On the subject of pony squishing

frazzled

frazzled

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What weight do you all think a 14hh heinz 57 (believed to be largely new forest with possibly a little bit of "quality") would be able to carry. Now I have got the riding bug again I don't think the sprog should get all the fun.
We are talking light hacking here and possibly a little bit in the school.
Thanks
 
I would say about 9 stone tops. We have a lightweight 14hh connemara and I am 8 1/2 stone and she's fine for the occasional hack.
 
Depends on the rider's ability, but a 14hh native cross shoud be able to carry a reasonable weight. I'd say twelve/thirteen stone on a properly fitted saddle.

I do think we are too soft these days in terms of what we think our horses should carry. My vet and chiro lady laughed at me when I said I was too big to ride Little Cob at 13.1 as he was then and me at thirteen stone (as I was then); and my saddler very politely didn't laugh out loud when I said I thought I, at fourteen stone, was too heavy for my 16.3hh Dutch Warmblood coat rack (think ribs showing, no muscle to speak of).
 
Yes, for light hacking would say you could go above 9 stone, but listen to the pony. Years (and years) ago, I knew I had too heavy for mine when it started to drop a foreleg to get me off!!! Seriously the pony will let you know!
 
I don't know how much I weigh, but I know it is more than 9 stone (5'2" and a size 12) and I ride the Sprog's pony, who is 14hh and I think is similar to yours, and she has no problem carrying me whatsoever.

As you can see, her paces are greatly impeded by having to carry my huge bulk!
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Thankyou , if nine stone is his tops then I have no hope because I think with the best will (and starvation) in the world I don't think I will ever be 9 stone again.
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Still I now have a goal. Got another lesson today so am on my way!
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TGM I know I have said it before but plonk two white socks on her back legs and a star and you have got our boy. They really do look similar!
 
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Thankyou , if nine stone is his tops then I have no hope because I think with the best will (and starvation) in the world I don't think I will ever be 9 stone again.
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Still I now have a goal. Got another lesson today so am on my way!
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I also think he can surely carry a lot more! I sometimes wonder if people on here actually know what 9 stone approximately corresponds to: a medium-tall, fairly slender woman. I'm such a creature, and there are very few ponies that I would hesitate to squish!

I was very startled to learn that a lot of riding schools in this country have a 12-stone limit! That's only 168 pounds, and that's still quite light for a normal-sized man. At that rate, it's no wonder so few men are riding: most of them wouldn't be allowed to get on even a large cob!

Curious factoid: ancient Roman military horses, expected to carry armoured men for into battle for hours at a time, were only about 14hh on average, and were probably rather more lightly built than your average British native cross.
 
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I would say that for hacking work a couple of times a week then around 11 stone would be fine.

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11 stone?!! Poor pony!
 
I'd have said more than nine stone!! I was just under nine stone riding a 13hh slender Sec B and a 12hh Heinz 57.

I'm say nearer 12.....the general rule is a stone per hand for natives.
 
Poor pony? Not really I don't think. As has already been said, we all seem to underestimate the ammount horses and ponies can carry, especially given that the pony in question is largely new forest.
If I had said hacking every day or jumping then yes, it may be poor pony, but for light hacking a couple of times a week they should be fine!
Other people have suggested that the pony could carry heavier weights, so why you are jumping on my post I really don't know.
 
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Why does everyone suddenly want to squish short ar*e horses?

Horses do come in all sizes, you know. Why not just get a nice big one?


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Thing is, the human shape and size have changed considerably since our hunter gatherer days when we first domesticated the horse, but horses have not evolved in line with our progress. The average weight and height of a human has increased incredibly, even in the last 50 years, due to labour saving devices and fast food. Many people don't want to accept that they are just not a healthy weight and this is what causes many of the back problems suffered by horses.
 
I am around 12 and a half stone and ride a 14.1 welsh section D, she buggars about with me just as much as she did with my 8 stone daughter.
 
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Thing is, the human shape and size have changed considerably since our hunter gatherer days when we first domesticated the horse, but horses have not evolved in line with our progress. The average weight and height of a human has increased incredibly, even in the last 50 years, due to labour saving devices and fast food. Many people don't want to accept that they are just not a healthy weight and this is what causes many of the back problems suffered by horses.

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How pompous! If it weren't for all the muscle I'm carrying I'd be a heck of a lot lighter! How many men are nine stone? Humans have definately become taller and correspondingly heavier over the years, but horses feed and keep have also changed in line with that.

Are you sayng that unles one is nine stone and five feet five one should not ride anything but a 17hh Shire? What about all the weight of a knight's armour? Do you think the knight himself would have been eight stone in his undies?

Natives carry stags that weigh more than me and I'm fourteen stone.

As for the back issues you refer to - my horses chiropractor laughs her socks off if I say I'm too heavy for the 13.2hh cob.

Get off your high horse, or in this case short horse, and realize that these animals are taken care of and will soon let the rider know if they aren't happy!

There really must be something in the air this morning.
 
Just have to say - I wouldnt let anyone above 13stone on my 15.1-2cob. he can probably carry more but why should he.
As has been said before just get a bigger horse rather than wonder about 7lb here and there.
All horses vary in size shape & strength a man at my height and weight would probably be a lot stronger then me but according to the rule of thumb on here, i should carry the same weight as him??
These conversations have been going on for a few days - no we do not ride with armour these days however we also look after our animals better these days so they are not used to the heavy work that they were once subjected to.
I certainly would never put 13stone on the back of my filly in the siggi but according to most she could infact carry nearly 15stone - I must ensure when people come to see I clarify they have no 14/15stone family members wanting to ride her, as it would appear the majority of members think that it would be absolutely fine and would just get on and squish her.
 


How pompous! If it weren't for all the muscle I'm carrying I'd be a heck of a lot lighter!

Pompous??!! No just realistic. I love the way fat people blame their weight on muscle!
 
No, you wouldn't carry the same weight as a man the same height and weight as you, that's getting to the point of ridiculousness. A Falabella and a Shetland would carry different weights. The point is, we worry too much about what a pony or horse can carry - at the rate we're going no-one over nine stone will be able to ride a 14hh pony.

As to why don't the people get a bigger horse! Just because a horse is bigger in terms of height does not mean he can carry more than a smaller animal. It is dependant on their build, age, stability. As someone once said, it's horses for courses! Plus some people are scared of riding bigger horses - do they have to give up riding?

Going to go away now as it's getting ridiculous.
 
Bigger as in "Bigger" A HW cob at 15h would carry almost anything a 15h showriding type would carry substansially less.
The comments on here are generally my 15h carries me and am i fat?? The point is every horse and circumstance is different

If i asked you all what my 14.2/3 welsh cob would carry the majority would say 13-14stone easily the fact is she is a very lightly built immature baby capable of carrying no more than 11stone, in a year or 2 that would probably increase but for now absolutely no way would she carry anymore - or rather her capabilities are probably higher but whether its any good for her is a different thing altogether
 
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Pompous??!! No just realistic. I love the way fat people blame their weight on muscle!


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Sorry but PMSL!!!!
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I have to say I think some of the comments on here are completely bonkers. A 14hh native cross only able to carry up to 9stone?! seriously - you're having a laugh? If not then I'm guessing that you think all us 'adults on ponies' should sell up and buy a horse, because there aren't that many adults under 9 stone...no thanks, I'll stick to my pony.
 
Lord help me then...I'm around 9st and 5ft4....I was going to look for a 14-15hh native......but obviously I need a 17hh hunter
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Theres a lot of factors that effect how much weight an equine can carry....bone being the biggest factor insted of height, but general rule is a stone per hand. Natives are tough buggers and people do seem to forget that.

OP....get on and see....pony will probably tell you if they're not happy....I've never met a pony who hasn't voiced their opinion anyway
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Where has anyone said that?
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People are not saying that all adults on ponies should buy a horse but the line must be drawn somewhere.
 
A stone per hand?????
That's so funny

That means my 12 stone OH can ride a 12hh pony Ha ha ha I LMAO. Can't wait to see their faces when he turns up at a meet!
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Just off to buy myself a fallabella.....
 
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