Urgh, I need a moan

Tonty Tont

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I own a little 13.1 cob, but I am desperate for a bigger horse.

When I ride him, I'm only about 5'3, I feel huge. All of my horsey friends have gone on to 15-16hh horses and I feel really silly on Tont. I would love to try xc and jumping, things I know Tont won't be able to do.

The problem is, I love my Tont to pieces and I know I would never be able to let someone else take him away. My parents are quite low earners, I'm only 14, so won't have 2 horses, and to get another one I would have to sell Tont. I understand this, but whenever I see my friends on their horses it gets me really down. I just don't know what to do :confused:

Sorry, it's a pointless post but I just really needed to moan.

Nicole :)
 
My daughter is 14, 5'6" but very lightweight. She has a 13.2 show-bred pony. You can imagine. I will not sell the pony, yes, daughter legs are too long, body too tall but she can still walk, trot, canter, jump, hack the mare. If the parents of teenage girls have the money to buy them a horse of 16hh, let them get on it with it. I had to wait six years as child before I had a dog, let alone a pony. Be thankful for what you've got and don't resent your pony just because he doesn't fit into the current trend of overhorsing teenagers.:)
 
I'd say, don't wish your life away, but all teenagers do it and when you hit 30 or 40 you'll wish you didn't... Enjoy him - so many kids don't have a pony at all... compared to them you're the luckiest kid alive.

BnBx
 
Have you tried XC & SJ as he might surprise you?! Yes, I got my daughter a16.1hh but at PC camp he was a complete wuss next to the ponies who were flying over the XC course & SJ and my daughter was really jealous!
 
have you got a piccy with you on him? I have a feeling you look fine and after all he is a cob, he is a weight carrier. Stop worrying and be grateful that you have a horse. Most girls of your age woul kill for a horse to ride and mess with! If he has muscle in all the right places he will be more than comfortable to take you round a xc course. Piccy please :-) you arnt going to get a more honest reply than from this forum!
 
I don't resent Tont, he means more to me than anything, but I just feel like an idiot when they're towering over us.

I know Tont would rather be munching on grass in the field than having to be rode, and I just feel really guilty. I just get really jealous when I see people jumping 4 foot on their horses, as I would love to be able to do that, but on the other hand I would rather not ride than give up Tont.

Thank you for replying, I know I sound like a spoilt brat but I really just needed to talk :)

Nicole :)
 
Sorry but I can't believe you are moaning, think of all the other 14yrs old's that would love to be in your position - also I think your pony is lovely and from your siggy/ comments it looks like you have a special bond.
It may sound harsh but grow up and stop being selfish and most of all stop listening to your friends ( my assumption is that they are showing off and putting your pony down !! )

Just enjoy what you have..................
 
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Meandtheboys - They do keep going on about how they'll never outgrow their horses, and how small Tont is :(

I know I sound stupid, and I feel it now, but I appreciate your replies. I feel a lot better now :)

Nicole :)
 
You look absolutely fine on him. Like you said, you can't have 2 horses and you couldn't bear to get rid of Tont. I could understand if maybe you'd outgrown him, I wish I had a pony at your age! :-)
 
I never had a pony :( my first horse was/is 15.3hh and i got her when i was 16. All my life i wanted a horse/pony so i missed out on all the pony fun with friends :( i used to ride my friends 12.2hh pony but hes out on loan now :(
I know youre jealous, but be grateful for what you have, alot of people (of all ages)!! would love to be in your shoes right now :)
I'll have Tont :D
 
I know how you feel, but at age 10-16 I had a 13.2 arab and we managed to do everything and keep up with the bigger horses. I was really small for my age though. At 16 I had outgrown him and I had to sell him so I could afford another, so I know your dilemma. I wish i'd kept him, but he was a pretty active little pony, loved to jump and it wouldnt have been fair to let him be a field ornament. He's in a great home now and I still see him lots!
To be honest, your little cob sounds like he's coping fine, I bet he could do showjumping and xc better than some of the bigger horses! I could jump 4ft fences on my old pony, on my new horse? Not a chance! It takes a long time to build up the same sort of bond :)
Enjoy the pony you have, for what he is! If your really wanting to go out and do more than he's capable of, you could always look into loaning.
 
i know lots of teenagers that are totally overhorsed just to fit in .
your pony looks fab ,enjoy him and try not to listen ,
im afraid some people think lifes a competition
 
or loan him out and loan yourself a bigger horse, then swap back when you're working and can afford tont and to buy one of your own.
 
I'm 5ft4, over 30 and have two 13.2hh ponies, a 14hh and 15hh. The 13.2hh ponies are wicked fun - turn fast, sure footed, can do anything pretty much. One of them could easily clear 4ft so don't put Tont down - he can easily take you xc or sj or whatever you want to do. Get some lessons and get out there, you'll be surprised at what the two of you can achieve, and I bet you could beat some of your friends on their horses!
 
lost my confidence jumping big horses took a barely 14h pony to get my confidence back and yes i looked a bit silly and the nasty guy at the yard laughed at me but he was awesome and would jump anything you put him to with no bother at all lil ponies rock
 
omg! You look absolutly fine! You are only a tiny thing heigt and weight-wise! I think if you had something bigger you would be way way over-horsed possibly loose your confidence and just want Tont! Let him teach you all you need to know better him than some big 16hh hard head. Dont listen or be held back by the others! Carry on at your own pace and dont rush! That cob could carry AND pull a great deal more than you girl! Have fun and balls to the rest! Do things your own way AND DONT BECOME A SHEEPLE! Plus pones do have a super pop on um, our minnature can jump 4ft over his stable door from a standstill and he is the same size as a german sheapard dog! You will earn more respect just being yourself and having fun with tont. Balls to um! Sorry about the bad grammar im on my phone :-p
 
Ponies are definitely the way to go! Especially in some SJ. I was watching the open at a show I was at today and there were lots of big impressive warmbloods in the jump off. Who won? A 14hh lightweight cob :D So nippy and could turn on a sixpence, something few big horses can do.
 
I dont know if you remember me? I replied to your post about Justin the loan horse?

Anyway, you have nothing to be ashamed of. When I was 13/14 I was riding my friends 12hh Shetland x - very fat and just a bit of an arse really!! - and THAT was embarrassing! I was tall for my age then and my feet were almost on the ground. We would hack out and my friends' 14 and 15 handers towered over me. He used to not be able to keep up and would sweat buckets. The comments I used to get from non-horsey people were just :mad: he could carry me fine, I was fairly light back then! It was just more than a little humiliating!!

Believe me, once you've ridden something like that you will never be ashamed again! You are VERY VERY lucky to have Tont!!! :D
 
Ponies are MUCH more fun than horses.

I am also not a fan of teenagers over horsing themselves, seems to be the trend.

Have fun with your pony and love him for what he is, I am 22 years old and have never owned a horse....and won't be able to afford to for another few years! So I would bite your arm off for him.

When I was a teenager I used to jump about 3ft/3ft6 on a little 13.2hh and about 4ft on a 14hh. We used to always beat the other girls on their 16hh showjumpers in a jump off :). Of course when I was a teenager I always aspired to riding the bigger horses. Now I am older and wish I could ride ponies again! At 5ft 7 I look a little ridiculous....over the summer I got to ride a 13hh welshy and riding him was the most fun I have ever had!!! I don't think I have smiled so much when riding.

Is there any reason why you *know* Tont can't do xc or sj? I think if you gave him a chance he might surprise you. Some ponies are brilliant little jumpers even if they are cobby....and plenty of 15-16hh can't jump bugger all!!!
 
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I think you are fine on tont :) and there is no reason that he cant take you showjumping and xc and no reason that he wouldnt or shouldnt enjoy it, as someone else has said I dread going against the little 12hh ponies in a jump off as they can turn in their own length and I'm 19 on a 14.2 so stop worring. You say that he would rather be eating grass than being ridden but I'm sure he actually likes the variety that being ridden brings so get out there and enjoy your selves and stop feeling guilty!! Why not book to go xc schooling with a friend then you can have a go at xc with tont.
 
Enjoy what you've got.

Unless you are too big on him IE too long in the leg/too tall through the seat.... I don't think you need a swap. Sounds like you get on great with the horse that you've got. Move up when you're ready; not when your friends are.
 
I agree with everyone else, you look great on him. You're only 14, you've got the rest of your life to do 'serious' riding on those gangly awkward big horses. Enjoy whizzing round on your pony and having fun! I think in time you'll feel OK about letting him go to a new home, and that'll be the time you can move up to a horse. But enjoy him for another year or so, I'm sure he still has plenty to teach you and you'll be a better horse rider for your patience :)
 
I had my previous horse about 6 years ago when I was 15 - he was a 16.1hh Warmblood. He was a great horse, I really couldn't fault him.

After him, I gave up riding for 6 years. When I started university last September, I got back into riding and at the grand age of (nearly) 21, I have a 14.1hh dun pony. My friends all have big sports horses imported from Germany and apparently have the "best" breeding you could ask for. On hacks they tower over me, but my little pony can not only keep up, but is usually way ahead in the distance when we go for a gallop!

I have so much fun with her - if I knew then what I know now, I would have stuck to ponies all along!!

So basically what I'm trying to say is that the size of your pony is absolutely irrelevant. Just because they are smaller does not mean they are any less able! :)
 
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