Or, if a horse can carry x percent of its body weight, could a dog also carry x percent of its body weight? (So a very large dog could carry a very small child?)
Is there something different in the physical makeup of horses that make them more suitable for riding? Does it have to do with breeding or can wild horses hold the same amount of weight as domesticated horses?
2007-11-24 13:07:23 · 12 answers · asked by Jove Hans 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
People get so carried away. Just wondering if the physical makeup of dogs and horses are different. Its pretty weird to me taht hoses can actually hold peoples weight.
2007-11-24 13:33:01 · update #1
Depends on the dog. My Rhodesian Ridgeback, which is built a lot like a greyhound, is definitely big (110+ lbs,) but lean and long-legged and her back is very narrow; it seems to me that any amount of weight bearing down on it would be uncomfortable for her. My buddy's yellow lab on the other hand is broad across the back with thick, sturdy legs. I think as long as the rider wasn't heavy and didn't stay on long, he'd be just fine.
As for weight... gosh, what do horses weigh and how much do they carry? A quarterhorse is a smallish horse and weighs maybe 800 lbs? I think a young, healthy one could carry 3 or 400 lbs without discomfort or injury.
But a 75 lb child on even a big, sturdy 150 lb dog for long would probably be inadvisable.
That's all just thoughts from a nonexpert but looking at the bone structure helps understand it, I think. Horses' shoulders and hips are bigger in proportion than the dogs', and set at a different angle to the spine. Compare these:
Horse skeleton:
http://members.aol.com/arfryn1/HorseTalk/horsebone.htm
Dog skeleton:
http://www.infovisual.info/02/070_en.html
That said, domesticated horses haven't changed all that much from wild ones, structurally. So, there's not much difference in weight bearing ability there; moreso in temperment.
2007-11-24 14:04:35 · answer #1 · answered by ceci9293 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You could not trip a wolfdog OR a husky - despite the fact that they are enormous puppies, they are nonetheless a ways too small. Dogs which might be very massive are; English Mastiffs, Irish Wolfhound, Great Dane, Pyranean Mountain Dog, Newfoundland. They're all as massive as you'll be able to get, relatively - bit nonetheless, they are too tender to be ridden and maintain the load of whatever that a horse the identical dimension would maintain. Horses have bigger developed our bodies for pulling & wearing matters - puppies don't go well with that function, that is why we've got horses - to do the ones jobs.
2016-09-05 13:23:42 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
horses can carry more of their body weight on their backs than a dog can.
A dog can only safely carry about 10-20% of its body weight.
Even if you had a small child, its not a good thing to encourage, because children grow quickly.
Dogs and horses are just different animals, designed to do different things. Wild or domestic makes no difference.
2007-11-24 13:21:17 · answer #3 · answered by Nekkid Truth! 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Dogs and horses are different animals so yes they have a different make up.Horses have a stronger backbone and are built and bred for riding.Wild horses can be rode if you can find someone to catch one and break it.There's a man in my home town who found an orphaned year old mare and he has not only tamed her but he rides her himself.By the way she is older now...yearlings shouldn't be rode by adults.Their backs are more developed for riding once they've turned 2 years old.
2007-11-24 13:13:27 · answer #4 · answered by Janell T 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dogs dont have the strong spines that horses have. It could break a dogs back if someone over 20-25 lbs tried to ride. How bout you just go get a small, cheap horse?
2007-11-24 13:16:50 · answer #5 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Dogs backs ARE NOT made to carry weight. Hopefully, you're not thinking of letting a small kid ride your dog. If in doubt, ask your vet- I'm sure he'll concur.
2007-11-24 13:14:11 · answer #6 · answered by nanny411 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Most large dogs can have hip problems. If you ride them or a child rides them it could cause major hip problems later. They were not made that way.
2007-11-24 13:18:02 · answer #7 · answered by TIFFANY W 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What a thought!!! A dog's back would be severely stressed by a person riding him, no matter what size the dog is.
2007-11-24 13:18:16 · answer #8 · answered by rescue member 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the muscles in dogs are different from the muscles in horses. thats why people dont ride dogs!
2007-11-24 13:09:56 · answer #9 · answered by kin z 1 · 4⤊ 0⤋
probally not ive tried with my dog and hes pretty big they drop or slide or tips you off it just doesnt work
2007-11-24 13:10:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋