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 Expert
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Location: Never in one place long | Of course one of my new years goals this year is to eat better and get in better shape... my goal is to lose 25lbs... I'm not huge(155) but could stand to lose some weight like most of us... My question is how important do you think that being very slim is for having faster times in barrel racing? Has anyone lost a little weight and seen it make a huge difference? Or do you think it matters more how you ride? obviously it would be easier for a horse to run with a 120lb person over a 300lb person but does being 150 vs 125 make a difference? I know many times its the little kids who run the fastest and I'm guessing probably due to being to small... Very curious to know, my friend once told me that Ed Wright told her that the difference between running in 1d from 2d could be done by losing a little weight..... |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | It's very significant, in my opinion. If I weigh 185 and I am running against someone who weighs 115, nobody can tell me I am not at a disadvantage because of that 70 lb difference.....HOWEVER, on some bigger horses that weight could translate into better responsiveness, I THINK. If I am riding a big muscular 16.2h horse and I ask for rate, he will feel me!
Overall, yes, I think it's a significant disadvantage when there's a significant weight difference. |
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
 
Location: Alberta | There has been many threads on this topic.....I do think weight plays a factor, but I also believe being in SHAPE plays even more of a factor! When your in shape, your able to work together with your horse better.
Edited by dream_chaser 2014-01-02 3:25 PM
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 Perky Gal
Location: On a paint horse... | I lost 45 pounds and my balance improved tremendously! Its got to make a difference for the horse as well! |
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Expert
Posts: 1488
| dream_chaser - 2014-01-02 3:23 PM
There has been many threads on this topic.....I do think weight plays a factor, but I also believe being in SHAPE plays even more of a factor! When your in shape, your able to work together with your horse better.
Here's a simple truth
Most(not all that would be spelled different) "in shape" women are not going to be heavy.
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | Heres my experience with weight and riding and how it affected my horses. In my late teens and early 20's I had gotten pretty heaving for me. I am about 5'8" and I quit getting on the scale when it hit 185. I was wearing size 15's then and I know those suckers got tighter before I had had enough. I had been a gymnast growing up and super active. Quit gym as a 14 year old but the eating habits never really changed. I was still very strong up until about 22 or so, then my core strength wasnt' what it needed to be especially at the weight I was.
Anyway, I had an older mare that I had run HS rodeo and also some gymkhana's, she was little just a tad over 14 hands, and that was probably because we kept her shod in the front....She was 22 or so also and we werent' winning like we had, I chalked it up to her age. Saved my money and bought a faster younger mare and while I was patterning her realized how much harder to stay with she was than myo old mare. Also decided why spend money for younger faster and handicap her with the added weight so I started going to the gym and at first I did the stairmaster for about 15 minutes 4-5 nights a week. After so many weeks I lost a little weight without having to change eating habits, so then it made it easier to kind of change the eating habits. Started going on the stairmaster for about 20-30 minutes and doing some weights too. After 8 months I had lost @60 lbs I'd guess total, I was down to 130 and my old mare had started clocking again also at 23/24 years of age. Some of it could have been me hitting the weights again and getting stronger but it was also easier for me to get up leaving a barrel and be in the right place for her and the young mare without the added weight I had packed on. To this day the reason I run (I hate running with a passion, like I said, I grew up a gymnast, anything further than 80 feet is to darn far to run, that 's how long the vault run way is...)the reason I do it is to be part of a fit healthy team with my horses.
Edited to add, I've been on the other end too, got carried away with the weight loss thing and was down to 112 at one point. I didn't have the strength to rate the Beduino bred mare I was running to save my life at the time. Early in the year at 125 we were dong good, got carried away with the weight loss and by the end of the season I was just hanging on hoping to still be in the saddle at the end of the run.
Edited by run n rate 2014-01-02 3:31 PM
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | I tell myself 10lbs = 0.1seconds on your time. It's my motivation :-) |
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 Dancing in my Mind
Posts: 3062
Location: Eastern OH but my heart is in WV | I know speaking from personal experience, I started to loss a lot of confidence when I started putting on weight. I just don't ride as well. It is a snow ball effect, I am not in good shape thus my muscles and overall strength is less effective in keeping proper body position. I am flopping all over the place and it greatly affects my horse's performance. Plus weight has made my knee's hurt more and riding does NOT help the matter. I know I need to loss but this past month has not helped my issues any.
Edited by Rolling J 2014-01-02 3:33 PM
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 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | As mentioned above- in straight away horse racing they calculate that a pound equals a tenth. Not sure there is scientific barrel racing data but it has to be kind of in line. But what I will say- is there is NO substitute for speed. Can your horse be faster with a lighter jockey- most likely. But can you improve an average horse by a second- by losing 20#- I don't think so. JMO.
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| Of course it matters. Why would they handicap race horses if it didn't. |
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  Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
Location: ND | I think it matters a lot, not just in barrel racing but riding in general. I've lost 15 pounds in the last year simply by changing my eating habits a little (no ice cream & rarely any pop). I wasn't over weight to start with but loosing that has really improved my balance. I was feeling sloppy in the saddle even though when I watched video's I looked fine. I now feel like I'm balanced & back in time with my horses. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | HotbearLVR - 2014-01-02 3:21 PM It's very significant, in my opinion. If I weigh 185 and I am running against someone who weighs 115, nobody can tell me I am not at a disadvantage because of that 70 lb difference.....HOWEVER, on some bigger horses that weight could translate into better responsiveness, I THINK. If I am riding a big muscular 16.2h horse and I ask for rate, he will feel me!
Overall, yes, I think it's a significant disadvantage when there's a significant weight difference.
agreed |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | DD2012 - 2014-01-02 3:25 PM dream_chaser - 2014-01-02 3:23 PM There has been many threads on this topic.....I do think weight plays a factor, but I also believe being in SHAPE plays even more of a factor! When your in shape, your able to work together with your horse better.
Here's a simple truth Most (not all that would be spelled different ) "in shape" women are not going to be heavy.
And exactly what constitutes the definition of "heavy?" I know women who weigh 170 and 180 lbs that are lean, mean, muscle machines. Muscle weighs more than fat so I don't buy the BS of less than "in shape" women are heavy.LOL I've also seen plenty of "soft" thin people. |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | Anyone remember reading this? Average weight among the contestants was 129lbs.
http://www.janemelby.com/MelbyBlog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/CFR_2011_Ladies_Barrel_Racing_Qualifiers-1.pdf |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | TurnLane - 2014-01-02 3:44 PM As mentioned above- in straight away horse racing they calculate that a pound equals a tenth. Not sure there is scientific barrel racing data but it has to be kind of in line. But what I will say- is there is NO substitute for speed. Can your horse be faster with a lighter jockey- most likely. But can you improve an average horse by a second- by losing 20#- I don't think so. JMO.
My estimate was 10lb = 0.1sec. So, 20 pounds is 0.2 seconds. Yes, I think that sounds right. |
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Expert
Posts: 1488
| WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2014-01-02 4:10 PM
DD2012 - 2014-01-02 3:25 PM dream_chaser - 2014-01-02 3:23 PM There has been many threads on this topic.....I do think weight plays a factor, but I also believe being in SHAPE plays even more of a factor! When your in shape, your able to work together with your horse better.
Here's a simple truth Most (not all that would be spelled different ) "in shape" women are not going to be heavy. And exactly what constitutes the definition of "heavy?" I know women who weigh 170 and 180 lbs that are lean, mean, muscle machines. Muscle weighs more than fat so I don't buy the BS of less than "in shape" women are heavy.LOL I've also seen plenty of "soft" thin people.
aight
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BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | I'm not fat. I'm just big boned, especially my ass bone and my belly bone. I'm still in shape though. |
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Expert
Posts: 1488
| HotbearLVR - 2014-01-02 4:46 PM
I'm not fat. I'm just big boned, especially my ass bone and my belly bone. I'm still in shape though.
I too have fought the battle with the belly bone
There is nothing sadder than a finely tuned, world class athlete trapped in a fat guys body.
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 How freakish is that?
Posts: 3927
Location: Oregon | All else being equal the more weight a horse is carrying the slower it will go and the harder it is on it. |
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Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2014-01-02 3:10 PM DD2012 - 2014-01-02 3:25 PM dream_chaser - 2014-01-02 3:23 PM There has been many threads on this topic.....I do think weight plays a factor, but I also believe being in SHAPE plays even more of a factor! When your in shape, your able to work together with your horse better.
Here's a simple truth Most (not all that would be spelled different ) "in shape" women are not going to be heavy. And exactly what constitutes the definition of "heavy?" I know women who weigh 170 and 180 lbs that are lean, mean, muscle machines. Muscle weighs more than fat so I don't buy the BS of less than "in shape" women are heavy.LOL I've also seen plenty of "soft" thin people.
Edited by dream_chaser 2014-01-02 4:57 PM
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