Too heavy to ride my daughter's pony?

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billylula

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He's 14.2, welsh x warmblood, a good build but he's lost condition and we are trying to build him back up (we've only had him 3 weeks). HIs topline is virtually non-existent. She has lessons with a fab instructor once a week and usually does a pony club thing plus hacks out 2 or 3 times a week.

I am 5' 7" and weigh 11 stone. I'd like to exercise him a couple of times a week, just walking and trotting with a few hills.

My daughter thinks I will ruin his back :o Not sure what to do!
 
Without seeing a photo of him its hard to tell. How old is he as well?
What saddle are you considering using? Assuming if he has no topline you're not considering bare back!!!

If he's got a lot of welsh in him his cannon bone will be thicker (in theory) and therefore able to carry more weight than a fine 14.2hh pony.
Height I find has little to do with it if you're happy hacking, as its more down to how strange you look with legs well bellow his belly and then lacking leg signals! Weight would be the main thing and its possible depending on his build and stage of growth that you could do some light work on him in a well fitting and light weight saddle. I have a 14.2hh shire x who's currently being backed. He'll happily take me 5ft9 medium build body, but as he's still growing I keep sessions very short.
 
I would say you would be fine doing short schooling sessions... Im 8stone & can ride my daughters 12.3 & he isnt a chunky build.

billylula said:
He's 14.2, welsh x warmblood, a good build but he's lost condition and we are trying to build him back up (we've only had him 3 weeks). HIs topline is virtually non-existent. She has lessons with a fab instructor once a week and usually does a pony club thing plus hacks out 2 or 3 times a week.

I am 5' 7" and weigh 11 stone. I'd like to exercise him a couple of times a week, just walking and trotting with a few hills.

My daughter thinks I will ruin his back :o Not sure what to do!
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My sister rides my 14.2hh 24year old Arab quite often and she is 5'8" and 11 stone so no I don't think your too heavy to be doing just a bit of work on him.
 
Couldn't you walk him out in hand up those hills for a few weeks?

Do you both a world of good, will help build a bond and will help him settle into his new home.
 
Should be fine. Breeding and height sound quite OK - you are not going to do a point to point. Just start slowly and build up distance and time.
 
Without a photo of him its difficult to judge - my 14hh Welsh Cx was a little underweight when I brought him - we did a mixture of short walk ridden and in-hand for the first week up/down hill, walk/trot ridden the next and steadily built up over six weeks to hour long walk/trot/canter. I was 12st then you should be fine x
 
Without a topline the pony has little muscling - and its these strong muscles that carry the weight. Without them the ligaments of the back get stretched and 'saggy' , and once like that will never shorten/strengthen properly. As suggested above walk in hand [ or lead off ] for a few weeks to begi the building up , but once he s got the muscle there , he ll carry you fine.
 
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