How many adults riding smallish ponies?

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Patchworkpony

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Given that ponies are so much more fun, are hardy and cheaper to keep and generally have a brain I do wonder how many adults are now turning to ponies as their main mount. I should love to know what height and weight (if you don't mind) on what size and breed of pony adults are riding successfully. Also whether those who stick to riding ponies enjoy them as much as I do. I used to hunt two 13.2 fells and there seemed to be nowhere they couldn't get over or, at a pinch, through!

Ponies can be so much a 'best friend' but many adults get ridiculed for riding them - such a shame. By the way I don't mean show ring natives but everyday working animals that can do a proper job. Anyone got any stories to tell about their ponies?
 
I do get the occasional rude comment or glare from a snotty rider, but wouldn't swap my exmoors for anything. Had so many adventures on Henry and starting on Chloe, now, too. Henry is 12hh and Chloe is about 12.2hh. I'm 10 stone and 5'4". We only hack, but I do know someone taller than me who does dressage with her exmoor. :)
 
I am 29 years old, 5ft 3in and weigh about 10 stone.

I have a 13.3hh Haflinger. He is my only pony and I use him for everything. We hack, jump, school, bit of local showing and he is amazing! He costs peanuts to keep (grass livery is only £10 a week, barefoot, naked, minimal hay and feed as hes a good doer etc)

Id have ponies over horses any day!

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My pony is 14hh - the one in my signature.

I think I look fine on him. I love ponies and horses for different reasons and when i bought Kes I didn't set out to buy another pony. It's taken me a while to put my finger on the problem... I love pony personality and pony good looks, but I like the bigger stride and comfier ride of a horse.

The solution? I clearly need a pony and a horse :-)

HaffiesRock - I love your pony and I'm rather jealous of your 10 pound a week grazing; I'm paying 25 pounds a week for grazing with no facilities.
 
I am so jealous! I'm far too big for ponies now but miss them so much, horses are so serious and just don't have a sense of humour! Ponies are brilliant fun :)
 
Hi, my Welsh x is 14hh and a good solid chunky chap.

I'm 35 and vary between 11 1/2 to 12 stone. We hack, school and just have some fun. I have had the odd comment but I prefer ponies they're more fun :-)
 
I think part of the reason I got another pony was to win my husband over. He's always been tolerant of my riding, but I thought he would 'bond' better with a pony, because there is nothing he considers duller than a 16hh bay TB type, which he thinks have no souls.

I was right, he loves Kes to bits because he has so much character. Tom sees Kes taking the p out of him as Kes 'playing'. Ahhh.
 
5'7, 12 stone on 14.2hh Highland.
Does a bit of everything for fun - hacking/show jumping/cross country/does some showing/dressage.

I have to say there doesn't seem to be any snobby attitude up here. Everyone that meets my girl (showjumping or dressage) have commented on how lovely she is.
Yard I'm now on is mainly adults with ponies. So many adults comment on how they wish they'd bought a pony instead of a horse.
 
I ride a 13.0 hand Icelandic. I've never had anything over 14 hands in the past 40 years I've had ponies. I used to compete with Fell ponies but these days just ride out with my friends. He'll do 20 miles quite easily and still be raring to go the next day. I much prefer the character and toughness of ponies to that of horses and he also has the advantage of costing me under £50/month to keep.
 
Sorry to hijack, but what is the icelandic like to ride and keep? How does their temperament compare to British natives? And what is the tolt like to sit on?
 
I've made the decision to crawl up my landowners rear end to see If I can rent another field for her to take on my friends ponio. He's 14.2 and Im just under 5'3". I can just see us having loads of fun more so than my gorgeous horse..... Only time will tell if I'll be partially part of the pony owning club lol :D
 
metalmare said:
Sorry to hijack, but what is the icelandic like to ride and keep? How does their temperament compare to British natives? And what is the tolt like to sit on?
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Icelandics are ace! They do vary an awful lot so you can find one that suits your needs. In general most have excellent temperaments and are sociable and people friendly. Mine's temperament is not unlike the Fell we have in some ways but he is a lot more polite than the Fell . They are frugal to keep, a better doer than the Fell we have and that's a good doer. They vary a lot to ride but tend to be willing and sparky but in general pretty unflappable. Once you get used to tolt it is very comfy. I had a mare a while ago who was the comfiest ride I've ever known, you hardly knew you were moving except for the trees passing by! The one I have now has a comfy tolt but has a tendency to drop into trot if you let him which jolts you awake again. The only downer is their tendency to get sweet itch.
 
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Gloi said:
Icelandics are ace! They do vary an awful lot so you can find one that suits your needs. In general most have excellent temperaments and are sociable and people friendly. They are frugal to keep, a better doer than the Fell we have and that's a good doer. They vary a lot to ride but tend to be willing and sparky but in general pretty unflappable. Once you get used to tolt it is very comfy. I had a mare a while ago who was the comfiest ride I've ever known, you hardly knew you were moving except for the trees passing by! The one I have now has a comfy tolt but has a tendency to drop into trot if you let him which jolts you awake again. The only downer is their tendency to get sweet itch.
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That's really interesting, thank you. They're not a pony we seem to hear much of in this country. They're not alone with the sweet itch though, most of our natives are prone it seems. I used to have a pacer... that was dreadful to sit on, but I love the idea of the tolt.
 
metalmare said:
That's really interesting, thank you. They're not a pony we seem to hear much of in this country. They're not alone with the sweet itch though, most of our natives are prone it seems. I used to have a pacer... that was dreadful to sit on, but I love the idea of the tolt.
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You can get Icelandics that like to pace all the time that are horrible to ride too. However a lot of that is a training issue that can be resolved. You get them with different selections of gaits, some with pace and some without. The one I have now has walk/trot/tolt/canter and chooses trot by choice and you need to ask for tolt. The mare I had had walk/trot/tolt/canter/pace and chose tolt as her first choice of gait and you needed to ask her for trot.
One of mine came from the place you have been looking at. this is the breed society website http://www.ihsgb.co.uk/
 
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I was put on a 14.2 pony last year at a riding school, I was then just under 15 stone and I'm 5 ft 4. I'm not riding at the moment, but anything about 14.2 is the smallest I could ride with good inches of bone.
 
I'd love to be able to ride ponies but I'm too tall (5' 10") and my legs are massively long - it would look like a six legged freak creature :( I do have access to a pony who is shameless tart and we enjoy frequent pony snogs.
 
Yaay! A bit of Icelandic chat! I've been riding Icys for 20 years. I've had my own 10 year old Gelding for 5 years now. I would highly recommend them , they're so much fun and very low maintenance to keep. Mine paces and tolts but I've tried to promote the trot rather than pace because its uncomfortable to sit to. Icys are the best!
 
5'8 with a 14,1 highland, who does a bit of everything. Only issue is the length of my stirrups for dressage ;)

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Ah, a stunning highland, too. See, on one thread we have found beautiful haflingers, icelandics and highlands and this is the beauty of ponies... I'll have one of each, please :-)
 
I have a 12.2hh Exmoor mare. Frayne is built like a tank and looks taller, and definitely takes my leg well (I am 5'5" and around 9 stone). I also used to ride a 11.2hh Sec A - a chunky old-fashioned type - who didn't even know I was on him (pulled my arms out on rides and could go all day)! I would never have a horse again. The ponies are cheaper to feed/rug, require less space in the stable and field, I trim their hooves myself and, of course, are far easier to groom/wash/mount.

I am thinking of getting another riding pony and have seen a lovely 13hh Connie-cross. A bit longer in the leg, narrower and easy to handle.
 
The naughty rhino is only about 13.2. I'm 5'4" and around 9 1/2 stone. I think I look a bit big on him, but he is easily up to my weight.
When I weighed 8 1/2 stone (i'd been ill), the school I went to used to put me on any of the kids ponies that had been playing up. It was brilliant fun!
 
GeeGeeboy said:
Yaay! A bit of Icelandic chat! I've been riding Icys for 20 years. I've had my own 10 year old Gelding for 5 years now. I would highly recommend them , they're so much fun and very low maintenance to keep. Mine paces and tolts but I've tried to promote the trot rather than pace because its uncomfortable to sit to. Icys are the best!
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These are our Icelandics though it's not a very good picture. Mine old lad is on the left and the one on the right I bred and now my friend owns her.
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Awww, they're lovely Gloi. Where about in the country are you? I'm in Edinburgh. Will try to put a few photos up of my boy when I'm on my PC later.
 
I only hop on daughters pony 11.2hh (i'm 5'3 and 9.5) if she's ever naughty- but secretly I LOVE it! she's so much fun i'll only ever walk and trot her but she doesn't mind at all!
 
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