Am I too big for my pony?

[struttysarah]

Am I too big for my pony? She is a 13.3 cob, not a heavy weight, more of a medium weight. I feel quite unbalanced on her now and find it difficult to sit a canter on her, my younger sister manages perfectly well, and I'm fine on a horse. Any opinions welcome! I have attached a picture below.

 

[AmyMay]

Yep. Too big.

 

[ycbm]

Well if you feel wrong on her now, then you're wrong on her now whether she can carry you or not.

You're riding too short (in order for your leg not to hang below her belly?). If you lengthen your stirrups you will look very tall on her but probably feel a lot better balanced.

This will also allow you to shift forwards in the saddle to where she can more easily carry you, you are currently sat far too far back.

What do you and she weigh? I wouldn't want to go over 15% including clothes and tack, possibly less if she's getting on in years.

Hope that helps.
.

 

[CobsaGooden]

You are too tall, yes. As above, stirrups down as your position is all wrong and out of balance.

 

[struttysarah]

Well if you feel wrong on her now, then you're wrong on her now whether she can carry you or not.

You're riding too short (in order for your leg not to hang below her belly?). If you lengthen your stirrups you will look very tall on her but probably feel a lot better balanced.

This will also allow you to shift forwards in the saddle to where she can more easily carry you, you are currently sat far too far back.

What do you and she weigh? I wouldn't want to go over 15% including tack, possibly less if she's getting on in years.

Hope that helps.
.

She weighs around 360kg and I'm 10.5 stone, I will try riding with longer stirrups, it just means I cant touch her belly very well and she need a lot of leg

 

[Lauraback]

Agree Your balance would be better with longer stirrups. However at 10.5 stone plus tack clothes etc on a 360 kg pony you are too heavy as well as being too tall

 

[ycbm]

She weighs around 360kg and I'm 10.5 stone, I will try riding with longer stirrups, it just means I cant touch her belly very well and she need a lot of leg

Then you are too tall for her. Or she needs reschooling to go from a light touch of the calf instead of a kick by the foot.

And you're probably too heavy as well by most people's standards. You are probably at least 12 stone with tack and fully clothed, which makes you well over the 54kg which should put you at 15% and you may even be over the 20% which is reckoned to be the absolute limit.

How old is she, she looks as though she's getting on a bit?

 

[struttysarah]

Then you are too tall for her. Or she needs reschooling to go from a light touch of the calf instead of a kick by the foot.

And you're probably too heavy as well by most people's standards. You are probably at least 12 stone with tack and fully clothed, which makes you well over the 54kg which should put you at 15% and you may even be over the 20% which is reckoned to be the absolute limit.

How old is she, she looks as though she's getting on a bit?

She is only 13, but a lot of people think she is older.

 

[struttysarah]

A pic with longer stirrups, she is a bit underweight at the moment because she had some health problems over winter, so excuse the slightly scrawny neck

 

[webble]

You look better with the longer stirrups although I'd still want them down a bit personally but I would say 10.5 stone is too heavy for her sorry

 

[splashgirl45]

You are probably a bit big for her but it also depends on how much you are doing. If it’s a slow hack a couple of times a week you could carry on but if you are expecting lots of cantering etc then no you shouldn’t be riding her . Your stirrups still are too short IMO and if she is underweight your management needs looking at before she gets ridden too much

 

[sbloom]

Even with slow work excess weight, sometimes even excess height (leverage, saddle issues) can cause poor posture and movement patterns which leads to long term soundness issues, it's not just fast work that's the problem. In fact long walk hacks can be very hard on horses.

If you really worked on her posture from the ground, built topline (see equitopiacenter.com for lots of resources) etc, then she'd be better placed to take you, potentially, but not right now.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

You look better with longer stirrups because your balance is better and your upper body is further back, try bending your elbows and having them against the side of your body look up and sit on your bum, lift you hands a little bit and try and stick your shoulders back.

You might be a bit heavy but if you sit better it makes all the difference.

 

[struttysarah]

Thank you for your help guys, I'll try longer stirrups and the other things. I am currently looking for a horse, but have been for 9 months and no luck yet. I'm just worried about my girly in the meantime!

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

who told you she was 13.3 have you measured her yourself x

 

[struttysarah]

who told you she was 13.3 have you measured her yourself x

Her previous owners told me, I have measured her myself too. she is a smidge under 14hh and a smidge over if she has shoes on x

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Ok she looks a lot smaller how tall are you x

 

[struttysarah]

Ok she looks a lot smaller how tall are you x

around 5ft5, maybe a bit more x

 

[Kirstd33]

Sorry but I do think you're a little too heavy and the fact that you're feeling unbalanced also a little too tall for her?

My coblet is 14.1hh and a fairly LW cob at approx 370kg and I feel at his upper end at 5ft 3 tall and 8.5 stone. This puts me at 16-17% of his weight with clothes and saddle.
FWIW I think you're probably Ok for short hacks and pootling but not much more.

 

[I'm Dun]

If your 5ft5 and shes supposed to be just short of 14hands, one of those figures doesn't seem right. Is she definitely nearly 14hands?

She also looks fairly poor, no muscle or topline. It would be better for you to do some ground work and long lining. That will help her without carrying weight on her back. Fit and strong you could get away with it, but not in her current physical shape

 

[Jambarissa]

From the photo I'd say she's the type that'd be fine taking you on a steady hack but in terms of faster work or schooling you are too tall, you're moving the centre of gravity of the pair of you upwards so need to be very well balanced to keep it over her feet.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I think you should work on building her up in hand and long rein etc while looking for a bigger horse. Then concentrate on the horse and let your sister ride this pony. Well done for caring enough to ask opinions.

 

[wills_91]

I think you should work on building her up in hand and long rein etc while looking for a bigger horse. Then concentrate on the horse and let your sister ride this pony. Well done for caring enough to ask opinions.

This, have you looked for a share meantime?

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

I agree the maths ain’t adding up with the heights just because I know loads of 5,4/ 5’5 people that ride 13.3 cobs and they don’t look like that reminds me more of one girl who didn’t believe us her pony’s was 12.1 she thought it was 13/14 hh until we saw measured it infront of her x

 

[ihatework]

I think you are a bit tall and a bit heavy for her, especially as she looks weak over her top line. If she were significantly better muscled then you might just about get away with it.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Am I too big for my pony? She is a 13.3 cob, not a heavy weight, more of a medium weight. I feel quite unbalanced on her now and find it difficult to sit a canter on her, my younger sister manages perfectly well, and I'm fine on a horse. Any opinions welcome! I have attached a picture below.

Yes sorry to big

Constructive Criticism here


The photo seems slightly at an angle or because the picture taken so this side in shadow, but - Not sure if those are jumping length, but your stirrups seem too short, or was that done to reduce the over all look. Also you look slightly hunched at your shoulders and your knee angle seems to acute. Sorry MY BHS Instructor head on.

Straight line from . ear - shoulder - hip - heel
elbow - ring finger - bit.

It's a good thing to be tall but it is hard when you get too tall for your pony. He has quite a short neck which also gives the overall impression your too tall.

 

[JBM]

I wouldn’t suggest riding the pony while she’s underweight the 15/20% rule only holds with a fit horse she will be able to carry less as is.

 

[dorsetladette]

She does look like she needs to build top-line and general condition. Luckily you have the whole summer ahead of you for her to gain weight. There are lots of ground work exercises you can do to help gain muscle tone in the right area's. A good physio can help you with this.

As an example I have a none ridden pony - we do lots of raised poles and backing up up hill, carrot stretches, long reining over and round obstacles etc. He walks out in hand - like hacking but without a saddle and rider, he loves it and it helps with my weight management too.

As your pony is today I think your are a bit heavy for her and with out developed muscle she will struggle to balance with you onboard which is possibly why you feel unbalanced (that and the short stirrups). This is mostly due to your height rather than weight to be honest, but never the less you are changing her centre of gravity.


Can you do lots of ground work with her until you find a more suitable mount? it is very rewarding and with set you up to establish a good relationship with any future horse you do purchase.

 

[Mari]

Yes you’re too big height wise & too heavy weight wise. You’d need something nearer 15hh medium build.

 

[struttysarah]

If your 5ft5 and shes supposed to be just short of 14hands, one of those figures doesn't seem right. Is she definitely nearly 14hands?

She also looks fairly poor, no muscle or topline. It would be better for you to do some ground work and long lining. That will help her without carrying weight on her back. Fit and strong you could get away with it, but not in her current physical shape

Yes, 100%