Am I too big for my pony?

[Mince Pie]

Agree with all this "natives were bred to carry adults" stuff, of course they were. But back in the day, your average adult was considerably smaller and lighter than is the case today. So while there might well not be a problem with small light ladies riding ponies sensibly, for many of us it wouldn't be great news for the pony.

Yes, but the OP, CrazyMare, and myself ARE lightweight ladies so I fail to see the problem?

 

[Kat]

Surely 5'6" on a fine 13.2hh is no worse than 6'3" on a fine 15.3hh? Both nine inches different in height.

I guess someone should go tell Mark Todd that he was too big for Charisma (a section B x TB) and that he was only riding him because it made him feel safe being closer to the floor! :-D

 

[Micropony]

Yes, but the OP, CrazyMare, and myself ARE lightweight ladies so I fail to see the problem?

I'm not suggesting there is one with any of the three of you. I should probably have made it clearer I was responding to the more general points on [59668]'s post. Nothing on there that's not correct, but I have heard very similar things said to justify what I would personally consider to be "pony squishing" scenarios.

 

[Jojoba]

This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately as I've been advertising for a sharer for my pony.
He's a 14hh fell pony, and pretty much everyone can't understand why I would put anything less than 14st as a weight limit. When I bought him I weighed 9st but several years and several cakes have happened since then and I now weigh 11st.
He is a little overweight so I deduct that from his weight: his optimum fit weight is 410kg. 20% of 410kg is 82kg (12st9lb). Take away a stone for tack and clothing takes us to 11st9lb. However, recent studies have suggested horses are better and more comfortable carrying 10-15% of their optimum body weight. So that would be 61.5kg for 15%, making the overall weight drop sharply to 9st6lb including tack and clothing. To split the difference I set his weight limit at 10.5st, meaning he'll be carrying a maximum of 11.5st when fully tacked etc. 11.5st is about 18% of his non-podgy optimum weight.
Everyone thinks I'm mad for setting a fell pony's limit at 10.5st and I've even had people ask if he's injured or unwell, but I don't want him to struggle, I feel that just because he can doesn't necessarily mean he should. I ride him for the odd 20min schooling session or wander round the fields but unless I drop I stone (working on it) I won't ride him properly. I'm also 5'9" and feel balancing a taller heavy weight is trickier for him than a shorter one.
Luckily his current sharer is 5' and weighs about 7st so I think I'm okay on that front. Anyway just my two pennies worth and no doubt unpopular , but thought I'd explain my decision making process!

 

[rebeccajleonard95]

I'm so pleased I posted this now 😊 I was only going to ride her whilst my horse was lame but after reading most of the comments I'm actually considering bringing her back into work properly as I agree riding ponys is much more fun than riding horses! I didn't realise how many adults were still riding ponys. I don't have many recent pictures of me riding her but here's 2 (if it works lol). I'm not pulling on her mouth in one of the pics either I'm just struggling to fasten my gloves lol

 

[rebeccajleonard95]

 

[Wagtail]

This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately as I've been advertising for a sharer for my pony.
He's a 14hh fell pony, and pretty much everyone can't understand why I would put anything less than 14st as a weight limit. When I bought him I weighed 9st but several years and several cakes have happened since then and I now weigh 11st.
He is a little overweight so I deduct that from his weight: his optimum fit weight is 410kg. 20% of 410kg is 82kg (12st9lb). Take away a stone for tack and clothing takes us to 11st9lb. However, recent studies have suggested horses are better and more comfortable carrying 10-15% of their optimum body weight. So that would be 61.5kg for 15%, making the overall weight drop sharply to 9st6lb including tack and clothing. To split the difference I set his weight limit at 10.5st, meaning he'll be carrying a maximum of 11.5st when fully tacked etc. 11.5st is about 18% of his non-podgy optimum weight.
Everyone thinks I'm mad for setting a fell pony's limit at 10.5st and I've even had people ask if he's injured or unwell, but I don't want him to struggle, I feel that just because he can doesn't necessarily mean he should. I ride him for the odd 20min schooling session or wander round the fields but unless I drop I stone (working on it) I won't ride him properly. I'm also 5'9" and feel balancing a taller heavy weight is trickier for him than a shorter one.
Luckily his current sharer is 5' and weighs about 7st so I think I'm okay on that front. Anyway just my two pennies worth and no doubt unpopular , but thought I'd explain my decision making process!

Excellent post.

I think the adults posting pictures on this thread are fine. I prefer smaller horses but would never put more than around 17-18% of their ideal weight on their backs. My mare is a 15.1 WB x TB and I am almost 5'10. I weigh nine and a half stone. I know that I am too tall ideally, but not too heavy. I look best on a 16.2hh. However, I am not going to sell my lovely mare to an unknown future just because she hasn't made the 16 hands of both her parents. She has a home for life with me barring life disasters and I'm sure she would prefer that to being sold on. It is also an incentive for me to stay in shape and not allow the pounds to pile on. If I fail in that respect then I will get a sharer, but it will be someone ten stone or under.

 

[Jojoba]

I too look best on something 17hh plus at a leggy 5'9" plus. I'm not aesthetically pleasing on my pony but I don't look too big. I feel a bit big though. I don't really believe that horses will tell you if they are struggling or don't want to do it, horses are generally known for their good natures and stoicism - a lot more riders would be faceplanting into the ground if that weren't the case .

 

[Mince Pie]

Excellent post.

I think the adults posting pictures on this thread are fine. I prefer smaller horses but would never put more than around 17-18% of their ideal weight on their backs. My mare is a 15.1 WB x TB and I am almost 5'10. I weigh nine and a half stone. I know that I am too tall ideally, but not too heavy. I look best on a 16.2hh. However, I am not going to sell my lovely mare to an unknown future just because she hasn't made the 16 hands of both her parents. She has a home for life with me barring life disasters and I'm sure she would prefer that to being sold on. It is also an incentive for me to stay in shape and not allow the pounds to pile on. If I fail in that respect then I will get a sharer, but it will be someone ten stone or under.

Is that the lovely filly you got a while ago? I think she was about 14.2 at the time and I remember you worrying about what height she was going to make.

 

[Wagtail]

Is that the lovely filly you got a while ago? I think she was about 14.2 at the time and I remember you worrying about what height she was going to make.

It is, yes. I'm surprised she made 15.1 because she seemed to be stuck at 14.2 for a long time. She's only just five now so still hoping for a bit more length perhaps. She's very compact and saddle length is posing a problem. I have had to go treeless.

 

[Mince Pie]

What about a wow? I think they are the ones where you can have a 16" saddle with a 17" seat?

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I ride ponies and have done for the past 19 years. Had a horse, lost confidence and went back to ponies. My main chap is a solid 14.2hh and I'm 5'6ish. We've never had an issue with me looking too big. Yes, over the years my weight has fluctuated with my pregnancies but I lost 2 stone in order to back my youngster. I do think that some people are too heavy for their animals but that goes for horses and ponies. As for size, I don't think it matters, although I look ridiculous on my son's 11.2hh and wouldn't ride her anyway as too small.

You'll soon know if the pony is uncomfortable with you riding her. I rode my 13hh NF and although the picture didn't look great she was happy to let me ride her. Have fun with yours OP

 

[Roanioponio]

You will be fine op. I am 5'7 and 60kg and I ride my 13hh new forest pony (although I don't do much with her and would ping off her head if i tried to jump as my 15.3hh is just way comfier for me!!) but she is so fun to hack out and having a laugh as I ping around the stubble fields. She pulls me around and is more than eager to canter, never looks unhappy to carry me. I have a very lightweight saddlr and I don't ride her on the days I feel fat

For some reason she's never sweaty or tired after our rides unlike my Irish sport horse who is very fit.