Small Ponies Adult Riders

[LaurenBay]

My girl is 14.2 and I'm 21 and 5'1 so very small. She carries me absolutley fine and I feel very comfortable riding her.

 

[animal]

Literally no idea what i am doing with my feet!
I'm 5.1, 7 - 7.5 stone. He's 13.2, medium/light weight.
Sometimes i look smallish on him, other times i look giant!

 

[hairy mare]

Its so nice to find that i am not the only tall person out there riding the smaller of our four legged friends ! been 5'7 i often get some very dissapproving looks from people as i pootle along on my 11.2 dartmoor who carries me ( without breaking a sweat) over miles of open moor .I also have a 13.2 sec b that has been described (in all fairness) as a child destroyer who i could never part with because 1) i love him to bits and 2) i have no doubt that he would be past from piller to post and eventually end up in a tin !!. he is the trickiest thing i have every sat on and goes like concorde on red bull .bless!!

lets hear it for the ponies!!!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I have a 12.1 exmoor and I am 5ft6. I also have a young exmoor coming up and he looks to make 13h. awesome ponies and there's nothing I'd trust more in difficult terrain!

 

[Zarkaz]

I think we should have a show for adult riding ponies then i wouldnt feel out of place

 

[Zarkaz]

Me on my boy (dont know if the pics showing though )

 

[rose bud]

I have recently bought a 13hh exmoor pony and i am 31 years old and 5'5 ish.
He is a stocky little thing and doesn't seem to struggle to carry me.
So far everyone has said that i don't look too big on him but i am expecting a few dissaproving looks if we do any shows / fun rides! I don't care though, riding is supposed to be fun and he is sooo much fun!! (unlike my last 15.2hh)
I think there should be an adult version of the pony club

 

[Milanesa]

I have a 12.2 dartmoor that I have had 15 yrs I am now 29 but still ride her everyday I am slight build but she has no issues and is just not a child's ride she is so strong! Therefore I see nothing wrong with adults on ponies, don't think they should be allowed to compete against children though it's just not fair on the kids!

 

[sbloom]

I dnt think its a problem at all, aslong as the saddle fits properly which i think is quite big problem with adults riding pones but other than that why not!!

A very good point - I guess I fit a LOT of adults on ponies so see all the issues. On natives etc saddles really often move forwards if there is any instability, and it makes things easier if we can go to a smaller seat size - so even if the ribcage can take a saddle of X size, going down to X-1 might make fitting the pony easier, but the rider can't fit in it! So always bear in mind that you ideally need to be able to fit your correct seat size on the pony but even then that a shorter saddle may be better. If someone is in a slightly smaller saddle than ideal then often I have to use a deeper gussetted panel at the back to lift the cantle to stop the rider sitting on it! You need your weight to be in the centre of the saddle, do check for the saddle being in balance.

 

[Zarkaz]

well these have all made me feel better about riding my fat boy

 

[sbloom]

Just back from a day's fitting - 5'9 rider on a 14.2 with 17" saddle, 5'7 on the same (not the actual same horse or saddle ) and 5'4 on a 13hh and a 15" saddle! None are easy peasy to fit but all work. Luckily the last one is able to move to a 16" saddle which will help makes things easier.

 

[Nagling]

I'm a big pony fan. Ridden loads of horses but ponies are just such good fun. I'm 5'8 and weigh 9stone. I regularily ride a 14hh and 13.2hh NFs who are both chunky types of NF. I also sometimes get on my 12.2hh Dartie who manages very well with me but I do feel like I look silly on her!
I think as long as the pony continues to go well, is happy and has correctly fitting tack there should be no problem. Personally my pet hate is seeing tiny riders on huge horses with their legs barely reaching below the saddleflap!

 

[Natz88]

I am 23yrs old about 5ft7 & I have a 14.1 (although out on loan) a 13.3 & 2 14.2 (well ones my mums). I have had people comment about me riding ponies, but I enjoy them & I am not heavy.

This is me on my 13.3 Haflinger & I would never sell him

This was him with the bloke I bought him off who was about 6ft & I would say about 12 stone & he rode him western

 

[ClassicG&T]

I'm almost 5 ft 8 and i've got a 13.1hh Fell. He carries me no bother and doesn't struggle with anything.

I am going to sell him after the winter as i'm wanting to go up a level jumping and XC and it will be heart breaking as hes my best friend!

 

[shoo]

My lads are 14hh & 12.1hh, I'm 5ft 6 ponies are great

 

[thespanishmane]

I'm 20 and 5ft8 and still occasionally ride a 12.2 Exmoor pony! There is nothing wrong with it, he can carry me easily and he is too strong for most of the kids at the yard!

well, Exmoors are a bit special! I am 5' and not to be too ageist I appeared in the 'Daily Mirror book of horses and ponies 1966' riding an Exmoor! However I had one on loan some years ago and he was the best fun on four legs ever!. He could keep upsides a TB (for a short while) and always found an extra gear. He jumped what everyone else did, and could rodeo for England. Definatley not a childs pony in a million years. My other half decided to leapfrog onto him whilst grazing. Pony carried on eating for a few seconds, thinking about what to do,then dumped him smartish!

I dont really agree with adults that try to squeeze themselves into tiny jackets and tight jods to look like the children. I competed him wearing tweed coat and long boots - I simply looked like a small adult on on a chunky pony, and as I have short legs they came in the right place.

 

[SO1]

I don't think many of the ponies pictured here are what I call that small most of them are medium ponies.

Whilst I know it is common in the show ring I have to say I am not a massive fan of seeing adults on very small ponies say 12h and under, i think there is an issue with saddle fitting too as most smaller ponies take smaller saddle sizes which might not be big enough to be comfortable for an adult.

Even if they are strong enough to carry 9 or 10 stone I do wonder if being ridden by someone of the maximum weight for them is good for their backs long term. It is like saying as a human I can carry a big heavy rucksack but would I not be happier carrying a lighter one and if I did carry the maximum weight one every day for many years would it give me back ache.

 

[sarahann1]

I'm 5'10" and ride my friends 13.2hh highland, no pics unfortunately, so you'll have to take my word that I'm under 9stone so its no bother for him at all

 

[SO1]

I am sure highlands can easily carry 9 stone when I was referring to 9 or 10 stone I was meaning small ponies under 12h not medium ponies. I would consider 13.2 highland a medium pony!

I'm 5'10" and ride my friends 13.2hh highland, no pics unfortunately, so you'll have to take my word that I'm under 9stone so its no bother for him at all

 

[slp123]

This is me on my NF/welsh she is 13hh and I am 5'4 & 10.7 stone I ride her 3 times a week and we hack and school, she has no worries carrying me and is very strong and fast. We drive her as well so she is very fit. I would not ride her if she showed any sign of hurt or tiredness. This pic was taken today after a 90min hack and she was still on her toes. We did have child riders for her but she is way too strong and nappy. I love riding her and dont feel at all under horsed, what do you think ???

 

[rhino]

I will try and get photos over the weekend of my new 'project'. Welsh A standing all of 11hh Boy, do I feel mean

 

[fornema]

I do find it rude when people state that anyone on a pony will go pothunting against children, i certainitly wouldnt with mine, we compete in heights appropriate to what she can jump, and yes she does win everything but we compete against horses. MY pony is 13.1/2hh and im 5'4'', she jumps courses up to 3'6'' with double clears and we never do the smaller one due to the ability of my pony rather than others whos ponys dont have a huge jumping ability, are they not allowed to compete?

Anyway rant over heres me and my pony winning a 3' accumulator:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cQtIb9hJiE

I bought her from a field, turned out to be a complete menace at the begining but now will do most things asked of her and wouldnt swap her for the world. Unlike most ive never had comments on being to big, usually along the lines of how we get on like a house on fire and know each other inside out.

 

[Zarkaz]

woo i actually remeasured myself and im actually 5'1 haha and true fornema i have competed against adults on 16.2 plus horses and beat them im not saying i go to shows to compete against children but like you said i do the classes that my pony is capable of.
I once went in a 12.2 and under class (the jumps were HUGE considering it was for small ponies!) and i came off at the second jump and that was against kids/teens, so obviously i was beaten by them. So i feel its not about who you are competing against its the ability of your pony/horse.
SO1 i also agree some of these ponies are not what i would call small haha

 

[Kat]

I do find it rude when people state that anyone on a pony will go pothunting against children, i certainitly wouldnt with mine, we compete in heights appropriate to what she can jump, and yes she does win everything but we compete against horses. MY pony is 13.1/2hh and im 5'4'', she jumps courses up to 3'6'' with double clears and we never do the smaller one due to the ability of my pony rather than others whos ponys dont have a huge jumping ability, are they not allowed to compete?

Anyway rant over heres me and my pony winning a 3' accumulator:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cQtIb9hJiE

I bought her from a field, turned out to be a complete menace at the begining but now will do most things asked of her and wouldnt swap her for the world. Unlike most ive never had comments on being to big, usually along the lines of how we get on like a house on fire and know each other inside out.

I've never seen an adult on a pony pot hunting against children. I have seen a few going to the regionals at dressage or county showing. And one that sticks in my mind is the lady on the 13hh 25 year old pony that comes and jumps in the open (3ft) seniors unaff sj and always beats everything, including herself on her big horses! She takes her horses in the smaller classes but not the pony!

 

[MuesliMoo]

I am an adult, a smidge over 5'5 and love riding ponies. This lovely little lady is coming to me on LWVTB in January, she's a 12.3h exmoor and is more than capable of carrying me I'm not getting her because I want to be a "pot hunter" and beat small children, I'm getting her because I want a friend for life, a pony who can happily live out naked in the bitterest of winters, and will have a go at everything - hacking, jumping, dressage, agility etc.

Give me a pony to ride over a horse any day!

 

[Megibo]

Give me a pony to ride over a horse any day!

amen to that

 

[Renvers]

I have no problem with it, much safer for someone to ride a horse approriate for their height and build than to change just because of their age.

Now I tihnk of it, it would be great if I had stayed smaller; I would never have outgrown my childhood ponies and could have kept them forever

 

[Zarkaz]

I was looking to get a new one he is about 12.3hh but bum high and will probs make bout 14hh but my dad thinks he will still be too small for me hes a chunky cob (only a youngster) hes so sweet aswell :-(

 

[Walrus]

I am an adult, a smidge over 5'5 and love riding ponies. This lovely little lady is coming to me on LWVTB in January, she's a 12.3h exmoor and is more than capable of carrying me I'm not getting her because I want to be a "pot hunter" and beat small children, I'm getting her because I want a friend for life, a pony who can happily live out naked in the bitterest of winters, and will have a go at everything - hacking, jumping, dressage, agility etc.

Give me a pony to ride over a horse any day!

Beautiful pony. I love exmoors. If I were smaller I'd have one. But at 5'8" and not very light I'll have to stick to my fell.

 

[Jazzy B]

I'm 5ft 8 and rode my 14hh pony until I was 27, I then got a 15.1 mare but my pony had absolutely no problems carrying me ever we did endurance, x country and endurance and had so much fun. She's still around but taking it a bit easier now!!