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It depends to whether the Clydesdale is strong or weak. It can pull huge weights because of course it is a heavy horse but here is your answer. Actually, Clydesdales were never bred to be ridden - the stature they have is from generations of breeding to pull. They are immensely strong, but as pulling animals, not as riding animals. The vast majority of Clydesdales do not have good quality dense cannon bones - their bone tends to be porous and as a result is not as strong. Your average Highland or Dales pony is a stronger weight carrier than a Clydesdale, and neither one (if fit and healthy) would have a problem with a boyfriend of 13 stone ;) Heavy horses can jump in theory, but it's far more difficult for them than a slighter horse. If a horse has been bred to pull it will naturally be a bit down in front and want to lean on its forehand. It's difficult to get anything on its forehand to jump, but when you add the bulk weight of a 16.3 horse it gets a lot more difficult... especially since the bone is porous! A horse needs strength in all four legs to jump; you need the hinds to push you up and forwards, and the fores take the weight on landing. Throw in some not particularly strong or dense cannon bones, and you've not got a whole lot to land on. Many Clydesdales are ridden (and occasionally jumped) happily and never encounter any problems - but don't believe that just because it's big it is necessarily a strong weight carrier!

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12y ago

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