I am currently helping my friend train a 4y.o. pony, she is maybe 12.2 HH, but quite tiny. I am around 58kg / 9 stones and 5 ft 4, so i am little worried if I can ride her. I mostly do groundwork with her and once a week I sit on her for like 10-15 minutes. I don't feel like she's having problems carrying me, so do you think she will do ok on longer rides or am I too heavy for her?
Too big for my pony?
- Thread starter konibobek
- Start date
If she seems happy and her saddle fits you both - often a big problem with taller riders on small ponies - then build her work up gradually and see how she copes. Keep an eye open for sore areas and signs that she's struggling, but often these little ponies are far more capable than people realise.
Well I don't think she's struggling, but as a youngster, she can have quite an attitude 
like once she didn't want to trot, so she reared up, but when I got of her, she had a lot energy to run. Another day she just happily canter with me without hesitation. So I'm just unsure if it's because of the weight or if she's just trying some tricks on me
My first ride on her was few months ago cause she bucked of a girl who was riding her, I was around 10 st at that time (I'm trying to loose a little weight for her) and she didn't have any struggle running with me full speed.
like once she didn't want to trot, so she reared up, but when I got of her, she had a lot energy to run. Another day she just happily canter with me without hesitation. So I'm just unsure if it's because of the weight or if she's just trying some tricks on me My first ride on her was few months ago cause she bucked of a girl who was riding her, I was around 10 st at that time (I'm trying to loose a little weight for her) and she didn't have any struggle running with me full speed.
Wear your stirrups as you normally would for any horse or pony. Don't make them higher to compensate for lack of height. That way makes you unbalanced and not fair on the pony as they will feel it too. So many folk hoick their stirrups up and it just doesn't work. Longer stirrups will make you balanced.
This is my daughter years ago riding Charlie, a small Shetland pony. Look at her stirrups. She is riding them at "dressage" length, and not having them up by her ears.
This is my daughter years ago riding Charlie, a small Shetland pony. Look at her stirrups. She is riding them at "dressage" length, and not having them up by her ears.
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I think the stirrups are in a good length, here is a picture of me today. I know the saddle is quite small for me, but it's not easy to find an optional saddle (especially if you prefer western) also i like this saddle cause it's really lightweight, so i think it's ok for my short rides as long as it fits the horse well.
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I think you have a saddle problem since it looks to be sitting you too far back on her, but I don't think you're going to fit in one small enough to fit her. She looks quite fine too, I wouldn't be happy with you doing more than very short occasional rides on her if that photo is a true representation.
Thanks for the advice, I'll keep the rides short as I do now and do more groundwork and ponying from other horse to build some muscles on her first. (Also it's not my pony, it's for a girl who is 2 yrs now, I'm just working with her to became a nice kids pony, unfortunately we don't have nobody smaller but skilled to teach the pony now)
Keep it short, and if you can get a better saddle then please do as that one looks to be sitting you over her weakest area - look at where you're sitting compared to where @Frances144 daughter is. Also if she's to be a lead rein pony for a 2yo then she doesn't even need to know about canter under saddle yet so you could leave that until she's older and stronger.
If she is to be a kid‘s pony, just do stuff with the pony. Take her on dog walks, take her everywhere, let her see life and family and as many things as possible. we did this with my daughters’ pony. Fivla came too - to the beach, on picnics, visit neighbours, go to the shops, etc…. So by the time we put my daughter on her, Fivla was bombproof.
Okay, that's what I was thinking too, considering the pony is quite tiny. There is also a 16y.o girl who was originally supposed to ride her occasionally instead of me, but the pony once bucked her of so she got scared a little. But she's getting her confidence back so maybe she would be better adept for the occasional rides? She is around 7 stones, but her height is similar as me. This is her on the pony.
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