breaking ponies

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genandtom

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I have a rising 3 dartmoor pony which i am breaking, she has been lunged and longreined, she is very sensible and is ready to be backed, the lady at the yard where i keep her says i should ride her, i am about 12st and the pony is 12.2, she says the pony is fine to take heavy weights as they are stocky, but i think it will affect her joints and cause her problems in the future. I might add its not long rides, just around the school to get her used to being ridden and be taught basic aids. Who is right please!
 
i would use someone lighter to lean over her while you hold her, that way she won't be as worried as she'll have you with her and you can see how she reacts someone leaning over/getting on. I would also prob wait until she has turned 3 before anyone gets on...a couple of months will be better for her.
However once you've seen someone on her and how she goes forward i don't think you'll be too heavy for a bit of schooling/light hacks.
Depends on how you ride...do you sit heavy, shift your weight or do you have a quiet seat with light hands? How tall are you as you don't want your feet dragging on the floor!!!
Just take it slow. She'll tell you if she's struggling.
Good luck.
 
Thank you so much for your advice, I am about 5'4" and im sure will look ridiculous on her bless her but its difficult to know who is best to ride her away because surely its too tricky for children and i want her to have good manners and be safe for children and go to a loving home eventually. Thats the plan anyway, if i can bear to part with her!
 
If she's only rising 3 (so 2 and a half really) she's too young for lungeing (it puts a lot of strain on joints) and definitely too young for backing. I'd be waiting until about this time next yeat, TBH.

I've got a NF the same age and will start with him next summer. He might look like a chunky chap but he is only 2 and a half at the end of the day. Let them be babies!
 
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If she's only rising 3 (so 2 and a half really) she's too young for lungeing (it puts a lot of strain on joints) and definitely too young for backing. I'd be waiting until about this time next yeat, TBH.

I've got a NF the same age and will start with him next summer. He might look like a chunky chap but he is only 2 and a half at the end of the day. Let them be babies!

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Agree, with the above, I would be waiting at least another year with her to be honest.

I also own a 2 1/2 year old NF pony and I don't intend on backing him until he is 4. The long the better with these natives, their bone structures don't mature as quickly as other breeds.
 
I agree with waiting another year. My daughter has an ID x who is almost 4 and also a chunky boy, but will not be backed until next year. He wears tack/rugs/long lines has seen traffic and you can walk him over anything but he is a baby and is treated as such.
We have a pony on loan who did too much, too young and has soundness problems because of it.
I personally wouldnt put 12 stone on a dartmoor, and definatly not a youngster.
 
Ditto the too young to lunge comments. I have a 2.5 year old too (i.e rising 3) and he's had me sit on him briefly whilst having his dinner and that's it. He's still far too young to do any proper work.

I'm a stone and a half lighter than you (although taller) and I'm afraid I wouldn't consider getting on a 12.2 pony, never mind a 2.5 year old 12.2hh pony!

Not only is that a lot of weight for a small and unbalanced pony to be carrying, your weight is going to be concentrated in a tiny area under the saddle. Unless she's some freak of nature she'll be lucky to take more than a 16" saddle, if that, and 12st concentrated into that small surface bearing area will damage her back muscles quickly. Doesn't matter how well you ride, it's still a fair bit of weight on small panels.
 
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