Weight carrying ability again!

[~Perdita.M~]

I know this is asked over and over again, but I was wondering what weight you think shamrock might be up to? Hes is now about 5, arab cross connemara and 13.2. Its just that i have gained an awful lot of weight recently due to medication and other personal reasons, and i really dont think I should ride him at the moment. I really dont want to say what i weigh:( :o But wondered what you thought the max he could carry was, for gentle pottering about? Alternatively, what do you think on a 14hh, 11 year old heavy weight cob? how much could that carry? I am 5'2 by the way:p Thank you all:)

[~Perdita.M~]

and oops, i meant to put this in adults riding ponies bit - sorry:o

[Mehitabel]

well, for a native, once fully mature, the rule of thumb is a stone a hand. arabs are finer, but theyare also surprisingly tough and good weight carriers, so given your chap is young yet (natives don't mature fully until 7/8, so the connie side will slow his maturing) i'd say about 12 stone?
a 14hh heavyweight cob, if it is a proper heavyweight, would probably carry 15 stone without blinking.
my girl is a 13.3hh new forest, and she is happy to carry 14 stone.

[~Perdita.M~]

Ok, thanks Es, at least that gives me an idea:) :)

[H & Bailey]

alot of it is if you are happy riding him thats fine
i see 2 ladies regularly trotting round our village on 2, 14.2hh arabs and the ladies must be a good 15 stones.The horses do endurance with the women and are perfectly fine.
I myself feel heavy at the moment i just cant seem to shift the weight after having my last baby and have Bailey who is about 14.2hh cobxwelsh(middleweight).I sometimes feel too big for him even though everyone says im not and have just got Rose who is a heavyweight cob at 15hh+ (havent measured her)
I definately feel better on Rose because of her height and build but Bailey doesnt have any problems carrying me and he is more fun to ride.
Have a ride on shamrock and see how you feel even if you just keep to short rides..Im told riding is great for burning calories..even though Ive ridden 4 times this week and havent seen any difference.;)
Theres pictures of me and bailey on the Nr photo site and im only 5ft3...

[Kanuma]

i have a 14hh connemara and he is a heavy lad but not overly cobby and he did an hour with my dad onboard (including canter and gallop it was lots of fun cos dad didnt have any brakes!!) and my dad weighs at least 17stone (he is not fat just tall withbig shoulders!!!) harvey my 12.2 pony did half an hour with me when i weighed about 2 stone more then i do now (at canter as well), ive now lost alot of weight cos they found i had pollycystic ovarys and they put me on medication cut then cut one of the cysts off now im at a reasonable weight!!!
i know how it feels ive been there and it is devistateing to be told you are far to big for your pony (aswell as going through a set of major exams (GCSES) and going to a school where the girl to boy ratio is insane!!! (50 girls 200 boys!).
im sure that the cobby 14hh pony can take your weight no matter how much you weigh!! (stan took off with papa! in a pelham with papa hauling on his mouth and leaning back!!)

[Janette]

H & Bailey - get a grip on yourself:D

If I can ride Star, (and you've SEEN me!!!,) then you and Bailey - no probs. :)

[haribo]

Hello everone new to site, nice to see so many adults with ponies, i've always had thorougbreds, but had long break out due to marrige ect... stated up again in march 2003, went to look at 15.2, but ended up buying this cute fluffy pony in bad state, well bred sec c 5yr old now in show condition. nearly sold him cause was told by a snot of a instructor that ponies are for kids and it broke my heart, cause gained so much confidence back, was told that i was too heavy and would never be able to compete him at the level i want to achive ( i only wanted to do a bit of ridden showing silly woman), i'm 10st, after chistmas cake, and short legs 5.2. after much research i've found many adults at hoys ridding and also article in farmers Gaurdian last week with adult sucessfully competing 13.2 nf x pony at intermidate and higger levels in dressage. Does anyone else (adult) have section c or similar, i would love to know what you do???? does anyone go to ridding club ???

[Showjumper]

The best thing to do would be to hop on and see how he copes. He'll be the best judge. Remember, ponies are tougher than we give them credit for :)

[Kanuma]

honestly haribo dont listen to that instructor!!!! ive competed an 11h welsh sec A at county level and in some HOYS qualifiers!!! i also ride a 12.2hh sec b regularly at medium level dressage!! i'm 5ft 4 and weigh 11 and a half stone!!! adults can ride very small ponies if they are M&M's!!!

[sozzie]

I'm an adult, 5' 5'' and 10 to 10.5 stone and I ride a 14 hh welshie. I don't think there's anything wrong with riding ponies. Natives are tough little cookies so I'm sure you'll be fine. I find that the barrel shape of the pony I ride makes my legs go further outwards before they hang down so I don't look too big to be riding her. Whenever I sit on a horse again I'm like where's the floor gone? and it's like being perched on a knife edge in comparison when I look down at the horse's sides.
I'm really happy riding ponies now after spending years thinking I should ride horses. There's a great bonus in that when you fall off a pony there's less distance to fall! Oh, and it's easy to remount when you are nowhere near a mounting block.

[Drummers mum]

Too right, I had a nasty fall from a horse couple of years back and it put me right off! Ponies all the way for me now.

I'm 10st and just buying my first pony who is 13hh. Hes a dartmoor hill pony and although hes got good bone hes not a cob.

I have had some comments when I show people his photo "You won't be able to compete him you're too big" Who the beep said I wanted too and a supposed "friend" was heard to be commenting on how ridiculous it was, behind my back!

I'm going to enjoy every moment of riding him, I shall keep my head high and anyone who doesn't like it can go stuff themselves!

SO THERE!

[haribo]

Drummers mum,

i have so much fun on haribo hes only 13.2 and i'm 10st. hes 5yrs this year, i'm so proud of him, today i took him out on his own the wind was really bad there was bags flying about and twigs dropping of every where, haribo just plodded on with out a care in the world. i've had him a year now and he has given me so much confidence, i love him so much.

i'm going to do M & M classes this summer and i dont care what anyone says.

[Wally]

Don't forget too that if you can ride and are balanced you won't be riding like the weight you are.

I have seen 8 stone riders doing more harm to a 15hh heavyweight cob's back than an 18 stone, 6 feet 4 man on my 13.2hh Icelandic.

I know an Arab X Welsh who did Endurance with a 16 stone rider, he wasn't a youngster though. Both Arabs and Welsh might look dainty, but they are tough as old boots and bred for men to ride.

I'm chuckling at all you guys who are 10-10.5 stone, Now you all know Frances and I are not dainty little size 8 Super models! Nothing of ours is bigger than 14.1hh.

:D :D Well she's just been flying round the school on 13.2hh of willing Icelandic flying over jumps. ......both of them with a silly grin. On the flat he even offered some piaffe...in flippin' pace again.

I don't think my Skeleton weighs 10 stone!:D :D :D

[tubby]

T'aint my skeleton Wally, with me it's what's on it.:D:D

[Drummers mum]

Thanks Haribo

I'm hoping that I can build my confidence with Drummer hes very quiet, I would love to show him in M & M just for fun, let me know how you get on.:cool:

[haribo]

thankyou,

i'll keep you updated, I've started getting him ready for the spring. i've been trying to ride hack him out as much as possible to get him fit, i thought it would be easier to school him ?? He does just about canter of my leg, but we seem to be going around in triangles instead of circles:(


Maybe lunging will help, this will be his little face at that suggestion :mad: :mad: :mad: