, nice to read you. Wanna meet up in July?
Err... I overuse exclamation points too hehe. I'm surprised at the whole weight debate. Is obesity not a problem in Germany like it is in America or do the obese just not ride horses? I have plenty of friends who are over the ideal weight (way more than you) who ride short horses. It never seems to cause any problems with them. I see more problem with the really big horses (over 17hh) breaking down just from carrying their own weight around day in and day out, even with their little petite barely over 100lb riders. So weird.
I'm excited about your diet! When I found out I have celiac disease I went to a homemade, everything from scratch diet and never felt better. We only eat out once a month or so, sometimes we go as long as three months without eating out. I have sadly started eating some of the gluten free pastas and stuff that I probably shouldn't but I haven't gained any weight back (I lost around 15-20lbs by going gluten free, homemade, from scratch). I'm still eating candy too lol. Not healthy, but I haven't gained the weight back. I really think the celiac was my problem. It was preventing me from absorbing a lot of nutrients too. Your diet has inspired me to get back to the from scratch cooking again. I've been lazy about it lately, but I'll try to do better because I definitely felt better when I wasn't eating processed foods. :D
Hehehe Nuzmuz your use of parentheses in that last comment cracked me up!
Oh Lytha for what it's worth I've never once thought you looked too big for Mara in any of your pictures or videos. :D
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