How much weight can a 12.2 cope with?

[BuzzyBee13]

Hi, we have a 12.2 coming back from his loan home tommorrow. To get straight to the point how much weight do you think he could cope with? He's farirly sturdy (welsh pony) and about 13 years old. It wont be hard riding, its just my daughter would like to hack and plod around the field on him to keep him ticking over, so how much do you think he could cope with for that? Also how much could he hold to jump with (under 2ft). It wouldnt be very often, say once every 2 or 3 weeks. Also my daughter is a very balanced and expericenced rider, dont know if this makes any difference. Thanks in advance xx

 

[Annette4]

I had a 12.2hh to bring on. He was a heinz 57 but welsh/m&m type as opposed to shop pony type.

I was 9st (possibly a bit less) and a light, balanced rider. He was worked everyday, went to camp, jumped 2ft6 with me etc and had no problems at all.

The fitter he is the better he'll be able to cope with so to be honest even if your daughter isn't riding him much, lots of ground work/ride and lead would make it easier for him.

 

[Annette4]

Me squishing the above mentioned pony

 

[teddyt]

It really depends on the amount of bone the pony has- you can get a huge variation even within a section. Is the pony pure bred? Which section?
Maybe ride it and see if it copes! Balance and experience does make a big difference.

 

[Theresa_F]

We have a just about 13 hand welsh C - good old fashioned leg in each corner type and occasionally I hop on and he is fine carrying ten stone goes along as if I am not there.

Luckily I am 5' so I don't have a problem looking to be too big from dangling legs point of view.

He is also regularly ridden out by his owner who is 5'7 and about nine stone and apart from the legs, she doesn't look that big on him and he is happy to have a good gallop given any chance with her. She prefers him to her 15.3 warmblood as he is such good safe fun.

 

[Dizzydancer]

I have a 12.2 highland x welsh and I was in exactly the same situation as you, he came back from loan home after they didnt look after him, i am about 5'6 and weigh about 9st, i still ride him and he jumps around 3ft happily with me, he was quite fit at time but now he is back at new loan home(well looked after!) and i still ride hime occassionally he never struggles, i just look funny squishing him!!

 

[Orangehorse]

Henry Blake was about 11st and used to hunt a 12.2 hh pony, it was probably quite a stocky welsh pony, but it used to jump wire fences and keep going all day.

(If you haven't heard of Henry Blake, he wrote a couple of books on how to communicate with your horse, and he was sent numerous problem horses to cure, an early Monty Roberts if you like. He also drove his mare in a Land Rover and trailer from Wales to Aintree to ride inthe Grand National one year, and then drove all the way back afterwards and got home about 4.00 a.m.)