Smaller pony larger child, what do you really think?

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showley1

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Hi just to pick your brains really, am after honest opinions please as i am really struggling to make a decision!!. After a thread last night i was not going to post as i really thought i had got my answer about adults riding smaller ponies, after a few comments today i am not so sure so here goes: to cut a long story short we have been pony hunting for months, and also had a few disasters along the way resulting in a bad fall for 1 of the girls ( on 14.2 "perfect" cob) so we are currently still not happy with out pony situation, my daughters instructor is selling a 12.3 jumping pony who is very forward and the girls find imense fun to ride, now the problem, the girls are 13, around 5'4/5" tall and weigh roughly 8.5 stone, can they really ride this pony on a regular basis without hurting her back?, they have loads of fun on her if using her for a lesson and i think her size gives them the confidence to 'be the boss' as it were which they might find daunting on a larger pony (they are still only confident novices), now whilst i am sure buying the pony would improve their riding and they would have loads of fun doing so, the last thing i want is to harm the pony in any way. If you have got this far thanks for reading , and what do you honestly think??:confused:
 
I would say that the pony sounds too small, and as children can have sudden growth spurts even if the pony is ok now in a few months it may not be. Take time and don't panic something will come along.
 
I would honestly say too small. I have my daughter (12) and my niece (13) who ride our two Sec A's but already my niece really looks too big, hence buying a 14.2 for me to bring on over the next year ready for them both. Luckily I have a 3 year old daughter and 5 year old niece.
 
My daughter is 8 and on an 12.2, there is no way it will last her untill shes 13 which is devastating as shes the most amazing pony ever. I reckon ill be able to keep her on her for another 3 years at a push but that is also because weve had her a year already so we will put off moving up. If i was buying now i would go bigger and definatly in another year or 2 wouldnt get one that small. Its only because when i originally bought the pony my daughter was 7 and didnt have the strengh for a 13hander.
When i was 13 i was on a 16.2 irish horse, he was a little bit big when when got him but within a year my legs and spouted!!
Just hang in there the right pony will come along.
What area are you in somebody may know of something.
 
My kids are 13-15 yrs, between 5'-5'4" and ride 13.2 hh ponies, they weigh about 50-55kgs. They are fine, and really your 12.3hh pony would be okay with your girls weight and height, but you will probably be looking for another pony fairly quickly. When I bought the 13.2 ponies my kids were 4-5 years younger, so if I was to look for a pony/horse now I would be looking for 14.2hh - 15.2 hh.

I have to say that the ponies were a handful for the kids when we got them and they grew into them, there will always be a getting to know each other period with any new pony/horse.
 
I don't think they'd do any harm. But, as someone who is 5'10 & has a 14.2, being too tall makes it more difficult to progress with your riding. I was young & shorter when I got mine, & also, especially when my legs got too long, I had a wide range of others to ride, including ones more suited to my legs, so I didn't suffer from it. I also think a child having a season on a slightly outgrown pony is different to actually buying one. So I think while the pony will be fine, it will slow their progress once they get past the confidence boost of feeling in charge. Then there is the fact they will be too big at all very quickly, & then its either an expensive pet or having to part with it. If you could loan it for a year, or even loan something 13.2 it could be a compromise.
 
Opposite dilemma at my yard, kid looking at a 15.1 tomorrow, but the kid is tiny, under 5 ft but never wants to sell a potential horse so wants one she won't outgrow. She tried my 15.1 cob today and looked teeny!

I would definitely buy bigger or risk them going through the heartache of selling on/parting with too small pony quite soon.
 
I think it will be ok for now but no good when the girls outgrow and you have to start looking again. I think you would be better off with something about 13.2.
 
What build is the pony, that will make a big difference.

My daughter is a lot younger and I have just got her a mini Shetland. The fact he is the ideal size for her has brought her on tremendously, so I wouldn't discount the pony as it may be what they need, if you can accept it will be a short term pony for them.
 
Pony is a welsh x more of a medium build and she does have quite a long back so saddle has not been a problem, instructor thinks they would be absolutely fine on her, but then she does want to sell? We are in the Yorkshire area, would be great if anyone knew of anything?
 
The pony sounds fine for now,but it can take 6 months to a year to really get to grips with a new pony and you may find that your girls have just started to get the best from the pony as she is being outgrown.

We bought a 13hh for my then 6 and 7 year old to share.Several people warned me that she was too big,and would be too much,but she wasn't.She was and is,the best pony ever,goes up or down a gear depending on the rider,and my now 9 year old looks just right on her.I'm so glad that I didn't buy any smaller,as we'd be looking again now,18 months on.I couldn't face that again.

My 7 year old is loaning a 12hh pony and the eldest hopped on him the other day and looked way oversized on him,and she is tiny and weighs 4st wet through.
 
They'll outgrow it in a matter of months, and then you have all the heartbreak of selling! Keep searching for the perfect pony in the right size, they do exist!! I imagine more things will be up for sale as well in the spring!
 
Could you loan from instructor for 6 months?

Whilst they are fine now chances are they will grow in which case they wont be for long, I'm smaller than them and I wouldnt buy one that small. I ride small ones but its short term schooling for the pony not for me. How tall are you? How tall are they likley to end up? those answers would change my answer slightly, if they wernt likley to grow any more then possibly. But I'd be looking at a narrower 14.2 for them.
 
Your girls are only going to get bigger and more than likely heavier, they have just started their teenage years and are going to develop. The pony may not last them long and you will be back to square one.

I think you should keep looking for the right pony.
 
We bought our 12.3hh New Forest pony when my daughter was 12, she never grew bigger than 5ft4, same as me..........12 years later we still ride him; are you or your oh tall? if so , chances are the girls will grow more.

So glad my daughter didn't as he's great fun :)
 
I am 5'5 and grew very similar to them, was always tallest up to second year of high school then stopped!! their dad is not tall either around 5'8/9. They are quite well grown for their age really, but yes think the thought of a pony search again could put me off , this time has been a nightmare!:(
 
My friend did exactly that.

Her daughter is an averagely-confident but not very assertive competent novice. Her large 13.2 was just too big and bulshy for her and she was loosing her nerve. So she bought her a dinky 11.2 whizz kid pony and he was amazing for her. She was a little big for him initially but took great confident from feeling she could boss him about a bit. A year later she's totally outgrown him but her confidence has come on leaps and bounds and she's now confident enough (and that little bit bigger) to ride her original horse.

The 12.3 will most likely be outgrown by the end of the summer BUT your daughter will get a huge amount of confidence and fun from it.

It really depends how viable either loaning is, or buying with the intention of selling in 6months/a year.
 
Even if they aren't going to grow height wise much, going off your own build & how developed they are, do you think they are likely to fill out? Because if one or both do, having a conversation with a teen girl about the fact she is now too heavy, especially if she hadn't grown in height, is not something I'd want to do.
 
Littlelegs said:
Even if they aren't going to grow height wise much, going off your own build & how developed they are, do you think they are likely to fill out? Because if one or both do, having a conversation with a teen girl about the fact she is now too heavy, especially if she hadn't grown in height, is not something I'd want to do.
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Ha ha yes i would not relish telling her she was too fat, she is faster than me !! I don't think they will fill out much more tbh but to me they do look slightly tall for her now, but i guess it's the total look of pleasure and confidence while they are riding her is amazing
 
Sorry, I didn't mean it in a 'what if they get fat' way. Just that people are different builds, regardless of how slim they are, & at 13 only really you can guess how much their basic body shape will change.
 
12.3 is too small to buy, they've already outgrown it before its bought! Keep looking for a nice, middle-size confidence giver.

ETA, Have they had a sit on some arabs? if your daughters like forward, fun and safe without too much horse, they might suit well.
 
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Too small I think. Not currently but they aren't going to get much use out of her and it will be the same situation for you again. I know what you mean by they feel safer with smaller ponies because I do! I'm 5'2 and I like to ride 13.2hhs! That would be a good height for them I think.

Good luck :)
 
If they are competitive jumping a 12.3 may pose problems in any age/ height classes I know some of our locals have 12.2 and under - riders must be 11 and under 13.2- riders under 14 and 14.2 riders under 16. The classes also vary in height the 14.2 is 90cm for first and around a meter jump off. Don't know where abouts u are but I know if the classes are like that they would have to jump in 13.2 classes. When I was younger I had to jump my 13.2 in the 14.2 and open classes once I hit 14. Personally if it was me I would be looking for a 14.2 pony as they have plenty of growing and competition room until they are 16. Hope u find something
 
I am a similar height and weight although now 21, and I really find it difficult to use my leg effectively on small ponies although I do enjoy riding them for fun. I find 14-14.2 to be closer to the ideal size for me. I wouldn't want to be riding a pony of that size every day, either, as I would worry about causing problems, even though it would probably be fine. 13.2 would probably be the smallest I would want to ride on a regular basis (as in more than 2-3 days a week).

FWIW, I stopped growing much aged about 13-14, but changed shape a lot between then and about 18 and at one stage put on about a stone, which I think would be getting too heavy for this pony. I am not saying they will be the same, but it is something that you would have to consider. Also, how would you feel telling one girl they are too heavy for the pony, but the other can still ride him?

I agree with the comment about saddles. Riding in a too small saddle is uncomfortable and less secure, and it will be very difficult to find a saddle to fit both horse and rider as they get older even if both are ok now.

I also agree about arabs, I find finer, taller horses an easier ride than smaller, stockier ones.
 
At present, no they would be fine. But they will be rapidly gaining weight, and possibly height and so I would say 6 months at the absolute most before they will be too tall and heavy for the pony.
 
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