How small a cob could I ride (height and weight question).

[canteron]

I have been musing about buying another horse/pony that the youngsters could ride but I could also ride and keep fit and well mannered. So I am looking for something that takes a little bit of leg.

I am a well balanced rider and tbh a little bit long in the tooth to do too much galloping/jumping, so I am not looking for something to carry me around Badminton! I am 5'7" and currently 10st 7 lbs, so thats 11st with tack?. Could I get away with a 14hh horse, if it was a leg in each corner type. I have always thought that I needed at least 16hh!! Views please

 

[SaddleUpSin]

I would say yes, at your weight/height I'd be happy with a full up cobby type around the 14hh provided they are fit and built correctly and not overweight too much themselves! It makes a difference

 

[JustMe22]

You don't weigh much more than me - I'm 5'8 and weigh about 9st 10lbs or so. I would think you could easily get away with a sturdy 14hh to be honest. You might be a little tall on it but it wouldn't stop you from riding it effectively enough to keep it fit and well schooled.

 

[canteron]

You missed out something vital here.. your weight/height?

Hello SaddleupSin, it is hiding there in the second paragraph, but just to reconfirm 5'7" and 10st 7 lbs !!!

 

[Shay]

?? OP says she is 5'7" tall and weighs 10st7lbs.

There is a formula for calculating appropriate weight to horse. But it is far from exact. I would say you would be fine with a cob / cob type.. fell, highland or Icey. I used to ride my daughter's 13.2 cob X. I am shorter than you - probably about the same weight at the time. I didn't do anything massive with him - but it can be really helpful to have an adult get on a kids' pony from time to time to remind them of manners.

Its much easier to ride a pony - personally I would not look back now!

 

[sychnant]

I'm the same height as you and a bit heavier (although dieting!)

This is me on my 14.2 Gypsy Cob.

 

[be positive]

I have a livery who is a similar height/ weight and she has always ridden ponies alongside her horses, she is fine on a "normal" up to height 14 hand pony that is well put together with a bit of bone and substance, she doesn't require a cob type to carry her.

 

[Amye]

Definitely say 14hh+ would be fine. If you get a chunky type it'll carry you just fine and you won't feel 'too big' (not that you are, just that i've found when riding ponies if they're finer you can feel like your legs have nothing to wrap around - I have quite long legs)

I'm 5'10" and around 10st. I borrow a 14.2hh Dales X pony from our yard to hack with sometimes and she carries me just fine! People have said I look fine on her.

When I was at uni I used to jump a little 14.2hh Connie fine too

 

[SaddleUpSin]

Hello SaddleupSin, it is hiding there in the second paragraph, but just to reconfirm 5'7" and 10st 7 lbs !!!

I resized my browser window haha! It skipped a couple lines as I scrolled

 

[canteron]

I'm the same height as you and a bit heavier (although dieting!)

This is me on my 14.2 Gypsy Cob.

Oh, that is just what I want!! Beautiful!

 

[SaddleUpSin]

I'm 5'7st and 9'7st and was previously loaning a 14.1/2hh cob type, he had a long back, not overly chunky nor fit and not loads of bone either, and had no problems carrying me at all

 

[cobgoblin]

You should be ok with 14hh+ heavyweight.....but be careful to check what size saddle the pony can take, some will be 16" max and at 5'7" your legs will be too long which would mean a specialised saddle.

 

[Wagtail]

OP if the pony has plenty of bone and good conformation, then you should be fine with a 14hh plus. If you weigh 10st 7 then add 9lbs for your clothes (including hat and boots - I have accurate scales and my indoor clothes without boots, hat and coat weigh 4lbs, so hat, boots and coat would weigh at least another 5lbs). Then you have tack on top of that. So another stone. So you need to add just over a stone and a half to your naked/underwear weight to get your riding weight.

 

[Britestar]

My friend rides my 13.2hh square cob. She is 5'9" ish and weighs about 12 stone. He carries her no problem and competes to bd novice/elem.

 

[JJS]

If you can ignore the terrible position and chair seat, here's a picture of 5ft 5' me on my four year old cob, who was standing 14.1hh at the time and hadn't even begun to fill out. I have long legs for my height and am still perfectly in proportion with her, so a rider that was two inches taller would have no problems on a similarly sized pony. Weight-wise, I doubt that she would even notice you up there - she's a true powerhouse!

 

[rara007]

5 foot 4 and 14.1hh (146cm) HW. He takes up to at least 5'11 without looking small!

And 12.2, which I think is getting a bit small for the ideal look but he was well within his carrying ability. We only did one show (dressage) and we won it!

 

[Slightly Foxed]

I'm the same height as you and a bit heavier (although dieting!)

This is me on my 14.2 Gypsy Cob.

Just to say, what a lovely pony (not usually my type even) is he only 14.2hh??

 

[alice1234]

I'm 5'4'' and about 6 1/2/maybe 7 now stone (I'm not an adult though) and ride a 14hh lightweight cob easily with a really heavy saddle, the woman I loan her off rides her sometimes and she's about 10 stone and still fine. I rode an 11.2 pony until a year or so ago and he could still carry me, so I think you'd definitely be fine on a 14hh!

 

[sychnant]

Thanks SF! not my usual type either, but I fell in love as he's the sweetest pony I've ever met!

He may look smaller in this one:

 

[nicelittle]

I would second the comments about saddle size. We have a 14.2 Connie and I'm 5'9" at least, similar weight to you with longer legs than body. She takes up my leg well, but saddle size is a consideration, as she has a large shoulder requiring a straightish cut working hunter saddle,
Luckily her back is sufficient to accommodate a long enough saddle that my legs aren't too much off the front of the flaps unless I jump!
Our other pony is 14.1, a completely different shape, much narrower and is happy in a winter 16" which weirdly I find very comfortable.

 

[tankgirl1]

I'm 5'7" and weigh about 75kg, I ride my 14hh traddy cob mare no problems. I use a synthetic saddle to keep tack weight down. I am aware I am at the top of her weight carrying capacities, so we just hack, with the occasional canter/gallop, although to be fair she doesn't struggle

 

[Omni2]

How much weight can a 12.2 cob handle do you think? He is well built with 8+ bone I think even 9 inch? Just for light hacking etc to keep fit for child…

 

[piebaldproblems]

9st at a push?

 

[Omni2]

Thanks

 

[rara007]

How cobby are we thinking? Hairy coloured pony of traditional type 9 stone. A proper chunk 11 (as pictured)

 

[cauda equina]

And don't forget tack - in the opening post tack is reckoned to be 1/2 stone
When I weighed myself in riding clothes including boots/hat and with my saddle it was more like 2 stone

 

[Omni2]

How cobby are we thinking? Hairy coloured pony of traditional type 9 stone. A proper chunk 11 (as pictured)View attachment 89325View attachment 89326

He is chunky - like a mini Clydesdale/draft/ gypsey type