Shopping for a new horse or looking for a lease is incredibly exciting, but it’s easy to fall in love with a horse that might just be a little too small for you!

Riding a horse that doesn’t have the mass to carry your weight comfortably can lead to serious back soreness, lameness, and bad behavior under saddle over time. We created this tool to give you a baseline number.

Simply type in your weight and the weight of your saddle, and we’ll tell you the absolute minimum weight a horse should be to carry you safely and happily.

The 20% Rule: The number you see is based on the industry standard that a horse shouldn’t carry more than 20% of its total body weight (including tack).

However, weight isn’t everything! Two horses can both weigh 1,100 lbs but carry weight very differently.

A horse with a short, strong back and thick bone density (like a Quarter Horse or draft cross) can often carry weight much easier than a tall, narrow, fine-boned horse (like a Thoroughbred or Arab) of the exact same weight.

Always consider a horse’s age, fitness level, and conformation alongside their actual scale weight!