Fat shetland - carry my weight?

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lauraandben2010

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We have a lovely 10.3 h shetland for my little boy who has cp - she is fab physio for him! She is a total star but a right lazy trout, and as he can only walk on her that is all she is doing at the moment.

Have tried all local ways/ internet to get a rider for her - but noone as yet. So can she take my weight - 8 stone 5foot.5? Really need to work some of the fat that is building up on her as the good grass comes in
 
I would have though she could carry you pretty easily, maybe get on and see how she feels, you should be able to tell if she is struggling! :)
 
lauraandben2010 said:
We have a lovely 10.3 h shetland for my little boy who has cp - she is fab physio for him! She is a total star but a right lazy trout, and as he can only walk on her that is all she is doing at the moment.

Have tried all local ways/ internet to get a rider for her - but noone as yet. So can she take my weight - 8 stone 5foot.5? Really need to work some of the fat that is building up on her as the good grass comes in
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If she is unfit then I wouldn't until she had built up some fitness.
 
Whilst your weight may not be an issue, I really think you would be too tall. I'm only 5.2ft and I wouldn't be comfortable riding any of the shetland's I show inhand for a breeder, with the exception of the stallions who are just that bit bigger.

How about long-reining? It's a great way to built up fitness inhand.
 
Quite frankly I'd say no. Unless you are already doing so, reassess her diet - soaked hay, no hard food, very restricted grazing etc, or if she really is that fat and has access to good grass you could be heading towards problems with laminitis. We have a 36" shetland and we take him for walks around big fields, trotting up hills, and sometimes even lead him behind the mini quad for a canter. We are lucky to have use of a school and short lunging sessions get him panting and the kids lead him over little poles in trot - all good aerobic exercise and he is now nice and trim (he has had lami in the past so we have to be very careful about his weight).
 
I'm about the same weight as you and have sorted out some naughty ponies who were around the 11hh mark and they carried me easily (with the caveat that this will depend on the individual animal). If the pony is unfit, start slowly and build up very gradually to avoid causing harm. Is the pony overweight or just unfit? Agree with 3Beasties, you should be able to tell if he is struggling, in which case you would stop. I'm not as tall though as you though, so that may be the limiting factor for you as with little ponies there isn't a great deal in front of you if they start messing around!
 
i dont see why not, i had a got put on my friends 13.2 pony today now im not exactly small! im 5"9 and weigh 11 stone and the little sh*t who naps all the time and rears, managed perfectly fine to rear with me, and walk trot and canter. and tbh i didnt feel overly big on him either and he managed fine
 
Thanks for the fast replies. I have started lead reining her over poles and to trot round the small school at the yard. I will see about long reining her though, she is just so lazy! She has always been a first pony and likes to just plod - which is why we got her for my son - as anything faster would be unsafe as we have to help balance him on her.

She won't be stabled so that is out - she has no hard food at the mo just grazing. I will let you know how the summer diet plan works out for us :)
 
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