What does small / lightweight adult weigh? 14.2 NF

nikCscott

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I know all dependant on breed, bone etc

But I'm wonder how you all felt about it?

I already have a 16.2 WB and i'd like something to accompany my young children on fun rides and hunting and and he's big, can get quite 'hot' in fun situations and can be fidgety to get on. I'm thinking of getting something smaller so I can be on and off to help if the girls take a tumble or need girth checks etc.

I'm wanting to tick as many boxes as possible....

Youngish so that potentially could be a future pony for my tall, confident and competitive 7 year old.
The extra pony will also mean I can ride out with my mum again- her on the big boy.

I'd like something really smart New Forest stamp but in your greatly experienced HHO opinion would this type carry me happily- I'd hate to think of myself a pony squishier and also to turn up at a viewing and for the owner to rightfully say sorry your to heavy :o

5'3 10 stone?


Thank you Tea and croissant for those of you who have got this far! :p
 
I am ten stone and often ride a 14 hh cob. He is a heavyweight though. His owner must be at least 14 stone. I would say that most ponies of 14hh and middle weight could carry you quite easily.
 
I'm 5'10 & 9stone & ride my childhood 14.2 connie x tb still, done pretty much everything on her. At your size, even though she's now 23 I would happily let you ride her. And when my daughter moves onto her when she's 9, I fully intend buying an unbroken 14.2 connie x tb or full connie to bring on & ride myself for a few years before passing on to daughter when she's in her teens & mine needs a quieter life. I'd say go for it. Having a trustworthy sensible type when you hack with your child makes a huge difference.
 
You would be fine on most large breed natives or small cobs from about 13hh (any smaller and I think you would feel tall). I'd happily let you ride my 14.2 connie at that size, sounds like a brilliant way to get your daughters possble next pony as you already know it and she can move on slowly.
 
You will be fine. I am the same height and weight as you and I have a 13.3 Haflinger and a14.1 fine appaloosa before him.

Most sturdy ponies can carry adults with no problem what so ever. The chunkier the better in my opinion as they are more comfortable to ride and you dont feel so big.

Good luck with your search. xx
 
For many years I rode a 13.2hh New Forest gelding. He was an Advanced Endurance Pony.

We did the 160km (100miles) over Exmoor at the Golden Horse Shoe

He carried Fei weight which is 11st 11lbs

I also have a 14hh Arab mare that has also done Exmoor, as well as winning the Veteran Arab Marathon and several other races.

There is no reason why you should not ride a pony.
 
I am 5'6 and my horse is a 13.3/14hh New Forest - I am just over 10 stone and I feel fine on him and he carries me with no problems. He is a chunkier type but equally I tried finer New Forest ponies when I was looking who again, I felt fine on :)
 
I have done exactly this and bought a 13.2 welsh cxd. I am nearly 5 ft 8 and she carries me easily.:o So your height on a 14.2 should be no problem at all. :)

My thinking is to use her to accompany my daughter until daughter takes her over. Approaching that time I will buy a 14.2 and bring that on for her to ride next :D
 
Sounds fine to me - I'm 5'3" and about 9 1/2 stone and would consider a native or native cross 14.2hh about the right size for me. Nothing like being able to get on and off easily :)

Paula
 
Thank you all

I have contacted a few pony owners and was told i was too heavy by 1 (reg 14.2 NF) which I'm not bothered about hence why i was upfront to start with.

And i've just heard back from the owner of a beautiful irish 14.2 6yo who says he'll be fine with me, he's ALOT more money but really flashy and bags of scope so will hopefully produce through to a cracking competition pony to take my daughter through juniors. So in my head i'm thinking he'll be with us 10 years so that 'only' works out at.... so much a year........;):rolleyes:

I plan to hunt SJ and dressage the pony along side mine to hopefully produce into a competitive SJ or event or at the very least a decent all rounder.

Thanks for your help and reassurance - i've lost 2.5 stone to make this plan possible and then to hear 'you're still too heavy' was a little soul destroying if i'm honest :(:o
 
Don't think you are too heavy at all, I sometimes get on my daughter's 14h NF, I weigh 13st and he's a chunky type very strong if he wants to be, he seems quite happy and he is definitely not averse to deciding to he'd like to go a bit faster than I'd like because he wants to.
 
In answer to the OP's original question, if I was advertising for a small lightweight adult, I would be thinking of someone around 5 foot 6 or less and up to ten - eleven stone max.
 
Go for it !
You are not too tall/too heavy for a New Forest pony.
NF's compete in every discipline with ADULT riders against horses.
14.1hh NF, Farriers Brown Bear WON the Senior Open BRC XC Championships in 2009.
I personally know a 14hh NF who has just upgraded to Medium level in BD.
Google the New Forest Point To Point - held on Boxing Day every year. There is a race specifically for Men riding NF ponies.
Google the New Forest Pony Publicity Group (NFPPG), where you will see photos and competition results for NF ponies competing with their adult riders.
This pony was 13.2hh, forest bred NF, 4 years old and recently backed (by myself). I am 5'6" and weighed 10 stone at the time this photo was taken.
DSCF8881.jpg

The NF pony I have now is 13.3hh and still growing. She will finish at about 14hh/14.1hh. She is slightly chunkier than the pony above, and I am looking forward to backing her and competing in the future. :)
 
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We may not condone it now, but New Forests/Exmoors etc were bred to be able to carry a man (12/13 stone) all day or pull heavy wagons. You are a feather in comparison!!
 
What about an Exmoor.

Ditto this. At 5'3 you are a perfect height for one. I'm 5'5 and never feel too tall for mine. Most full up exies can take 11 - 12 stone of balanced rider. Only problem is ridden exmoors don't tend to come up for sale too often, if you decided to get one your best bet is to post a wanted ad on the exmoor forum or society website. Ponies often change hands without ever being advertised!
 
I said this a few week ago and will repeat myself again :)....

I have a nf pony and know lots and lots about them and the majority of nf ponies don't have the conformation to be carrying 10st+ riders. Their backs are long, their hindquarters are weak and they are often quite long between their hocks and fetlocks. My pony is 14hh and weighs 366kg, I am 5ft5 and weigh 71/2 stone. My trainer weighs 9 stone and I wouldn't want anyone heavier than that on him.
 
I was always told that NF's can carry a stone per hand. At 10 stone you are no were near to heavy for a 14.2hh (or even smaller)!

I'm 6'1, weigh more then you and have ridden a variety of 14.2hh for friends over the last few years, all have managed me fine, from a conni (who I was jumping/rode long term) to a Nf and HW cob.
 
It depends on the pony there is quite a lot of variation in the breed. There is at the NF breed show a weight carrying class where the rider has to be at least a certain weight I don't know how heavy but I think at least 10 stone.

There is a trend for the lighter stamp of forester at the moment but the more traditional stamp of a pony would be fine.

This is my forest compared who is much chunkier than the black one shown earlier look at my ponies legs I know they are hairy but you can see how substantial they are and his hindquarters are strong. He could easily carry ten stone, I am 8.5 stone and my saddler says I am very light for my pony. However one thing you do have to be careful about is saddle size if you need a larger seat saddle than your pony can carry then you will be squashed in and this can make a difference in your position and the way the weight is distrubuted on your pony's back.

homeymar12001.jpg
 
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You would be fine on a forester. To do everything. My daughters and I are taller and heavier than you, we all share the one pony who happily does all that is asked of him, and has always done so in the 6 years we have owned him. Go with your gut feeling. The one you went to look at with the owner who told you you were too heavy is frankly wrong - or her pony is so light of bone that it is a poor excuse for a NF pony. Good luck in your search, your proposed plan sounds an excellent idea to me.
 
I would say that most NF breeders would disagree with you unless the pony was not true to type or very small.

Here is the breed standard from the society it says the larger ponies should be quite capable of carrying adults and does not even say just small adults either. The photo on the website has what looks like adults on the ponies and they do not even look like child size adults either. One of the breed standards is strong quarters so they should not be having weak hindquarters.

http://www.newforestpony.com/breedstandard.php


I said this a few week ago and will repeat myself again :)....

I have a nf pony and know lots and lots about them and the majority of nf ponies don't have the conformation to be carrying 10st+ riders. Their backs are long, their hindquarters are weak and they are often quite long between their hocks and fetlocks. My pony is 14hh and weighs 366kg, I am 5ft5 and weigh 71/2 stone. My trainer weighs 9 stone and I wouldn't want anyone heavier than that on him.
 
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