BSc (Hons) in Equestrian Sports Performance

To safeguard the wellbeing of our horses, comply with health and safety requirements, ensure high levels of animal welfare and ensure a high-quality student experience we have to make an assessment of who can ride our horses safely, and this is based on a number of factors.  These factors can impact on our decisions regarding which students are able to ride as part of their course.   

Current research from the Saddle Research Trust and Animal Health Trust with leading equine professionals, scientists and researchers has advised that horses should only be carrying 10- 20% of their own optimum bodyweight when being ridden, this includes the clothing and tack used. If carrying over 20%, there is a substantial effect on the horse’s gait, behaviour, soundness and welfare in response to rider weight. 

The pool of horses that we have access to at the College does fluctuate each year, but we try to ensure that their general size, age and health are reasonably constant within an agreed tolerance, to appeal to and accommodate as many students as possible.  However, this does mean that for some students who are at either end of the optimum height and weight for our horses, we may not be able to allow them to ride safely as part of their course.  General guidelines for height/ weight ratios can be found below, however, this is used as a guide and are only one part of a holistic assessment of the individual for riding.  An experienced and qualified member of staff will assign horses to students for riding and rider height and weight will be considered to ensure both horse welfare and the health and safety of the individual. 

Rider weight guidelines: 

Height Weight (st) Weight (Kg) 

Upto 4’10” 9 57 

4’11 – 5’2” 10 64 

5’3 – 5’6” 11 70 

5’7” – 5’9” 12 76 

5’10” – 6’1” 13 82.5 

6’2” – 6’4”           14          89 

6’5” upwards     15          95.2 

Whilst rider height, weight and fitness are factors in our riding assessment, it is important that students do not view this as any prompt to eat or diet unhealthily.   

The main factors we have to consider when assessing suitability of riders in the Equestrian Centre are: 

• Weight a horse can carry safely 
• Rider weight and height 
• Rider ability and balance 
• Level and duration of work 
• Range and frequency of use 
• Availability of horses 

Our rider assessment involves an initial questionnaire to be completed by the student, which will evaluate rider experience. Following successful acceptance of the initial paper assessment, students will need to attend a holistic Ride Standard Setting Session to assess student riding ability on the mechanical horse. If riding skills are suitable, students will then progress to an assessment on a live horse, with extensive feedback provided by one of our BHS coaches.