Adults who ride ponies.

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May 3, 2012 21:05:31 GMT banditgirl10 said:

s1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/banditgirl10/

Hi peeps,

See if you can check the photo's out via the above link as im having terrible trouble trying to upload!!

And yes, I know i look tall on him, but he does have alot of filling out to do.

Thanks xxxx

Sorry but I think you look to big on him, you are quite tall from the waist up and the overall picture looks wrong all out of proportion

This is me on the right on my welsh D, she is 14.1 and I am 5ft 4 and about 10 1/2 stone

[ikklecob]

I think you look too tall in that photo. Have you one in show gear, clothes make a huge difference to the image as I discovered when asking the same question elsewhere, As you say he has filling out to do so you may look better then. But if you enjoy him ... what the heck.

[banditgirl10]

As I've said, I know I look tall, but I'd rather have something smaller initially, than massive! I got told he would make a good 14.2hh. I personally don't think he will. But, I love him, he loves me and that's that.
All of you have been really helpful and for the sake of me looking too tall, Id still rather stick to a pony or a hony. Lol xx

Thanks for taking the time to give me your advice and opinions.

xxxx

[banditgirl10]

Ikklecob, I only have one other photo. None in show gear. I'm going to go with the fact that he is still only 4yrs, has a lot of maturing to do. Will do what I'm currently doing, which is hacking and do a few in hand classes with him later in the year.
I have also been told that clothes make a difference. Don't want to try bright clothes, as ill look like a d**n beacon! Lol xx

Thank you xx

[ikklecob]

It is not about the colour. baggy tops like hoodies/sweats make you look much top heavier. A jacket or fitted outfit slims he whole picture down.

[watchbank]

Thing is when he matures your legs are going to sitting wider on him so you will gain a few extra inches in width... i find this with my D i know shes going to mature and im gonna end up sitting wider on her so will look even smaller

[bow1607]

May 3, 2012 21:50:43 GMT muggley said:

The problem with taller people riding smaller ponies is that they tend to sit too far back and on the cantle of their saddles thus harming the ponies back.

You ride with shorter stirrups so that your feet don't really come down below the ponies belly and thus you can't knock the ponies legs with your feet. In turn, most of the time without realising it, you move your body and bum back in the saddle to alleviate the bend in the knee and therefore make it more comfortable for yourself. Your thighs then up nearer the horizontal than the vertical. Im not saying everyone is like this but a fair few are.

Could not have said it better myself!

width makes a huge difference........I'm 5ft 1 and about 7 stone wet through lol
This is me on a 15hh pba who was very wide


And this is me on a 15.2hh riding horse medium/wide saddle


I was told to try putting my stirrups down on Bow (the grey) but I was reaching for my stirrups and they were to long..........she had a table top back!

[hs]

I think if you can touch your horse or ponies legs with your legs or feet when your stirrups are the traditional flat work length then you are probably too tall.

I don't think riding very short on flat cut showing saddles is very flattering because the saddle is not cut to take the knee in a more forward position.

I know showing is not about riding in the correct position etc but if the saddle is a bit small for you and you are riding very short in a saddle that is not designed for riding in this way it is makes it harder to get into the correct position and get the elbow to heel lined up. Jumping saddles and some GP are designed to accomodate a shorter stirrup length.

[picklesanddinx]

Hi guys I am 4'11 34yrs and weigh 6 and half and I love riding my children's 11.2sec a lol we also have two 13.2 coloured ponies which I ride love the little ponies

[emzkes]

I'm 5ft 3 and have a 13.1 new forest and a 13hh sec b.


this is my 13.1


this is my sec b afew months ago she has just turned 4 so has a lot of filling out to do

[afe]

I dont know how to upload a photo :S
But I am 20, I am only about 5ft. I ride Dartmoors From 11h-12h. I also have just broken a traditional coloured (13.1h) And I feel perfect on them. Anything any bigger I feel really over horsed and, I struggle to get them going or in an outline, as I am so small my body can't handle it!

[michelle22]

I'm 5'6 and around 9 1/2 stone,I will b breaking my welsh c next month who is about 13.1hh I have tried my light weight cobs saddle on him for idea of width and it's 10 inch d to d and sits perfect on him,he's a real tank and still has alot of filling out to do.

Im a pony person and I think asking as I'm not to heavy then it's fine,and ponies with substantial builds carry adults fine!

Pony power!!!

[watchbank]

another one of my section d filled out, shes 15hh im 5ft7

[princessalysx]

I personally don't think there is anything wrong with a small adult riding a pony, as long as it is entire. Entires ponies nee to be ridden by people over a certain age and it can be difficult to find a child who is good enough to ride a stallion.

[sageandonion]

Bow - You are such a diddle dot!!

I'm too tall for my mare.

[robrocksforsure]

May 4, 2012 8:11:27 GMT Kaseyleigh said:

im think its fine when an adult to ride a 13.2hh+ but it really annoys me when you get adults riding small ponies and going up against kids in classes its one of my pet hates because obviously they will out shine a child to me its cheating its like me im 5'2ft and taking my little sister Welsh a out i wouldnt dream of it i have as nice 14.2hh traditional as i dont want to compete against little kids and say i won against kids grrrrrrr gets my blood boiling sorry rant over ! [/quote

I am 5"2 8 stone and will be bringing out a totally novice B.Into the bargain I only started going in the ring ridden at 38 as I didn't have the opportunity as a child. Most child/teenage show riders that I have met in the ring are way more advanced than me! I even feel overhorsed on my chunky 14.2 D so 13.1 is plenty big for me and I don't see why my age should be a barrier to riding an appropriate sized pony.

[armada]

I ride our 13hh show pony but only at the Welsh Breed Shows, I am 5'8" and look big on her no doubt, I am around 91/2 stone and she carries me with ease, and has done all her ridden life. I am very slim with skinny legs, probably ride a little shorter than I would on a larger animal, but am soft and light in my position and aids and absorb the smaller movement well which helps a lot I think, although I am the first to admit, the picture is not the best.
Its only a bit of fun for us, we do win on occasion, and last week was 2nd to a f/r SHP, I was'nt embarassed by being second to a little girl, her pony went lovely, and was far more to the judges taste than our pony would be, I recognised that, I'm no fool. If no smaller rider is available, and she loves doing her ridden classes, and it gives her an extra class to do why not? She is muscled up to the nines, never puffs, as she is reasonably fit from years of work, and although I may feel self-conscious before I go in the ring, once I'm in there, I just concentrate on the job, my mum thought I looked too big at one time, but after watching small ponies being ridden by taller riders for years now, she does'nt think of it anymore.
I'm hoping to get her out to some dressage, she can do a nice novice test with ease, and with a bit of practise can shape up to elementary quite well, meanwhile, I am on the hunt for a smaller rider to take her to dressage in the future whilst I concentrate on the 15hh we have.

[katieg14]

I'm 5"4 and 8stone. I have rode ponies from 11hh to 17hh horses. I dont think there is any problem for adults riding small ponies. Like my 12hh dart would have takin full advantage if a little child rode him wen he was a baby, as he use to try throughing his head into the air and take off but as i was old and had more strenght was able to stop him and now he dosent do it. There is lots of small ponies that need adults to take ponies into the ring for the frist time as it would be a big thing for the pony and its not always ideal puttin a small child on top at those moments.

I find that at more local shows they can have a big problem with me takin a small pony into the ring as they say im too big, but when i go to county and bigger shows no one has a problem and i have never been told im too big.

[bow1607]

Jun 26, 2012 17:56:13 GMT said:

Bow - You are such a diddle dot!!

I'm too tall for my mare.

Lol, I can't wait for Scarlett to get a pony, I am sure I will be able to have a go!

[sundance20]

this is me on my 14.1 cob and my 15hh D, im 5'4 and under 8stone, in the pic of my 14.1 my stirrups are 1/2 holes longer than my 'ideal comfort zone' but the leathers on his saddle dont go up any higher




and me looking diddy on a 16.2 shire x tb


i just look silly on anything over 15.2
prefer ponies aswell ,less far to fall from

and a 16.1 anglo arab sorry for blurry pic

[dappledgreypony]

I think in the show ring it matters, but if you're 'leisure' riding & the horse can cope with your weight & is genuinely happy, then it doesn't matter too much. Obviously, don't over horse yourself unless you're sure you can hope. I'm about 5'6 - 5'7ish (round about) & can happily ride 12.2 - 17.2, but wouldn't necessarily ride a horse I look 'silly' on in the ring. I normally ride 14.2 - 15.2, but sometimes go bigger, as I look alright on them. Yeah, I think you got my point anyway. Underhorse, overhorse so long as you & the horse are actually happy & comfy - just not in the ring. Hope this helps,
DGP

[sbloom]

I fit saddles for lots of adults on ponies and yes, damage is done where taller and heavier riders sit towards the cantle. Dropping the stirrups a hole or two would help, but the design of too many show saddles doesn't help - the very thin close contact panels might give the look that many showing people like (ie saddle virtually hidden by the rider) but it does mean that if the panel is thin at the cantle then it almost certainly WILL sit cantle low. The saddles I fit have medium depth rear panels with gussets, yet still I often have to add another half inch to an inch and order a customised saddle for a relatively large rider in a smaller saddle.

You do see the ponies with "holes" in their back the shape of rear saddle panels and it can take a long time to bring the musculature back, so do try and avoid cantle low saddles, they also often move forwards, though the very thin panels mean that many of these saddles almost "bury" themselves in the back, so they don''t move.

[speedysally]

i'm 5'2 on a 14hh pony!


on my 16'2 ex racer

[shady]

I'm 5'3 1/2 (the 1/2 makes all the difference!!), quite short in the body and long in the leg (for my height. My PBA is 14.1 and I dont think I look too big on him at all... I've ridden my friends 12.2 chunky welsh and didnt feel massive on him, but wouldnt want to ride something that small every day. I much prefer ponies, I used to have a 15.3 Warmblood and while I didnt feel too small on him I just didnt find him as much fun as ponies!