Well, if filmmakers are commiting animal welfare offences, I would have thought someone would tell them wouldn't you? Ponies WERE bred to carry farmers (adult males!) to their animals and yet be kept at a very low cost. Animals in the mediterranean DO carry far heavier loads than we would ever consider appropriate in this country, and they do it day after day after day. And if a lightweight horse is well able to carry 14 stone, on what possible grounds can anyone say that a Clydesdale is not capable of carrying 20 stone? Are we to believe that in the days before anyone realised that being morbidly obese was a killer, noblemen were all below 14 stone? How much did Henry 8th weigh, do you suppose? Do you think most trekking centres abuse their ponies, because if you look at the size of these ponies, and the weights they are carrying, and compare the size of those ponies to the size of a heavyweight hunter, traditional cob, etc, I bet the ponies are carrying far more and over much more demanding terrain too!

Bottom line, when a horse is carrying too much weight it's obvious, isn't it - they sort of spread their legs out when you mount, they are slow when cantering, etc etc. And there is a difference between carrying weight for an hour and carrying weight all day hunting - and yes, the ability of the rider makes a difference too of course. And what about the rule of 30% of the horse's body weight for trail riders in competition?

Liz