Feeling a bit stuck/having a crisis

[J_sarahd]

As you may or may not know, I own a 13.2hh pony. Whilst I am pushing too tall for him, he has never seemed to show any signs that I am too big - he will be still pulling like a train to the last cross country fence. I got a second opinion on my saddle as it was slipping forward, causing him to display some unwanted behaviours. The saddle fitter said we are difficult partnership to fit as I ideally want a 17in saddle but that the current saddle is fine for now. Also our flatwork session last night was terrible.

This has sent me into a bit of a crisis into what do I do now. I always had it in my head that I’d do a season or two with him then put him out on full loan to a teenager and get myself a 15.2-16hh older, schoolmaster horse to do a bit more eventing on (the ultimate dream is the Badminton Grassroots final). But now I am questioning whether I am right for him at all anymore and whether I should just cut my losses and sell him as I know that what I am after will be expensive.

What would others do in my situation? Sorry for such a weird thread, I’ve just been rolling it over in my head for a while now, thinking what is best.

NB: we are going to try some new saddles to see if there’s a better fit out there.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have no idea on budget or if these are saddles you may like or dislike but Thorowgood/Kent and masters certainly used to do a compact model which was on shorter panels I think it was designed specifically for horses who’s back required a shorter saddle than the rider (I believe!)
Might be worth a look?

 

[tda]

Also look at Andrea Hicks AH SADDLES

 

[J_sarahd]

Sorry, should’ve said - he’s currently in a K&M pony jump

 

[poiuytrewq]

Sorry, should’ve said - he’s currently in a K&M pony jump

The regular one though? What size?
I think the 17” compact is the equivalent to a 16 or 16.5 regular so might just an able you to get the extra seat size

 

[J_sarahd]

The regular one though? What size?
I think the 17” compact is the equivalent to a 16 or 16.5 regular so might just an able you to get the extra seat size

Yeah regular pony jump in 16.5in. Oh thats interesting - i didn’t realise this

 

[Crollaz]

I am definitely in the sell camp, you want something that suits your situation better and this pony could be having a great life doing what it loves with someone else and teaching them. If you cant/wont sell look at loaning to someone more suitable and of course you can then have the pony back for retirement if you still cant part with him but it might make up your mind to sell at a later date depending on what happens. Good Luck

 

[I'm Dun]

I felt the same. I owned a super star 14.1hh sporty little cob. Lots of peoples dream. It just didnt work. I got it into my head I was too big and it never went away. I still think I was too big even though she never had any issues at all. I used to fall off a lot just straight out the side door as there was nothing in front.

I sold her and bought a 16.1hh big chunk of a TB and its been amazing. I am so much happier. It took me well over a year to make the decision and my only regret is that I didnt do it sooner.

 

[Ambers Echo]

If you intend to end your partnership with this pony anyway, then I’d do it now you want to gain
confidence/experience with a pony you trust before moving on to a bigger one.

But if he’s not right why wait 2 years to find the one who is?

 

[J_sarahd]

I think I always said he would have a home for life with me and he is great, he’s just small. I would ideally full loan him out but then that leaves me with no money to buy what I want and my ideal horse very rarely, if ever, comes up for full loan. I was planning on the 2 years because I know he can’t take me past BE80/smaller BE90s because of his height so I was planning on getting an experienced horse once I’d had a few runs to maybe take me that step up/be more competitive

 

[Leandy]

I also would accept he is not going to be the pony for you and look to move him on and replace with what you do want. You don't need to rush it but I don't see the point of spending two years being held back by his size when you could be getting on with getting to where you want to be.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I'd have loved to have kept Dolly for the same reason. She was a superstar pony. But she was too small for me to feel comfortable on her and great ponies do find great homes. She has gone to a brilliant home and they adore her. In the current market you can be very choosy about where a pony goes. I more or less picked her home from a shortlist of people who all wanted her. Plus they are worth a fortune which does allow you to buy soethjing more suitabnle for yourself. But it's a very personal choice and you need to decide what feels right.

 

[Melody Grey]

I’m sure there will be opportunities to loan horses of owners going to uni that might fit your bill?

 

[J_sarahd]

I'd have loved to have kept Dolly for the same reason. She was a superstar pony. But she was too small for me to feel comfortable on her and great ponies do find great homes. She has gone to a brilliant home and they adore her. In the current market you can be very choosy about where a pony goes. I more or less picked her home from a shortlist of people who all wanted her. Plus they are worth a fortune which does allow you to buy soethjing more suitabnle for yourself. But it's a very personal choice and you need to decide what feels right.

Thats the thing - I could sell him in a heartbeat to a great family with a kid who is going to pony club stuff and just wants to have fun as he is SO fun. I know selling him is the “head” decision but my heart is just breaking at the thought of it

 

[J_sarahd]

I’m sure there will be opportunities to loan horses of owners going to uni that might fit your bill?

To be fair I have had a look at the Eventing UK facebook page and there does seem to be a few up for full loan so I guess it is possible to go down the full loaning route

 

[Pinkvboots]

I would look into an AH saddle they do upswept panels so you can have a longer seat on a smaller pony.

 

[J_sarahd]

I’ve got a lesson with my trainer tomorrow so I’m going to talk to her because I keep changing my mind about what I think is the best thing to do. I swear horses are just heartbreakers in so many senses

 

[Lammy]

Just to say the K&M saddles seem to have longer panels than most other makes. I had a similar problem with a horse who was short backed and could take no more than a 17”, the K&M 17” was too long in the panel by about half an inch, other brands, GFS, Bates etc fit well in 17”. So you may find a saddle that doesn’t come up as long as the K&M and fits your both better?

 

[BallyJ]

I had a Patrick Wilkinson Teenager GP on my 13.2 pony.

Similar issue needed a bigger seat than she could ideally take.

 

[Cortez]

Wait a moment: so, you're contemplating loaning out this pony that is too small for you to ride, and then loaning a horse to ride? That's seems utterly mad to me. If he's not fitting the bill, then sell him to someone who'll love him and have fun, and go buy the right horse for you.

 

[J_sarahd]

He’s not too small for me to ride. Saddle fitter said that our current saddle isn’t a bad fit, it just isn’t necessarily ideal and that whilst I get away with the 16.5in, I would ideally be more suited to a 17in. If he was simply too small for me to ride, it would be a no brainer that he isn’t the pony for me so I should get something else. We are fine together and, with the right saddle could be consistent at 80 level. I wouldn’t push him beyond that. I am struggling with the concept of selling him because I want him to retire with me. I am probably too soppy but it’s true. Plus, I assume he would be sold on because children will outgrow him.

I am talking to my trainer tomorrow and the saddle fitter is coming back with more saddles to try so I hope by the end of the weekend I will have more clarity.

 

[PeterNatt]

It is quite simple go to a saddler that can make you a 'Custom Made Saddle' which will fit both your pony and you. That way you get exactly what you want.

 

[MuddyMonster]

If it helps, my 13.2-13.3h native pony & I have done many, many miles in a saddle that's ideally would be a bit bigger for me.

The saddle fits pony really well and has never caused him any issues but I would benefit in an ideal world to a slightly bigger saddle. It's not stopped us though, I've just adjusted slightly to it - it's really no big deal to us ?

His saddle is checked 2-3 times a year, the physio always comments how very few issues he has & the rest we just crack on with.

Obviously if he can't do what you want, that's different but a compromise isn't the end of the world if everything else is right.

 

[rextherobber]

I think it's lovely that while you have ambitions, you still have the long term security of your pony at heart. I hope you manage to find a way to make it work for you. ( For what it worth, I loaned out my first pony, so I could have him back for his retirement, and did as Melody Grey suggested, and loaned a bigger one. Worked for me!)

 

[J_sarahd]

I think it's lovely that while you have ambitions, you still have the long term security of your pony at heart. I hope you manage to find a way to make it work for you. ( For what it worth, I loaned out my first pony, so I could have him back for his retirement, and did as Melody Grey suggested, and loaned a bigger one. Worked for me!)

Thank you. He is my absolute world so I would hate for him to be passed around. Plus, ideally, he will retire with me. Obviously in an ideal world I will do the same as you and loan him out and find a bigger one to loan in his place.

I mean to be fair in an ideal world I’d keep him and just buy a bigger one!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I’d sell. You’re keener for a 16hh, that’s a big difference! I went from a 17.2 to a 14.2, it was a relief that he ended up a hand taller.

 

[Ratface]

I’ve got a lesson with my trainer tomorrow so I’m going to talk to her because I keep changing my mind about what I think is the best thing to do. I swear horses are just heartbreakers in so many senses

I can assure you that, indeed, horses are heartbreakers. However, you have the opportunity to a) find a saddle that fits your pony and you b) have her best interests to heart.
Good luck!

 

[J_sarahd]

I spoke to my trainer today and she agrees that selling and buying something bigger with more potential would be a good idea. She said that doing a season of BE on him would be good as it will help me but also increase his price (unless it goes entirely wrong). So as much as my heart is breaking saying this, that’s what I will probably do. I have managed to get a last minute appointment trying new saddles today so fingers crossed we find something that won’t break the bank.

 

[sbloom]

The regular one though? What size?
I think the 17” compact is the equivalent to a 16 or 16.5 regular so might just an able you to get the extra seat size

The TG/K&M Compact has a completely different tree, definitely not interchangeable, and the Compact has a deep seat that many will not get on with for jumping. Really there's no more space for the rider than there is in a more open seated model in a half inch smaller, in my experience.

It can be an issue fitting short backs for taller riders, there are so many options these days including very short panelled saddles, that sit you well forwards anyway (and so fitting within T18 is less important), but are fitted to pelvic length and not hip size or leg length. So may different types of options.

 

[poiuytrewq]

The TG/K&M Compact has a completely different tree, definitely not interchangeable, and the Compact has a deep seat that many will not get on with for jumping. Really there's no more space for the rider than there is in a more open seated model in a half inch smaller, in my experience.

It can be an issue fitting short backs for taller riders, there are so many options these days including very short panelled saddles, that sit you well forwards anyway (and so fitting within T18 is less important), but are fitted to pelvic length and not hip size or leg length. So may different types of options.

Thanks! I didn’t mean interchangeable but just tried to recall how a saddler explained them once when I was looking for a saddle I could ride my daughters pony in.
That is the idea of the model though isn’t it? Does it just not work very well?
I didn’t try as I know I dislike K and M saddles in general.