Adult on a pony??

[Araboo27]

Hi all, I haven't rode for going on 13 years and feel like I've forgotten EVERYTHING despite having had my own horse and being quite a decent rider! My two sons have both started lessons recently and I'm considering buying or loaning next year depending on their commitment etc. My question is - I would absolutely love to share it with them, what breeds would you suggest as suitable for both myself and the children? I'm only 5'1" but let's say a little bit 'portly' at the moment and most definitely need to lose weight! I'm thinking of around 13.2HH, what weight would I need to be looking at - (I know this will depend on the breed) am I right in thinking about 8/9 stone would be ok? I'd only want to do the odd gentle hack and the boys would be using it to continue learning and for lessons.

Any input/suggestions would be very much appreciated!

K

 

[SpringArising]

A New Forest, Exmoor or Dartmoor cross would carry eight or nine stone fine. Most M&M types would probably be fine, but something like a Welsh A/B probably isn't going to be that suitable/comfortable for you to do any serious riding on.

New Forests are great!

 

[Araboo27]

Thanks, a New Forest actually looks perfect! Sturdy enough that I wouldn't look too daft and I might even do some serious riding, it'd be nice to have that option ;-) If I could ride it, I'd feel more comfortable getting them a 'second' pony that they wouldn't outgrow as their riding improves.

Diet starts tomorrow!

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Highly recommend a NF! If you want to do any showing reg M&M, you need to make sure the pony has a green passport. Adults on ponies near is very common. I'm 5'6 ish and have ridden a 13hh and my current riding pony is 14.2hh. (I'm always about the double figure mark in stonage!)

 

[paulineh]

As an adult I have had 2 NF ponies both under 14hh, one 13hh and the other 13.2hh

The 13hh I hunted for years and then my 13.2hh I competed for many years doing Endurance. I love riding ponies and although I now have Arabs one is a 14hh mare.

If you want a pony that you and your children can ride then a NF pony is the way to go. They are the Jack of all trades that will carry an adult all day.

 

[Smurf's Gran]

If you want to be sure of the weight the 20% rule can be followed.

Just for an example, our NF is 13.3, his correct weight (when not too portly) is approx 380KG. 20% of this would be 76 kilos, and equates to 11st 9lbs. Take off approx. a stone for the saddle and another half stone for clothes, hat boots etc and for him the rider weight could be 10st 2lbs.

However he does have some good characteristics for weight carrying - he is short backed, with strong loins, so could maybe carry a little more. Though he is also heavy in the neck and shoulder so we consider this also.

Hope this is helpful Araboo - NF's are great, and many are incredibly versatile, but some NF's can be very sharp - maybe better to go for personality of pony rather than a specific breed

 

[SO1]

I have a new forest and about 5.1ft, but I am small build only about 8 stone.

New forests are super ponies and very under estimated in my opinion my pony is very tolerant - I am not a naturally good rider but have managed to do more with him than I ever expected I could do which goes to show how great he is. He was only 5 when I got him as well and had not done that much as he was late backed on bought on slowly {he will be 13 this year}.

They tend to have very gentle natures, my pony is very gentle and likes children, which is good as children like him too, I was hacking out once on my own when a group of young boys who had been playing football came over and were very interested in him wanting to know his name and stroke him and touch him, they said their teacher had told them about horses but they had never touched one before. My pony was quite happy to stand still and be stroked by the boys.

They can also be serious riding ponies as well with many competing to high levels in dressage, SJ and eventing.

However they tend to be very good doers so often need careful management to keep their weight under control.

 

[Wiz201]

how old are your boys? A 14.2 native can be just as gentle as a 13.2 and will take more weight, like a dales or fell pony.

 

[dornrose]

I have just bought a highland he's slightly bigger at 14.2 but I was also looking at fells which are small and would happily carry an adult a dales would also do the job. The lovely thing about natives are they're cheap to keep as they live off fresh air.

 

[Araboo27]

Sorry for the delay, I stopped getting email notifications and assumed no one else had commented!

Ok so we have my eldest at 8, he's 130cm and average build. My 6 year old is 110cm and slight/average for his height, below average for his age I think as he's a year behind in clothes sizes, bless him!

I'm 5'1" and am not revealing my weight but let's just say I'm too heavy for a pony at present! Lol.

I guess I don't want to go too big that the boys are unable to have lessons on it and ride independently. Thinking back, the pony I had at 16 was 13.1 and I probably weighed around 9 stone, I definitely wasn't skinny. I'll try and post a pic if I can figure it out.

 

[Araboo27]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130764078@N03/17133314722/

 

[Araboo27]

Not sure if that'll work!

 

[tinafletcher1]

looks absolutely fine, nice pic.

 

[sbloom]

Please bear in mind that weight carriers often have short backs and it's the saddle thats the issue not the weight of the rider! Be sure that you can fit into the seat size that the pony can take, there are shorter upsept panel designs which can help shorten the foot print considerably but they are not commonly available and definitely not on all sorts of shapes of trees. I fit probably more adults on ponies than any other category and that's my experience. Seat size relates to hip measurement, if you're a taller and slimmer rider it can be easier, you need to look for the right size and design of flap rather than swimming in too large a seat.

 

[dollyanna]

The right fell pony can make a great family pony, they can easily take an adult in weight but happy to be a PC pony for children and generally have a very caring nature. You do need to find the right one though, same as any other breed - needs to be old enough to be sensible and not too strong.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

New forest, dales, fells, Welsh C and D and HiPo would all be fine.

I'm 5.1 and at present about 10st and all of the above I have ridden fine. I had a Welsh x dales and she was a great pony riding wise once she matured lived on fresh air, very scopey, lovely paces

My old man is a Welsh x appy and he's 24 and still going strong I don't think you will have any bother with a nice native.

 

[BVoyager]

I do love native ponies! I have a 14.0hh welsh sec b that takes me fine, I'm 5.6" and about 10 stone. My limit is a 13.0hh simply because a short back and my long legs don't go very well!

 

[Araboo27]

Ooh, I'm so bloody excited! I've already lost 10lbs, going to drop as much as possible from now until September then start looking (we're away for three weeks in August). Even if I can't ride straight away, the boys will be able to.

I'm even tempted to buy a little LR/FR for the kids and get my own, I'm struggling to see how the one pony would suit all our needs. My almost three yo daughter would love to ride too and it'd be pretty pointless sticking her on top of a 13.2!!

I've got all summer to think it over It's funny how I've gone from wanting the odd hack to this isn't it?! We all know how addictive riding is though and I hadn't realised just how much I've missed it.

 

[Serianas]

Im on the NF bandwagon! they are awesome with loads of personality but will look after their rider. Very forgiving but with a loveable cheeky streak.

See my profile for piccies of my registered NF, hes 14hh

 

[charlie_george]

I've got a welsh section c x for the girls, he's 12.2 but has a lot of bone, hes short backed and very strong.
My idea was to ride him for a bit of schooling, but today we did 3 miles and he happily cantered all the way home and I'm 11 stone!
Just start off slowly and fitten them up slowly, if you get the right build, a 12.2 could carry more weight than a narrow 13.2 and take the leg up better, just have to make sure you get the right saddle.

 

[berns]

I'm 5.4 and weight 10 stone and I have bought a 13.2 welsh cross... My original saddle at 16'' put pressure at the back so I had a good saddle fitter out who said natives are often hard to fit ( croup high and round!) so we now have a treeless saddke on her advice and the pony is happy taking my weight no problem at all. Previous to that she was def uncomfortable. My three children (11,10 and 6) all share her and it works really well so I wish you the best of luck! I've had NF ponies before but I felt a sturdy cob would take my weight better? I don't know if that's right or not but I def look better on her as she's wide! I'm also on a diet and its a great motivation lol xx

 

[Shinydog]

I was the same as you a couple of months ago. Had not ridden for years, and wanted something to share with my 7 year old twins. Bought a 14.1 cob, who has been amazing. Only trouble is that he is a bit big for my kids to handle from the ground- can't tack up or put rugs on etc.
So yesterday a lovely little 12.2 arrived for the kids! Beware, you may end up getting more than one 😀😀

 

[Smurf's Gran]

I'm 5.4 and weight 10 stone and I have bought a 13.2 welsh cross... My original saddle at 16'' put pressure at the back so I had a good saddle fitter out who said natives are often hard to fit ( croup high and round!) so we now have a treeless saddke on her advice and the pony is happy taking my weight no problem at all. Previous to that she was def uncomfortable. My three children (11,10 and 6) all share her and it works really well so I wish you the best of luck! I've had NF ponies before but I felt a sturdy cob would take my weight better? I don't know if that's right or not but I def look better on her as she's wide! I'm also on a diet and its a great motivation lol xx

Berms.. we went treeless for exactly the same reasons as you

 

[Araboo27]

Thank you all so much! Everyone's input has been very much appreciated.

We're on holiday in Orlando at the moment so it's safe to say that the diet is NOT going as planned, lol.

I used to work with a girl years ago and her mum and dad actually own a local yard, we went last week and are officially on the waiting list for a stable!! I'd decided to wait main,y due to the fact that we're away at the end of August but the YO does holiday livery so it seems a shame to miss out on the whole of summer, we may as well buy sooner rather than later ;-)

I'm looking at a section a for the kids, my daughter wants to ride too so it defo makes sense to get a little one. Towards the end of the year I'm going to get myself a nice native type, about 14h ish. My eight year old can always this one with me.

I must be crazy - a 13 year break now I'm looking at having two ponies by the end of the year!! Lol

 

[Araboo27]

I was the same as you a couple of months ago. Had not ridden for years, and wanted something to share with my 7 year old twins. Bought a 14.1 cob, who has been amazing. Only trouble is that he is a bit big for my kids to handle from the ground- can't tack up or put rugs on etc.
So yesterday a lovely little 12.2 arrived for the kids! Beware, you may end up getting more than one ����

Lol, great minds think alike eh? ;-)