Can you ride a yearling horse? No, yearling horses are not developed enough physically to carry a rider.
Traditional wisdom is that a horse should begin his or her ridden career at three years of age, for other riders it is to wait a few years more, whereas in areas such as the racing industry horses are commonly under saddle and on the track by two years of age.
Starting as a yearling, you can begin training your young horse to accept a saddle, have a girth tightened, and even tolerate a bit being placed in their mouth.
Generally, a horse can safely carry about 20% of its body weight. So, for example, a 1000-pound horse could carry up to 200 pounds safely.
While some trainers believe it is acceptable to work a two-year-old under saddle, many believe that riding is best put off until the horse is more mature. Many wait until a horse is up to four or five years old to begin training under saddle.
The primary problem with training and riding a horse too early is the risk of joint damage, arthritis and deterioration of hock joints, stifles, knees and ankles.
The researchers found that an average adult light riding horse could comfortably carry about 20 percent of their ideal bodyweight. This result agrees with the value recommended by the Certified Horsemanship Association and the U.S. Cavalry Manuals of Horse Management published in 1920.
Deb Bennett, PhD, founder of the Equine Studies Institute and an expert in the biomechanics of horses, has advised that the “Total weight of rider plus tack must not exceed 250 lbs. There is no horse alive, of any breed, any build, anywhere, that can go more than a few minutes with more weight on its back than this.
The 20% weight rule (ride and saddle) is a good starting point for considering how much weight a horse can safely carry. Generally, ponies will be able to carry a bit more than 20%. While tall horses will only be comfortable carrying a bit less.
Unfortunately, it doesn't. To win, a horse must have a rider, Wyant said. Without carrying the extra 100-plus-pound weight of a jockey, a horse would have an advantage over others carrying riders.
Typically, your more endurance-trained horses can cover up to 100 miles per day. An average trail horse can cover upwards of 50 miles within a day.
Let's Do The Math: On Average, How Long Can You Ride a Horse in a Day? Typically, a healthy horse will comfortably walk for about eight hours.
Although your horse can be safely left alone overnight, you should never leave your horse unattended for longer than 10 hours. Doing so can have a serious impact on the health or happiness of your equine companion.
Synoviums vets recommend that just like us, horses need to take periodic breaks from work. A break can mean a day off, or weeks off and allows the horse to physically rest, emotionally decompress, and gives them a chance to mentally process. During this time, your horse will 'reset' his entire body.
It was determined that when riding bareback certain areas on the horse's back showed high levels of pressure. Ultimately, they can cause pain and tissue damage to the muscle fibers because of their intensity. It was especially noticeable when the seat bones came down on the horse's back.
If a horse is in great condition, the average distance they could travel in a day (without stopping) is 20 to 40 miles in a day. But, again, that's if the horse is in great shape. Breaks are highly recommended so they don't overextend or injure themselves.
Cantering is a three-beat gait that is faster than a trot and slower than a gallop. The average cantering speed for most horses is between 10-17 miles per hour, but very fit endurance horses may be able to sustain a canter for seven miles.
It's OK to ride your horse every day, but not advisable to work your animal strenuously during each outing. Horses need recovery time after vigorous exercise, just like human athletes. Many people think the more you ride, the better, but often the opposite is true.
In many cases, the horse will come to see the human as the herd leader. The more attached a horse is to its owner, the more likely it is that they would protect them. Lastly, it is important to note that the horse will identify their owner with being fed, cared for, and exercised.
Many experts agree that horses do, in fact, remember their owners. Studies performed over the years suggest that horses do remember their owners similar to the way they would remember another horse. Past experiences, memories, and auditory cues provide the horse with information as to who an individual is.
Considering Weight
There is debate about this percentage, but the general rule is that a horse should carry no more than 20 percent of their weight. 2 Remember that this weight also includes the saddle and other riding equipment, in addition to the rider. An overweight horse cannot necessarily carry a heavier rider.
As a general guideline in the UK, a rider should weigh no more than 10% of the horse's bodyweight, but in the US, this limit is doubled to 20% of the horse's weight. This means for a 500kg horse, the range for the maximum rider weight is large – 50kg in the UK (just less than 8st) and 100kg in the US (15st 10lb).
It is recommended that the rider plus their tack and other equipment weigh no more than 20% of the horse's weight. So, for a typical 1,100-lb horse, the rider, tack and any extras should weigh no more than 220 lbs.