Choosing the Right Size Horse for You

A student at Southern Methodist University, Zoe Reardon spent more than a decade riding horses as a professional athlete. During that time, Zoe Reardon belonged to several equestrian-focused organizations and won several awards at national and regional competitions.

Whether you’re buying your first horse or planning a horseback riding event, the question of what size horse you need will inevitably come up. To determine this, most people compare the weight of the horse with the weight of the rider, plus all the necessary tack and gear you need to ride. As a general rule, your weight plus the weight of your gear should not exceed 20 to 25 percent of the horse’s weight. This means that a horse weighing 1,000 pounds can only carry about 200 pounds of weight comfortably.

While this rule is a good guideline, figuring out the best size horse for you is a much more complicated matter than comparing weights. You must also consider your height, skill level, and the age of the horse.

Riding skill also plays a role in the right size horse for you because it determines how easily a horse can carry you on its back. If you are a beginner and have no riding ability, carrying you will be more difficult for the horse. As a result, you may feel heavier to the horse than your actual weight, since you are more unbalanced as a rider. Similarly, your height affects how securely you sit in the saddle, and can easily make you unbalanced if you are tall and riding a short horse.

Also remember that younger horses are still developing their joints and bones, and older horses often have issues with arthritis. Both need lighter loads, so you may need a larger horse to accommodate your weight.