At 5'3" whats the smallest you would go?

McNally

McNally

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Horse/pony wise?

I went to see the Blue Cross recently and was surprised at their "you'd be good to rehome one to as we have to option of a young/greener pony"

I would be too big for a pony? I would feel too big but it made me wonder height wise whats the minimum size to ride daily i could get away with

Weight is anything between 8-9stone! (due to giving up smoking and taking up eating! slight fluctuation!)
 
IMO at 5ft3 you're definitely not too big for a pony and between 8-9 stone! I am 5ft3 and have a 14.1/14.2hh and look fine on her and am probably about 9 stone!! :D Suppose the min height would also depend on the horses build.
 
i am 5"3 and this is me two years ago on my 12.2
_MG_2722.jpg

sorry bit big
and this is me on my 14.2 /3
IMG_5254-1.jpg
 
At 5'3 you would look fine on a 14/14.2 pony and 9st is def not too much for a 14.2 or a sturdy 13.2. But it also depends on how you feel - from their point of view it is hard to find small adults to bring on young ponies but if you prefer something bigger then that's your choice.

My friend regularly exercises her daughter's 13.2 and she is 5'4 and 9stone - I have to say I hate hacking with her though because it makes my neck ache keep turning round to talk down to her!

For reference, the Pony Club weight limit for a child on a 12.2 games pony is 8 stone 5lb with the child dressed to ride.
 
You are definitely NOT too big to ride a pony!

I am also 5'3" and 8 stone and quite often will get asked to ride ponies, normally to 'sort them out' if they have been acting up with little children. I feel a bit ridiculous on anything under 13.2 ish although have been known to ride 12.2 JAs for short periods of time.

I actually prefer riding horses though, and my own boy is 15.3hh which feels perfect for me.
 
i'm 5ft9 and weigh about 9 1/2 stone and i ride my friends 14hh pony no issues so i would say you would be fine


me on 14hh pony
173062_1583967160746_1282745836_31243451_4619597_o.jpg
 
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It surprises me that you were suprised at all! 5'3" is tiny! I'm 5'8" and my lad is 13.2hh - I backed him last year and he is my forever pony (hopefully). I'm also the wrong side of 11 stone! To be fair the pony in question is a Fell pony and built like the proverbial out house and i am on a diet! I do have a fair bend in my legs and am slightly concerned that we will get laughed at on the new yard we are moving to in a couple of months! But I felt much bigger ridng a 16hh fine tb last year - was like sitting on a radiator!
 
I'm 5'2" and ride a 14.1hh cob cross Fell. She takes up the leg nicely.
I was taken out on a hack today by someone the same height as me (I'd estimate her weight at 8 stone) riding a fine welsh section B (approx 13hh ish). Her pony had no problems belting up the hill at full pelt! (twice)
 
mmm, Well i seem to have this idea that i'm much bigger (little man syndrome!)
I did ride my daughters 13.2 often in the winter but it was just exercising a someone elses pony. Her current pony is 14.2 and i commented the other day i wished he was bigger then i would have him as my own- The person i was with told me he looked just right for me!

I think part of the problem is at work i ride a 16.2 BIG horse so anything else feels too small!

I was just wondering partly as i have been offered a possible 15.1hh TB but was unsure if it was slightly on the small side!
I've not even taken the Blue Cross forms back as my current Livery yard wont come up to requirements but i want this horse before i move yards in the summer so daughters pony is less upset by the move (being with a horse he knows!) - Bit sappy maybe but he's our baby and is half blind and tends to be bullied
 
it really annoys me when people say your too heavy for little ponies. they are so much stronger then you think! ive got a 12.2hh NF and im 5ft3 and weigh 8.5 stone. i asked my vet if i was too heavy but she said he would easily carry 10stone and hes hasnt got a massive amount of bone.
 
Mmm I'm almost 5'11" and my girls 14.3hh and at my heavyest have been 14 stone. And my girl had no problems bogging off around 15/20 mile rides with me and troting back to the box! (I've had her 11 yrs, but shes still convinced shes a barrel racing pony!)
So your no way to small, I'd happily put you on my 11.2 sec a, to back him !
 
I am 5'2" (on a good day) I weigh 116lbs (also on a good day, I have no idea what that is in stones) my riding mare is a 14h stick insect.

I wouldn't feel comfortable riding anything less than 13h but that's just me, no doubt I could easily ride something much smaller. Over 20 years I have been steadily buying smaller riding horses, 15h, 14.2h and now the 14h mare, all arabs - only 3? Not bad going really.

Going the other way, I don't feel comfortable on anything over 16h either. Nothing I have is taller than that.

At your height I would say 13.2h would be a comfortable minimum height, but it really depends on whether you yourself feel underhorsed regardless of whether you actually are. :)
 
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Sorry, just to add - I think it also depends on what you're used to and what you see around you as well. I remember when I was growing up and riding at a riding school they kept putting me on taller and taller horses that were "right" for my height and also my age (as they percieved it). Also, most of the horses at the riding school were quite narrow compared to what you can get (even the ones they called cobs!). Also there is a tendancy I think for people to over estimate horses heights when they don't have a measuring stick. A few people have guessed my pony's height ar 14.2hh but he's not he's 13.2hh. It was only when I went to ride for someone who showed Fell ponies that she would stick me on anything over 13hh that was chunky that I realised I could ride smaller ponies. Also, until you see them in the flesh it's hard to appreciate how wide a fell or a highland can be! When you see the "big hair" classes at county shows (fells, dales and highlands) the majority of the ponies are under 14.2hh and the majority of the riders are adult. Look at an open ridden dartmoor / exmoor class and again, many of the riders will be adults. It's whatever you feel comfortable with but I do think people worry unneccesarily that as an adult at 5'3" they shouldn't ride a pony!. Go to Iceland - all they have are ponies, for the men and everyone!
 
My friend is 5'10" and rides and competes aff dressage on my 13.2 Cob. She doesn't look to big for him, and no-one believes he's 13.2 until you stand him next to my 14.1 stick insect, then you notice the height difference.

She always rode big horses until her 16.2 ID x passed away, and then she took over the cob. Now she says she would be reluctant to have such a big horse again.

Its all to do with how wide they are. My guy is 13.2 square (high and wide ;) ) so her leg is taken up by his width. I kind of look silly on him as I have short legs!
 
Welllll, I'm 5'3" and had intended getting something smaller (i.e. 14.3ish) BUT fate intervened and my boy is a bulky 15.1hh - and nearly as wide as he is high! Bless him.

I've got short legs which doesn't help the situation any, especially if I have to mount anywhere there isn't a mounting block!

I'd have thought you'd have been fine with anything from 12.2. upwards to be honest; especially as you're very light with it too.

Martin Clunes on his "Horse" programme last Thursday evening was out in Kazachstan riding a tiny pony and although it was on a built-up saddle, which is what they use, he was fine.

So I think you're one of the lucky people who would be fine on anything from 12.2 up to about 15hh if you felt like being a bit higher off the ground.
 
I'm another 5 foot 3" person with a pony! Ozzy is 14.1 but I used to ride a 13.2 no problem. I think anything smaller would feel a bit too small TBH, but IMO ponies rule!
 
It all depends on the horse. I'm 5ft9/10
Like I tried out a 16hh horse to buy and I thought he was too small for me.
Then a horse at my yard came up for sale and he was 15 hands, and he suits me perfectly, he rides like a much bigger horse.

No harm in trying :)
 
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