Worried about being under-horsed (size-wise)...

[Stormynight]

And I'm not sure what to do about it. I bought my boy in the summer, unseen from Ireland (I know, I know). He's 3.5, and a lovely, lovely youngster who is going to make somebody a really fabulous mount. My concern is whether that's me or not.

I'm 5'6 and around 10st. Always been most comfortable riding 15-16hh, and this was my aim when buying this time. He was advertised as already standing 15hh behind (at 3), so my hope was he would make somewhere around 15-15.2. The reality is he stands 14-14.1hh at 3.5 and is a short necked, short legged, short backed cob who was late gelded and has been brought up well, meaning I'm not convinced there's going to be a great deal of growth left in him. He has real pony-sized strides to boot.

Obviously he'll level some and will fill out, but having sat on him a couple of times (he's obviously not in ridden work, before anybody jumps on me!), I'm genuinely concerned at how small he feels. Just curious as to whether anybody on here has any words of wisdom, or experiences of adjusting to a much smaller mount? I'm torn over whether to give him the time to see how much he will grow/fill out, or whether to realistically consider moving him on and finding something which I know is right.

Thoughts? TIA!

 

[DabDab]

Both my youngsters are too small for me 😂 I'm taller than you though at 5'8 and I'm 65kg. The first one is properly under saddle now and although she felt tiny to start, she's just comfortable now, and my older horse now feels monstrously large in comparison. The other one is shorter with a very ponyish stride, but chunkier, and having got over the shock of riding miss twiggy I have no concerns about getting on her anymore (she's about the same age and size as yours sounds).

You'll be fine to ride him I'm sure - get him away and riding and then see if you still feel the same

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Cobs do mature slower so you could find that he takes a jump about 4.5/5 in height.

Also if he’s wide he will take up your leg more

 

[holeymoley]

You’ll be fine to ride him weight wise. In terms of how you feel on him depends on how much he takes up your leg. I’m 5ft 2 and have a 14.1hh coloured and everyone says that we fit just fine. He does feel like he rides bigger though.

 

[Gloi]

It will take a while to get used to because of what you've been riding before, but you will in time. My youngster is 14 hands and feels big to me because my oldie that I was riding before is smaller than him.

 

[cobgoblin]

You'll be fine. I'm 5'6" and 9.5st and have a 14hh cob.
He'll gain a bit more height and will broaden out at about 6yrs....mine went from a medium fit saddle to an xxw.

 

[JJS]

I'm also 5 ft 6 and Mary was 14.1hh when I got her aged four. She's grown a couple of inches since (she's six now) but she fit me perfectly fine even at her smallest. There's no way you're too big - you just have to get used to the difference between what you're familiar with and what you have now.

 

[Marigold4]

But on the other hand, horses take a huge amount of time and money to keep, and if this chap does not feel like your dream horse and too ponyish for you, then you may always feel a little disappointed in this project and that's not fair on either of you. I bought a 3 year old and backed her, but in the end never felt she was the one for me, partly because she felt too small. I sold her and her new owner loves her to bits. She is the new owner's dream horse and they are doing so well together.

 

[MrsMozart]

After having the big warmblood, ISH, ID, I'm now 'down' to a 14.2 no withered bogof cob.

I've not ridden him yet, he's away being backed, but D1 has, who's the same as me at 5'8", and she says he's a hoot. Really takes the leg up in his absolute solid leg-at-each-corner way and she wants to borrow him to do horseback archery on as he feels so secure and nimble.

If you like his character then just see how he goes.

 

[be positive]

I think it depends on your long term plans, if you want a fun hack and not much more he may be fine but with a short neck and short stride if you plan on doing more you may find it a struggle to really enjoy riding him if you are used to more scopey athletic types, some ponies ride big but a cob with choppy paces can be a step too far n the wrong direction.

I would get on with backing him, ensure he has the best start possible and if in the spring/ summer he is not what you want you can sell him on knowing you have given him the best chance possible of a useful life with his new owners, I think if you put in some time you will be better able to make the decision for the right reasons, I don't see any need to wait to ride him as long as you go steadily and get him hacking out as that will probably be his main job wherever he ends up.

 

[ycbm]

My cob went from 15 hands half an inch to 15.3 and half an inch after he was four when I bought him, and I believe was in very good condition for the two years before that. Be Positive has given some really good advice, I think.

But if he's not right for you in the spring, I'd say sell. I have always loved big, lightweight horses, but I kept my cob four years after he was meant to be sold, mostly because my other horse was no fun and he was. Now I've decided to sell him, I've realised that because he is such a lovely boy, I've been compromising on the riding I really want to be doing for at least two years. It's been a real relief to admit it to myself and decide to find him a new home. So if you do keep him for a while, don't get stuck somewhere you don't really want to be like I did.

 

[Nudibranch]

You are fine height and weight wise but if he feels wrong then there's no shame in selling him on. It depends what you want. I am 5'10 and recently lost my 17.3 WB, and am currently riding the Fell who is only 13.2. It feels different but you get used to it! Long term I'll be backing the Dales, who will probably just scrape 15hh but she should be able to do everything I want (and more than my poor WB who was riddled with arthritis by 7 after having done virtually nothing). So it's probably more about how you feel than you being too big.

 

[BlackRider]

I'm 5'9 with a 13'3 fell

If he ticks all the other boxes then give him some time as he will probably grow more and fill out.

 

[huskydamage]

I'm the same size as you and I am forever switching between my two, a 14hh pony and 15.2 horse, both are fine builds. It is weird going from the horse to the pony, but I adjust. Does it look pretty? Not really but the pony has been carrying me around for a long time and still going at 25. Depends how you look/feel on the pony and if that bothers you really. I am not remotely interested in dressage, showing etc so that's not something I've ever had to think about.

 

[marmalade76]

He will grow, fill out, that is a guarantee. When you are used to riding something big and get on something small, you will feel big until you get used to it. Plus, if you're used to riding big, you will find that you have to work harder to balance yourself on something smaller (even more so with a youngster who is not well balanced itself). If he is lovely in every other way, I would give it time and carry on starting him, if you find you can't get on will his size in the longer term, you will have a more saleable broken cob to sell rather than a just backed one.

 

[Stormynight]

Some lovely replies here, thank you all.

I think my main problem is that the picture of me and him together is very top heavy (I was mortified when I saw a photo) - I’m longer in the body than I am the leg, and combined with the fact that a 5’6 rug is generous on him, I’m sure you can appreciate that the ratios look rather wrong!

My end goal really was a sensible all-rounder - I don’t want to world beat in any sense, but I would like to play about a little in some different disciplines. He was backed and ridden away in Ireland over the summer, so my plan was to start working him next year and see how we go. It’s a shame I don’t have a field to pop him in for a year and revisit, really... unfortunately he’s on livery, and as somebody correctly mentioned, the amount of money you pump in certainly adds up. It then starts to pose the question of how sensible it is to hold on and hope.

Maybe it’s a question to revisit come Spring. I can’t help feeling a little disappointed, which is unfair on him, really.

 

[Chinchilla]

If he is a cob and wide, you will look fine IMHO, and he will be fine carrying you, particularly as there's no way he'll be finished filling out until as late as 7.
It's a matter of personal preference if you "feel" OK riding him though, but 3 - 3.5 is too soon to know because he'll develop so much after that.
Though I'll be honest and say so long as the horse carries you OK weight wise and you enjoy riding together just go and ride, never mind what you look like; we do do this sport for fun after all

 

[be positive]

I can fully understand you being disappointed as you thought you were buying something bigger, there must be a lot of odd measuring sticks in Ireland as it seems to be a common issue when buying unseen, he will not really care at the moment but if he really does not live up to what you want then sell on before you do start to show your true feelings, it is not just about whether he can carry you, which he obviously can, or whether you look too big, which you probably wont, and all about whether you want to spend the time bringing him on if he does not feel right to ride, the lack of stride length and enough in front of you is not going to change much however long you wait.

We do do this for fun so I would not waste too much time hoping once you do start working him as that can be even more disappointing if it doesn't work out.

 

[tda]

3.5 years is young, he will alter loads in the next two to three years, just carry on with getting him started x

 

[Chinchilla]

I'm 5'9 with a 13'3 fell

If he ticks all the other boxes then give him some time as he will probably grow more and fill out.

Any chance of pics? (Sorry for thread hijacking but I'm also 5'9.....)

 

[Rosiejazzandpia]

At 3 and a half any horse will be very narrow and slightly built. If he's a cob he will grow so much more and will fill out so much that he will take up your leg easily.

Anecdotally I bought a supposed 14.3hh 4 year old who actually turned out to be 13.2 and only 3 🙃 she's grown so much and filled out massively.
Last winter she was in a 5'6 rug that was too wide on the chest and a medium saddle for going for inhand walks. She was in a 42 inch girth and a pony sized headcollar.
This winter she's in 6'3 weatherbeetas, xwide saddle and a 48inch girth. Shes full size in everything now and has matured to be 14.3 and is still slightly bum high. Don't despair!

 

[L&M]

My cob was 14.1hh at 4yrs - by 7yrs he had made 15.hh.

 

[J&S]

Size is NOT everything! This is my new (companion)pony who we can also ride. She is about 13.1hh and I am 5ft 5" and weigh about 10 stone. She could carry me all day long!

 

[McFluff]

How did you feel before you saw the picture?
He will grow up and he will fill out and with schooling and maturity his stride will lengthen (mine has developed hugely and can now feel much bigger, I often misjudge my dismount!)
Does his character suit? Cobs are tough and adaptable so it’s his character that is perhaps more important here. As others have said, if you can keep him over the winter, then make a choice once he’s more established.

 

[Louby]

Some lovely replies here, thank you all.

I think my main problem is that the picture of me and him together is very top heavy (I was mortified when I saw a photo) - I’m longer in the body than I am the leg, and combined with the fact that a 5’6 rug is generous on him, I’m sure you can appreciate that the ratios look rather wrong!

My end goal really was a sensible all-rounder - I don’t want to world beat in any sense, but I would like to play about a little in some different disciplines. He was backed and ridden away in Ireland over the summer, so my plan was to start working him next year and see how we go. It’s a shame I don’t have a field to pop him in for a year and revisit, really... unfortunately he’s on livery, and as somebody correctly mentioned, the amount of money you pump in certainly adds up. It then starts to pose the question of how sensible it is to hold on and hope.

Maybe it’s a question to revisit come Spring. I can’t help feeling a little disappointed, which is unfair on him, really.

This is how I feel with my young horse, I feel so top heavy on her being used to heavier bigger horses. I went out to buy a MW hunter type or Maxi cob and fell for a twiggy legged 3 yr old lol. She was advertised as 15.3 when I bought her at 3 but is slight and very short coupled. Others reckoned she was smaller, my instructor said 15.2 as a 4 yr old yikes. Ive been willing her to grow but she hasnt in my eyes grown much at all, then the vet came to do her vacs and says shes grown and today we went for a walk and I looked back at her and though god shes grown. Shes now 4 1/2, is still slight, needs to fill out but I'd say she still has more to go, fingers crossed.
Cobs are such slow maturers but if you really like him then I'd wait and give him the Summer. We've had such a poor Summer, grass wise, well we have up North that next year may make all the difference and if he isnt for you then sell. After a run of bad luck with horses I went from keeping them for life to they are too expensive not to have the horse you want and a good cob is worth its weight in gold. I so hope it works out for you.
This is me feeling top heavy on my young horse. Ignore my face lol, it was my first time sat on her since she came home after being backed and I was a bit omg ha ha x

 

[Muddywellies]

I'm sure you'll be fine. I'm 5ft 5 (and I'm not saying what I weigh but I'm quite a lump!) and my pony is 14.3hh. She changed shape massively when she started proper work (went from 5ft 9 /6ft rugs to 6ft 3 rugs) and I look fine on her. We do BD and sometimes give those big fancy warmbloods a run for their money

 

[spookypony]

Louby, that looks totally appropriate to me, and your horse is very pretty!

 

[spookypony]

Oh, and the bay pony on the right in my signature is 14.1, and had just carried me 50km in that pic. I'm 5'5.5".

 

[alexomahony]

And I'm not sure what to do about it. I bought my boy in the summer, unseen from Ireland (I know, I know). He's 3.5, and a lovely, lovely youngster who is going to make somebody a really fabulous mount. My concern is whether that's me or not.

I'm 5'6 and around 10st. Always been most comfortable riding 15-16hh, and this was my aim when buying this time. He was advertised as already standing 15hh behind (at 3), so my hope was he would make somewhere around 15-15.2. The reality is he stands 14-14.1hh at 3.5 and is a short necked, short legged, short backed cob who was late gelded and has been brought up well, meaning I'm not convinced there's going to be a great deal of growth left in him. He has real pony-sized strides to boot.

Obviously he'll level some and will fill out, but having sat on him a couple of times (he's obviously not in ridden work, before anybody jumps on me!), I'm genuinely concerned at how small he feels. Just curious as to whether anybody on here has any words of wisdom, or experiences of adjusting to a much smaller mount? I'm torn over whether to give him the time to see how much he will grow/fill out, or whether to realistically consider moving him on and finding something which I know is right.

Thoughts? TIA!

Hey!! I'm 5ft9 and between 9-10 stone and have a 14.2 and a 15 hander. No one realises how tall I am till I get off!

 

[huskydamage]

I was a bit dispointed when I first saw a pic of me on my new horse as tbh still looks small for me (though not as bad as the pony obviously lol) but I've also ridden a shire horse and didn't look small on that either. I'm just very 'long' but I dont want some gigantic 18hh thing and I have lots of fun on my girls so Ive just stopped worrying about it. People will always make comments and bitch but if you are enjoying your horses and they are healthy and happy carrying you, why worry? As I said earlier it depends if this bothers you. Would you enter a local comp etc on your pony knowing you might look bigger on it than everyone else but not worry and still enjoy it? If the answer is no then you need something bigger