All about the ancient tribes
Accepted wisdom in the horse world tells us that an average light horse weighs about 1,000 pounds, or 450 kg. A draft horse, upwards of double that.
A completely matured horse comes in anywhere between 900 and 2,200 pounds. Draft horses easily tip the scale over 2,000 pounds. It’s no joke, some literally weigh a ton! Light saddle horses are generally between 900 and 1,300 pounds.
The size of horses varies by breed, but also is influenced by nutrition. Light riding horses usually range in height from 14 to 16 hands (56 to 64 inches, 142 to 163 cm) and can weigh from 380 to 550 kilograms (840 to 1,210 lb).
Approximate weights (in kilograms)Height (hands)PonySport Horse (middleweight)14.2350-400-15-450-50015.2-470-52016-560-630
Sampson was a Shire horse gelding foaled in 1846 in Toddington Mills, Bedfordshire, England. He was the tallest and heaviest horse ever recorded. Sampson, owned by Thomas Cleaver, stood 7 feet (2.13 m) high by the time he was four years old, when he was renamed Mammoth.
A 9-hand pony should weigh around 200kg, whereas a 16-hand Draught horse can weigh in excess of 850kg. The purpose of a horse will obviously affect the desired weight as well. For example, a Thoroughbred horse that’s primarily used for racing should weigh about 500kg.
approximately 760 pounds
Today, the Clydesdale stands 162 to 183 cm (16.0 to 18.0 h) high and weighs 820 to 910 kg (1800 to 2000 lb). Some mature males are larger, standing taller than 183 cm and weighing up to 1000 kg (2200 lb).
Water Intake: Horse versus Cattle
A bull weighs, on average, 2,400 pounds, whereas a cow weighs around 1,600 pounds.
The short answer is sometimes they do… and sometimes they don’t. (Sounds a lot like our moods, right?) It’s most likely that horses like or dislike riding based on whether they like or dislike the specific circumstances that occur during and surrounding the activity. Every horse is different.
Horse to Human Age Comparison ChartHorse AgeStage of LifeHuman Age2470.5277830Extreme Old Age85.53393
25 – 30 years
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.
Approximate guide to horse’s body weight by heightHeightBody Weight (Kilos)Body Weight (Pounds)14 hh350-420770-92415 hh420-520924-111416 hh500-6001100-132017 hh600-7251320-1595