tall riders and ponies?

I

impresario08

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 February 2014
Messages
779
Visit site
Is anyone a tall rider and riding a pony? I've had a chance to bring on a new forest but he's 14.2 and I'm 6ft!! I don't want to squash him or have to wear rollerskates...haha.
 
I'm 5'11" and used to have a 14hh cob to ride and lead from when my daughters were tiny.

As long as you are not too heavy and the pony takes up your leg then of course its fine! Riding ponies is ace :)
 
depends on the build this pony is13hh and jockey is 5ft 8
71166312-DNC130thApril20171575_zps4lzt6q8p.jpg
 
I ride a 14hh NF. I am leggy but not overly tall at 5'6",however, my 6' friend rides him and doesn't look ridiculous. He has a big girth so takes up the leg very well :) Like other people have said, if you're not too heavy then go for it :)
 
Would say more a weight thing-I have read rider to be a max of 20% of pony/horse weight as a guide. Being tall just means u may or may not (depending on individual) find it harder to balance initially!
Oh and u may find air at ur heels and no tummy! But that can be worked around!!
 
Not as tall as you (5'6) but I'm quite long in the leg and ride fairly long... my 14.2 (on her tippytoes) Welsh D rides like a much bigger horse and takes the leg pretty well. now competing medium/advanced medium and we don't let her short stature hold us back ;) Give it a go and see how you feel. Some bigger horses ride smaller than my little one.

15178219_1376935332317973_5421789463681913426_n.jpg
 
I'm 5ft 11 and my pony is a 14h cob, I'm tall on her but Dont look daft and I'm no where near being too heavy for her. I'm really enjoying pony ownership after riding much bigger horses for the past few years.
 
I do find it harder to keep my balance though and for some reason canter is a lot more difficult on a 14h cob then a 16.2 TB!
 
TBH I'd be really put off by a (presumably) young pony having been ridden extensively by someone out of proportion. So, unless you're ridiculously skinny it would bother me in terms of long term implications for the pony. Esp keeping in mind that those 20 (or, better 15%) type guidelines apply to the healthy weight of the pony, which might be less than the current weight, and also to you AND clothes, tack etc.

Plus of course taller might mean less balanced which makes it harder espec for green pony.
 
impresario08 said:
Is anyone a tall rider and riding a pony? I've had a chance to bring on a new forest but he's 14.2 and I'm 6ft!! I don't want to squash him or have to wear rollerskates...haha.
Click to expand...

I am 6ft and ride a friend's 14.2. We manage fine, although everyone at the yard thinks it's hilarious because my horse is a 17.2 bus shelter. So when they see me on the tiddler they say it looks like I've gone down the rabbit hole lol.

I would say that as long as you are light and balanced you should be fine. And by light, I mean thin.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top