How small is too small or am I worrying un-necessarily.

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BBH

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I'v got a lovely chap working for me at the mo doing some jobs around the yard and he was saying his wife would love some freelance work with my horses in the winter. Just yard chores and turning out / bringing in etc. So he brings her up to meet me and she is really lovely and very caring but..............


she is tiny, tiny ie 6st and 4'8. My boys are 14'2 ,17'hh and a 16'2.

The trouble is my 16'2 can be a prize g@t if in the mood and needs firm handling and the ponio is only 2 and still learning so needs correct handling. They all totally dwarf her and although are good and gentle in the main, all horses can spook etc and she would be squished.

The other problem is that she didn't have the strength to close the latch on the gate ( five bar ).

Am I worrying needlessly or should I make my excuses and find someone larger ?
 
I'd be wary about letting someone that size handle my 16.1 horse - my TB would be fine though (15.1). I don't know whether that would be justified or not though
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is there no way you could have her up helping out through the summer on perhaps a months trial to see how she copes with handling your horses? I would think this would be the best way to see if she can manage and also to put you at ease if she copes well plus give her the opportunity to learn to handle your horses with you around to show her how to cope when they misbehave.
 
hmm.. difficult one as people can be small but perfectly capable. when i was 6+ i was riding/handling 15.2hh/16.2hh polo ponies and hunters.. i would hack,school and play them all without supervision and tbh they werent the easiest as the polo ponies were TBs and the hunters were preety big but i got on with it as it was a challenge
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i would give her a trial and see how it goes and then if its too much for her then...obviously dont go down that route..
 
Yep, I'm a shorty - 5'. Although my horse is 14.3hh, I am quite comfortable handling all the horses at our yard including yo's 17hh, who is perfectly capable of doing a good tigger impression when the mood takes him. IME it's normally the ponies that test you, so it doesn't matter how big you are.

Yes my height puts me at a disadvantage for some things, but little people are often tougher than they appear and as for reaching things - where there's a will, there's a way!.:)
same with heavy things, she'll soon get muscles if she's working at a yard. she'll just need to struggle and work out a way to do it.

If her height is your only reservation and she is experienced and confident, I would give her a bash.
 
If she is not strong enough to close the gate and you want her to turn out and bring in then really there does not seem any point hiring her as she won't be able to do the job.

You can't have someone turning out and bringing in if they can't close the gate as all the other horses will escape unless they are on individual turn out.

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The other problem is that she didn't have the strength to close the latch on the gate ( five bar ).


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A pal of mine is a total midget but she rides big and she hunts an 18hh, she is as strong as an ox, and she is two years younger than me!
I am also very short and about 8st so I will stand up for the tinies
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However the gate thing would worry me.
Would that mean she would struggle with feed buckets? Mucking out? Hanging on to a stroppy horse?
 
Thanks everyone, she is such a lovely lady I am gonna let her hang out with ponio's over whats left of the summer and take it from there. I am sure size shouldn't be a barrier for most things and maybe just change the gate latches.
 
She might get used to the latches - I couldn't get a wheelbarrow up the slope to a muck heap on my first visit to one yard but was fine the next time as less nerves.
 
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