Me too!!!

[Mossy]

Do I count? I have a lovely hairy Highland who is 14.2 in his shoes, can be agent but can also be a monster. However I confess to riding my baby girl who is 15.2 of Chesnut mare. Does that disqualify me as a traitor to the cause :D

[Fraggle]

Having a Highland definately qualifies you for this site.

When I was starting to look at buying a pony, I looked at Highlands because they are so stocky (ok, they're built like tanks!). I don't think people have to ride one type of horse /pony all the time, it sounds as if you're enjoying the best of both worlds.

I personally ended up buying a pony rather than a horse bacause I felt much safer being closer to the ground and because I'm so tall (5 feet 9) I needed something with a bit of girth to stop my legs dangling all over the place. That's how I came to end up looking at Dales ponies. I've never regreted getting a pony but lots of people do make comments about how I'll "eventually want to trade him in for a horse!" He's 14.3 and the size of a small tank so I'm never going to outgrow him am I? :D

[Gemma R]

Fraggle - out of interest do you have any photo's of you riding your dales you could post???

My friend is an inch shorter than you (as I explained in my post) and she would love to hav a pony but has basically written it off because of the height issue. Would be nice to see another tall rider on a pony :)

[Mehitabel]

i love highlands! if i had a different native apart from the foresters it would be a highland.
gem - fiona is 5'7 and she rides one of the stallions who's 13hh. a nice stocky highland or welsh cob would take up any amount of leg with no trouble.

[chev]

I ride my daughter's 12.1hh gelding, Gelfy. I'm 5' 4 and although some people have been less than complimentary I don't actually feel that underhorsed. In fact he's a lot stronger to ride than a few of the bigger horses I've ridden.

I'm currently working up to backing my other daughter's pony, a section B - it'll be interesting to see how riding her feels as she's very fine and a lot narrower than Gelfy.

[ponynut]

I have a NF/arab who I worship! But I am now buying a 14'2 arab too! Must be the 14'2 thing!!!!!!!!

[Mossy]

My "little pony" for whom my legs are too long!!!???? was jumping 2ft 6square spreads today with ease, and carried a 6' 2" novice lad all day on Sunday acting the gent all day. I don't think whoever was 5' 9" need worry a bit.

[Fraggle]

I don't have any photos of me on Sam my Dales pony yet but I promise to take the digital camera to the yard this week and take some photos.

I keep meaning to get some taken si now I've got the perfect excuse. Watch this site next week and I'll try to post them on the photo thread I've started. Once your friend sees a Dales pony it will be love at first site, I'm completely hooked but no doubt everyone feels that way about their own ponies.