Too big for this pony?

Sparkie

Sparkie

Nutty chestnut mare!!
Apr 22, 2004
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Cambridgeshire
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I ride a 11.3hh/12hh pony at the moment, and have been told by a few people that I am too big for him. He is a very fast little pony, exels at games and doesn't change a lot between me riding him and another, smaller child. I am 15 and weigh just under 7 stone, and am 5"3'. He is fairly well built. I admit I look a little silly sometimes though.
I like riding him, but I don't want to hurt him!

Okay, no picture, computer won't let me...
 
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I don't know much about rider weights/ pony sizes but if he rides happily for you I can't see a problem. I'm sure he'd let you know about it if you were squashing him. :) If I ever attempt sitting on my sons shetland for example, he runs away between my legs, like a dog would. :D :D

Your link doesn't seem to have worked. :confused:
 
Seems fine to me, im sure he'll be able to carry you easily.
You might look too big for him, but if you feel fine and enjoy riding him, then why stop?

Im about 5ft7 and weigh quite a bit more than you, and Im schooling a welsh secA at the moment. She was broken in by a polo groom/ player, so plays up with little kids but is fine if you're a bit bigger
 
my daughter is 14 and weights about 6stone something and rides an 11.3 pony. Although she is getting a little long in the leg they are still fine together! Wouldnt let people put you off, you would know if you were too heavy. Snowy has a tendancy to dump riders if they are too heavy for him. A couple of my daughters friends could tell you this :D
 
what breed is he?

when my daughter's 12 hh welshie was naughty, I'd climb on to school her - at 5'4" and 7 1/2 stone (100 years ago I might add, sigh), she seemed to go just as fast!
 
You might look too big for him but you don't weigh much, I'm sure you're fine.

I'm 6 st 6 and 5ft, and I don't feel 'right' on anything under 14hh, but if you feel okay and you're light then I think that's all that matters:)
 
I guess the only person who can decide this is yourself. What i will say though that suprisingly little ponies can be very strong, and can quite easily carry adults. Come on, if you have ever seen the mounted games at large shows you will know these kids are far too big for their ponies, but people just chuckle about it because the ponies and riders are having a whale of a time, that's all that matters really. If he groans under your weight though you'll know. But if he seems happy with his work and doesnt seem 'strained' in any way, there's no problem. Remember though as well as the pony, YOU need to be sure ;)
 
Too tall, yes, too heavy, definitily not.

Like Method acting said, you're going to look too tall (and you will unbalance him if you're not a balanced rider) but he'll carry your weight not a problem.
 
Just make sure you have your leg long, don't try to shorten your stirrups in an effort to look less tall.

It is riders who ride small horses too short that cause balance problems, use your legs as a counter weight.
 
everybody whos replied to this seem to be really light :( but i can't moan myself and at 17 im roughly 5'4" and between 7 and 1/2 and 8 stone :rolleyes: I wouldn't b bothered about getting on board as long as they weren't all legs.;) Ride like you'd ride any other horse and enjoy. I feel sooo sorry 4 everyone who outgrows ponies.:D

One thing to remeber that a good rider that weighs more will still ride lighter that and less weighted, novice counterpart because at least you can move your weight to help the pony. :) As has been said, keep your leathers a decent length and don't worry about looking big (unless your feet start to drag on the floor :p ;) ). the pony will tell you when you've become too much.:D
 
Well rhiannon264 i'm not light. I'm 18, 5ft6 and am 10 and a bit stone (all those muscles from working with horses all my life!) My mum has a little 11.2 pony, that I broke in. He was fine carrying me (he was shetland x) and my mum who weighs the same. he has amazing paces for a young horse and it would have been great to do dressage on him. Unfortuantly I am very shy and care about what ppl think of me. I couldn't bring myself to go to a dressage comp, with a load of 15hh + horses and me on a hairy shetland with my legs on the floor! Instead i'm getting my friend to do it! mwhahaha
 
Hi Im 23 and 5'10'' and 13 stone:eek: i own a 14.3hh MW cob, I often get comments about riding her, because 'Im too big' it used to upset me but now i couldnt care less. I know my horse they dont, as long as shes happy i am, if i take my feet out of my stirrups they may be by her knees but this doent stop her asking for the not so occational gallop:D :eek: and the odd 20 mile sponcered ride dosnt faze her. Ive had her 7 yrs and she still wants to be a gymcana pony / tb racer:eek: . The day she says its too much ill stop riding her but until then we will continue to enjoy ourselves:D :D
Dont let others ruin your fun
 
I used to work for the hunt, BIG posh horses with legs all the way up! I was always seen out and about on these intimidating beasts.

When I finished working for them, I used to carry on following on my "pony" stallion, 13.2hh Haflinger. I got the comments, "you've come down in the world....blah, blah blah" They shut up after the first day out, as my little 4X4 went everywhere they went....and more, kept up all day, and was on springs on the way home, not hot, not run up and not over excited or injured in any way......but if there was a gat to do I got to do it as I was on the smallest horse. So I told them, why didn't they get rid of those big useless beasts and get one they could get on and off in a crisis! ;) :) ;) :D :D
 
You probably look too big for him, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are too big. If he's happy with you and rides well, and reacts the same way to both you and the small child, he's probably fine.

I've actually noticed that how you look on a horse relates to tack, leg position, etc. When I ride Coquette in the English saddle with a shorter leg, RI informs me that I look too small for her (which is pitiful, since she's only 14.2), but under the Western saddle with a longer leg, we look perfectly matched.

FYI, I'm 5'0" and a little over 8 stone. With very short legs.
 
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size matters!

Hi you lot - you have just answered my question that I was going to post today. I have the opportunity to buy a 11.3 hh mare for my soon to be 10 daughter. I was a bit concerned that she would outgrow her pretty quickly but by the sounds of things she should be fine.

We have had 2 ponies so far, one we bought and turned out to be bonkers :eek: and was totally unsuitable then we have a 14 hh connemara mare who is a darling (except when you want to separate her from her friends to bring her into the stable:rolleyes: ).

The yard that we have livery at buys and sells some ponies and we just missed out on a 12.2 hh last week as I was rather poor as pay day had yet to come!! My daughter has been riding this wee 11.3 mare for a week now and really seems to get on well with her - as she can be rather nervous on larger, faster ponies! So folks what do you think I should do - buy or not to buy???????????

by the way I think my daughter is about 125 cm and is about 41/2 to 5 stone and the pony seems to have a wee bit of a whelsy about her - or maybe a heinzy :D
 
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