The various cavalries around the world generally figured a total load of 100 pounds (for, say, a 5 day march), plus a soldier weighing not over 145 pounds. That was based on a mount weighing on average, just under 1000 pounds. The equipment that the horse was expected to carry had to be perfectly distributed for balance, and the smart soldier knew what he could leave behind. Horses were worked and drilled continually, so they were mainly in top shape. In spite of this, the average useful life of a horse on campaign wasn't over 90 days!

Holly ....like you , I sure would have had trouble with that situation.

Gosh, Pattie . . . Thanks. That is great info. and so commonsensical. Thanks for taking the time to type it out. Ima, as you probably agree, many horses are started way to early and break down with joint issues and strains way before their time. There are some folks who look at horses as totally utilitarian . . . and some folks (not all, by any means) still see them as machines to be used up and tossed away . . . always more to replace the ones that break down. The abuses have been, and in some cases, still are widespread and horrendous. We still see some of those abuses in today's world. A friend from Cozumel started a rescue several years ago to take in horses who are horribly used there. Off-topic, sorry. The point was to say that I admire your thoughtfulness in caring for and about your horse, Ima, and I hope that you will enjoy her for a very long time.

Justa, I agree. It was a really tough thing for me to watch this woman get on that horse, but what I did was only allow it for 15 minutes, tops, (a couple of times for less) and sometimes just at a standstill. It was the woman's life-long dream to have a horse, and she was a more excellent horse owner in many ways, than some folks who have had horses all their lives. Physical problems kept her from ever being able to ride (things other than her weight) but she was able to realize her dream, even if only for a short time. I was thinking about me carrying 100lb bags of grain on my shoulders . . . which were much more than 20% of my body weight. I could do it . . . but not for long.

I didn’t notice anyone mentioned this, but here is a thought of mine on this subject....... One thing to consider, is how old, and developed the horse was when they were broke to ride, etc..... I have seen some beautiful 2 and 3 year olds at the track...until they take the saddle off. Some of them have been worked way to hard, way too young, and are way more swaybacked than my 31 yo QH. One of my horses, a beautiful 3 year & 2 month old filly, that I raised, and I have not been on yet, because I want to wait until she is at least 3-1/2 y/o to 4 before I get on her. I don’t plan on competing with her anytime soon or/if ever. I raised this gal, and want to be sure she is completely developed, so she will be sound and healthy longer

and Page 3... No simple answer There is never a black and white answer to the question “How much weight can my horse carry?” The answer always has to be found on an individual basis considering the factors mentioned above. As I said, most of these items are simply common sense, but so many of the "horror" stories that I have been told over the years could have easily been prevented if the people involved had just critically and honestly judged their animals against this list. I think, Ms. Holly, that your thought process is in the right place. I would not have wanted the 325 lb lady on any horse lighter than a cold blood. A Percheron Cross would have been better for her and they have passive lovely temperaments. Wonderful for beginners. I personally cannot through a 100 lb sack of feed anymore! I would have to go to the gym and lift weights, condition and train! Exactly what we should be doing for our horses. OK...maybe is was .05 cents worth! Pattie CoLady

I can't help but wonder what you did to help that horse who was hauling around your 320 lb boarder ?

page 2... Conformation The animal's conformation can be a factor in how well your pack load or horse saddlebags ride. For instance, a low withered animal will need to be packed carefully and evenly because even a minor difference from one side to the other can cause the trail saddle or pack saddle to constantly shift as you go down the trail. At best, this is an inconvenience causing you to constantly adjust. At worst, the trail saddle or pack saddle could slip completely and cause a wreck. In another example, a short-backed horse may not be able to carry large horse saddlebags as they will sit uncomfortably too far back on the horse's rump. Live weight versus dead weight Additionally, it is important to remember that live weight (i.e. a rider) rides differently than dead weight (i.e. a pack load of any kind) and the 20% rule doesn’t necessarily apply to live weight. A rider can move and shift in the saddle to compensate for rough terrain and can get off and walk. A good rider is also easier for a horse to carry than an inexperienced one. An experienced rider in a good fitting saddle on a fit horse could be fine on a long, tough ride, even if the combined weight of saddle and rider is more than 20% of the animal’s body weight. Packing the load Dead weight, on the other hand, does not have the ability to adjust to terrain changes and, therefore, must be carefully packed to stay put and be comfortable for the animal to carry regardless of conditions. Remember, gravity works. Once dead weight begins to slide off to one side, it has the tendency to keep going. This can upset your animal, cause soring or, even worse, cause a wreck. Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules on how to pack a load. It depends upon what you are packing, your equipment, your animal and all of the other conditions listed above. However, there is one rule to always bear in mind…equal size, equal weight and equal weight distribution. If you follow this rule, you should generally have less trouble packing a load. * Equal size. It is easier to balance a load that is the same size on each side. This is easy with panniers and saddlebags, which have a fixed size. It is more difficult with mantied loads. This is one reason I recommend panniers to beginning packers. * Equal weight. Any kind of load should be balanced from one side to the other. This means that if your panniers, saddlebags or hornbags do not weigh the same, you need to balance the lighter side by hanging something else off of that side such as your rifle scabbard, pack saw, camp axe or another such item. * Equal weight distribution. Try to pack each pannier, saddlebag or hornbag so that the weight is distributed evenly throughout. Do not pack all of the grain in the front of one pannier and your down sleeping bag in the back. * Additionally, while weight rides better and is carried better higher up the animal’s sides, be careful not to make a load top heavy. Remember the top pack is meant for bulky, lightweight items. Saddles Saddles, both pack and riding saddles, need to fit well to be effective and not cause additional problems. A poor fitting saddle will not properly distribute weight across the horse's back. If the fit is particularly bad, it can cause sore muscles or even open wounds. Before loading any weight on your animal, be sure to double check the fit and condition of your saddle. Saddlebags When loading saddlebags, the weight and ability of the rider should be factored with the horse's size and condition as well as with the fit of the saddle. An inexperienced rider can unknowingly throw the horse off balance and too much extra weight will make recovery more difficult. Additionally, poorly designed saddlebags can hang too low or constantly shift, which can irritate your horse and put extra strain on him.

Yes Ma'am I'll put in my .02 cents... I actually have put some thought into this subject. I thought at one time that I was moving to BC Canada and starting a hunting lodge. So I did a little research. Russ at Outfitter's Supply has some great thoughts. Thought I would pass them on. "http://www.outfitterssupply.com/russon/how-much-weight.asp" Russ On... How Much Weight Can My Horse Carry? We often hear this question in reference to all manner of weight: the rider, the horse saddlebags, hornbags, pack loads, etc. There is no simple answer. Just like humans, some animals will be able to comfortably carry more weight than others and each animal needs to be evaluated individually. Factors to consider For every ride you plan, you should take the following into account when determining each animal’s load size, whether it's your trail horse, your pack horse, your saddle mule or your pack mule: * Size and weight of animal * Condition and health of the animal * Conditioning and fitness of the animal * Conformation of the animal * Attitude of the animal * Age of animal * Size, fit and weight of the trail saddle or pack saddle * Ability of the trail saddle or pack saddle to distribute weight across the animal’s back * Weight of the rider or pack load * Ability of the rider * Design of the packs or horse saddlebags * Distance of the ride * Type of terrain * Altitude * Temperature and weather conditions Many of these are self explanatory, but I do want to touch on some important points. Percentage of body weight When packers ask me how much weight they can safely load on a their pack horse or pack mule, I give them the basic rule of thumb of 20% of the animal's body weight, depending on all of the factors in the list above. To pack a heavy load, an animal needs to be in good health. This doesn't just refer to whether or not he has a cold, but whether his feet are in good condition and properly shod or trimmed, whether he has any bites or sores in spots where they could be irritated by the gear and whether he is well rested and prepared for the trip ahead. Good fitness means your pack animal should be regularly and well exercised. Individual Assessment I can not stress enough that you have to know your animal and for every trip you need to evaluate at least the animal’s condition as well as the temperature, distance and terrain of your ride and base your load weight on those factors. A long ride on uneven terrain at the height of summer requires animals in peak condition. An animal should also be given time to acclimate to a change in altitude. Humans are not the only ones who can suffer from altitude sickness. If your animal is not up to the task you are asking of him, you may be endangering not only his life, but yours as well. As examples of individual assessments, I once owned a tough, raw-boned pack mule named Henry. Henry only weighed about 1100 pounds, but he could pack a 250 pound load for 15 miles in hot weather and dance the whole way. However, I currently have a pack mule, Daisy, who is pushing 35 and would be retired if she didn’t pitch such a fit when she gets left behind. Daisy’s loads typically weigh in at maybe 15% of her body weight. We all walk a little slower to accommodate her and I keep her in mind when deciding how far we’ll go each day.

Aw, gee, GM . . . guess this means you don't want the autographed copy I got for your birthday. Seriously, all, thanks for the input. Topaz, I don't know how much or how long John Wayne rode in real life. I am not going to count movie horses, though, because of the takes and retakes of scenes and the number of times horses got changed out in the filmings. 58, yes, there has been lots of research into the amount of pressure put on the horse's back with different saddles and with inexperienced light riders as opposed to experienced, heavy riders. The heavier, experienced riders that move in balance with their horses put a lot less stress on the horse. GM, your anecdote is well-taken. I expect your horse has good bone, is in condition for the terrain on which you ride, and that you are a good rider intune with your horse. Two anecdotes from Holly: I had a boarder here last year. She was 320 lbs. She got a lovely, part TWH mare . . . about 15h. Good bone and great feet. Even with a bareback pad, I watched everything on that horse just crush when the rider mounted. The horse's legs were doing everything they could do to support her body and the weight of the rider. The woman only walked in the round pen for about 15 minute intervals, but it was really tough on that strong-boned horse. When grain came in 100lb bags, I could heft it from my Jeep down the hill to my barn. I could feel the pressure on my joints, and when I threw the bag onto the grain barrels, it took several seconds for my body to recover. Imagine me jogging with that dead weight or even running. No way. Now that grain bags are 40-50 lbs, I can carry them much more easily, but I still wouldn't be able to jog or run with one and be comfortable . . . and I'm in pretty good shape. I'm sure that the above-mentioned book was not written in a vacuum. I imagine there is lots of research in there. Since most of the riders who come to me are not experienced, soft, balanced riders, I feel that I need to be more careful about the physical ability of the horses I choose for each individual. I don't want my horses breaking down for my lack of consideration for them. I have a lovely Poco mare here . . . she has haunches as big as the State of Texas, and excellent muscling, but very fine, spindly legs and tiny feet. For me, I can't put anyone over 200 lbs on her. I got a response in my ES mail from someone who said that the U.S. Cavalry manual recommends that the horse carry no more than 20% of its body weight. I do know that Shetland Ponies are the strongest of all equines for their size and can carry heavier loads than expected. All in all, skill of rider, condition of horse, type of riding, type of terrain, and bone density are important considerations. Any other thoughts or anecdotes?