Adult competing on pony?

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Echo24

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I'm looking for my first horse and previously was looking for something between 14.2 - 16.2. I am a small lightweight adult rider (only 5ft 1!) and would really like a native type. I'm struggling to find anything suitable but I've seen a number of new forests around 13.2hh. This is smaller than what I would like, but I was previously sharing a 13.2 Welsh D. I'd like to do some jumping and a friend felt I would be top heavy on something smaller than 16hh as there would not be much neck. My ambition would be to do BE80, as well as local shows but have read that there are restrictions on adults competing on anything smaller than 14.2, plus a pony could struggle with the stridings.

I get the impression 14.2hhs get snapped up quickly and I'm wondering if I might be more likely to find something suitable if I consider something smaller as well?
 
At 5'1" your friend is talking complete $^%££ ;)
If you want to do BE then you will need 14.2 plus.
SJ will depend on what type you want to do. Unaff some places allow adults on ponies, trailblazers SJ dont. BS doesn't care what an adult rides but striding can be an issue.
Something around 15hh might be a better bet for you.
 
BE has a minimum height of 143 cm which is 14h, BD has no restrictions and you can register a pony as a horse and jump BS. We competed a 14.2 connie BE and BD and BS on tickets for 3 seasons and never had any "size" prejudice. Oddly enough we found it was unaffiliated that was more restrictive, for example, trailblazers SJ does not allow an adult to compete a pony in senior classes. If that is the size you are happy with then go for it - we now have a 16H ISH mare and as lovely as she is I do miss ponies!

Just to add our pony had very much small horse paces and had a very adjustable canter and never had problems with striding either BE or BS up to Discovery,
 
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charcoalfeathers said:
I'm looking for my first horse and previously was looking for something between 14.2 - 16.2. I am a small lightweight adult rider (only 5ft 1!) and would really like a native type. I'm struggling to find anything suitable but I've seen a number of new forests around 13.2hh. This is smaller than what I would like, but I was previously sharing a 13.2 Welsh D. I'd like to do some jumping and a friend felt I would be top heavy on something smaller than 16hh as there would not be much neck. My ambition would be to do BE80, as well as local shows but have read that there are restrictions on adults competing on anything smaller than 14.2, plus a pony could struggle with the stridings.

I get the impression 14.2hhs get snapped up quickly and I'm wondering if I might be more likely to find something suitable if I consider something smaller as well?
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If you are looking for a BE80 then pony has to be over 14hh sadly.

But if you didn't want to do BE, then you'll be fine on smaller ponies
I'm 5ft9 and I used to compete a little 12.2hh Exmoor. Felt like I was riding a 14.2hh pony!
 
Theres no reason why you can't get something smaller, there may be some show centres that don't allow you to jump a pony but the amount that allow it is far greater!! As someone who rides a 15hh welsh D, I think it is rubbish about the neck thing. I jump mine up to 90cm sj at the moment and compete in xc and have never felt a problem with the length of his neck (and he is a very compact too!). He is great fun to jump, has a naturally showjumping canter and anybodies ride to a fence.

I would look out for a good native as you will be able to show them if you choose- you can get a lot of section D for your money. I think you would have more problems at the upper end of your height limit if the horse isn't suitable.
 
Thanks for your replies, I always get confused by the different bodies! I also get the impression as an adult you can do more with native types and having tried a new forest last weekend, would love to get one! I had a lesson on a 17.3hh (!) the other day and although he was amazing to ride, I think I prefer riding ponies :)
 
You won't be too top heavy at all

I'm 5ft6 and ride a 14.2 cob with a super short neck. We go dressaging, XC, SJ and Hunting for hours on end and he is the biggest bundle of fun ever. I love ponies, they always attempt to find the 'fifth leg' when needed!
 
A good New Forest would suit you, they ride big if well put together and are usually bold jumpers, have a look on this site in the 14.2 and under section there are always some nice ponies, out of your area but worth a day out to see a few.
www.nfed.co.uk
The first grey is very near me, I would be happy to check it out to save a long wasted journey but he looks just the job for you.

The new forest breed site also has a sales list.
 
As others have said, you can BE a pony that is 14hh & above & you can register ponies as horses BS. Most unaffil places don't allow adults on ponies :(

Oh & I have a fantastic established 14hh competition pony (cob) that will be up for sale very soon :D xx
 
You definitely want to try a new forest - it would provide everything you are looking for and more! However as you are finding out the good full up 14.2s are like hen's teeth but definitely worth the search. As to the TB rules - just add an inch on to your pony's height - that's what we used to do and as he had way more scope than most of the horses we competed against we never had any issues!
 
I have a 14.2 I compete senior bs on and a 14.2 I'm aiming for bd on who has previously been worked at medium. My boss also has a fantastic 13.2 newfie which competed at medium has real international potential. She has also jumped 1m senior bs on a ticket.

Size really doesn't matter I'm 5ft and sometimes look small on my show jumper. Get what you're comfortable with. And if you do get any comments about your pony its just jealously that they can no longer ride awesome little ponies anymore :)
 
charcoalfeathers said:
Thanks for your replies, I always get confused by the different bodies! I also get the impression as an adult you can do more with native types and having tried a new forest last weekend, would love to get one!)
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If you are into showing, then there are definitely more opportunities if you have a registered Mountain and Moorland, as adults are allowed to show these ponies in M&M classes and the respective breed classes, whereas adults are not allowed to ride, say, in an affiliated show hunter pony class.
 
I go with the New Forest contingent, they are strong, tough, well balanced and good looking, also they are eligible for so many classes as others mentioned.
The main thing is to have fun, and if you can go along to a local show or join the R.C., here you can do basic dressage tests, X-country and Show jumping all at a more lowly level.
If you buy a schoolmaster type, you already know what his abilities are, his scope. If you buy something younger and less experienced, you have the pleasure of finding out for yourself, but you may need to be patient and have more regular lessons.
If I were you I would look for something 14.2 rather than 13.2, there is a big difference, and "a good big un always beats a good liitle un"
A 16.2 will be too big for you unless particularly kind and willing, they eat more and tend to have more veterinary issues.
 
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I compete my pony without a problem, never had an unaff center question it. He is 14.2 so could affiliate in any thing I wanted him to although he will be aiming for some BE and has done both pc and rc teams as a senior.

At 5'1 you definatly wont feel like there isnt enough horse for you, you wont be able to climb up their neck when jumping but thats no bad thing ;). I'm a touch taller than you at 5'2 and I have jumped ponies down to 11.2, admittedly I'm more comfortable on some thing about 13hh especally if its likley to slam the breaks on. A good 14hh new forest or connie will take you round all the local stuff and some low level affiliated stuff with ease, ignore those that say you need some thing bigger and go enjoy a pony.
 
My nf pony is fab :D haven't done any affiliated yet but hoping to do some BD soon. He is 14hh and moves like a 16.2. I always kept saying how I wanted a nice big warmblood like everyone else but my nf is now my mini warmblood and generally scores higher than wbs in dr too :D
 
I second looking on NFED for newfies, they are fab and I know lots of adults who ride them with great success. If you want to go a little bigger Connemaras are also great and most are very scopey jumping.
 
You'd be fine on any size!

My best friends, one 5'7" rides and loans my 14.1 Sports Pony and does a bit of everything on her, and one is 5' and rides my 15.1 Welsh D.

I'd love to be small like you so I could ride my pony :(
 
Just to add NFs are amazing, I have one who is now 21 (also had another who was the most amazing pony, sadly had to have her PTS last year) and my Sports Pony is NF x KWPN.

They are also cheap to keep :D
 
another vote for a NF !!

i have a (atm) 14-14.1 pony - she will max out about 14.2hh which im 5'7 so im quite tall but for what we want to do (dressage/jump) its not an issue as i plan to do prelim/novice and jumping 65/75 max!

your not after a world beater..........at 5'1 you will be fine!!!!!
 
Thanks for all your replies guys! I'm certainly not looking for a world beater, only something to have some fun with and do riding club events with. I do feel a little overhorsed with anything bigger then 15.2 but didn't want to be limited with what I could do if I had a smaller pony.

Will keep an eye on the nfed website, hopefully something suitable comes up :)
 
You def shouldn't be top heavy. I took my 13h exmoor round a jump x course today and she was fab. I have quickly adjusted my jumping position to more of a huntseat so I don't unbalance her (and don't fall off on landing!). She rides a lot bigger than she is though, I feel like I'm on a 14.2!

Good luck with your pony hunt :D
 
Jane_Lou said:
BE has a minimum height of 143 cm which is 14h, BD has no restrictions and you can register a pony as a horse and jump BS. We competed a 14.2 connie BE and BD and BS on tickets for 3 seasons and never had any "size" prejudice. Oddly enough we found it was unaffiliated that was more restrictive, for example, trailblazers SJ does not allow an adult to compete a pony in senior classes. If that is the size you are happy with then go for it - we now have a 16H ISH mare and as lovely as she is I do miss ponies!

Just to add our pony had very much small horse paces and had a very adjustable canter and never had problems with striding either BE or BS up to Discovery,
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This is very good to know !
My 3 year old New Forest is currently 140cm at the withers and 148cm at the bum, so is looking like she will make a full up 148cm pony at full maturity. :D
So, I could effectively compete in the future in BE, BS and BD with her. :D

Don't discount a forester on size alone. As others have said, the stride is more like that of a small horse rather than a big pony. I know of NF ponies competing successfully in BRC Team and Individual competitions against horses, (Farriers Brown Bear (14.1hh) won the BRC Senior Open XC Championship in 2009). Someone I know competes (and wins) regularly in affiliated BD up to and including Medium level with their homebred NF ponies.
There are also NF ponies at JA level in BS and competing in FEI Dressage (although these are juniors). So, the scope and ability (and proven competition records) is there, and the breed in general are great little characters to have in your life.
They also make lovely small sports horses when crossed with TB or Warmblood. ;)
 
Just popped in to add some news......
At the BRC National Championships 2012, a team of New Forest ponies have won the Rural Riders Championship :D
All senior riders, ponies all around 14hh, and although I don't know exactly what Rural Riders is...I believe it is a team of 6 horses/ponies and riders doing a dressage test together :confused:.
 
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Asbo is a full up 14.2hh born and bred on the forest New Forest pony. He did his first season of BE this year and is more than happy jumping round BE90 and he has schooled over many BE100 fences. He has always scored sub 35 in the dressage, his best this season being 28 and he never touches a pole sj. Foresters in general, but especially those born on the forest are very brave and excellant across all terrain. I haven't studded up once this season and he has never slipped. Asbo is also a fab hunter and goes up front with the big boys and pretty much jumps everything/anything and stays all day.

I highley reccomend them ;)

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I am your height and have a New Forest, i am also in herts and if he was not lame on box rest after being kicked by one of his fieldmates you could perhaps have popped over to see him (not for sale) if you wanted to try a pony of around 13.2 to see how it felt vet informally measured him as just under 13.3 (140cm)

I do RC club on him and he could easily jump 90cm but I am very wimpy so we just do the small classes, I have never not been able to enter him in anything I have wanted to do due to height restrictions. Both the RC's I am members of do not discrimate again adults on ponies and they do have RC ODE's and championships where you can compete as a Senior on a pony, the height was orginal a minimum of 14h for the RC ODE champs etc but that has recently been dropped and I think there is no minimum height now.

This is a photo of me jumping him - he loves jumping (his half sister also a registered new forest has BE points at BE100 and BSJA points too). A couple of his son's are available for sale on NFED - he used to be a forest run stallion.

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Aww, he looks lovely Charem!

SO1: he looks gorgeous! You look really good on him, not at all top heavy. I was concerned I looked big on the 13.2 welshie I used to ride but looking at the pics of you and your new forest, you look fab! :)
 
Great photos everyone, and beautiful ponies. :D

Here's the first NF I had.
She was forest bred, and finished growing at 13.2hh. She wasn't as chunky as the ponies above, more of a sports pony type. A NPS panel judge told me she would do very well in plaited show hunter pony and working hunter pony classes rather than M&M showing.
The gate she is standing beside here is 4'6". I measured the height of it after she jumped out of the school TWICE, over this gate, from a trot ! She would have gone on to be a very good competition pony.
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Trotting in hand.
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Me on board, I am 5'6". She was only recently backed in these photos.
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This was her first ever canter in the school.
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The pony I have now is already bigger than the one above. Florrie (above) was 13.2hh at 5 years old, my new pony Callie (3 years, 4 months) is 13.3hh at the highest point of her withers and 14.1hh at the highest point of her bum. Callie is also forest bred, but she is chunkier now than Florrie was at 5yo.
This is Callie, photo taken at a show on 8th September.
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I am 5ft and my last horse/pony was 14.2hh! But she was too fine - personally I wouldnt purchase anything smaller than a well built 14.2hh/15hh.
 
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