Too big for my dartmoor

[Opolo100]

I’m potentially taking on a Pony from work she’s a really sparky 11.2 Dartmoor but I’m worried I’m too big. I’m 5ft 5 and just over 8.5 stone. Opinions?

 

[millikins]

Yes too big. An 11.2hh pony should not be carrying 8.5 stone (+ tack) on any sort of regular basis and I would think you'd find it too hard to be in balance given your height.

 

[Shay]

Not necessarily! There is a lot of debate on this. As a rough guide a horse can carry approx 20% of their body weight in tack and rider. But heavy built sturdy breeds like the Dartmoor are intended to carry far more. A good sturdy native with decent bone will weigh about 400Kgs? Maybe a bit less. So can carry - even on the disputed mathematical formula - just shy of 80Kgs. 8.5 stone is 54 kgs. So you do have some space there for tack too!

My daughter is 5'5. She does look a bit large on the Sec A's because they are thinner. A Dartmoor will take up much more leg.

How tall you are (and 5'5 isn't!) has nothing to do with how you balance. That is down to core strength and lower leg stability.

Personally - I'd go for it. (Perhaps check pony's weight first.) But it really isn't as cut and dried as suggested.

 

[ester]

I'd be worried if I had a purebred dartmoor weighing in at 400kg TBH.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I'd be worried if I had a purebred dartmoor weighing in at 400kg TBH.

Me too!

My 13.2 (bang on the height) county standard Fell who is very substantial is 435! The recent 14hh was just over 470.

The Darties I had in the past were all about 300 or thereabouts, the 4 square Shilstone Rocks 12hh gelding was 320 on vets scales, whereas a hefty Forlan Section A the same height was 340 and overweight when he came, once gelded and lost weight, he went down to fluctuate at about 300/310.

 

[be positive]

I'd be worried if I had a purebred dartmoor weighing in at 400kg TBH.

So would I, an 11.2 Dartmoor will be nowhere near 400kg unless it is carrying 100kg of fat, a dartmoor mare will not be heavily built and is unlikely to have much more bone or body than a chunky sec a, fat or "show condition" does not make it able to carry more.

I don't think the weight is too bad but 5ft 5in will look rather tall and unbalanced for doing very much and the OP does need to be realistic, I had a full 12.2 Dartmoor gelding here and rode him a few times, he was fairly narrow compared with some ponies of a similar height I have ridden yet was a decent stamp with good bone. .

 

[Shay]

Happy to be corrected as to horse weight not having had an 11hh dartmoor. But slamming a 54Kg rider of unknown age is unwise. I may have erred in my way of explaining the maths - but better than tantamount to telling a young woman she is too fat.

Which she isn't OP!

Rider weight to pony size is a hotly disputed and poorly evidenced science. Witness the well known national native produce asked to dismount recently featured in H&H. The 20% body weight equation is not confirmed science - but it is a start.

 

[ester]

I don't think anyone has slammed the OP in anyway?!


We all know it is poorly evidenced science which is why I won't even mention percentages. I was just genuinely surprised that anyone thought a dartmoor would come in at 400kg.

 

[Leo Walker]

You will feel big and if you are worried about it now I suspect that will get worse rather than better. There is nothing stopping you taking on the pony an doing something else with it. Driving, in hand agility stuff etc. I wouldnt take the pony on with a view to it being your main riding horse though.

 

[Opolo100]

I already have a main riding horse the pony would be for my sister I would just have to rider her occasionally as my sister won’t be able to all the time