Correct weight for a 13.2 deep chested New Forest?

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Beatrice5

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Okay I am getting obsessed with the weigh tape.

Skinny Tb improving greatly and such a relief. originally 420kg now nearly 440kg in just over a week if tape can be relied upon?!

Now my attentions have turned to my tubbies.

All on no hard feed just ad lib hay and straw mixed up in small gauge nets and turnout on churned pretty bare paddock.

The girls I am happy with at about 497kg for 15.1 and 15.2 Cob x's

The boy is looking too good for this time of year and measured 430kg....eeeekkkk Slight crest which I have never beaten, no gutter and no fat pads but 430kg for a 13.2 pony sounds horrendous to me. He is a pure Newfie forest bred but not super fine and deep girthed. We are doing lead rein stuff whenever we can and I hack but am too scared to sit on him for more than 10 mins are he is newly backed and I am just over 9 stone so feel far too big on him and cruel. I don't want to damage him. Would also like advice on a fittening programme I could follow to build him up stamina wise so he could carry me for short hacks if anyone can help with that?

Comparrisons would be great if you can.

Many thanks
 
9 stone should be no problem for a NF, even just backed he will be able to go for some reasonable hacks and do light schooling, they are tough weight carriers and it would help get some weight off as well as muscle him up.
 
Really.....?

We live on the edge of Exmoor on top of a huge 2nd gear ( my personal hill classification ) hill. There is not a flat road in sight.

If I were back home in flat old Oxfordshire I wouldn't worry as much.

Everytime I set off I end up hopping off him after 10 mins feeling like a horrid mean person.
 
I'm no expert on weight, but I tend to go by look and feel.

If your pony hasn't got fat pads or a gutter he's going in the right direction. Some ponies are naturally thicker set in the neck. Is it flab or is it muscle??

FWIW I don't think you're too heavy for him at all. I was rather more heavy when I rode my recently backed 13.2hh lean NF! I thought I might topple off or flatten her, but she didn't seem to notice I was there even though her 'backing' rider was about 4 stone lighter than me!

Could you ride one of your others and lead the Newfie? It's a great way of exercising them and getting youngsters used to stuff. I'd suggest when not leading on the road to swap sides though as one of my youngsters became very one-sided as I'd led her a lot and she went along strongly with her head wrapped into my lap - big mistake!
 
Beatrice5 said:
Really.....?

We live on the edge of Exmoor on top of a huge 2nd gear ( my personal hill classification ) hill. There is not a flat road in sight.

If I were back home in flat old Oxfordshire I wouldn't worry as much.

Everytime I set off I end up hopping off him after 10 mins feeling like a horrid mean person.
Click to expand...

See how he copes or lead him up the hill if you feel guilty and hop on after!

When I first backed one of my Welsh D's she got exhausted very quickly early on, to the point that she'd stand resting with her head on the floor! Though she built up stamina quite quickly and could go for an hours' walk on the flat without being knackered after a few weeks.

My other mare when she was young, I don't remember her ever being too tired for anything, but then I spent more time off her than on!! ;-)
 
9 stone-PAH not too heavy. I ride my 13.3 welsh and I'm 12st 8 she has no problem. And physio has said so too.
also said welsh is a chunky thing built like the brick outhouse and a good weight for her is 354 kg
 
Unfortunately ride and lead isn't an option at the moment as I need to teach my 2 year old to be left home alone. This is on the agenda and will be started shortly just trying to work out if she is better left in the post and railed corral with a fence about 4ft 6 high or in the field with horse elec fence? My mare is her Mum and the gelding is her bestest buddy so it won't be easy. I can take gelding or mare individually with only a few whinnies but I am not sure what she will do with both going and need to arrange someone here to watch her while I take the other 2 out. I need inspector gadget extender arms atm :)

I will try to be braver and sit on him for longer. I love riding him he is really lovely and rides much bigger than he looks.

His neck is thick not flabby but solid so I assume muscle. He does enough bombing up and down the field all day and leaping and bucking so I guess he is reasonably fit. He is always nipping and ripping the girls rugs so his neck gets plenty of use too...! the little monkey!
 
you are not too heavy for him! go for it 20mins then 30 mins then 45 mins and then the world is your oyster! sounds like a good leg at each corner sort! you sound like you have a variety! skinny tb needs ad lib hay/haylage and some bucket grub. cobx sound fine and 13.2 nf ad lib hay is fine and work! handful of nuts if very good!
 
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