# Adults riding ponies



## missyme10 (14 January 2010)

Hey all,

Why do so many folk have a problem with adults riding ponies?
There are many native pony breeds that are really good weight carriers, and who is anyone to say that ponies are just for kids?

Some people dont want a big 16-17hh horse, they love ponies for many reasons over horses.

Any adult pony riders out there who have had negative remarks, like how big will your pony be when it grows up lol

The daft thing is, if a kid my height and weight was on a pony, no one would bat an eyelid, but when ur a grown up, so many frown upon it.

I ride a 13hh pony, who I struggle to pull up at time, carry me??? Tank off with me more like ! I dont want a horse, and never will, they just dont do it for me, ponies are far more fun !


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## TelH (14 January 2010)

I am a pony squisher too   
	
	
		
		
	


	




 I have 5 ponies between 8hh-14.1hh, I ride 3 of them. I'm not overly tall and I'm light enough so why not


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## teapot (14 January 2010)

Ponies rock


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## missyme10 (14 January 2010)

Good 4 u TelH !

I'm only 5'"2 - so I look the right size on mine.
I'd look like a gnome on a horse lol x


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## spookypony (14 January 2010)

Come join our "adults who ride ponies" clique (see my siggy)!


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## teapot (14 January 2010)

[ QUOTE ]
Good 4 u TelH !

I'm only 5'"2 - so I look the right size on mine.
I'd look like a gnome on a horse lol x 

[/ QUOTE ]

try being 5ft 11 and riding 13.3s


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## Shortcut (14 January 2010)

I love ponies, I am 5ft6 but too long in the leg to fit them anymore but I still long for one!

The best pony/horse I have ever owned was a little 13hh welsh b, he was fantastic and if he was ever naughty (which was most of the time) I would never feel unsafe, I wish I could have that again!


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## ester (14 January 2010)

never had a negative remark, only that when I get off they thought he was bigger when I was on him 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 show off that he is


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## missyme10 (14 January 2010)

Spookypony,

How do u join a clique?
I'm technically challenged lol x


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## Lucy_Nottingham (14 January 2010)

if I wasnt 5ft 11 and weighed 12st I wud SO have a pony! (they are only slight set backs right?!)


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## missyme10 (14 January 2010)

A highland would carry 12st no bother, so u could !!!!!!


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## teapot (14 January 2010)

[ QUOTE ]
if I wasnt 5ft 11 and weighed 12st I wud SO have a pony! (they are only slight set backs right?!) 

[/ QUOTE ]

The height doesn't stop me  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 See:


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## Mari (14 January 2010)

I'm 5'2" size 10 &amp; ride 12.2 pony.


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## LauraWheeler (14 January 2010)

This is me on Lucy 13.2hh welsh. Who i did everything with inclu full days hunting and endurance rides of up to and inclu 80km!  
	
	
		
		
	


	









This is dudley the dartmoor who i broke in the summer and have also taken hunting when he was being naughty with the children. He was worse with me but has behaved eversince for the kids. If he thinks of being naughty i threaten to hunt him again.  
	
	
		
		
	


	









and this is my new pony Herbie he's a 12.3hh forest bred forester. He does the most enormous leaps with me on!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 So no i don't think i'm to big for him.





I ride lots more ponies but won't bore you with more pics. I don't ride anything over 15hh. (to far to fall off 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 ). Just call me pony squisher extraordinar  
	
	
		
		
	


	




I do get lots of coments about riding ponies but i don't care alot of the ponies i deal with are problem ponies and i am there last chance. Lucy was and Herbie is never going to be a childrens ponies so need an adult to ride them. i'm proud to ride ponies.
(ok rant over  
	
	
		
		
	


	








 )


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## missyme10 (14 January 2010)

So u should be proud, u look great on all of them laura 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I wont ride anything over 14hh, I used to have a 16hh horse, but found you hit the ground a lot harder from that height lol x


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## Charmaine18 (14 January 2010)

I'm 5'7 and I ride a pony!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  Okay, so he's a very chunky 14.2hh cob, but he still counts as a pony!  The only person who ever worries about it is me - my main motivation for dieting is that I'm scared I'll get too heavy for him.  Everyone else tells me I look fine on him.


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## nikkik (14 January 2010)

I'm 5'6" and 8 1/2 stone, Arnie is 13.3.  But I don't think I will squish him. lol


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## LauraWheeler (14 January 2010)

Thanks missyme. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




I forgot to say Ponies are also cheeper and easyer to keep than great big horses. The native types live out all year and live off fresh air.


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## missyme10 (14 January 2010)

Yeah they sure do, I've 2 welshies, one I ride, one my daugher rides, I only started riding hers as she was rather naughty, but am hooked! I dont think I could ever go back to riding horses, I think ponies are just so much more fun, and much easier to keep, and as you say cheaper, so u can have more 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I'm wanting another, I quite fancy a dartmoor


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## little_flea (14 January 2010)

Ride whatever horse you want, don't pay attention to the opinion of silly people! The only thing that matters is that you have fun. (for the record, I am exactly the opposite - I am 5'3, 8.5 stone and ride a 17'2hh - my stumpy legs look ridiculous on her, but I love my horse and she is the most fun ever to ride. So I don't care that I'd look better on s 14'2. Love knows no boundaries, eh?)


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## LauraWheeler (14 January 2010)

oi Hands off dudley he's mine. 
	
	
		
		
	


	
















(well not realy mine he's my bosses but i like to think he's mine! )


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## missyme10 (14 January 2010)

Ur right little_flea, love knows no boundaries when it comes to our neds 
	
	
		
		
	


	




As long as ur horse/pony is right 4 u, thats all that really matters x


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## missyme10 (14 January 2010)

haha dudley is lovely, he wants to come and live in Dundee with 2 gorgeous welshie mares


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## LauraWheeler (14 January 2010)

Shhhh don't tell him you have mares he could live with or he'll run away. he wasn't cut till he was 4 so loves the mares. 
He's so cool i hope to show him more in the summer. (if i can perswade my boss he's to naughty for the kids to ride  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 )


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## GypsyGirl (15 January 2010)

That picture of the dartmoor is really nice! I love ponies - I have one on full loan. I want to buy her in the future but no way have enough money atm lol. Shes only a 13.3 and im 18 and 5ft1 lol .. Its great I love her!

Ponies Rock!! xx


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## T_K (15 January 2010)

Hehe, and she can certainly tank off with me. She knows I'm more bothered about trying to balance at her bouncy pace than stopping her!






I once worked at a trekking centre and went on a beach ride on a 17hh(at least) cobby thing, he was gorgeous and his canter was very comfortable, but I spent the whole time pulling him back and making him trot so we didn't overtake the customers on the ponies!!! I would've rather have been on a wee pony at that point.

I have a 14.3hh Haflinger...I still class her as a pony. ;-)


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## missyme10 (15 January 2010)

Aww good to see there r lots of adults who love and ride ponies, and I'm not the odd one out


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## MrsMozart (15 January 2010)

I have a 16.3hh Dutch Warmblood Dizzy dingbat, who I adore...

...but I love riding Daughter1's 13.3hh Little Cob 
	
	
		
		
	


	




. Makes me laugh 
	
	
		
		
	


	




. Never feel unsafe on him in any way, even when bucking up the hill and going sideways down the road, is just such a hoot 
	
	
		
		
	


	




.

I'm five foot eight and a bit inches and thirteen and a half stone - doesn't stop him bouncing


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## maxapple (15 January 2010)

I'm 5'4 and my pony is 14.1 (welshxarab). I only weight 8 1/2 st but I've had people much heavier riding him with no problems. I also in my 30's!

Ponies are fun!!


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## brucea (15 January 2010)

I have a 14.2 traditional cob I ride all the time (mostly in a Parelli pad becuase I can't get a saddle that suits him and me) - I'm 5'8 and 15 stone of handsome sleek toned muscle (ahem... 
	
	
		
		
	


	








)


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## eahotson (15 January 2010)

Me too.I have a 14.2 welsh cob and I used to ride a 13.2 coloured cob who was fabulous.


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## bex1984 (15 January 2010)

I am an adult on a pony...ponies are the best. I've never had any negative remarks though and have successfully converted a few friends to ponies 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Murphy is 14.1hh so a bit pony, but I have been known to have a ride on my friend's 12.2hh exmoor pony who is sooooo much fun


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## Jay89 (15 January 2010)

I am 5ft 7 and 20 years old! Ride my little 14.2hh cob!! I love him to bits and never ever feel unsafe on him!! I look a little bit leggy on him but he is perfectl able to carry me. As far as I'm concerned he is staying with me for life 
	
	
		
		
	


	




!


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## Hippona (15 January 2010)

[ QUOTE ]
Come join our "adults who ride ponies" clique (see my siggy)! 

[/ QUOTE ]


Oooh...can I join??!!

I have a 13.3 highland that I pinch off daughter.......


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## gillianfleming (15 January 2010)

I am 28 and only just over 5ft tall and have a 14.1hh riding pony and i love him to bits, he's loads of fun, my friend thinks he feels like a tb to ride.


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## Jojo_Pea4 (15 January 2010)

I am 5"2 and have a 14.2hh pony, he is not a childs pony as can be difficult to handle on the ground. We are perfectly suited and wouldnt swap him for the world. 
I also ride my sisters Welsh 13.3hh and she a cracking pony.


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## SO1 (15 January 2010)

I have a 13.2 NF and no-one has ever made a comment but then they probably think I am a child even though I am in my 30's as I have been asked several times if I am in the pony club - and have to say to people sadly the pony club does not accept members of my age but I am a riding club member.

Adults on ponies is very very common in the native pony showing community you probably get more adults riding the large breeds than you do kids.


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## Mynyddcymro (15 January 2010)

l'm 5'5 and just under 9 stone and am currently breaking in my 11.2hh Section A mare, i've also had to get on my 8.2hh shetland gelding to 'sort him out' when he's misbehaving! However he's not a fan of extra weight so rarely resort to squishing him!


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## GoingRoundInCircles (15 January 2010)

I think a lot of people have grown accustomed to seeing people riding giant horses and as a result assume ponies are for children. At unaffiliated dressage competitions I often find that my 14.2hh pony is the smallest there by about 2hh.

I prefer ponies - I enjoy their character. It is also much nicer to be able to groom on top of the back without standing on tip toes!

[ QUOTE ]
Come join our "adults who ride ponies" clique (see my siggy)! 

[/ QUOTE ]

Can I join too? I've never been in a clique before!


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## spookypony (15 January 2010)

Sure, the more the merrier!


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## Angelbones (15 January 2010)

I have 3 ponies at the yard (2 x 13.2 and 1 x 14h) that are ridden mostly by small adults when the kids are at school. They all go hunting, ridden by a 5'6 adult and the comments are often "oh I wish I could have a day's hunting on a pony, you are so lucky". They go anywhere, don't smack your head into branches, jump what the horses jump and are still full of running at the end of the day.

i took my daughter's 13.2h to the beach with her on her 12.2h and I had the time of my life. I'm 5'9 and weigh 11st and he carried me like I wasn't there. I just wanted to be a kid again, so much more fun than going on my ditsy horse.

I have a really fab fun 13.2h who I need to find a home for but as he is sensitive and whizzy (though far from dangerous) I really need to find a small adult owner for him - who won't outgrow him and will take him bloodhounding, sj, xc, hunting, hacking etc as he's fab at it all. Trouble is I only get kids enquiring for him - I think there should be a website called "Ponies for Adults" or such like!


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## Annette4 (15 January 2010)

Pony squishing is terribly cruel and you'd never catch me doing it 
	
	
		
		
	


	



















































ETA ponies are 13hh and 12hh respectively


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## joy (15 January 2010)

My horse is 15.2, his mum is 15 hands.
If I had my own land I would have Exmoors all over the place.


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## Beckyboo28 (13 March 2021)

Hi All

interesting to read all these posts. I’m 5’4” and weigh around 12 stone and looking for the smallest possible horse/pony to ride! Had bad experience with two large Thorobreds about 10 years ago and lost confidence. Now my daughter has a pony and started riding we are looking for a second and have seen a 13.3 New Forest Mare which would be the perfect companion and also my daughter could ride. Was curious as to whether I could get on as well! I’m not bothered about what people think would just be worried about squishing the pony and getting bucked off! Wasn’t sure if there was a right or wrong here but reading your fab posts I think it might be ok?! x


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