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    15 Best Horse Breed for Heavy Riders

    August 13, 2022 3 min read

    Draft Horse breeds tend to be able to carry heavier riders due to their size. As a general rule the weight of the rider don't want to be heavier than 20% of the horse's body weight. So for a standard 1000lbs horse (for example Morgan horse or Thoroughbred horse), you don't want to be heavier than 200lbs. We have conducted a list of the top 15 best horse breeds that are able to carry heavy riders over 250lbs. Almost all horses in this list is draft breeds which are suitable for a larger rider as they weigh more than a normal horse, so their rider weight limit goes up a lot. Please note - the acceptable rider body weight has been calculated based on 20% max of the horse’s weight of the horse. Let the countdown begin, most popular breeds for heavy riders: 

    15) American Paint Horseamerican-paint-horse

    Photo: Pinterest

    • Height: 14hh - 16hh
    • Weight: 900-1300lbs
    • Popularity: Very High
    • Max rider weight: 200lbs

    14) Friesian Horse
    friesian-horse

    Photo: Iron Spring farm

    • Height: 15hh - 17hh
    • Weight: 1200-1500lbs
    • Popularity: High
    • Max rider weight: 240lbs 

    13) American Cream Draft

    american-cream-draft

    Photo: Colourful Equines

    • Height: 14hh - 16.3hh
    • Weight: 1600-1800lbs
    • Popularity: Medium
    • Max rider weight: 320lbs 

    12) Breton Horse

     breton-horse-heavy-horse-breed

    Photos: Pixel Nomad

    • Height: 15hh - 16hh
    • Weight: 1700-1900lbs
    • Popularity: Medium/High
    • Max rider weight: 340lbs

    11) North Swedish Horse

    north-swedish-horse

    Photos: STJBH

    • Height: 15hh - 16hh
    • Weight: 1300-1700lbs
    • Popularity: Low
    • Max rider weight: 260lbs 

    10) Russian Heavy Draft

    RUSSIAN-heavy-draft-horse

    Photos: Pinterest

    • Height: 14hh - 15hh
    • Weight: 1200lbs-1500lbs
    • Popularity: Very Low
    • Max rider weight: 240lbs

      9) Boulonnais Horse

      BOULONNAIS-HORSE

      Photo: Adobe
      • Height: 14.3hh - 17hh
      • Weight: 1400-1700lbs
      • Popularity: Low
      • Max rider weight: 280lbs

      8) Irish Draught

      irish-draught-horse

      Photo: Pinterest
      • Height: 15.2hh-16.3hh
      • Weight: 1300-1500lbs
      • Popularity: Medium
      • Max rider weight: 260lbs

        7) Ardennes Horse

        ardennes-horse

         Photo: Pinterest

        • Height: 15hh-17hh
        • Weight: 1600-2200lbs
        • Popularity: High
        • Max rider weight: 320lbs

        6) Suffolk Punch

        suffolk-punch-horse

         Photo: Pinterest

        • Height: 15hh-16.2hh
        • Weight: 1600-2200lbs
        • Popularity: Medium
        • Max rider weight: 320lbs

        5) Dutch Draft

        dutch-draft-horsePhoto: Globe Trotting 

        • Height: 15hh-16.2hh
        • Weight: 1600-1900lbs
        • Popularity: Low/Medium
        • Max rider weight:  320lbs

        4) Clydesdale Horse

        clydesdale-horse

        Photo: Classical City Clydesdales

        • Height: 16hh-18hh
        • Weight: 1700-2200lbs
        • Popularity: Very High
        • Max rider weight: 340lbs

        3) Shire Horse

        shire-horse

         Photo: Adobe

        • Height: 16hh-18hh
        • Weight: 1800-2200lbs
        • Popularity: Very High
        • Max rider weight: 360lbs

        2) Percheron

        PERCHERON-HORSE

        Photo: Stable Express 

        • Height: 16hh-18hh
        • Weight: 1900-2100lbs
        • Popularity: Very High
        • Max rider weight: 380lbs

        1) Belgian Draft

        DUTCH-DRAFT-HORSE-FOR-HEAVY-RIDERS

         Photo: Amazing Horse Facts

        • Height: 16hh - 17hh
        • Weight: 2000-2300lbs
        • Popularity: Low/Medium
        • Max rider weight: 400lbs 

        Can heavy draft horses be ridden by anyone?

        Draft horses may not be athletic horses, but they are still good riding horses. Suitable for both large riders over 250 pounds and lighter riders at 100 pounds. Their gentle personality and calm temperament makes them a good choice for beginner riders, novice riders and experienced riders. Draft breeds tends to have a smooth gait, which makes them very comfortable for long trail rides. Even though they have proven that they are the strongest horse - don't let their size fool you as they are gentle giants with a calm demeanor. 

        best-horse-breed-for-heavy-riders

        Photo: Horse Talk 

        Which horse breed should I chose if I weigh more than 200lbs?

        There is not really a clear best breed for heavier riders as most draft horses can carry heavier riders. You may want to pick one of the more popular horse breeds in the United States as they will be easier to find, including Percheron, Shire horse, Clydesdale and Suffolk punch. These horses can carry significantly much more weight than smaller horses such as Thoroughbred horses, Arabian horse, Andalusian horse, Tennessee walking horse and American saddlebred. If you are scared of height and prefer to be on a smaller horse, then an icelandic horse may be a great option as they are smaller in height but still very robust and weight bearing. Simply contact your local riding school and ask if they have any of the draft breeds on our list. The first time on a big draft horse can be daunting, but don't be scared! Remember the gentle giant will look after new riders and make an excellent riding horse.


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