Honest opinions needed!

Lou_n_Ronnie

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Feb 5, 2019
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Hi everyone, my pony Ronnie is about 12.2hh and I'm 5'2" and approx 55kg with tack. Every now and then I get it in my head that I'm just too heavy for him and that every time we go for hack and he's slow or seems particularly tired it's because I'm squashing him. I know about the 20% recommendation and think that Ronnie's ideal weight is between 275 to 290kg max so I know I'm at the limit of what he could be expected to carry so what do you all think? Please excuse the pictures, this is before he had his own tack and I'd just hopped on for photos. Also I was a little bit heavier than I am now!
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I wouldn't be losing any sleep over it! The only slight thing I would say, and it could just be the angle of the photos, is that you look to be sat at the back of the saddle which is possibly a bit long for him. Could you drop your stirrups a hole or two so that you sit a bit further forward? With where the knee block is you can't just sit further forward, you would have to drop the stirrups so that your knee was lower on the block. That would place you in an easier position for him to carry you rather than on a weaker part of his back.
 
I wouldn't be losing any sleep over it! The only slight thing I would say, and it could just be the angle of the photos, is that you look to be sat at the back of the saddle which is possibly a bit long for him. Could you drop your stirrups a hole or two so that you sit a bit further forward? With where the knee block is you can't just sit further forward, you would have to drop the stirrups so that your knee was lower on the block. That would place you in an easier position for him to carry you rather than on a weaker part of his back.
Hi Carthorse, I sold this saddle as I felt it was a bit long for him. It was a Freeform treeless so about 22 inches front to back I think! We now have a Trekker treeless which is fully adjustable and has much shorter panels so hopefully I'm sitting on a stronger part of his back now. He is very short coupled though and surprisingly even the freeform saddle didn't go back as far as his last rib.
 
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He's a lovely chunky boy, good and solid so no, you have no problem. My little cob is only 13hh, but oh so solid! I'm about your build but don't feel under-horsed at all.
 
I try not to worry.
But if they come in lame, it means that leg will drop off right.

I have the Freeform sb and it's 20" base. But the seat size made a huge difference to how it I sit as the Freeform is more structured than the other we have.
 
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I wish I was short! Pony looks great fun and you both look fine!
 
That can happen to us even on a sunny day. Sometimes she's just too darn nosey and can trip over her own feet.
I can relate to that too! Plus the little man is a pig at the mo as he hasn't got any grass and there's lots on the roadside verges. He's also a poo sniffer lol
 
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