If Adults Ride Ponies, Why Do Parents Worry About Kid Outgrowing?
- Thread starter newforest
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depends on the pony! a lot of the more flimsy showpony leadrein types aren't up to being ridden by adults. and not many adults ride shetlands or section As, to be honest ...
as for the 13hh and above 'range', particularly the sturdy ones - i think 'outgrown' is a myth implanted into parents and kids by riding schools ('must move up onto something bigger') and the Pony Club!
'outgrown' can also mean the child has outgrown the pony in terms of ability and would like to compete in more or different classes.
mind you, the whole 'outgrown' thing is a bit of a bugbear of mine. so many ponies are used to get kids into ribbons, and then pushed from pillar to post, one home to the next, getting older etc. makes me very sad.
as for the 13hh and above 'range', particularly the sturdy ones - i think 'outgrown' is a myth implanted into parents and kids by riding schools ('must move up onto something bigger') and the Pony Club!
'outgrown' can also mean the child has outgrown the pony in terms of ability and would like to compete in more or different classes.
mind you, the whole 'outgrown' thing is a bit of a bugbear of mine. so many ponies are used to get kids into ribbons, and then pushed from pillar to post, one home to the next, getting older etc. makes me very sad.
Coz my girls are likely to be about 5 foot 10, based on their 2 year old height! They'd look a bit daft on a tiny pony! Also it depends how heavy they are. My friends daughter is 14 but already 11 1/2 stone. I think that;s too heavy. Small/light adults can ride ponies, not all can.
we're talking about kids outgrowing them though, not adults on ponies in general :wink: plenty of natives can take 12st without batting an eyelid, my exmoors sure can 
but you;rw quite right, some people are def too heavy for the smaller ponies!
interestingly though, horse height doesn't always mean weight carrying ability.
but you;rw quite right, some people are def too heavy for the smaller ponies!interestingly though, horse height doesn't always mean weight carrying ability.
I agree that it depends on the adult and the pony.
Ziggy is technically a pony because he is under 14.2 (I have never measured him TBH but I reckon 14.1 tops) and he has a pony brain. However he can easily carry 12 stone, and he isn't what I would class as a child's ride either!
His friend Billy (the other grey in the recent pictures) is a 13.3 or thereabouts New Forest, but he is much finer in build and couldn't do more than about 9.5 stone comfortably. As Notpoodle says, he has been pushed from pillar to post - he is 18 and has had at least 6 owners, all of whom have used him hard for Pony Club activities because he is a sweet, kind, forgiving, goodnatured, able pony.
There are not many adults as small and light as Joosie, VIcki100 and Cherifen, able comfortably to ride a Welsh Sec A or B.
Ziggy is technically a pony because he is under 14.2 (I have never measured him TBH but I reckon 14.1 tops) and he has a pony brain. However he can easily carry 12 stone, and he isn't what I would class as a child's ride either!
His friend Billy (the other grey in the recent pictures) is a 13.3 or thereabouts New Forest, but he is much finer in build and couldn't do more than about 9.5 stone comfortably. As Notpoodle says, he has been pushed from pillar to post - he is 18 and has had at least 6 owners, all of whom have used him hard for Pony Club activities because he is a sweet, kind, forgiving, goodnatured, able pony.
There are not many adults as small and light as Joosie, VIcki100 and Cherifen, able comfortably to ride a Welsh Sec A or B.
Native Lover
Native Pony Fan
I always wonder this too.
I am 48 and a bigger lass and still ride ponies :giggle: I stopped growing years ago
I am 48 and a bigger lass and still ride ponies :giggle: I stopped growing years ago
I suppose there are big ponies and little ponies. The classic one that springs to my mind is The pony clubber with a Welsh section A and his/her feet trailing near the floor.:giggle: A Lot of kids move up to horses for competition, i.e showjumping.
I look ridiculous on some ponies because I am 5'6'' with a long back and legs. I have to be careful to pick a certain type of pony that will complement me and I the pony. I don't think it is so much the weight thing.
One of my friends is an adult but she is only about 5' so her welsh mountain is still fine for her:smile:
I look ridiculous on some ponies because I am 5'6'' with a long back and legs. I have to be careful to pick a certain type of pony that will complement me and I the pony. I don't think it is so much the weight thing.
One of my friends is an adult but she is only about 5' so her welsh mountain is still fine for her:smile:
The cob is 14hh but her bulk would mean a child wouldn't get the legs round.
My friend has a 13.2hh, kept from younger days, didn't see reason to change him.
I agree it does depend, a pony is not necessarily for a child and a horse not necessarily for an adult. A horse eats more, and the rugs are more expensive when you hit 6ft.
Me on 11.3hh pc games pony.
My friend has a 13.2hh, kept from younger days, didn't see reason to change him.
I agree it does depend, a pony is not necessarily for a child and a horse not necessarily for an adult. A horse eats more, and the rugs are more expensive when you hit 6ft.
Me on 11.3hh pc games pony.
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and some ponies really aren't great kids ponies :wink: my dear old Angel had around 8 homes before I found her. She always got sold on quickly for eg. tanking off with kids and whatnot :redface:
I went the other way btw. learned to ride on great big warmbloods at the age of 9 ... then gradually began to downsize ... icelandics, fjords ... now I have two Exmoors! I'll be 33 this year!
I went the other way btw. learned to ride on great big warmbloods at the age of 9 ... then gradually began to downsize ... icelandics, fjords ... now I have two Exmoors! I'll be 33 this year!
Mine are 15.1 and 14.1 I am not sure about the other. Her parents are 14.2. but I have a feeling she is going to get bigger.
I like around 14-14.2 best as its easy for me still to get on from the ground if I need to lol.
I like around 14-14.2 best as its easy for me still to get on from the ground if I need to lol.
My daughter got Mr Bimble when she was 8 years old. She still rides him aged 18 and when I suggested loaning him out while she is away at university, well, the look she threw me was not pretty!
(off to find a pic of the pair of 'em) :wub:
Mr Bimble, aka Iacs from Camster, 13.2hh Icelandic horse, has grown up with her. She would rather sell her sister, than part with him!
(off to find a pic of the pair of 'em) :wub:
Mr Bimble, aka Iacs from Camster, 13.2hh Icelandic horse, has grown up with her. She would rather sell her sister, than part with him!
Also it depends how heavy they are. My friends daughter is 14 but already 11 1/2 stone. I think that;s too heavy. Small/light adults can ride ponies, not all can.[/QUOTE]
Depends on the pony Dales were used to carry 16stone of goods ,Fells were similar,Highlands have been all rounders & are used to carry red deer stags often weighing 18stone down from the hills.Section A ponies were originally used by the farmers to carry them up the Welsh mountains to round up their cattle.Sadly section A ponies are now bred way too fine to do this job but this is a different story.Just thought Icelandic horses are the only horses in Iceland,so they have to carry grown men.
Depends on the pony Dales were used to carry 16stone of goods ,Fells were similar,Highlands have been all rounders & are used to carry red deer stags often weighing 18stone down from the hills.Section A ponies were originally used by the farmers to carry them up the Welsh mountains to round up their cattle.Sadly section A ponies are now bred way too fine to do this job but this is a different story.Just thought Icelandic horses are the only horses in Iceland,so they have to carry grown men.
^^^^^ I think your daughter looks fine on the lovely Mr Bimble.
I am a 12 stone short fat round old bat and Daisy is a 13.2 Haffie, she carries me fine.
Daughters pony is also 13.2 fine Welsh x NF, she is only just 6 stone with gorgeous long legs (doesnt get it off of me!) but she feels she is sadly 'outgrowing' Caiti - there seems to be a pressure on the young girls up at the yard to have a 14.2 pony - I think she looks fine on Caiti
I am a 12 stone short fat round old bat and Daisy is a 13.2 Haffie, she carries me fine.
Daughters pony is also 13.2 fine Welsh x NF, she is only just 6 stone with gorgeous long legs (doesnt get it off of me!) but she feels she is sadly 'outgrowing' Caiti - there seems to be a pressure on the young girls up at the yard to have a 14.2 pony - I think she looks fine on Caiti
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Ponies all the way for me all the way! :wub: They are just fab :inlove:
The young girlies at my yard all think they need 'bigger' horses soon where as no they dont at all! They just seem to think its the 'done' thing.
The one girl had a LOVELY pony, like he was as safe as houses, did comps and was perfectly capable of carrying her. But she insisted she was too big and ended up with a 17h Ex hunter, looks bloomin silly! :unsure:
Does anyone else think that the kids in the generation all seem to be larger?
I just remeber in my school days not many people being over weight like the odd one or two everybody else were skinny little things.
Now they all seem to be chubbier...maybe because of sitting playing on there ipads stuffing sweets like no tomorrow!
I dunno just thinking out loud here :tongue:
The young girlies at my yard all think they need 'bigger' horses soon where as no they dont at all! They just seem to think its the 'done' thing.
The one girl had a LOVELY pony, like he was as safe as houses, did comps and was perfectly capable of carrying her. But she insisted she was too big and ended up with a 17h Ex hunter, looks bloomin silly! :unsure:
Does anyone else think that the kids in the generation all seem to be larger?
I just remeber in my school days not many people being over weight like the odd one or two everybody else were skinny little things.
Now they all seem to be chubbier...maybe because of sitting playing on there ipads stuffing sweets like no tomorrow!
I dunno just thinking out loud here :tongue:
Thank you!
Well this is Mr Bimble's uncle Haakon - my horse.
And this is me and I am err *** cough *** 15 1/2 stone :frown: (the shame).
Haakon is 13.3hh and we have been together for 15 years now.
Well this is Mr Bimble's uncle Haakon - my horse.
And this is me and I am err *** cough *** 15 1/2 stone :frown: (the shame).
Haakon is 13.3hh and we have been together for 15 years now.
I am lucky that my kids don't think anything of the size ponies they ride but likewise we ended up with Ellie in part because the riding school that owned her had too many 'big' children and teens who simply didn't want to ride a 12.2hh pony. They replaced her with a 13.2hh.
My 10yr old is Ellie's main 'caregiver' now and he is currently insisting that when she comes back into work that we should start 'teaching her to drive too' so that when he gets a bit big to ride her then he will drive instead and ride my 13.2hh pony sometimes. Saying that he has a few years until he will outgrow her! His feet currently don't even come to her belly and he only weighs 6st although he looks fairly chunky as is broad.
Because i ride a pony still (Harvey is 13.3hh and i am currently 10st 6lb and 5ft 2) i don't think he thinks he should have a 'horse' at any particular stage. (although he does like my friends 15.3hh trakehner x warmblood type horse as a 'one day' horse)
My 10yr old is Ellie's main 'caregiver' now and he is currently insisting that when she comes back into work that we should start 'teaching her to drive too' so that when he gets a bit big to ride her then he will drive instead and ride my 13.2hh pony sometimes. Saying that he has a few years until he will outgrow her! His feet currently don't even come to her belly and he only weighs 6st although he looks fairly chunky as is broad.
Because i ride a pony still (Harvey is 13.3hh and i am currently 10st 6lb and 5ft 2) i don't think he thinks he should have a 'horse' at any particular stage. (although he does like my friends 15.3hh trakehner x warmblood type horse as a 'one day' horse)
Well as you know I am a pony-lover through and through, and am very grateful to be the right size to ride them Mouse is only 12hh but I fully intend to back him myself. People who have seen me riding ponies tend to take it for granted that I will be riding him myself as they know I'm balanced and secure on small ponies, whereas I have found that non-horsy people, like my parents, say "isn't he going to be a bit small for you?". A lot of it is about people's perceptions, they can be very different! I rode a 13.2 on a recent trip to England and his owner said I was "just the right size" for him. Last week someone was talking to me about her 16hh youngster and saying it was a shame I didn't have time to back it for her as I would be "just the right size" :giggle:
If I have kids and they are lucky enough to get their own ponies, it doesn't matter if they "outgrow" them or not, cos I am pretty sure I will just take it over for myself :tongue:
Mouse is only 12hh but I fully intend to back him myself. People who have seen me riding ponies tend to take it for granted that I will be riding him myself as they know I'm balanced and secure on small ponies, whereas I have found that non-horsy people, like my parents, say "isn't he going to be a bit small for you?". A lot of it is about people's perceptions, they can be very different! I rode a 13.2 on a recent trip to England and his owner said I was "just the right size" for him. Last week someone was talking to me about her 16hh youngster and saying it was a shame I didn't have time to back it for her as I would be "just the right size" :giggle: If I have kids and they are lucky enough to get their own ponies, it doesn't matter if they "outgrow" them or not, cos I am pretty sure I will just take it over for myself :tongue:
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I backed my Shetland myself
Weight wasn't a problem but my feet were about 6 inches off the ground!!
Weight wasn't a problem but my feet were about 6 inches off the ground!!
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