Welsh pony questions???

[Lovewelshponies]

Hi, I have a 7 almost 8 year old 12hh Welsh X cob and is very thick set. Just before I got him when he was really overweight he had a girl who was 5' 10" on him who was lightweight and ride him just once for my first viewing he jumped 75cm and could have gone higher with her. What height do you guys think he could jump roughly?
Also he can gallop pretty fast and is just faster than a 13.2hh Welsh pony that I ride with. Any idea what sort of speed he goes?
And what's the maximum weight he could take. I know the 20% rule and one stone to every hand rule but are they actually accurate?

 

[Shay]

Nothing weight wise is going to be 100% accurate for every pony and every rider. The pony will take a heavier well balanced rider far more easily than a lighter unbalanced rider. And a heavy boned weight carrier will take more than a light boned racer. The 20% rule is the better guide - but only if the animals is not over or under weight. Really you are looking for a good fit. Does the pony take up the length of leg well? Does he seem comfortable for the work he is being asked to do? With smaller ponies there is also the issue of saddle fit -a larger / heavier rider needs a larger saddle but there may not be enough back length to take it.

How high can he jump? There is no formula for that. It comes down to pony's attitude and to correct training. If they love to jump and are schooled well you can get a very serious pop. But if they don't like it, or have had a bad experience or simply don't have the strength then you won't.

If you want to find out how fast he gallops you'll have to time him over a track I'm afraid.