Adults riding ponies

Tarragon

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Lovely photo SEL!
I think that the perception is that you may "look" to be "too" big but I reckon absolutely not in practise.
I had a 12hh Exmoor pony for a while, a chunky leg-in-each corner type, and I knew that he was fine with me, but I felt too big and self-conscious on him. So, it was my problem, but probably fuelled by the fact I was already self-conscious as I am an adult riding a pony! You have to be quite confident to get away with it.
 

SEL

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She's dales x exmoor and pretty solid.
Lovely photo SEL!
I think that the perception is that you may "look" to be "too" big but I reckon absolutely not in practise.
I had a 12hh Exmoor pony for a while, a chunky leg-in-each corner type, and I knew that he was fine with me, but I felt too big and self-conscious on him. So, it was my problem, but probably fuelled by the fact I was already self-conscious as I am an adult riding a pony! You have to be quite confident to get away with it.

My usual hacking partner is a 14yo on her 13.2 pony and i feel absolutely fine then. Going out with the 17h warmblood though made me feel like I was a kiddie being supervised again!

She's a very sweet pony with great (mud encrusted) hair ?
 

ponynutz

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The rule is 20 percent of their body weight and natives tend to be rather stocky so it's not an issue. might just be a culture thing, im not sure. seems strange to refer myself as an adult but i'll be 18 in a few months, and im still riding my 14hh connie as my main horse!
 

catkin

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I had a 12hh Exmoor pony for a while, a chunky leg-in-each corner type, and I knew that he was fine with me, but I felt too big and self-conscious on him. So, it was my problem, but probably fuelled by the fact I was already self-conscious as I am an adult riding a pony! You have to be quite confident to get away with it.

The ponies themselves soon dispel your self-consciousness by how capable they are.
I had one pony who I did a bit of hunting on - people were only snooty about our looks the once - she'd ride anything off in a gateway ;) .
Also the speed and ease at which you can go down a track with low branches usually changes horse-riders' perceptions of 'only a pony'..........
7
 

Tarragon

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The ponies themselves soon dispel your self-consciousness by how capable they are.
I had one pony who I did a bit of hunting on - people were only snooty about our looks the once - she'd ride anything off in a gateway ;) .
Also the speed and ease at which you can go down a track with low branches usually changes horse-riders' perceptions of 'only a pony'..........
7
but ... you find yourself expected to open all the gates!

I went cubbing on a donkey once - now that raised some eyebrows! Especially when she brayed :D:D:D:D
 
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FA058645-01AE-44F3-BC6B-4A504EF869C7.jpeg
13 hands on a tall day but very wide (part bred dales). I'm 5'3" but I think my torso looks 'tall' on her even though my legs fit ok.
View attachment 58305

SEL, your mare reminds me of my mare so much! (My mare’s star is hidden under her luscious locks). My mare is part Dales too. She’s 14hh.
She goes through the most amazing colour transformation, dark in winter and has such a bright coat in summer.
 

Equine_Dream

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The ponies themselves soon dispel your self-consciousness by how capable they are.
I had one pony who I did a bit of hunting on - people were only snooty about our looks the once - she'd ride anything off in a gateway ;) .
Also the speed and ease at which you can go down a track with low branches usually changes horse-riders' perceptions of 'only a pony'..........
7

I find my 13.2 so much more safe footed than my other two horses. He's like a mountain goat on the worst of tracks. Has left many horses dithering at the top out hunting ?
 

SEL

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View attachment 58359

SEL, your mare reminds me of my mare so much! (My mare’s star is hidden under her luscious locks). My mare is part Dales too. She’s 14hh.
She goes through the most amazing colour transformation, dark in winter and has such a bright coat in summer.

Spitting image!! I had to take a 2nd look because that could be Rosie pre winter mud

Do you know where she was bred? The passport name for mine is Rosebarr's Lottie
 
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Spitting image!! I had to take a 2nd look because that could be Rosie pre winter mud

Do you know where she was bred? The passport name for mine is Rosebarr's Lottie

I don’t have any details of where she was bred unfortunately, her passport was issued in Teeside but that was 3 years after she was born. They are so similar, my mare is called Ruby. All I know about her is she was a driving pony and had passed through the hands of travellers at some point.
 

GSD Woman

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Owned by, she is darling. I had written a response about my size and weight and my damn computer ate it. But I'm 5'8 and about 11.5 stone. I think I would feel silly on anything 13.2. Maybe someday when my country isn't a dumpster fire and there is a vaccine for COVID I can get back to the UK and maybe try a native.
 

SEL

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I don’t have any details of where she was bred unfortunately, her passport was issued in Teeside but that was 3 years after she was born. They are so similar, my mare is called Ruby. All I know about her is she was a driving pony and had passed through the hands of travellers at some point.

Bet they are related somehow. Rosie has had a couple of foals but the dealer her last owner got her from reckoned she had been broken to drive - bombproof in traffic so I wouldn't be surprised.

My boy is half Dale's, half Gypsy Cob.... I think hes 14.3 to 15hh. Hes intelligent, funny, but boy does he look after me ! View attachment 58386
Gorgeous! And I'm dazzled by those clean feathers!
 
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Bet they are related somehow. Rosie has had a couple of foals but the dealer her last owner got her from reckoned she had been broken to drive - bombproof in traffic so I wouldn't be surprised.


Gorgeous! And I'm dazzled by those clean feathers!

It makes you wonder as they are so very similar. Do you have the breeders information for Rosie? If you do and you don’t mind sharing, I’d love the info on a PM.
 

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I am 5ft 7 and this is me on my amazing Fell Pony, Lownthwaite Rob II. I weighed 8.5 stone. He was 13.2hh. Some sharp eyed people may notice that in the photo of us standing still, he had lost his left eye. I lost him 25yrs ago and I still miss him. He was amazing. That’s set me off now ?. Bless him ?
 

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MollyFell

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I wouldn’t have anything else! You can’t beat a native. I’ve had a few breeds before getting my Fell and there really is a pony for any discipline. The only limit would be if you wanted to go up the levels with BE or BS I suppose?
 

Orangehorse

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Welsh cobs were all round farm horses, used to pull a cart and carry a farmer to market. Dales ponies were pack animals used to carry heavy loads from the mines and Highland ponies to carry stags from the mountains (which weigh a lot).

A stocky native pony is well able to carry an adult. In the words of Dr. Deb Bennett, the are "over engineered" compared to horses and well able to be weight carriers and remain sound.
 

Dave's Mam

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Well, how could I resist.....
5'3 on 13hh Exmoor.

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huskydamage

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Im 5ft7 in my 30s still riding my 14hh childhood pony who is now 28. I look stupid of course, but she has carried me around for 18 years and still going strong. As a teen there definitely was a pressure to 'grow up and get a horse' but I felt that would be so disloyal to her. I never considered selling her, just can I afford 2? Now I can so best of both ? still love riding her though she is so much fun always makes me smile I will be heartbroken when she's gone.
 

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cauda equina

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Im 5ft7 in my 30s still riding my 14hh childhood pony who is now 28. I look stupid of course, but she has carried me around for 18 years and still going strong. As a teen there definitely was a pressure to 'grow up and get a horse' but I felt that would be so disloyal to her. I never considered selling her, just can I afford 2? Now I can so best of both ? still love riding her though she is so much fun always makes me smile I will be heartbroken when she's gone.
You don't look stupid at all! You are obviously both having a blast
Looking stupid is overhorsing yourself with a massive WB because you think it's the cool thing to have
 
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