Adults owning ponies - its inappropriate!

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if a lot of pony riders are really honest, they ride ponies cos they're scared of falling off a big horse!!

convinced me!
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I ride 17hh horse because I fall off ponies too easily. Ponies seem to change direction a lot faster than a big warmblood
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This is an interesting one - I wonder how much of this "adults-on-ponies" is in the owners head, and how much is actually said to their faces/within hearing distance. I have never heard anyone criticise an adult on a pony

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I don't really know how much predjudice there really is out there, and how much is in the owners paranoid heads, lol.

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LOL! You beat me to it
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It's like the paranoid cob owners!
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Me too! I have lost count of the times people say of Ed "God he's like a tank" or "Wow he's big" - I don't take the blindest bit of notice, maybe they are jibing me and i don't even notice! lol
 
I haven't ploughed through all the replies but round my neck of the woods (New Forest) loads of adults ride NF ponies. If anyone wants to criticise "adults on ponies", just come along to the Boxing Day Point-to-Point, attend a meet of the NF Hounds or the day of the ridden showing at the Breed Show in August!!!
 
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Re the war horses etc. people were smaller back in the days when they rode the ponies, we have evolved to be taller heavier and live longer, mainly due to improved diet etc. Mind you the horses and ponies tend to have better diets as well
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if a lot of pony riders are really honest, they ride ponies cos they're scared of falling off a big horse!!

convinced me!
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I reckon I would get veritgo if too high up does that count?
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if a lot of pony riders are really honest, they ride ponies cos they're scared of falling off a big horse!!

convinced me!
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Falling off dont worry me...its hitting the ground thats the problem....and I have found that the larger the distance between horse and ground.....the more it hurts
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Falling off dont worry me...its hitting the ground thats the problem....and I have found that the larger the distance between horse and ground.....the more it hurts
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I think your research is floored
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You have fail to take in to account that with my big WB I tend to slide down some part first...neck, bum etc so the fall is only a few feet.
Now the ponies I've come off have two tricks....1) the ejector seat and 2) the stop/spin. Now if you combine the speed from the sligshot effect of stop spin with the height gained from the ejector seat I think you will agree that the ground comes up fast from quite a high point on the arc you followed after leaving the saddle.
I'll stick to the WB thanks.
 
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it just makes me laugh when someone begins a thread, not liking being critisied or whatever for riding a pony, and then the thread goes on to berate small women on big horses....... two wrongs dont make a right and all that.

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Hold your horses (and ponies) there Lexie - why have you interpreted and defined those two comments as being wrong? Collectively and comparatively they are opposed and mutually exclusive; they are not wrong.
 
juno, yup mum always manages to slide off her small horse. I get the stop spin method
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(well stop drop shoulder sometimes too much effort to spin much!)
 
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it just makes me laugh when someone begins a thread, not liking being critisied or whatever for riding a pony, and then the thread goes on to berate small women on big horses....... two wrongs dont make a right and all that.

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Hold your horses (and ponies) there Lexie - why have you interpreted and defined those two comments as being wrong? Collectively and comparatively they are opposed and mutually exclusive; they are not wrong.

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EH? all im saying is I find it interesting that pony riders do not like to be put down for riding ponies, but a thread stating that then begins to put down overhorsed peeps....

personally aslong as you are not affecting me, i couldnt give a monkies whether you are riding a 12.2 or an 18 hand shire x godzilla......
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To be honest height of horse and rider are both really inaccurate and misleading ways to judge whether horse and rider are a good fit. Build, conformation, type, strength, and ability of both horse and rider are far more crucial.

Hence hubby manages to look just as underhorsed on a leggy slender 17hh as he does on a 15hh cob. He has particularly long gangly legs so tends to make even quite large horses look small.
 
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Not sure if there is prejudice or not, but have certainly seen some paranoia - from a woman who complained that her horse was referred to as a "small horse" - it's a 15.1hh section D, so definitely a small horse!

From my personal point of view, my own horse is 15.3hh. I'm 5'2 and I feel ok on her as she's an ex polo pony, so more of a pony type (if that makes sense!). I also ride a 16.3hh TBXHann. He's lovely, but I wouldn't buy him as I know I'd be overhorsed in the long term. When I do go horse shopping again, I'd be looking for a large native (14-15hh) - Highland or Dales most likely. I think that's what would best suit my height and build. Much as I love my polo pony, I bought her when I was young and blinded by good looks!
 
River was a small 14.2 and Luca is a big 16.3/17hh

I loved riding my little pocket rocket but was paranoid I was a bit big on him, and in honesty I was a little tall (never too heavy), but it didnt bother me. It seems I can't get it right though - the first thing people say when they see Luca is 'gosh isnt he big' and the first thing they used to say when they met River was 'aww he's so little!'...

I'm happy on both, and River was a far more challenging ride than Lu is...
 
I school ponies a lot. Don't actually own any, but I'm riding my sister's 14.2hh. I used to compete a 14hh in SJ against horses too..and I regularly ride ponies from as little as in the 12 hand range if they're being difficult for the owners.

I'm 5'8 and weigh about 8 and a half stone..yes I look vaguely silly on some of the smaller ones but so what. I prefer my 16.2hh but it doesn't stop me competing/schooling ponies.
 
I ride my friends 13.2hh a lot and im 5'6 and weigh just over 8 stone.
Only ever herd one person make a comment about adults on ponies and this woman was very large and the pony was a 13hh 3yr old.
 
Oh gosh give me a pony any day! After deciding I would like another mount I ended up with a 14.2hh highland. Loved every minute of having him on loan. I had so much fun, he would literally do anything and I miss him so much.

He was so far removed from what I originally thought I wanted. It had been 5 years since I had my own and she was a 13.3hh Welsh B X Welsh Cob. I thought that the next horse I had would be some big Warmblood or something similar but I went back to my natives and don't regret it for a second.

I don't have my highland on loan any more and it makes me so sad. Miss him so much. Currently riding Showjumpers for a friend and although they are cracking, talented horses who I thoughly enjoy, when the time comes for me to get another gee-gee it will almost certainly be a native pony.

Never had a negative comment and even if I did I'd have been having far too much fun to even notice or care!
 
I've won 160k endurance rides on my 13.3 pony (and plenty of 80ks). My sister threatened to get me a T shirt saying 'We DON'T slow down for horses'
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I'm 21, 5'9 and 9 1/2 stone. I've had my PBA who is built like a true hunter pony for the last 8 years and he has never struggled to carry me. I've successfully jumped him and shown him and have never had comments made - the only comments made to me are usually joking that I should be moving onto horses as that's the usual progression of people my age in the jumping/show world but I couldn't bear to sell him. I will keep riding him as my height does not cause a problem (I'm well balanced and he takes up my leg) and my weight is not an issue for him.
 
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I just think people should choose a horse for its suitability not the image.

Sometimes I think people buy horses in the same way *some* men buy cars........
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yep,but that goes for every breed/type that is in fashion at a given time.
Are you happy with your mount?
Is your horse/pony able to carry you and happy with his rider?
Can you ride him safely and effectivly?
Then whats the problem again?
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I am too tall/big for most ponies but my friends lovely NF which i occasionally ride. I see no problem with smaller adults and ponies. 2 of my best friends ride 13h and up ponies as they are small and light, they have great fun and do very wel in local dressage etc, both ponies are youngsters and a bit much for the kids at the moment, we hope to have the sec B 3 year old for my daughter when he is more educated. Many people have huge great horses and cant control them/don't understand them!!
 
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I just think people should choose a horse for its suitability not the image.

Sometimes I think people buy horses in the same way *some* men buy cars........
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yep,but that goes for every breed/type that is in fashion at a given time.
Are you happy with your mount?
Is your horse/pony able to carry you and happy with his rider?
Can you ride him safely and effectivly?
Then whats the problem again?
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Errr yes that was my point........ suitability is they key thing. Saying someone is "overhorsed" to me means unable to ride in balance, safely and effectively. It can be as much about core stability as about size.

I stopped riding a very nice ISH mare at the riding school because I was struggling to be able to ride her "together" particularly through downwards transitions. She is a big hunter type, built croup high and very powerful. She was just pulling me out of the saddle and taking the pee. I took a break from riding her and came back to her six months or so later, and had no trouble, neither of us had grown, but my riding technique and riding fitness has improved so I had the core stability to retain my balance when she pulled, and the riding technique to be able to ride her more "up". I was overhorsed on her, now I'm not. Had I been physically bigger I might not have had the same issue. I was perfectly capable of riding a less strong/smaller horse correctly, just not her.

Likewise, hubby rides a 15hh cob, he is very effective on but the cob is deep through the girth with a broad barrel and mainly takes up his leg. It isn't ideal as he looses a bit of effectiveness in rising trot as his stirrups have to be short and it affects his balance. He accepts he is a little underhorsed, but gets on with it as they have a good partnership.

On a 15.2hh cob his legs clanked with the horses and he had to get off - totally underhorsed. On the 17hh ISH I mentioned above, he looks a text book fit, and due to that he was able to ride her when I was struggling despite being a less established rider at the time, he had the additional stability of longer legs, and better upper body strength.

People who say that the size of the horse is completely irelevent forget the ergonomics of riding and the pure physics.

It isn't the be all and end all but it does have an effect, and someone who is a "textbook" fit will generally have an advantage over someone who is larger or smaller on the same horse. It can be a compromise worth making for the right combination though.


Oh and my reference to cars was about the variety of men who *ahem* buy cars to make up for other inadequacies in their life *ahem* not fashion.......
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Errr yes that was my point........ suitability is they key thing.

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Second part was a general point,should have put to the OP or something
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Oh and my reference to cars was about the variety of men who *ahem* buy cars to make up for other inadequacies in their life *ahem* not fashion.......
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Yes,I got that
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but women tend to buy the "in" type of horse not the one with the biggest engine
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The type of woman who will buy this years fashion breed is the same as the man who buys whatever this years current must have car is.Just done to make up for lack of talent/confidence/ability rather then lack of downstairs
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Depending on your body type there will be a size and build of horse that fits you better,but TBH as long as neither of you are getting hurt in any way whatever horse or pony you are happy with is the right horse.
Doesnt make any difference to me if thats a shetland,shire or anything in the middle.
 
Well, don't think that anyone has any right to criticise another person's choice of mount UNLESS the animal is being physically or mentally compromised. Provided the animal is happy and the owner is happy it doesn't matter and I had a very close friend who competed affiliated dressage to Medium level on her 13.3 pony.

At almost 10.5 stone I wouldn't dream of riding my neice's 13.2 pony even though I am 5ft 4, if I was 7.5 stone I might. However, my boy (16hh and TB) likes carrying lighter ladies rather than heavy men. I think we all know what is an acceptable weight for our nags and common sense must prevail. Enjoy your ponies and don't let the "experts" kill your fun.

I don't suppose Marion Mold gave 2 hoots that Stroller was little!!
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I'm 5ft and ride a 14hh highland pony. Why - because it is so much fun! Since I am fairly small people tend to assume that I'm a child (which I rather relish given that I'm 41!).

I have actually had two rude comments in the last 10 years - each from a warmblood owner as it happens. One rather jealous person at riding club said "I can't believe I've been beaten by a pony" - well the pony happened to go better than her horse, and one at BD who said "I can't believe you brought THAT here". Now I don't know whether she was referring to the pony, the chunkiness, or all the hair (the pony's, I put mine in a net) but when we thrashed her too she did come over and say "Oh, OK that's why!" and hopefully will be a little more circumspect about speaking her mind in future.

However I have far more lovely comments from people about my pony and no one suggests that I should go on to horses as I am certainly not underhorsed (or underponied) at the moment.

This is a rather unflattering picture so no comments please (we were just have a charge around after some rather serious quadrille stuff so neither of us were attempting to look pretty) - it does show that I would look rather silly on something 16hh + or that owning her is inappropriate.

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There is nothing like a highland! It makes me laugh though when you are the only pony at a dressage comp, in a tweed jacket, not a black, everyone ignores you, then you beat them!

So what happens when your pony hits 16.1hh, is that a pony or a horse????
 
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