Ponies/small horses that can carry a taller rider?

[Saela]

I was wondering if anyone here would have any suggestions for what kind of horse could be a good fit for me in the future.
I'm quite tall, 5'9" or 175 in cm. My current horse is a 16.2 warmblood type of horse. Unfortunately I have some health issues, and because of that I'm considering getting a slightly smaller (and preferably a bit calmer) horse as that most likely would be more manageable for me. My current horse is just too big, my back does not like having to reach her back and head, and her movements are a bit too much for me to ride.

I've been a fan of British pony breeds since forever. My favourites in my old riding school were all welsh ponies or welsh partbreds. I also adore Dartmoors, although those are clearly way too small for me to ride! I don't know much about the bigger ponies, as they are very rare where I live. I'm thinking mainly about the highland pony and the dales pony. What are they like? Could one of those be suitable for a rider of my size, mostly for hacking but possibly having a go in the arena every now and then? I used to do showjumping, but I don't think I'll be doing that again anytime soon. I would probably enjoy popping a small jump once in a while, but nothing too much. Fell ponies would be too small for me, I assume, what are the bigger welshes like? Section D are the biggest, correct? Are there any other chunkier kind of pony or small horse that could be a good fit?

 

[rhino]

Obviously weight as well as height need considered, but an average 5’9 person would absolutely not look out of place on a decent 14hh ish plus highland.

Welsh, Connie (the more traditional stamp), Fell and Dales might all also suit.

 

[JFTDWS]

I'm a similar height and have been riding highlands for 16 years - I've had my two since they were youngsters. You'd need a full up riding type (14,1-14,2), rather than the smaller deer-carrying type, but other than looking tall on them, it works fine for me. Obviously you have to be conscious of reasonable weights, but a well put together highland is probably better suited to carrying 15-20% of its weight than many taller, finer types.

I'm biased, but for a nice, all round, hack plus a bit of general work, I think highlands are damn near perfect.

 

[Bluewaves]

What about cobs? There are loads of them around. My boy is 14 3 and although I'm short, his previous rider was about your height. They come in calm and sparky versions, so check personality before you buy.

 

[SpeedyPony]

Welsh sec Ds have no official upper height limit- they are lovely and you could easily find one that is 15/15.2hh. The only caution I would offer is that some of the showing lines have fairly extravagant movement, so it would be worth checking that you wouldn't have the same difficulties with a big welsh trot, or look for ones with more workmanlike paces (they do exist, although perhaps there are fewer of them these days). They can be a bit melodramatic, but they are (usually) fundamentally safe and great fun if you have a sense of humour.

 

[eggs]

I am 5'8" and used to ride my step-daughter's Dales pony. He was about 14:2 but reasonably wide so he took my leg well and I never looked underhorsed on him. He was absolutely fantastic although he did think nothing of fence hopping for fun and was frequently found in a different field to the one he had been turned out in.

I had a Highland pony when I was a kid and he certainly had a lot of character!

 

[Saela]

I'm a similar height and have been riding highlands for 16 years - I've had my two since they were youngsters. You'd need a full up riding type (14,1-14,2), rather than the smaller deer-carrying type, but other than looking tall on them, it works fine for me. Obviously you have to be conscious of reasonable weights, but a well put together highland is probably better suited to carrying 15-20% of its weight than many taller, finer types.

I'm biased, but for a nice, all round, hack plus a bit of general work, I think highlands are damn near perfect.

I've seen a few videos of adult men riding highlands without looking out of place, but I wasn't sure if they're all on the shorter side or if the highlands really do carry their rider that well! From what I hear they sound promising for me, if only I can find one when it's time for me to buy my next horse!

 

[Saela]

Welsh sec Ds have no official upper height limit- they are lovely and you could easily find one that is 15/15.2hh. The only caution I would offer is that some of the showing lines have fairly extravagant movement, so it would be worth checking that you wouldn't have the same difficulties with a big welsh trot, or look for ones with more workmanlike paces (they do exist, although perhaps there are fewer of them these days). They can be a bit melodramatic, but they are (usually) fundamentally safe and great fun if you have a sense of humour.

Thanks for your input on their movement! I don't mind horses with a lot of personality and humour, they would just remind me of my childhood best friend who were an icelandic horse but acted like a shetland most days. I would worry that a much calmer horse would appear "boring", but if they have a lot of character I don't think that would be an issue.

 

[sbloom]

It's all about taking your leg up...in part. A ribcage that takes your leg up is also wide, and more likely to make it a struggle to avoid a chair seat. Then there's your upper body and how much higher you make your combined centre of gravity or mass - I have a long body and short legs so my upper body acts as a bigger level than someone with a short back, and this affects the horse's own stability. Saddle fit is SUPER important, not just in terms of back length being shorter (don't believe that your seat size should be based on your height/thigh length as advertised by some makers!) but in terms of stabilising your from your pelvis, so that your upper body is more stable, and your foot is able to be back, more under your body, ideally your hip.

 

[SpeedyPony]

Thanks for your input on their movement! I don't mind horses with a lot of personality and humour, they would just remind me of my childhood best friend who were an icelandic horse but acted like a shetland most days. I would worry that a much calmer horse would appear "boring", but if they have a lot of character I don't think that would be an issue.

Don't worry, they wouldn't be boring! My sec D is highly opinionated and fairly sharp, but bold with it. It's lovely to have a horse with the sharpness to be light off the aids and forward going, but enough sense to retain self preservation when overwhelmed.

 

[FitzyFitz]

Section D's are the biggest welshes but i would look for one whose relatives are actually working, I see a lot of show only ones round here and they are a tad screwloose and have very big trots which might not help you!
Some ponies do have very choppy movement due to upright shoulders, if you can find one big enough or a partbred new forest ponies usually have lovely canters though trot can be a little short strided.

Dales ponies suit tall riders, as do Highlands, both are heavier builds so can and will jump/do dressage but they're more for comfort not speed. Fells as well but often shorter and very uncommon.

All the native pony breeds have big personalities so not sure calm is what you'll find! They generally have a lot of self preservation though and are lovely to have around.

 

[Saela]

It's all about taking your leg up...in part. A ribcage that takes your leg up is also wide, and more likely to make it a struggle to avoid a chair seat. Then there's your upper body and how much higher you make your combined centre of gravity or mass - I have a long body and short legs so my upper body acts as a bigger level than someone with a short back, and this affects the horse's own stability. Saddle fit is SUPER important, not just in terms of back length being shorter (don't believe that your seat size should be based on your height/thigh length as advertised by some makers!) but in terms of stabilising your from your pelvis, so that your upper body is more stable, and your foot is able to be back, more under your body, ideally your hip.

That's a good point! I remember when I was younger and most of the ponies I rode were 14 hh or bigger, then there were this chunky little chap standing tall at 12.3 and almost as wide, and he carried me without problem! If course I was a lot smaller back then though, but I remember he didn't really feel smaller than the much bigger ponies I were used to.

I think I'm pretty averagely proportioned, for what it's worth. Would you say any specific type of saddle is a better choice when riding smaller (and wider) horses?

 

[HopOnTrot]

I'm 5ft8 and I have a 13.1 New Forest. The last comment I had on my height was "Wow, we didn't expect you to be so tall when you got off." She takes up my leg perfectly. Weight wise I'm 15% with tack (her fit weight, measured on scales at the vets, my less than fit weight, measured at the GP) so that's not an issue.

Saddle wise she has a 16 inch Ideal working hunter and it is 1000% a better fit for me than the 17.5 Albion saddle I had on my old horse.

When she retires I will probably look at something 14-14.2, purely because it would be handy to have a little bit more horse in front of me.

 

[Saela]

Section D's are the biggest welshes but i would look for one whose relatives are actually working, I see a lot of show only ones round here and they are a tad screwloose and have very big trots which might not help you!
Some ponies do have very choppy movement due to upright shoulders, if you can find one big enough or a partbred new forest ponies usually have lovely canters though trot can be a little short strided.

Dales ponies suit tall riders, as do Highlands, both are heavier builds so can and will jump/do dressage but they're more for comfort not speed. Fells as well but often shorter and very uncommon.

All the native pony breeds have big personalities so not sure calm is what you'll find! They generally have a lot of self preservation though and are lovely to have around.

What size would you recommend a new forest or a partbred should be to suit me?

My current horse tend to have her head in the clouds some days I'm hoping my next horse or pony would be a little more down-to-earth. Lots of personality is just fun if you ask me! What doesn't work for me is when they're easily stressed out and feels disconnected, and I've got the impression that the native ponies usually are not like that?

 

[Saela]

I'm 5ft8 and I have a 13.1 New Forest. The last comment I had on my height was "Wow, we didn't expect you to be so tall when you got off." She takes up my leg perfectly. Weight wise I'm 15% with tack (her fit weight, measured on scales at the vets, my less than fit weight, measured at the GP) so that's not an issue.

Saddle wise she has a 16 inch Ideal working hunter and it is 1000% a better fit for me than the 17.5 Albion saddle I had on my old horse.

When she retires I will probably look at something 14-14.2, purely because it would be handy to have a little bit more horse in front of me.

That's impressive! How much does your pony weigh, if you don't mind me asking? I'm terribly bad at estimating the weight of ponies!

 

[maya2008]

Cob cross? Or native pony.

My cob cross is kind and safe and takes up my leg really well, without being even slightly boring. She’s a brilliantly fun, sparky ride who I can completely trust in every situation.

 

[sarcasm_queen]

I adore Highlands, but they tend to have quite short, stocky necks. Fine for hacking, but can be a bit difficult to balance if you’re jumping.

 

[sbloom]

Would you say any specific type of saddle is a better choice when riding smaller (and wider) horses?

Fitting the rider well could be pages and pages of information. You need a saddle they works for YOUR pelvic shape, and your hips, on the ribcage shape of your pony. A small handful of fitters will actually look objectively at your pelvis shape but they're few and far between. I would try and find a fitter that covers your area that does have more advanced rider fit training of some kind.

And beware of anyone talking about a narrow twist in a treed saddle, this is usually down to height rail shape in the tree being too narrow for a wider back.

If you think you have narrow hips, look for a narrow ribcage (not always the same thing as a narrower saddle fit)

 

[webble]

I'm a similar height and have been riding highlands for 16 years - I've had my two since they were youngsters. You'd need a full up riding type (14,1-14,2), rather than the smaller deer-carrying type, but other than looking tall on them, it works fine for me. Obviously you have to be conscious of reasonable weights, but a well put together highland is probably better suited to carrying 15-20% of its weight than many taller, finer types.

I'm biased, but for a nice, all round, hack plus a bit of general work, I think highlands are damn near perfect.

I dont think you look tall on your guys

 

[Trot_on]

I'm 5'9 and have a 15hh Welsh Cob and a full up 14.2 connie. I have to be very careful with my weight and generally try to keep no more than 10.5 stone but they carry me very happily. Now my connie is getting older I'm trying to get down to 10 Stone to make sure he's defo happy - but he is very very strong and shows no signs of slowing down that much just yet!

I have a jump saddle that fits us both well (Welsh is now retired) but see photos of my on them both not looking overly out of place...

I'd try a few and see how you feel. Mine are both wide and ride bigger than some narrow 16.2's I've ridden! And as someone said about - check you can ride their trots, shorter legs don't always mean a less bouncy stride

 

[FitzyFitz]

What size would you recommend a new forest or a partbred should be to suit me?

My current horse tend to have her head in the clouds some days I'm hoping my next horse or pony would be a little more down-to-earth. Lots of personality is just fun if you ask me! What doesn't work for me is when they're easily stressed out and feels disconnected, and I've got the impression that the native ponies usually are not like that?

14-14.2 should be fine if they're a more medium build. I have 2 that size, the smaller one is also VERY narrow, carries a small-medium adult fine but you'd look quite silly with legs hanging underneath her at 5'9. The other is broader across the chest and most people think he's a proper horse. Both newforest x arab but unrelated. The pure new forest we have is very sturdy but only 13.1! You do get bigger ones but they're slightly less common. Lovely underrated ponies though.

Ponies are generally more 'thinky' than horses. Suits some people more than others and obviously some variation. Sometimes takes some more getting used to if you've only had proper domesticated horses before I much prefer it, once you've hashed out your agreement then they contribute a lot to getting around and navigating any obstacles. Sometimes get bored more easily though.

 

[Tarragon]

I think it depends if your torso makes you tall, or long legs that make you tall or both. A long torso I think makes it harder as it affects their centre of gravity. Long legs can be taken up by a wide barrel.

 

[Widgeon]

I'm a similar height and have been riding highlands for 16 years - I've had my two since they were youngsters. You'd need a full up riding type (14,1-14,2), rather than the smaller deer-carrying type, but other than looking tall on them, it works fine for me. Obviously you have to be conscious of reasonable weights, but a well put together highland is probably better suited to carrying 15-20% of its weight than many taller, finer types.

I'm biased, but for a nice, all round, hack plus a bit of general work, I think highlands are damn near perfect.

Also, Highlands (IME) ride quite big - I'm 5'7/8" (fairly long in the leg and back) and was very comfortable on a 13.3 Highland and a 13.2 Icelandic, whereas on a 13.1 Exmoor I felt like I might topple over the ears any moment (because they were only two inches in front of my nose). Even though all were well up to my weight.

Although as @sbloom says, be prepared for finding a saddle to be a bit of a challenge, you might need to think outside the box a bit.

 

[tda]

Full up or bit bigger Dales pony

 

[Burnerbee]

I’m six foot and have skinny legs. I look silly on a 16hh TB but not ridiculous on a 14.3hh cob. Height isn’t everything as you acknowledge.

You’ll look absolutely fine on a Dales, Highland or Welsh cob type thing.

 

[gallopingby]

Highlands and Dales are probably the most difficult to find as people tend to hang on to them if they’ve a good one. Many of the top M&M ponies aren’t the quiet ploddy types some people imagine them to be. They’re out and about competing in anything they can find. There are WH classes and dressage championships with qualifying rounds throughout the uk. As previously said many are deep bodied and will take up the leg, it depends on your conformation what size will work for you. A 14.2 highland / dales is a VERY big animal and if well schooled should ride well. You might wish you’d still a 16.2 horse on occasions . There are plenty people as tall as you riding fell ponies, you just need to find the right one, they can be up to 14 hands. You wouldn’t want a 13 hander so would need to be careful as there are a few smaller types around. Connies up to 14.2 are also ridden by tall guys or you could probably find one that’s over height but could still be useful for a variety of things - other than showing. M&M ponies aren’t a cheap option and many people struggle to find one or buy a youngster and wait for a few years until old enough to begin ridden work. Probably the best idea is to visit some if the bigger shows and have a look at the different breeds being ridden.

 

[marmalade76]

Iberians take up the leg well and the biggest one I've ridden is 15.2, the rest have been 14.2-15h, they ride big though and are very smooth & comfortable.

 

[Petalpoos]

I am 5’9” and never felt too big on my 14.2 haflinger. The breed generally seems to have lots, maybe too much character but she was a very forward going and comfortable ride.

 

[hazel25]

I have a friend who’s about 5’9” and she used to loan a Dales, never looked out of place at all - I’m sure you’ll be fine on a Highland/Dales. Though as mentioned above good Highlands are usually difficult to find and purchase! As long as they’re a reasonable weight and height in comparison with you I don’t see the problem, especially if they take up the leg well

 

[Colin2005]

I've seen a few videos of adult men riding highlands without looking out of place, but I wasn't sure if they're all on the shorter side or if the highlands really do carry their rider that well! From what I hear they sound promising for me, if only I can find one when it's time for me to buy my next horse!

One of them, and his name escapes me, shows highlands at top level, I met him once and he is at least 6 foot! My friend is the same height as you and is fine on my 14 hand highland.