size ism / height ism! YES IM AN ADULT WITH, TECHNICALLY, A PONY!

[I See Clover]

aw thank you!lol i think you mean the dun though? - he's 15.2hh and very much 'horse' *hides*

i WAS a pony owner for many a year though!! Be proud to have a pony, thats what I say!

Oh yes - it's difficult to tell the height from pictures! My mare is a little darker than him and a little smaller, but she makes up for it with her speediness Definitely, I will be even more proud when I take her out jumping and she beats all the horses asses in the jump off

 

[Spotsrock]

Yes, I also am "an adult with a pony" I get the same thing. Did you know trailblazers SJ won't let an adult compete a pony!! They say the senior classes are set for horses and ponies aren't allowed They say for HEALTH AND SAFETY REASONS!!

I jump trailblazers on mine. Never been questioned. She carries herself big though so maybe no one noticed.

 

[Joyous70]

Another one here - im 40 have TWO ponies - im 5'1" weigh around 10 stone and have a 13.2hh and a 14.2hh -

I had a lot of heightism when i used to jump my 13.2hh because i was an adult & at a particular yard got sneered at, but who had more fun, me or the lady who was the same size as me on the 16.2hh she was terrified of

I refer to my boys as the boys, but i tend to call them horses not ponies, but if im talking to horsey people, i will say ohh ive got 2 ponies

I do find now though there does seem to be more adults with ponies, or maybe im moving in different circles - but it does really irritate me that i cant do Trailblazers as some one else has just said

 

[dotty1]

I have had 'ponies' since I was 21, (43 now)both are/were 14.1hh and I weigh around 8.5 stone. I have always competed in adult classes, along with the big horses and it has made no difference. I prefer ponies as they are more fun and a lot easier to keep. I have now stepped up to a 15.1,as I bred her out of one of my ponies and shes just grown a bit bigger, but she is just a 'big pony' to me.

 

[tabithakat64]

I've always had ponies or small horses because they are what suit me size wise. Something that's with a good amount of bone that I don't look like a pea in a mountain on.

I have a 13.2hh, 14.3hh and a 15.1hh.

 

[Brambridge04]

I'm afraid we will need pictures of the pony being squished by the OP. mainly because I am nosy and trying to work out how a 14.1 wears a 17 inch saddle and full size bridle.

Ponies are the best. Simples.

i am on my phone but will upload later. Three saddlers have said 17inch is fine. She has fairly

long back n a big head...looks like a horse but is just pony height and she is fab x

 

[picolenicole]

I'm an adult (25 years old, so should be ) and I have a 14.1hh and a half cob. Even my OH rides him and hes 5'7", I'm only 5'5" but my lad is big enough to talk up most peoples leg. I've even had my RI on him and she taller then the OH and still looked ok on him.

I love ponies, had to many bad things happen when looking after horses, so I will always pick a pony!!

 

[BSJAlove]

5ft 3, 8.5 stone here with a 12.2hh project pony, and hes only been backed for a month but ive had mroe fun on him then my previous 17.2hh ISH because you had to be so 'proper'. Old horse was too good to sit around and have fun on, but my new little man is a bag full of laughs! i love him!

 

[Snowy Celandine]

I'm 5' 5" and I own and ride a 13.2 hh and a 14.2 hh. Not sure how much I weigh but I'm definitely not too heavy for either pony as they are chunky little Highlands I've owned big WBs and ShireXs in the past but since I went back on ponies I've not had half so many back problems and ponies are fun, fun, fun

 

[benson21]

I was told the other day Donovan would be worth thousands...........if he was a proper horse!!!! (He is 12.2hh!)

 

[Sanolly]

I'm afraid we will need pictures of the pony being squished by the OP. mainly because I am nosy and trying to work out how a 14.1 wears a 17 inch saddle and full size bridle.

Ponies are the best. Simples.

Very easily! This pony is 14hh!

I'm another adult on ponies here. I love their personality and that they are more cheeky than horses! Plus if you come off it isn't that far to fall! On the downside though coming into a 3ft hedge whilst hunting is rather daunting...

 

[lilaclomax]

I'm 32, 5'8" and ride a 13.3hh NF... we have great fun together and as I no longer have the need to jump (unless someone would like me to jump their 'horse') we have a perfect relationship, well most of the time (excusing the rodeo ride he offered me on sunday!)

 

[Fiorano]

I'm 5'2" around 9 and a half stone and ride a 14.2 pony. Being old (49!) I have had people look at me in a very strange way! However, at competitions, parents with children love her and the people on the 'proper' horses are not best pleased when we beat them in the novice tests.....love it!

 

[Spotsrock]

I too am an adult pony owner. I too was mistaken for a child when I had a 14.1 on loan in my early twenties. I used this to my advantage and paid the child's entry fee on fun rides!

I once had a very kind lady at a show look down from her 16.2 laugh and very patronisingly and tell me the pony classes were in the morning and did my parents want a copy of the schedule for next time. I told her I was in my 20's my parents were nothing to do with it and Beau is 14.2 and 1/4 so counts as a horse.(when she's standing on tip toes) I then got placed top 3 and she racked up a cricket score!!

 

[Feathered]

I once had a very kind lady at a show look down from her 16.2 laugh and very patronisingly and tell me the pony classes were in the morning and did my parents want a copy of the schedule for next time. I told her I was in my 20's my parents were nothing to do with it and Beau is 14.2 and 1/4 so counts as a horse.(when she's standing on tip toes) I then got placed top 3 and she racked up a cricket score!!

Love it!!!

 

[Spotsrock]

flip side some years ago I lent my friends 8 y/o my 15hh to do a beginners jumping class, she was 1 of only 2 not on the lead rein and a pea on a mountain, Lottie didn't actually fit in between the little double so had to bounce it awkwardly, was an absolute nutter when younger and J rode her fantastically. She came 3rd as lacked nippyness and turning circle. There was no rule about horse height in the class rules and I asked if it was ok when I entered them. Parents complained and tried to take an 8 y/o childs 1st ever rosette away, despite her riding a blinding round. There was nothing else she could have ridden and no rules preventing her.

More recently my friends 7y/o who was visiting and does not ride, came to watch us at a show. To stave off boredom she did the lead rein on my 14.2 and then on my sisters 16hh (my jacket with the sleeves rolled up, hat and bp of course, 1 leading 1 holding her on) and everyone at that particular show clapped and cheered as if she'd won the national!! (while I had an asthma attack quietly in the corner from all the running!!).

Most people locally are used to me and Beau jumping horse classes now and if she ever has a bad round will ask if she is ok as she is such a little legend for honesty! I love new places though when people laugh at my little spotty cob, then line up on my left at the end!!!!

 

[marmalade76]

I once had a very kind lady at a show look down from her 16.2 laugh and very patronisingly and tell me the pony classes were in the morning and did my parents want a copy of the schedule for next time. I told her I was in my 20's my parents were nothing to do with it and Beau is 14.2 and 1/4 so counts as a horse.(when she's standing on tip toes) I then got placed top 3 and she racked up a cricket score!!

I was constantly patronised too, hence me taking pleasure in getting my own back on the entries!

I can also say my pony is a horse - he has a cert for 148cm, which is 1/2 a cm over 14.2 = 14.2 and a 1/4!

 

[indiat]

I took to riding my daughters 12.2 exmoor/welsh cross. I'm five foot six and 10.5 stone and yes, I do look ridiculous, but she is happy carrying my weight and she is giving me my confidence back when it come sto hacking on my own. No that she's easy, she's a litle git, but I don't have far to fall. And gates are a doddle - I lean forward to push them open and she nudges them the rest of the way with her nose!

 

[Daffodil]

At least you've got colleagues who know the difference between a horse and a pony!

My boy's 15.1 and I always refer to him as my pony or my ponio (a word I got from here)

 

[mcnaughty]

A horse is a horse is a horse, head, four legs, two eyes, mane, tail etc doesn't matter what size they are, anyone who says otherwise needs a slap as they are usually jumped up idiots that can't ride a rocking horse or people with talentless dobbins and carry on like they are a Whittaker and their horse is Milton!! all in all take no notice.

Erm, actually no - a horse is a horse and a pony is a pony - they are both equines. If you have a pony and say it is a horse then you are wrong - it is not...

Before I get shot - I have both and I love them both - my mare is 15.3 and my daughter's is 11.2 so certainly not a horse! If I could ride a pony then I would buy a pony because they generally have more brains and can get themselves out of trouble round a course of jumps (xc or SJ)...

 

[Solstar]

I'm 5'8 and own a 14.2hh 27yo TB x..... good job he's wide so takes up my leg!

 

[LauraWheeler]

We have everything form tinies to huge i call them all horses no particular reason, i dont really care if i ride one of my dads 17.2 pointers or one of the natives.

LOL I call everything a pony Even the 18hh hunters I used to ride where ponies Ponies are the best. I'm 27, 5ft2 and the horrid one is only 12.2hh

He's so cool. I love him to bits. Some people do ask me when i'm going to get a real horse But considering Lucy was 13.2hh and now horrids 12.2hh I seem to be going down in size instead of up
I do also have Merryn who is 14.1hh so more like the right size for me but still a pony. Herbs is the best though

 

[JFTDWS]

I'm 5'7'', the wrong side of 10 stone, 24 years old and I have a 14,2 highland - he was bred to carry stags up the mountainside so I think he can cope with me My cob's 15hh but rides much more like a pony than the Highland. I do love the patronising looks and comments I get when I compete, as normally they're followed by sheepish glances when my beasts beat them I've always said I'd rather ride ponies and work them to the very best of their abilities than buy a 17hh that *could* jump 6ft / compete at high levels of BSJA/BE/BD but is held back by my lack of ability or fear. And a lot of people you meet buy these things because it's expected of them to ride a "proper" horse and they can hardly hack out or have any fun because they're so scared of them!

(obviously a lot of people own "proper" horses and aren't scared of them, it's just that I don't seem to meet many of them )

 

[piggyinablanket]

I love these posts!!!!!
I am 5'1
11 st
I ride a 14.1 (and a half) NF who is 17.
I know people think its funny but I wouldnt want to ride anything over about 15hh, I love my pony hes a little pickle at times, and enough horse for me!.
I swear people only take the pi** because they cant ride ponies. Nurr nurr I can, and I love it!

 

[Vixen Van Debz]

Well, isn't the layman's name for the species 'horse'? As in both a pony and a horse are a horse techinically as they can interbreed and produce fertile young whereas e.g. a horse and a donkey can interbreed (making a mule/hinny) but their offspring are sterile?

Anyhow, I think people that are lucky enough to be built to still ride ponies as adults are privileged. It's much harder to be small enough to ride a pony, than it is to be 'big enough' to ride a horse! Everytime the groom on my yard tells me she's not got the stomach for horses anymore only ponies, she seems to do so defensively. I tell her to be proud to ride ponies, especially developing the troublesome ones as she does. It's a great thing!

I'm 5ft 5.5 and regularly ride a 14hh 5 year old. I love it!

 

[Charliepony]

I'm 5'9 and just feel too top heavy on a pony, but if I was shorter I would certainly have one

 

[touchstone]

I'm afraid we will need pictures of the pony being squished by the OP. mainly because I am nosy and trying to work out how a 14.1 wears a 17 inch saddle and full size bridle.

Ponies are the best. Simples.

I have a 14hh that wears a 171/2" saddle and full size bridle, six inch jointed bit and 51/2" mullen mouth! Oh and 6' rugs too! I don't have any pics on the computer though

Ponies are so much fun and can be all horse to ride!

 

[Nitro mouse]

I am an adult with a 14.1 dales pony, I. His younger days he could turn his hoof to most things and not that I am biased but he can look very flashy when he wants. Any bias tended to evaporate once they had seen him move. Although I wasn't going to admit that when he did a Spanish walk from time to time it was normally him having a massive strop! Lol oh I also have a fine 11hh mare who at a distance looks just like a TB just a very very small one...

 

[Yertis]

Patronising smiles from 'above' usually wither when I smile and explain that my ego doesn't need a big horse

 

[ncarter]

I jump trailblazers on mine. Never been questioned. She carries herself big though so maybe no one noticed.

REALLY????!!! That is interesting. I have never 'dared' enter trailblazers on my pony due to the 'adults on horse only' rules. Didn't fancy wasting the money travelling there to be told I can't enter!
Maybe I will say my 14.1 is 14.3 and see what they say.......
His stride for jumping will definitely fit a horse course.

Hmmm ****starts planning new trips out this summer****