Adults riding ponies

[ownedbyaconnie]

5ft2 on my 14.1 connemara. I’m a pony gal through and through (although a bigger pony, I don’t like short pony strides). Cheap to run, easy to maintain, turn on a sixpence and devilishly cute. What more could you want.

 

[paddi22]

I kind of ended up with a pony accidentally, and now I way prefer riding her to my bigger horses. she's so much hardier, easier to keep, cheaper to run. I don't know why I had always defaulted to 16_+ horses. I think I had always thought 'bigger horse, will find bigger fences easier' but that's not true at all, my little pony is a joy to ride around speed courses and the heights are nothing to her.

 

[Uliy]

I’m 5’4/5 ish and used to ride a 13.2hh! We did pretty well at dressage together and I didn’t feel I looked too big, I only ever felt silly when we went out with my friend on her 16.3hh ID! I now own a 15.2hh and feel terrified on anything bigger than 16hh, so I am a pony/pony strides girl!

 

[sbloom]

Not read the thread but always think about saddle seat size, a large hip measurement generally needs a larger seat, a wider seat where possible but not all back shapes can take a wider seat. Often people have bought a "weight carrier" that really can't take the seat size they need. Some companies offer a shorter panel on a given seat size but there is always at least a slight compromise, you can't get the lift at the back if you need the cantle higher to balance the saddle, the shorter the rear gusset.

If you are tall you may need more forward flaps unless you ride very long or have very short femurs, flap length isn't always as much issue as people think, unless the flap catches on the top of your boots it may not be a problem. But a smaller flap will always give less upper leg room, the rider can get pushed to the back of the saddle, and the more forward cut can sometimes mean you have to go DOWN a seat size so as not to interfere with the shoulder, not a problem if you're tall and skinny, but if you're in proportion then you might be facing some challenges. So often falls to us saddle fitters to try and square impossible circles!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

5ft 6" on just under 14hh. Takes my leg up, keeps me young ?

And on 13.2, slightly wider in the barrel

 

[[139672]]

Occasionally I used to wish I was on a horse 16hh+ but with my Fell Pony we were in the West Sussex Riding Club showjumping team and our team won the South Coast Championship one year. He always jumped double clear for the team. Many times we competed in open jumping classes, against horses, and we often beat them. I could also do working hunter and M&M so they are very versatile. I could have done dressage as well but it wasn’t my thing, he was born to showjump. He used to sometimes jump into another field for, what looked like, the fun of it (the grass wasn’t greener) ?

 

[Cob Life]

I did up until I was about 18 when I got to heavy. I’m now losing weight with the idea that I will be small enough to ride them (I’m only 5’2 on a good day) as I really enjoyed help producing a friends pony from the ground this year but was sadly too big to get on her and get her out to shows etc