max weigt to break shetland?

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staceyn

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Just wondering what would be the maximum weight a 9hhish stocky shetland would take. Considering sending him to be broken but may do it myself depending on if I can find someone light enough ?. Thanks in advance x
 
i backed our shetland when he was 4 years old and i am 8 1/2 stone, he found it difficult to walk with my weight at first but soon balanced himself and i only sat on him a couple of times as he was very easy to break and i would only break him with this weight for a child to go on and ride... i think 5/6 stone would be the max he could carry regularly IMO

Timmy3.jpg
 
At 9hh I wouldn't want to put more than 4/5 stone on myself. And even then I would wait till it was 4 & a bit more filled out. You need a skinny older child or a small skinny teen at that size imo.
 
Billie1007 said:
:eek:
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My 14.2 welsh cob found it really hard to walk with my weight on him, for the first 6 times I leant over/sat on. I was 9 1/2 stone at the time and he is very stocky and was 4 and 'grown up' at the time- this doesn't necessarily mean its a weight issue, just saying.
 
Can't quote on phone....
@horsemadelsie.... I think the devil is in the detail, I understand it isn't always an issue of weight but your description of stats is significantly different. Firstly the two horses are wildly different and yet still expected to carry the same weight. Your weight on a 14.2 of any build isn't going to be a problem but your weight (or there abouts) on a shetland will be an issue. I wouldn't bet on it having been just a balance issue!
 
Waited till four years? Oh well ,stoopid people I know are advertising their year old mini stallion as "ridden and going nicely":eek::eek:
 
He is a 10yo so that's not a issue I am 8stone and quite small but after he is broke I only want kids to ride him its only the weight for breaking I am concerned about
 
I had one in to break a few years ago, he was 5 years old very stocky and mature with plenty of attitude, he happily carried a skinny teen of about 7 stone but this was for very short periods each day to get him started, once he was going well in walk, trot and canter he went on to be a much younger childs pony.
 
Billie1007 said:
Can't quote on phone....
@horsemadelsie.... I think the devil is in the detail, I understand it isn't always an issue of weight but your description of stats is significantly different. Firstly the two horses are wildly different and yet still expected to carry the same weight. Your weight on a 14.2 of any build isn't going to be a problem but your weight (or there abouts) on a shetland will be an issue. I wouldn't bet on it having been just a balance issue!
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I know, I wasn't saying it wasn't the weight issue, just that it may be a combination/ isn't always a weight issue. Obviously they will find it easier with a lighter weight and vice versa :)
 
HE might be slightly bigger then 9hh but never measured him I measured my little one who is 8.1hh and he was about a foot and a half bigger if that helps :-)
 
Haha oops ! I ment about a hand and a half ish prob half a ruler size Haha can't tell I failed maths can you :-)
 
Billie1007 said:
Can't quote on phone....
@horsemadelsie.... I think the devil is in the detail, I understand it isn't always an issue of weight but your description of stats is significantly different. Firstly the two horses are wildly different and yet still expected to carry the same weight. Your weight on a 14.2 of any build isn't going to be a problem but your weight (or there abouts) on a shetland will be an issue. I wouldn't bet on it having been just a balance issue!
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What is the issue? any horse/pony that is not used to carrying extra weight will take a while to balance... or would you rather i put some poor child on him to break him and risk them getting chucked off?? like i stated it was only a couple of times as he was very easy to break and would not ride him regularly!! as it happens he is now a very nice childs pony and has never so much as bucked so i must have done something right!!
 
If he's well handled & used to you leaning over then I would use an older child or very small teen. If all the handling & preparation is done well before then the initial sitting on should be straightforward, especially for something destined to be a first pony. My daughters 7 & just over a year ago she was the first one (& only one since) to sit on her 11.1. And has also been used to back a tiny miniature & a small dainty sec a, both of which I knew well along with their owners.
 
A big shetland would carry a 7st adult easily enough and manage an 8st adult. Once fit and used to being ridden they'd find an 8st adult fairly easy to carry, although getting a saddle to fit properly (and spread the weight) would be difficult. It's said they'd carry 10st easily but I sure as hell wouldn't get on a shetland :eek: (I'm 10st).

9hh is a fairly small shetland though - a big shetland would be nearer 42".
 
all about Romeo said:
What is the issue? any horse/pony that is not used to carrying extra weight will take a while to balance... or would you rather i put some poor child on him to break him and risk them getting chucked off?? like i stated it was only a couple of times as he was very easy to break and would not ride him regularly!! as it happens he is now a very nice childs pony and has never so much as bucked so i must have done something right!!
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I guess my 'issue' is that IMO 8 1/2 stone is too heavy for a shetland of that size - PARTICULARLY for breaking. Not suggesting you should put 'some poor child' on him so not entirely sure why you would throw that one into the mix, in fact I didn't make any alternative suggestions to you. I was, however, suggesting that IMO (I'll say it again) the OP might not want to put that much weight on a shetland - for breaking. Just because it's been done once doesn't make it ok and I will return to the fact that this is my opinion which I am entitled to :)

If it were me, I would find a competent, lighter rider. Calm down.
 
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I used to ride my Shetland pony, he is 10hh and I was 9 1/2 stone. I know he could carry me no trouble as he often used to take off with me at a full gallop! I think people forget that Shetlands were bred to carry/pull a lot of weight.
 
I'm ust over 91/2st and regularly break and ride on shetlands. Granted I only have a big shetlands of at least 10hh but they have never, ever had a bother.
 
Billie1007 said:
I guess my 'issue' is that IMO 8 1/2 stone is too heavy for a shetland of that size - PARTICULARLY for breaking. Not suggesting you should put 'some poor child' on him so not entirely sure why you would throw that one into the mix, in fact I didn't make any alternative suggestions to you. I was, however, suggesting that IMO (I'll say it again) the OP might not want to put that much weight on a shetland - for breaking. Just because it's been done once doesn't make it ok and I will return to the fact that this is my opinion which I am entitled to :)

If it were me, I would find a competent, lighter rider. Calm down.
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well, when did i say how high the shetland was? so what alternive do you sudjest? any one smaller then me would be a "child" i said that is what i did and it worked out well, the pony is now a nice trustworthy childs pony so has every oppertunity to go on and do a job rather then be left in a feild to possibly get lami... and i am struggling to understand why you think its not ok?
 
Wowsers, you just love putting words into my mouth. Nope, didn't suggest that it went wrong, didn't suggest that you should leave him to get lami. From the pic he looks fairly small. Perhaps it is deceiving. I think you are confused slightly. In my opinion I would want to see that weight breaking a shetland of the OP's size. By the 'look' of your pony, by my eye, I would have said your weight was a tad too much on him. That's ok for me to say that because it IS MY OPINION. It is ok that you disagree and think that the weight was fine on him. I get that. I disagree with you. Big deal. Stop being so defensive and suggesting that I think your pony would be better off in a field with lami.
 
Billie1007 said:
Wowsers, you just love putting words into my mouth. Nope, didn't suggest that it went wrong, didn't suggest that you should leave him to get lami. From the pic he looks fairly small. Perhaps it is deceiving. I think you are confused slightly. In my opinion I would want to see that weight breaking a shetland of the OP's size. By the 'look' of your pony, by my eye, I would have said your weight was a tad too much on him. That's ok for me to say that because it IS MY OPINION. It is ok that you disagree and think that the weight was fine on him. I get that. I disagree with you. Big deal. Stop being so defensive and suggesting that I think your pony would be better off in a field with lami.
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I am slightly confused as you disagree with me breaking him and you say you didnt say i should have used a child (who would have been smaller then me) and you say you didnt mean for him to be left in the feild unbroken... so what would you have done with him then?
 
Plenty of lighter, experienced riders out there. Never suggested you shouldn't use a child for the job either so not sure where that came from. I suggested lighter, I know an 11 year old that would do a cracking little job. Seriously it is ok for people to think differently to you. Half the threads here every day wouldn't exist if everyone thought the same thing. Not once have I suggested your pony is suffering, isn't loved, treated beautifully. I simply stated that in my opinion I wouldn't want to see that weight on that pony for breaking. Simple. It is ok for me to think that and it is ok for you to have done differently!!!!!!!!!!!
 
all about Romeo said:
what alternive do you sudjest? any one smaller then me would be a "child" i said that is what i did and it worked out well,
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Well no, I am very much an adult and am a stone and a half lighter than you :confused: Still wouldn't back a Shetland mind :)

I'm with littlelegs, get the groundwork up to scratch and find a competent small adult - or teen; I've seen plenty of youngsters who are more than capable of backing ponies :)
 
i do get rather sick of Romeo jumping on his/her high horse (or in this cas small horse). Someone is allowed to disagree with you, you always go on and on and on. I think the ignore user button will be used in the near future. :rolleyes:
 
Just had the scales out I'm 8.5 :-(. Wish I could loose a stone just to ride him lol would be brilliant to ride a shetland again . Ah well think al try to find someone going to struggle maybe I Should place a advert ?
 
Bluepegasus2802 said:
I used to ride my Shetland pony, he is 10hh and I was 9 1/2 stone. I know he could carry me no trouble as he often used to take off with me at a full gallop! I think people forget that Shetlands were bred to carry/pull a lot of weight.
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Well I've just bought 2 shetlands, 2 & 3 years old, that will mature at a full 42 inches, the breeder told me that they would be fine for me to hack out, all 10 stone of me :eek:, not hard competitive work, but hacking is fine......

My intention is actually to drive them, but they are bred specially to be very strong, infact apparently the only thing stronger pound for pound is an elephant.... :p
 
Billie1007 said:
Plenty of lighter, experienced riders out there. Never suggested you shouldn't use a child for the job either so not sure where that came from. I suggested lighter, I know an 11 year old that would do a cracking little job. Seriously it is ok for people to think differently to you. Half the threads here every day wouldn't exist if everyone thought the same thing. Not once have I suggested your pony is suffering, isn't loved, treated beautifully. I simply stated that in my opinion I wouldn't want to see that weight on that pony for breaking. Simple. It is ok for me to think that and it is ok for you to have done differently!!!!!!!!!!!
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you are completely missing my point, i asked you way you think that i am too heavy to break him in... i did not want to risk a child being thrown off when he was very first backed.
 
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