Ponies for Grownies

 

(Warning: Long post. Grab snacks. Visit the bathroom first)

 

What first comes to your mind when you see this adult man riding this small horse? Be honest.

I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about this subject lately. I’ve been digging deeper into my previous opinions and ideas and trying to figure out how they got there in the first place. I’ve also been doing research to discover the truths behind these beliefs and uncover the fallacies behind them as well.

What are the guidelines that prove that a rider is too large for their horse? Is it when the rider’s feet dangle below the horse’s belly or are in line with the horse’s knees?

            (Photo borrowed from the internet) 

If that’s the case, there are many adults riding horses or ponies that are too small for them.

Including me.   

Recently, my neighbor friend, Val emailed me and one of the things she said stood out with me. When I first came back to horses, she invited me to ride her 26 year old Arabian mare, Nadia, to help build my confidence and to be my equine teacher.

(Photo of Val riding Annie, me riding Nadia and Val’s daughter riding Scout, on a trail ride)

 

I did ride Nadia quite a few times and she always took good care of me. She was quiet, patient and never argued with me. Nadia is one of those ‘worth her weight in gold’ horses.

(My twinling, Jax riding Nadia bareback, practicing Polocrosse with Val in her arena)

But I didn’t give Nadia the respect she deserved. In that email, Val said to me, “You thought that Nadia was too small for you”. And she was right.

(Photo of me riding Nadia, at night, in Val’s arena)

Nadia is only 14.2-14.3hh., but all these years, I believed that because I’m a tall gal, I needed a horse 15.1hh or taller.

Then last week, Leah of Barn Door Tagz left me a comment on my Sunday Stills ~ Orange post that got me thinking even more about how most people look at adults who ride small horses or ponies.

Leah said about the photo below, “That little black horse doesn't look too happy. The guy looks like if he straightened out his legs, he could walk with the horse still under him.”

(In this photo, he doesn’t seem too tall for his mount at all. I think it’s the Clydesdale that makes everyone else seem small. The middle horse is actually a 15.3hh appendix-QH mixed with Thoroughbred)

But I must admit, that I, too, used to snicker, or feel sorry for the equine, when I saw a tall adult riding a small horse or pony. Kind of like the cheerleader in school laughing at the nerd. Yep. That was me. And I’m not proud.

(Photo borrowed from the internet. A man riding a Mongolian Horse)

I’ve turned my nose up at many small horses even before Nadia, believing that they were too small for me. Mostly thinking that I looked silly on their backs, not that they weren’t strong enough, or capable enough of carrying me. In hindsight, I feel guilty about that. I realize now that by snubbing the small horse or pony as a suitable mount for me, I was closing and locking the door to the possibility of finding my dream horse. What a shame.

 

I understand now that I was more worried about how good I looked on a horse, and how proportionate the horse and I were together, than my own comfort and safety.

And after I rode little Rosie a few times, I made sure to pose the question to my readers, “Is she too small for me?” All of you, except one, said, “No” and even the one who said Rosie was sort of on the small side for me, said we still looked good.

So, that was an eye opener for me and helped change my opinions and options in considering a small horse or pony as my future riding partner.

Then there was Atta Bay. She is actually smaller than Rosie and not as stout. So I was concerned again about how she might be able to carry me and how I might look on her.

I should never have worried because Atta Bay has an extra engine in that compact body, and more than enough fuel to get the job done. She likes to go, go go and never once seemed incapable of carrying me.

 

And I think at that point, that I was starting to get comfortable with being on and seeing me on a small horse, and as I studied the photos taken of me during our rides, I didn’t think I looked too Paul Bunyan-like on their backs either.

(But if I thought I did, I’d be out shopping for a giant blue ox)

In addition, I was seriously appreciating the easier mounting and dismounting. Being that I have hip dysplasia in both hips and now have a gimpy knee, it’s important for me not to put even more strain on these poor joints. I’m only 43 yrs old and they need to last me throughout the second half of my life. Surgery is just not an option. Too painful, too expensive, and too long to heal. And afterwards, the joints still aren’t the same as they were in my twenties.

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Taken in part from: Ponies for Grownies

                 (Photo borrowed from internet)

  

“Just because a person has reached some specific age does not mean that they instantly lose the magic of riding ponies or a short horse 15 hh and under. A good many adults don't ride smaller horses or ponies because they feel that they would look funny or that it might not be strong enough to carry them.

Sometimes adults will over mount themselves on horses. We don't expect a child to be capable of controlling a large horse, so why should an adult expect that, because of their age or height, they must only ride a tall horse?

            (A birthday gift from Jenna’s best friend)

Ponies and horses under 15 hands are perfect for riders more comfortable on a compact, sturdy, shorter equine. They can help people regain their confidence in riding, and help them more easily and safely mount and dismount, which is also better for the horse or pony, too. Riding a smaller equine provides the opportunity for riders to continue enjoying a favorite sport and pastime, which can be an important psychological need for an adult rider.

                 (photo borrowed from internet)

In today's market, the shorter equine is often the better buy. With their sturdiness, lower metabolism, strong feet, longer life span, and usually good temperaments, the smaller equine is often the perfect investment for the adult rider as well as a child. There are also many easy to ride gaited horse breeds which are typically 15hh and below.”

                  (photo borrowed from internet)

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So, how much weight can a small horse or pony carry?

Taken in part from: Ice Rider 

There are a few methods to use to calculate how much weight a horse can carry.

One is simplistic: A rough guide to how much weight a horse can carry is to take the horse's weight (in lbs) divide by six --this equals the total weight the horse can carry, including tack. Or the 20% Rule: 1000 lb horse can carry 200 pounds.

Another formula is based on measuring the bone:

When people speak of a horse's "bone", they are referring to a measurement taken at the circumference of the foreleg, just below the knee. Horses have very slim legs, and a great deal of weight and mass to carry, so the quality of their support structures is very important.

                  (photo borrowed from internet)

The foreleg circumference measurement can help determine the horse's ability to carry weight. A light-boned or refined horse will be limited in weight carrying capacity. A regular-sized horse with "good bone" can measure 21.75cm (8 1/2 inches) or more.

The maximum weight a horse can carry safely varies according to the breed of the horse and its usage. There is no absolute rule about how much weight a horse can carry, but generally speaking the lighter-framed the horse with the longer back, the less he can carry.

                    (photo borrowed from internet)

 

Native ponies are very strong and even some of the individuals in the small breeds are capable of carrying adults without difficulty. It is much easier for a horse to carry a fit, well-balanced rider, than an unfit, overweight unbalanced rider, even if they both weigh the same.

Quality of bone is more variable. Some horses that have had poor nutrition, over-fed, or over-stressed at a young age may have poor quality bone; in this case, even a good external measurement may be inaccurate in regard to weight carrying ability. Some of the smaller breeds are known for the quality of their bones: Arabians, for instance.”

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I must admit that I did have concerns about Apache’s height and ability to carry me. I wondered if we would be a good fit when I first started riding her. She is about the same size as Atta Bay, about 14.2hh, but stocky with substantial bone.

I even contacted my friends, Dan & Betty for their opinion. They live about 45 minutes from me and have a blog called, “Dan and Betty's Place”. They also own and ride an Icelandic gelding named Morgunn and a Rocky Mountain mare named Sugar. Stop by their blog and say Howdy sometime.

                    (Photo taken during a visit last year) 

Betty is an inspiration to me as she also went through a horrible riding accident on the Icelandic mare she used to own, and she lost a year to healing from painful injuries and surgeries.

             (Photo borrowed from their blog)

Dan’s Icelandic gelding, Morgunn is 13.2-13.3hh, so some folks might consider him a pony. But when Dan is riding Morgunn, he doesn’t look like he’s riding a pony. Morgunn is strong, stocky, with solid bone and fully capable of carrying a tall, adult man like Dan.

              (Photo borrowed from their blog)

Last summer Val and I drove down for a visit. And she had the privilege of riding Morgunn (More photos from that visit are HERE , and a video, too) and experiencing the unique Icelandic Horse gait called the Tolt.

I don’t think she looks as if she’s riding a pony either.

 

So, now I’m not going to doubt that Apache and I are a good match. And even though I would have bought Apache anyway, just for the way that she takes such good care of my kidlets, and for the special bond that my daughter Jenna has with her, from now on I won’t ever judge an equine by it’s size, or poke fun of an adult rider who has chosen a small horse or pony as their special mount.

(And I think I owe sweet Nadia a handful of carrots as an apology)

And finally, just for laughs.

  

And as a reward for reading through this entire post……..if you leave me a comment with a funny caption for this photo, I’ll choose my favorite one and send the winner a prize!!!!!! Contest ends Friday April 2nd at noon MST!