adult on pony = sore back/locking out

[NiceNeverNaughty]

I have ridden ponies for years, I love M&M's and Im not particularly tall, 5ft4. This last year or so Ive been more stiff and had a sore back after riding and Ive been working hard with my physio and instructor to try and open my hips more. Until 3 months ago my main horse was my 13.2hh Welsh C. Ive honestly never enjoyed riding a bigger horse and always felt I struggled to hold them together and with with the bigger movement.
In an effort to try and improve my position and brush up on jumping for my St3 I had some schoolmaster lessons and found myself on a 16.1hh. To cut a very long weird story short, I ended up buying the horse from the RI so for the last 3 months Ive been on him 5-6 days a week and just really doing the minimum with my C to keep her ticking over. Ive found that I no longer have a sore back after riding, what was 'locked' has unlocked and my shoulders have dropped and relaxed too. Im not as young as I was haha and this has been a revelation as I know a fair few folks in their 40's go smaller, not bigger. I'm honestly now wondering though if in an effort to balance on something smaller with very little front, Ive been bracing my core and locking everything. I have a new struggle now though - getting off!!!

 

[MrsMozart]

It sounds like you've found the right sized horse for you

I keep looking at Titch (a 14hh no withered bog-off) and wondering how, whilst he's for sure a sturdy leg at each corner, I'm ever, at 5.8" with long-ish legs, going to sit to his pony trot.

Getting off a big horse is easy - just remember to "Bend ze knees!"

 

[oldie48]

I rode a pony last week, he was too small for me but I just found him so uncomfortable, I didn't want to rise to the trot but sitting to it was rather jarring. I'm used to big moving horses that keep my lower back mobile. tbh wouldn't want to jump them but I feel much more at one with them on the flat.