Still looking....... and another question ... sorry long

[Colline]

Well all of you have been so helpful over the past week I thought I would keep you updated. Boyfriend getting used to the idea of a horse slowly ---- he is actually helping me look after my friends whilst he is away for a week - lives out but i was up at 6.30 raring to go!!!

There is someone going on Saturday to try the other horse I called about so I'm not getting my hopes to high.

Anyway here is another question for you...

my friend has a weight carrying 16.1 cob who she needs to loan asap. I am 5 foot 4 and weigh about 10 stone 10 (dieting after xmas i promise). Anyway I think she is overweight and isn't being worked enough. She has won cob classes in the past and I'm sure she could again. I've ridden her but found her a bit big and heavy in my hand (it feld like her nose was on the floor on occassions) What size are you guys and what type/size horse do you ride? I thought this may be another option for me to consider - what do you think?

 

[alicedove]

Well it sounds as though that cob would be a hell of a lot of horse for you to handle. It all depends how you get on if you can try it a few times.

I am pretty tall 5ft 8" and weigh about the same as you 10st10 and I ride a 15hh3 mare, who looks like a TB ( I do share her with my 13yrs daughter) she is nice and easy to manage at that size!

Apparently a horse who is fit and healthy can carry up to 40% of its body weight (though I think that's pushing it a bit!)

Arabs can take a lot! They were bred to carry a man in armour! I am about to try and take on a 14hh2 part bred arab and I will be riding that at least twice a week, fully expecting it to take me no problem.

As long as you ride light, with low impact, it should be fine, make the horse steps up well behind and make sure all tack is comfortable.

 

[Colline]

Kind of what I am thinking but I have been looking for sooooo long now I'm am willing to go and look and try anything as long as its safe!!!!

May give that a miss though

 

[alicedove]

Have you tried advertising your needs, you know "Horse Wanted" you know you'll get no end of totally unsuitable gee gees offered to you then though.

Are you buying or loaning?
If that cob is well behaved and bomb proof though, there's no reason why you couldn't ride it. If you like her? Would she run off with you? To get her head up off the ground you could use a stronger bit? Like a gag?

 

[Blizzard]

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Well it sounds as though that cob would be a hell of a lot of horse for you to handle.



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I dont agree, it all depends on the horse,im 5ft 5 and weigh 8 stones, my horses are 16.2hh (and he is strong), and 17.3hh. They are both middleweights.

Its more abut the tempement/schooling of the horse than the size.

Perhaps the cob was just on the forehand through lack of schooling and habit, ie not being asked to work properly, particuarly if it is overweight.

why not ride it a few times, hack, school whatever you would want to do with it, and see how you get on!

 

[xxkatejayxx]

I'm 5'3/4 and at the moment 9 stone. My loan pony is 14.2

When I was 8 stone I used to ride shetlands, cobs, 17hh hunters and all sorts

 

[Theresa_F]

I am just under 5' and 10 stone.

I ride my OH's 16.3 clydesdale with no problem. Cairo in the past was very well schooled, so is not at all heavy on the forehand. I have done everything on him, dressage, SJ, XC - I do have to admit for dressage he is a lot of horse to keep together for me but I have really short legs, and he is at the end of the day a true heavy horse. However, we have adapted to each other and I use a schooling whip to back up the leg and we do ok.

My horse is now 15 hands and still growing - probably going to be 15.1 - 15.2, he is a chunky gypsy cob. Ideal size for me - I personally prefer a larger horse, having ridden 16 hand plus TBs since my teens.

No reason why a 16.1 cob should not be a problem for your size. If heavy on the front, and a lot of cobs are inclined to be this way, stronger bit is not the answer, schooling is. My two are very light on the front - Chancer though a baby has been encouraged to use his back end and not go heavy on front from the start.

Good luck.

 

[kerilli]

a well-schooled cob wouldn't be too much for you to handle, but he doesn't sound as if he is.
if you're 5'4" you should think about the length of your legs in relation to the size of the horse's barrel. if you're on a wide cob, unless you have long legs in relation to your height, you might end up looking a bit thelwell.. you'd be better on a narrower type that allowed you to get your legs around it! this is for influence on the horse and pure safety and stickability for you!
the more-or-less ideal height is that the withers of the horse should be about the height of your eyes, so you can just see over. i'd guess that would mean something of about 15.2 hh for you. a nice middleweight that was well-schooled would be a lot more fun than a strong cob that has already learnt how to lean on the rider, i think.
fwiw i'm 5'10", 10 stone 4 (and shrinking) and have a 15.3 wbxtb/id (homebred, didn't grow enough, bit too small for me), 18.2 wbxtb (which i feel like a midget on) and a 16.3 tb (who is the perfect size for me).

 

[bex1984]

You will find a horse for you, don't feel you have to rush into it...make sure you take your time and find the right one. If this horse doesn't feel right then maybe you should keep looking?

 

[alicep]

im 5'3 weight 7 and a half stone and have a full up 16.2 tb mare. and thats plenty enough horse for me lol

 

[Charlie77]

I'm 5ft 5 & a size 14/16 I wont weigh my self! I have a 15.1 Con X Tb now retired & a 16.3 WB x Tb, I look the same on both because the 15.1 has a much wider chest than the WB x she just takes up my leg with her width! having said that, I have in recent years ridden every thing from a 14.1 cob up to 17.2 Hunter. it is all about what you feel happy on.

 

[ecrozier]

Thats interesting Kerilli - I've never heard that before about eyes level with withers.
That would though make my horse a it small for me - I'm about 5'5 and a size 12, and he is a 15hh arab. However once on board we look fine and he feels just the right size - I like them small and agile! However he is very wide through the barrell.
I think it really does depend on the individual person and horse combo - for example, my older mare is 16hh (or thereabouts) LW/MW and I don't feel small on her, yet OH's mare is 16.2HH and i feel absolutely tiny on her - she is a MW/HW ISH though, so about twice the width of my girl, despite being only 2 inches taller.

 

[isabella]

i tend to ride anything and everything lol i am 5ft 4 and about the 8 stone mark i have a12hh shetland x welsh a 14hh appy x welsh cob but i used to ride a naughty shetland for a friend and a 18hh clydesdale (sp) that was used to do kids rides and just needed more work so i would try anything and see how you feel once with that individual horse