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10D Crack Champion
    
| Nevertooold - 2014-01-02 9:32 PM
azin - 2014-01-02 8:58 PM They say 1/10 of a second for every 10 pounds. In Brazil everyone must weigh at least 165 pounds or be weighted .
Interesting and that is where the record is held on a standard course. That run was amazing.
In what way was she weighted? I remember seeing the video when Sharp posted it, but didn't notice anything to add weight. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | All very interesting points... I know a LOT of weight makes a difference but wondering if 25 and under does... many great points! I too think it's on how you ride but the ability to ride often increases with weight control in my opinion but like someone posted earlier, if you are a skeleton you won't have the strength to ride well either! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 591
| It's pretty clear - they add weight to race horses to handicap them. |
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 Forever Young
Posts: 6768
Location: relocated to Texas | I think the biggest problem with a barrel racer being overweight is that it hurts their ability to ride as balanced as they could. Being in shape just makes sense if you want to ride to the best of your ability. I agree with what NTO said about the male futurity riders. Men can sometimes get a lot more out of a horse just because of their strength. I know that 16.2 HH horse that Hotbear is talking about throws me around like a flyweight at 115 lbs. I think he would respond much better to a man with more strength in his legs. |
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 Curious Mind
Posts: 2049
| I think it matters. You don't see people with a pronounced muffin top at the NFR or on the cover of BHN and I think you have to remember the male futurity riders almost always are small guys. Around 150 pounds give or take a little. We aren't talking about 200 pound men |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| run n rate - 2014-01-02 1:28 PM
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.
I'm with you on this one...as for the straightaway racers vs. weight on barrel racers think of it this way: yes, a straightaway horse will be affected by weight, but a barrel racer will be more affected through the turns where his balance is less. It's physics, the weight of the rider whips around the barrel on top of the horse and if you've ever spun a toddler through the air in a circle while holding on to their arms, it's easy. Well...as the kid gets heavier and bigger when you do this it takes more effort to keep your balance as well as not lose your grip on the child.
I have watched my runs and have noticed that where the majority of your weight sits ALSO seems to affect your run. There are 4 or 5 of us gals in our local jackpots that need to lose from 20-50 lbs. I have noticed that the ladies who's weight is in their hips and thighs usually clock better than us gals who have the weight in our gut. because the weight is closer to the center of the horse and NOT sitting above it to get left behind around the backside and the takeoff. I have a VERY secure seat and my seat does not leave the saddle. But my stomach weight draws me sideways or back and then my upper body gets left. I am one of the ones that needs to lose 25#. The girl who needs to lose 50# is "hippier" and consistently kicks us in the behind. This could definitely have to do with our horses, too, but after watching our videos over and over, this is my theory.
My 3 year goal is to lose 60#...not because I need to, but because I want to be in top jockey shape for my colt's futurity year. There will be no starving...it is all through crossfit and eating like a caveman. I totally believe this affects a barrel racer, and having this colt and an opportunity to do the futurities is a HUGE motivator for me. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I don't think 20 lbs makes much of a difference. I remember a couple winters ago I was 120 but rode like CRAP (getting behind, no core strength) when we went to the indoor to rope. This winter we went roping and I'm 148 and rode great and the only thing my horse probably noticed was my riding, not my 20 extra pounds. 115 to 125....not a big deal.
Edited by hammer_time 2014-01-03 12:34 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 1558
Location: TX | sodapop - 2014-01-02 9:56 PM Nevertooold - 2014-01-02 9:32 PM azin - 2014-01-02 8:58 PM They say 1/10 of a second for every 10 pounds. In Brazil everyone must weigh at least 165 pounds or be weighted . Interesting and that is where the record is held on a standard course. That run was amazing.In what way was she weighted? I remember seeing the video when Sharp posted it, but didn't notice anything to add weight.
Is that with the saddle? Like they do on regular tracks where jockeys weigh in with their tack? |
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 Dr. Ruth
Posts: 9891
Location: Blissfully happy Giants fan!!! | I believe it is a big deal. I lost over 40 pounds about a year or so ago and I definitely ride better and more confidently. I need to go back and stop the breads and lost about another 10 pounds that is sitting around my belly. :)
I agree with just about what everyone else is saying-confidence, balance, etc all play a part. |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | rsracing - 2014-01-03 7:37 AM sodapop - 2014-01-02 9:56 PM Nevertooold - 2014-01-02 9:32 PM azin - 2014-01-02 8:58 PM They say 1/10 of a second for every 10 pounds. In Brazil everyone must weigh at least 165 pounds or be weighted . Interesting and that is where the record is held on a standard course. That run was amazing.In what way was she weighted? I remember seeing the video when Sharp posted it, but didn't notice anything to add weight.
I try to find out, I have a few that FB me to purchase horses....
I would like to add, I'm considering turning out of Odessa this week. I've not kept up "my" training and I can't even get in the groove working a single barrel with my horse. You have to have so many variables "in the zone" when your running in 1D competition. I will handicap my horse with my injured back and without a secure seat I will probably cause him to bleed when he slaps me back to center as he leaves his turns.
A few years ago for my 45th birthday I gave the bareback/halter race that Booger Barter held at his finals one last shot. The little 4 yr old that I ran had a better time in the bareback race (she placed 3rd) than in the reg. race. So, was it me staying out of the babys way and letting her do her thing since I was hellbent on staying on rather than micromanaging the run or was it the weight of my 30# saddle that made the difference?
All things NOT being equal on the back of a race horse (matching pretty equal horses) the lighter riders normal had the horse that would show the best and pull up "fit" after a work. |
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  Sweet Tea
Posts: 3496
Location: Home of the World Famous "Silver Bullet" | bingo - 2014-01-02 4:55 PM Of course it matters. Why would they handicap race horses if it didn't.
when you put a 100 pound kid on a guided missel, they win the barrel race. watch them go though puberty and you stop hearing about how fast they are. been happening for years.  |
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 Veteran
Posts: 101
| Anybody else agree that height can be an impact too? |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | You mean like Sherry Cervi????? |
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 Uh....never mind
Posts: 2696
Location: Midwest Farmer's Daughter: Central Illinois | I haven't read all of the replies, but here's my personal experience.
I am 5'8. Last year I was 140#. This year I am 160+# (happiness = food for me apparently).
My comfort & balance have fallen to ridiculous lows. And I feel like a fata$$ & look like one too. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| The more in shape you are, the better you are at riding. period. Now, this can mean different "weights" for different people and horse combos. Think about how you ride when you are in shape ... up in position and keeping up with your horse in turns. You can "stay out of their way" better too.
So, I don't think it is a matter of weight so much as rider fitness, horse fitness, and riding ability that will help you clock competitive times. You don't go out and expect to win a 1D when your horse is fat and out of shape, right? Well, same can be said for yourself. Don't expect to win checks and be competitive when you are out of shape too. IMHO.
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Kaitlyn19 - 2014-01-03 10:07 AM Anybody else agree that height can be an impact too?
Someone once told me that people with longer legs can balance themselves a bit better. I have a 37" inseam and I do have pretty good balance.... but it does not match my coordination :) |
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Veteran
Posts: 101
| :). I just thought height would influence a horses ability to turn. The taller the person the more influence they have on the horse turning like a weighted pole.
I think longer legs would help balancing especially bareback or of you lose your stirrups. I have great balance unless I lose my stirrups then I become a flopping fish lol. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 306
| I weighed 145 lbs while I was riding 7-10 horses a day and cleaning stalls, my horse ran in the 1D. I went to college got a desk job and still weighed 145 lbs out of shape and my horse was running in the 3D. I don't think weight matters as much as ability and balance in the long run.
I've ran against a friend who weighs 115lbs and I weigh 160lbs and my 14.2h horse was out running her 16h horse several times. She rides and trains horses daily I ride two horses 3 to 5 days per week.
In the long run being fit and in shape is going to put you at more of an advantage then being skinny. |
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 Left Out
Posts: 6797
Location: Silex Missouri | It does matter or jockeys wouldn't have a weight limit :-)
But to me I have seen heavier riders do good. A lot of it has to do with WHAT you do with your weight when you ride. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 104
Location: Southern Michigan | I really like all the theory's so far, motivating me to get my lazy butt back in shape! Having my horse hurt for a year has not done me any benefits to my figure.
I will say I used to work for a Reined Cowhorse Trainer and when they hit around 50 years old they did not feel on top of their game at all and was having a hard time keeping up with the horses working cattle. So they became a vegetarian (I did not know there were so many unique vegetarian recipes!) and starting getting more into natural health benefits and they lost a bit of weight and started feeling a lot better and soon regained some of the timing they had loss. Since then they have won the snaffle bit futurity (again).
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