HELP!!! What breed could carry me?

[*katie*]

Hi this is my first post but im desperate for some advice!

Ive been taking weekly lessons at the same stables for 10yrs and I mostly ride a 17.2hh cleveland bay x. Much as I love riding him I never forget the lovely times I have on a pony. Riding a huge horse is great and he jumps like a dream but nothing is ever quite as fun as riding a pony is it lol? As soon as money allows (which hopefully should be soon!) im looking to buy for the first time and I really want to own a pony! The only problem is Im not sure what breed to go for. I'm 5ft 11 (very tall for a girl unfortunately) and I weigh 9st 4lbs. I do worry about weight restrictions for ponies and am a little wary about trying something too light - although Im probably being silly as ive seen much heavier people riding very small ponies no problem, and Im also worried about my very long legs - my inside leg is 36" and I don't want to cause any confusion with leg aids or knock a pony's legs with my toes! Id really love to have a welsh cob or something similar but im not sure how comfortable they'd be carrying someone my height - will i need something that's just plain wide or is 5ft 11 just too tall for a pony? My instructor seems to think so but even though i adore horses id pick a pony any day! Im also going to beg my instructor in the hope that she'll let me ride one of the schools cobs! Any advice about what breed might suit me is very much appreciated as i am gagging to get back up on a pony again!

[Wally]

I have seen 6 foot 4 Icelanders riding 13.2hh horses and they never knock the legs with their toes, neither have I ever had this problem.

Remember rider long, use your legs as a counter weight, the only part of your leg that will touch the horse is probably the top of your boot, but that's fine, that's the part of my leg I use to give requests with. Try not to compensate for being on a small guy by having your stirrups too short. Leave your leg long.

Fjords are wide and will take up your leg width ways, Icelanidcs tend towards slimmer and your leg will hang a bit lower. It's up to you how you wan to feel up top.

[redcomet]

i think its your height thats against u not your weight! *** about a dales or highland type as they tend to be a bit chunkier or a section c. i think even a little pony would b capable of carrying u, its just the legs dragging on floor thing!

[Wally]

It's a UK thing, for some reason you have to "look" right, you can't just have a small hairy pone, that is up to your weight, you have to have your legs not go past the belly!

[Wally]

This is a guy I met in Iceland, I was looking at horsess to buy while I was there.

He's happy, the amre was happy, and my goodness could she move!

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/sprimble/Ogm.jpg

[redcomet]

i think it is wally! a friend rode out on a 12.2 dartmoor i used to own. she was a v light 16 yr old and the pony was fine with her weight, as was fit and healthy. however, we got sum funny looks and a comment of "thats cruel - get one ** own size" i think the icelandic ponies r amazing and that over there its second nature but sadly over here not a regular site!

[*katie*]

Thanku all v much for your advice - i would love an Icelandic because theyre just so versatile iv only ridden one once but there was nothing like it! Iv been having some trouble finding any actually for sale in the UK though, so I guess probably a native British breed like a Highland might be easier to find. I do think there is a very strange mentality especially in the UK that seems to say that adults should all ride horses - if both rider and pony are comfortable why should there be a problem? I was talking to my friend who owns a 16.3hh ex racehorse and although she takes him over huge cross country courses and the like, she never describes her rides as fun or enjoyable. I said to her that I would look for a pony rather than a horse and she advised me against it because I would get bored. what?! the one thing i have never been around ponies is bored - and last time I checked it was perfectly OK for a pony to go haring around a cross country course too! I just found some old photos in an album of me on ponies when I was younger; some are still at the stables and I keep gazing at them wistfully whenever Im up there! Will definitely browsing the net and asking around about a Highland but if anyone who owns an Icelandic in the UK could tell me how they came across theirs id really appreciate it because I can hardly find anything! thanx again

[notpoodle]

sounds to me like you'd be fine on a 13-14hh or thereabouts native :) depends on what you feel happy on :) if you're not comfortable with feet being about 1ft off the ground, go for something like 14hh.

Julia
x

ps: i'm about 5'6 (about 8 stone) and my 12.3hh exmoor tank carries me easily :)

[coss]

your weight is not a problem and its up to you on how small a pony you want. i personally don't like my legs hanging well past the belly, a little past i'm ok with but i feel tall on anything smaller/narrower.

I'm sure you'd be fine on highland, connemara cross, araby type. It depends what you fancy. (arabs have broad backs hence why i mention them).
It depends what you feel comfortable on, then all you need to do is have fun :)

[Wally]

Over there it's the ONNLY sight, you ride an Icelandic or you don't ride!

[ambatt]

There are various breeders of Icelandics in the UK - do a google search, or I am sure Wally and I could recommend people in Iceland.

BEWARE! Icelandics do not come cheap, they are as expensive as a warmblood and PRE...

Although I know what I would sooner ride;)

[sabinaqh]

We've been riding Merens for the last couple of years. They come in all sizes from 13.2 upwards and they can carry a lot of weight, but they are also athletic.

Ponies are so much fun.

[molly34]

It sounds like its height not weight thats the issue, as others have said.
I'm 5'9, over 12 stone and with a 32+ inside leg. Like you I usually end up riding much taller horses, but remember a lot of the 16 - 17hh sporty types take less leg than shorter chunky horses.

I've comfortably ridden a round 13'3hh Fell pony - my feet came a little lower than her belly, but not much, and we were both happy. If you're bothered about leg length then you'd probably find a 14'2 - 15'2 Dales/Highland/Cob type 'fits' well.

[Gill]

Something like a Highland will really take your leg up. Infact you need long legs to ride the bigger ones properly I think. Have a chat on the Highland pony enthusiasts board and you will find many people like yourself.

[Afellpony]

You could also try a Dales, Fell or one of the larger New Forests ponies.

[fjordlady]

I can personally recommend a fjord as well :). You may be able to find one around top of the height range at 14.2. They are very versatile ponies and wide so long legs no problem.

[ShariN]

I am so used to tall people riding Icelandic's and Fjords,, I think people riding bigger horses look silly.;)
If you go Icelandic,, just get one that is wide so it will take up your leg better.

If you want to see lots of pictures of tall people on Icelandic horses.
http://en.eidfaxi.is/Stallions/

And has Icelandic horses for sale in the UK.
http://www.ihsgb.co.uk/horses_for_sale.htm

Mic breeds Icelandic's and she might know what is for sale over there. Her web site is..
www.solva-icelandics.co.uk

[Hero]

i am really tall and own a 13.2 cob called hero ( click on the link under my name )

[Dlux]

How about a haflinger? I'm 5'9 and ride a 13.3 hh haflinger.

[lachlanandmarcu]

I can def recommend the Haflinger route too - Im 5' 7 but weight 10 stone something. Haffies take your leg up cos theyre wide but theyre not so tank like as Highlands :). And temperament comes as part of the breed standard.

Theyre also good value - if you arent bothered about UK/Austrian 100% pure papers - the Dutch etc ones are allowed a bit of other blood in them and there are lots of ones imported and they arent dear.

With my instructor we broke our (GB/Austrian) girlie and she has been good as absolute gold.

I got her cos my other horse is 16.3 IDxTB monster police horse type (shared with OH) and tho lovely, I too had reminisces of pocket rockets,and so decided this time I would get one for me!