How Much Weight Can a Horse Carry? Rider Weight Guide by Breed
A sound, fit horse can comfortably carry about 15 to 20 percent of its own body weight, and that figure includes the saddle and everything else on its back. For a 1,000-pound (450 kg) horse that means 150 to 200 pounds (68 to 90 kg) of rider and tack together. Twenty percent is the top of the range, not the target.
If you just want the number for your own weight, our Safe Mount calculator does the sum and lists the breeds that fit. To find out what your horse actually weighs, which is the other half of the equation, use the weight calculator and a tape measure. The rest of this page is about where the rule comes from and when to trust it.
Where the 20 percent rule comes from
The figure is usually traced to old US Cavalry manuals, which advised that a horse should not carry more than a fifth of its weight in rider and gear. The cavalry had every reason to care: its horses had to do it again the next day. Some British practitioners work to a stricter scale, treating about 10 percent as ideal, 15 percent as satisfactory and 20 percent as the point where welfare becomes a concern.
It stayed a rule of thumb until researchers started testing it.
What the studies found
- Ohio, 2008. In the study most often quoted, by Debra Powell and colleagues, eight light riding horses were worked carrying 15, 20, 25 and 30 percent of their body weight. At 15 and 20 percent they coped well. At 25 percent their heart and breathing rates were noticeably higher and their muscles were sore afterwards, and at 30 percent more so. The horses with wider loins and thicker cannon bones were less sore.
- Iceland, 2017. Stefánsdóttir and colleagues rode eight Icelandic horses in tölt with loads rising from 20 to 35 percent. Heart rate, breathing and blood lactate rose with each step, and on average the horses crossed into anaerobic effort at about 23 percent, though individuals ranged from 17 to 27.5. The horses showed no ill effects a day or two later. What predicted how well a horse coped was the condition of its back, not its size.
- Japan, 2013–2018. Matsuura and colleagues loaded small native Japanese horses until their gait lost its symmetry. Their limits came out higher: about 29 percent for Japanese native horses at a trot and 43 percent for the sturdy little Taishu pony over a short distance. These are ceilings for brief work, not recommendations for a day’s ride.
- Britain, 2020. A pilot study led by Sue Dyson put four riders of different weights on six horses for a short dressage test. The tests with the two heaviest riders were stopped early, mostly because the horses became temporarily lame or showed signs of pain. The authors were careful to say that the saddles did not fit the larger riders well, and that the study does not set a weight limit. It does show that the rider’s weight and the saddle’s fit cannot be separated.
Put together: up to 20 percent is well supported for ordinary riding on a fit horse, effort climbs steeply after that, and the type of horse matters a great deal.
An Icelandic horse. Small, and traditionally ridden by adults.
What changes the number
- Build. A short, broad back and wide loins carry weight better than a long, narrow back. This is why a stocky 14-hand cob may be a better weight carrier than a leggy 16-hand horse.
- Bone. More bone below the knee, measured around the cannon, went with less soreness in the Ohio study. Horsemen have judged weight carriers this way for centuries.
- Fitness and condition. An unfit horse tires sooner under any rider. And a fat horse is not a stronger one: work the percentage out from what the horse should weigh, because the extra is already load. Body condition scoring shows you how to tell.
- Age and soundness. Young horses still growing, old horses, and any horse with back, joint or foot problems need a lighter load. Your vet can advise.
- Tack. It all counts. An English saddle is the lighter choice; a Western saddle can add 30 pounds (14 kg) or more before the rider gets on.
- Saddle fit. A saddle that is too small for the rider puts the weight on the back of the saddle and the horse’s loins. A fitter is cheaper than a vet.
- The rider. A balanced rider who moves with the horse is an easier load than a lighter one who bounces, grips or sits crooked.
- The work. Speed, hills, jumping, deep going and hours in the saddle all increase the demand. A load that is fine for a walk round the block may not be for a day’s hunting.
Worked examples by breed
The heights below are from our breed pages. The weights are the typical adult ranges used by the Safe Mount calculator, and the last two columns are 15 and 20 percent of those. Use the lighter end if you do not know the individual horse.
| Breed | Height | Typical weight | 15% (comfortable) | 20% (upper limit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shire | 17 hands | 1,800–2,400 lb | 270–360 lb | 360–480 lb (165–220 kg) |
| Clydesdale | 17–18 hands | 1,800–2,200 lb | 270–330 lb | 360–440 lb (165–200 kg) |
| Irish Draft | 16–17 hands | 1,300–1,700 lb | 195–255 lb | 260–340 lb (120–155 kg) |
| American Paint | 15–16 hands | 1,000–1,300 lb | 150–195 lb | 200–260 lb (90–120 kg) |
| Thoroughbred | 15–17 hands | 1,000–1,200 lb | 150–180 lb | 200–240 lb (90–110 kg) |
| Morgan | 14.1–15.2 hands | 900–1,100 lb | 135–165 lb | 180–220 lb (80–100 kg) |
| Arabian | 14.1–15.1 hands | 800–1,000 lb | 120–150 lb | 160–200 lb (75–90 kg) |
| Mustang | 13.2–15 hands | 800–1,000 lb | 120–150 lb | 160–200 lb (75–90 kg) |
| Norwegian Fjord | 13–14.1 hands | 900–1,200 lb | 135–180 lb | 180–240 lb (80–110 kg) |
| Haflinger | 13–15 hands | 800–1,100 lb | 120–165 lb | 160–220 lb (75–100 kg) |
| Icelandic | 13–14 hands | 730–930 lb | 110–140 lb | 145–185 lb (65–85 kg) |
| Welsh Cob (Section D) | 13.2 hands | 700–1,000 lb | 105–150 lb | 140–200 lb (65–90 kg) |
| Connemara | 13–15 hands | 640–860 lb | 95–130 lb | 130–170 lb (60–80 kg) |
Three things to notice. Height tells you very little: a Fjord stands a hand or more shorter than a Thoroughbred and carries about the same. The small, dense breeds near the bottom are the ones the research suggests may manage a little more than the percentages say. And the big numbers at the top are arithmetic, not a promise: draft horses were bred to pull, and a 480-pound load on any back deserves a conversation with a vet first.
A worked example: a rider of 170 lb with a 25 lb saddle and pad is a load of 195 lb. At 20 percent that needs a horse of at least 975 lb; at 15 percent, 1,300 lb.
Signs the load is too much
Whatever the sums say, the horse has the final word. Ask your vet or an experienced instructor to look if your horse:
- hollows or dips its back when you mount, or will not stand to be mounted
- pins its ears, swishes its tail or snaps when the girth is done up
- is sore to the touch along the back or loins after work
- shortens its stride, stumbles or is reluctant to go forward or downhill
- takes a long time to get its breath back after ordinary work
Our guide to horse body language covers the signals in more detail.
If you are a heavier rider
There is very probably a horse for you; it is a matter of choosing the type, not giving up the idea. Look for a short-backed, well-boned horse in good, fit condition. Have the saddle fitted to both of you. Use a mounting block, every time, since it spares the horse’s back and the saddle’s tree. Keep sessions shorter while you both get fit. A good riding school will tell you its weight limit if you ask, and will have a horse in mind.
Start with the Safe Mount calculator, check your horse on the weight calculator, and browse the breeds to see who is built for the job.