Rider height/weight for backing

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zoon

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I have a stocky 13hh cob cross that I’d like to send away to be backed. He is exceptionally wide (could drive a bus between his front legs!) and also very short backed. I personally feel I’m too heavy to ride him hence not doing to job myself

What height and weight of rider should I be looking at to send him to? I’m hoping people advertising backing services will not be offended by me asking
 
As small as possible, definitely under 15% of the ponies weight. Hard to guess the ponies weight one persons broad is not anothers!
 
Yep, 15% of his healthy weight with rider and tack. If you can work on his posture from the ground first it will help, there's a freebie coming up from Diana Waters Responsive Equine that might help.
 
8ish stone max - I'm more than that and ride a similar shape but she's older. I wouldn't choose me to back something her size.

There's a couple of lady riders round here who specialise in backing the smaller ponies so rather than insult anyone just ask for recommendations for backing small ponies.
 
I'd look for pony producers.

My lad only fits a 15inch saddle on his compact little back so it limits who can ride him. I'd assume yours is the same.

I sit around 17/18% of his ideal weight with tack - which I'm fully aware is pushing the limits with an unfit pony, but I'm still on a diet and he is growing still so hopefully we will meet nicely in the middle. He gets little and often ridden work so slightly different to going away to be backed/broken.
 
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i have a sec C, full up 13.2 roughly 405kg, who i backed myself and i weigh abt 7st. i wouldn’t have wanted someone more than say 8st, as much as she looks chunky she still felt like a little slip of a pony when i was up there! if i was any bigger i think more than anything id have felt horribly unbalanced, even though she probs would’ve carried me fine
 
If anyone offering a backing breaking service is offended by your asking, then that's a very good marker for the ones to avoid!

Any good professional will know their riding weight and minimum saddle size and therefore what horses they can't provide a service for without compromising their welfare.

Ultimately I'd go for the balance of the lightest weight most knowledgeable person you can find, that understands what your goals and prefered training methods are.
 
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