Am I too big for my pony?

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I'm 20, 5'6 and just under 9 stone. I have a 13.2 welsh sec B and just wondering am I too big to ride her now? I wouldn't be doing much just some hacking and a bit schooling as my horse is lame but I don't want to ride her if I'm too big for her?
 

Meowy Catkin

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I think the OP also has a TB, so I guess that is the lame one and they are wondering about pottering about on the pony while the TB heals up?
 

GirlFriday

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I've been a similar height/weight and no way would I have got on a typical B.

Others may disagree but I personally was riding sec Ds at that size
 

Achinghips

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Depends on the type of work you do and the fitness and muscle of the horse. Pootling and hacking, yes if he's fit and strong. Jumping, if not fit and strong, prob not, for example .....
 

Mooseontheloose

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I think the weight of horse/rider ratio is reckoned to be 20%, so if your horse weighs 400 kgs, for example, you shouldn't weigh more than 80 kgs. And I think then sense should prevail, if you're at the top end of that ratio don't push the pony.
 

Mooseontheloose

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Yes, I should have said that. I'm always amazed at the ladies who arrive at the local riding school which has a weight limit, who consider their weight to be considerably less than what is obvious! And there they have the tack factored in before hand.
 

Crackerz

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OP that's a perfectly acceptable height/weight for a good Sec B. Plenty of adult pony riders compete them at probably a very similar height/weight.

I've been a similar height/weight and no way would I have got on a typical B.

Others may disagree but I personally was riding sec Ds at that size

I must be the obese lady squashing my 13.2hh New Forest then :D I look small on my Sec D!
 

JJS

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OP that's a perfectly acceptable height/weight for a good Sec B. Plenty of adult pony riders compete them at probably a very similar height/weight.

I must be the obese lady squashing my 13.2hh New Forest then :D I look small on my Sec D!

Agree with this. I really can't see her struggling with doing a bit of hacking and schooling with you on her back.
 

Pigeon

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I personally wouldn't but you could weigh her, then yourself with boots tack etc and see if you come under the 20%.
 

rowan666

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I think it depends hugely on the ponys build, I've seen some lovely chunky(ish) sec Bs but also some very fine/dainty types, also how much muscle coverage they have and level of fitnes. Personally at 9 stone I wouldn't even consider getting on a dainty type but would maybe ride a chunkier type if it was fit and well muscled for half an hour.
 

shadowboy

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Most sec B ponies are quite fine ; if yours is more old fashioned and thicker then should be OK but personally I wouldn't. But that's because I'd 'feel' oversize and therefore not enjoy it as much.
 

southerncomfort

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I think it depends hugely on the ponys build, I've seen some lovely chunky(ish) sec Bs but also some very fine/dainty types, also how much muscle coverage they have and level of fitnes. Personally at 9 stone I wouldn't even consider getting on a dainty type but would maybe ride a chunkier type if it was fit and well muscled for half an hour.

Agree with this. I used to ride our Section B very occasionally but I was no more than 8 st and I would have said that was the very maximum she could comfortably carry being of a fairly dainty build.
 

Gloi

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How does he feel when you ride him? Does he tire quickly or is he still working as you would expect. He'll tell you if he isn't coping.
 

Lovethebeach

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OP is under 9 stone, 9 stone in lbs is 126, allowing 20lbs for tack = 146, this in KG is 66, if 66kg is 20% then can ride a pony over 330kg. My fine built sec A 11.3 hands weighs 343kg on vet scales. Would imaging that OP just fine on her B. Have fun with your pony and hope horse better soon :)
 

CrazyMare

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The pony will tell you! I'm a little taller and a little heavier and my ponies are all non native types, varying from 13.1h to 14.2h and from 4 years old to 24 years old.

I've ridden more ponies than I can count, I do ponies, I do far better with ponies than bigger horses (we've had bigger in the past) and I have got on before (sometimes big ponies) and known that the pony doesn't like it, so I work those ones from the ground on long lines.

This pony is 13.1h, the hedge is about 4ft. She was 21 at the time I think?

577891_10151320133142162_1035577398_n.jpg


This one is 14h and the jump is 1m15 - just short of 4ft? She is 8

13178613_10154181615737162_3082546879990914730_n.jpg


Same pony on the flat

13607051_10210184465716336_7396317327658033164_n.jpg


This one is 14.2h, 4 years old and a week back in work

13010775_10154124445587162_7060200636356013328_n.jpg


What I can say for sure is that a pony will not do those things if you are too big. If it is ears back, tail swishy, bunching up in front, not going forward etc, then it is trying to tell you something.
If it isn't fit, condition it carefully and slowly with lots of walk work, building up the length of time and adding trot in.
 
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Thanks everyone for your help going off the comments I think I'll be fine riding hers he's still really forward going and doesn't show any signs that she's uncomfortable or struggling like I said I would only be hacking and schooling anyway not going crazy with her lol. I would of just added a picture so yous could see her build but I haven't a clue how to do that :)
 

Mince Pie

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Thanks everyone for your help going off the comments I think I'll be fine riding hers he's still really forward going and doesn't show any signs that she's uncomfortable or struggling like I said I would only be hacking and schooling anyway not going crazy with her lol. I would of just added a picture so yous could see her build but I haven't a clue how to do that :)

If you have a photobucket account (they're free and easy to use if not) then use the IMG code to share on the forum :)

This is me on a 13.1hh Welsh C, I'm around 9.2 on average
IMGP2268_zps3771f077.jpg


As you can see she wasn't objecting!
DSC01839_zps4c69f7e7.jpg
 

GirlFriday

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There isn't a picture on this thread that looks in proportion to me. :-(

Riding is a risk sport for both participants. Personally I feel a responsibility to acknowledge that and minimise risk to equine by riding something that can carry me easily rather than something that makes me feel safely close to the floor/I feel I can be in control of through strength/I happen to find available whilst a more suitable mount isn't.

Don't really understand the supportive attitude h&h takes to shows in general telling adults to get off kids ponies but the support for individuals who are way out of scale.

It really isn't a question of the OP ( or any one else on this thread) being the wrong size for their frame, simply the wrong size for ponies.

There are loads of bigger mounts out there for people to share/borrow/hire if they want to keep hold of little ones but also ride.
 

huskydamage

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There isn't a picture on this thread that looks in proportion to me. :-(

Riding is a risk sport for both participants. Personally I feel a responsibility to acknowledge that and minimise risk to equine by riding something that can carry me easily rather than something that makes me feel safely close to the floor/I feel I can be in control of through strength/I happen to find available whilst a more suitable mount isn't.

None of these reasons are why I have a pony. strength to control it? A pony or horse is way stronger than me any day of the week! Reasons why I do not have a horse are numerous but in all honesty the majority of big horses I have ridden I found dull. I do not want to go crashing through the forest on some great big 17hh head -ripper-offer. Ponies are more fun for me .
In regard to OPs question I am 5'6 also and wouldn't ride anything smaller than 14hh though personally its not nice for balance
 

Mince Pie

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There isn't a picture on this thread that looks in proportion to me. :-(

Riding is a risk sport for both participants. Personally I feel a responsibility to acknowledge that and minimise risk to equine by riding something that can carry me easily rather than something that makes me feel safely close to the floor/I feel I can be in control of through strength/I happen to find available whilst a more suitable mount isn't.

Don't really understand the supportive attitude h&h takes to shows in general telling adults to get off kids ponies but the support for individuals who are way out of scale.

It really isn't a question of the OP ( or any one else on this thread) being the wrong size for their frame, simply the wrong size for ponies.

There are loads of bigger mounts out there for people to share/borrow/hire if they want to keep hold of little ones but also ride.

The adults in question were too big for the ponies which was the issue, and you obviously aavent been around long enough to know that forum members will tell someone iif they are too big for their mount - generally very bluntly!
I don't see a size issue with either myself or the other poster who put photos up, I'm 5'3" so hardly tall and the other poster, whilst taller is not too big either. Will you tell riders like WFP that he can't ride anything under 18hh? This attitude that ponies, who were originally bred to carry adults or other heavy loads - such as the highland deer ponies - can't carry an adult weighing less than 9 stone!
 

[59668]

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There isn't a picture on this thread that looks in proportion to me. :-(

Riding is a risk sport for both participants. Personally I feel a responsibility to acknowledge that and minimise risk to equine by riding something that can carry me easily rather than something that makes me feel safely close to the floor/I feel I can be in control of through strength/I happen to find available whilst a more suitable mount isn't.

Don't really understand the supportive attitude h&h takes to shows in general telling adults to get off kids ponies but the support for individuals who are way out of scale.

It really isn't a question of the OP ( or any one else on this thread) being the wrong size for their frame, simply the wrong size for ponies.

There are loads of bigger mounts out there for people to share/borrow/hire if they want to keep hold of little ones but also ride.

This is so ridiculous

In so many countries it is the norm for adults to ride ponies. Genghis Khan built an empire off this. If it didn't work, it wouldn't happen. They wouldn't be able to do it.

New Forest ponies were bred to carry men. Shetlands are able to carry men. It's not cruel. It's just what our society says is normal that makes adults ride horses.

Adults have not been asked to get off ponies at shows. OVERWEIGHT adults have been asked to get off ponies.

I have a 13.2 NF mare, am 5ft3 and weigh more than the riders slated here. But. I compete in powerlifting, so most of my weight is muscle, and I don't look out of propertion because of this. Believe me she is more than capable of carrying me!
 

Crackerz

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Riding is a risk sport for both participants. Personally I feel a responsibility to acknowledge that and minimise risk to equine by riding something that can carry me easily rather than something that makes me feel safely close to the floor/I feel I can be in control of through strength/I happen to find available whilst a more suitable mount isn't.

There are loads of bigger mounts out there for people to share/borrow/hire if they want to keep hold of little ones but also ride.

Ha!
I don't have ponies for ANY of those reasons above. I have native ponies because i prefer them over anything else.

I've done my time of re-training ex racers, breaking in & competing bigger horses, but not one of them was anywhere as near as good as all the ponies i have had and currently have.
 

Micropony

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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.
 
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