Raining on my parade....

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Aoibhinn

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as some of ye might recall, I bought a new horse recently! 15.3h 7yr old grey (aghhh!) mare who's dam is my own pony mare. She has no flatwork done and very little showjumping. Think more along the lines of broken for a few weeks at most and then taken out and raced over open hunter trial courses as a 4 yr old.....

This has resulted in a highly insecure horse that only knows how to go fast. So my instructor came out Saturday and we worked on getting her to walk instead of jog and find her balance and rythm in walk and a small bit of trot. Also asking her for inside bend and me putting my leg on to teach her that leg doesn't mean 'go as fast as possible'. She was a little star and clicked on to it straight away! I have ridden her three times since and she has become 10 times more supple and is figuring out how to bend and balance :)

Soooo the point of all this is that I am looking to do Pony Club eventing for this summer and possibly next summer. But, my instructor told me that at 15.3h she will be too small to do proper Eventing Ireland eventing..... She might struggle to make the combinations in the show jumping especially. This really burst my little bubble, do ye think that this could turn out to be true? Most eventers here would be around the 16.2/3 mark. Any opinions would be appreciated :) cake for anyone that made it this far!! :D
 
Ignore her, if you want to do it go for it. There are plenty of teeny horses competing at SJ and eventing over here in England, there's is no reason why she can't. She may find the distances a bit long if she is short striding but if she's adjustable and willing then why the heck not?! :)

I read your other thread, she sounds rather lovely. Instructor is definitely raining on your parade

ETA- Mine is 14.2 and hold hers own quite happily against bigger horses, I have to push for some distances but she never struggles.
 
Was thinking that she should be fine :) Aoife Clarke events for ireland on a 15.1h horse I think! Just need to sort out this flatwork and that's most of the battle. Thank god she is willing! My instructor is very good and knows what he is talking about but when he said that I just deflated :D Thanks guys :)
 
I know someone who events her 14.3hh 17yr old mare of no specific breeding ( came over from ireland as part of a lorry load ) at 1*.
 
Total nonsense ! Don't know your age, but if youre a youngster, Google Marion Mould and Stroller. Amazing pony :-) If youre nearer my age (which wont be disclosed) you may remember them.
 
Pft your instructor may be good but they aren't that good to discount the horse at this stage!

My mare is only 14.2 (apparently she shrunk 3" on the way over from Ireland) and she manages horse striding no problem at all!
 
Has your instructor never heard of Theodore O'Connor?? he was a top event horse that was just under 14.2, why should a 15.3 struggle with distances, good training will help and if your trainer is negative they might not be the one to bring out the best in the pair of you, if they do not start to offer more encouragement don't be afraid to move to someone who will be positive about your future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_O'Connor
 
Did you get your saddle sorted in the end?

I'm sure you will be fine eventing a 15.3hh providing your horse doesn't have a particularly short stride and even that can be worked on
 
Wheels said:
Did you get your saddle sorted in the end?

I'm sure you will be fine eventing a 15.3hh providing your horse doesn't have a particularly short stride and even that can be worked on
Click to expand...

I did indeed :) thanks guys! She's a lovely little horse and it would be a shame to think that she wouldn't make the grade :D
 
Polar Bear9 said:
Ignore her, if you want to do it go for it. There are plenty of teeny horses competing at SJ and eventing over here in England, there's is no reason why she can't. She may find the distances a bit long if she is short striding but if she's adjustable and willing then why the heck not?! :)

I read your other thread, she sounds rather lovely. Instructor is definitely raining on your parade

ETA- Mine is 14.2 and hold hers own quite happily against bigger horses, I have to push for some distances but she never struggles.
Click to expand...

Mine is also 14.2 and I've been thinking about doing some EI with him (EI 90, maybe 100) since they changed the rules to allow adults on ponies over a certain height.
I don't understand the bit about not being able to make the combinations, unless she has an incredibly short stride?

I say go for it, have some fun and see how she gets on, if you don't try you'll never know. :)
 
be positive said:
Has your instructor never heard of Theodore O'Connor?? he was a top event horse that was just under 14.2, why should a 15.3 struggle with distances, good training will help and if your trainer is negative they might not be the one to bring out the best in the pair of you, if they do not start to offer more encouragement don't be afraid to move to someone who will be positive about your future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_O'Connor
Click to expand...

Two more teeny tots who jumped big...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headley_Britannia

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroller_(horse)
 
Double Olympic gold champion, team Olympic bronze, British open champion, Luhmuhlen winner. Mark Todd's Charisma, all 15.3 of him :)

159162806.jpg
 
Rubbish, your 15.3hh will be fine! If you think that the odd 15.2hh has been round Badminton ;) I did up to BE 100 on my 15.2hh Welsh Cob with no problems. If they're smaller, you just adjust the striding anyway - its no different to a 17.2hh having to shorten more on a related stride. My 16hh Luso x was very short coupled and he struggled with distances a bit at first (at BE and BS) but he soon got the idea or he'd simply pop in an extra stride here and there as necessary. I've also done senior BS with a 14.2hh ;) I'm surprised your instructor has said what she has to be honest.
 
A 14.2 won Kentucky 4* a few years ago.

My 14.2 won at BE100 without getting even close to his limit
 
There are so many little horses out there doing brilliantly Headly Britannia was 15.2 and won Badminton and Teddy O'Connor and Stroller were even smaller. Charisma was small as well (although lots of disagreement about his actual height varying from 15-16hh)

My 17hh share horse frequently puts in extra strides in combinations - he's far happier shortening than lengthening. My friend (on her 15.3) and I did an exercise in our lesson the other day changing the strides in a 5 stride related distance. 5 was normal, 6 was easy, we even managed 7 but when I asked for 4, we knocked it down every time.A horse that size should find 4 much easier than 6 and defintely 7 but not him! My friend couldn't get 7 and really struggled with 6 but did 4 with ease! It's about knowing your horse - when to push for the distance and when to hold for the extra stride. Go for it and good luck!
 
Here is another successful 'littlie', the 15.2hh Uptons Deli Circus (sadly now deceased), the sire of my homebred youngster. Circus was an advanced eventer, accumulating 280 points and a Young Riders European Team Gold medal. And he was a chunky monkey, too.

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image.jpg1_zpsgozsxvln.jpg
 
I went to a local biggish show a few years ago and in the open showjumping class was a kid on a pony. I don't think it was even 14.2hh. Well it showed everyone a clean pair of heels and eventually came second. It only lost top place in the end because in the jump off it just couldn't quite make the distance through the combination. Must have really pipped all the people on their 17 handers!
 
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