# Am I too big for my horse?



## imahorselover9 (Jun 14, 2011)

I am 5'2 and 90 lbs. MY pony is a P.O.A or Pony of the Americas. He is 14.2. Recently my trainer told me that I might soon be too big for him and that I might be jumping past what he can jump. I have seen people on ponies smaller than mine that are bigger than me. But they don't look weird. Am I too big for him? I also have another thread going about if I should sell this pony for these reasons. Please visit that too if you can.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Pft, you're a featherweight. At 90 lbs there is no WAY you're too big for him, and your height shouldn't look bad on him either unless you're long legged and he is very light boned...and most P.O.As are not light boned. You're fine.

I'm only 4'11 and normally weigh around 90 lbs (not quite that right now, but I'm sick) and I look just fine on our 12.2 and 13hh ponies. Don't worry about it. 14.2 is a very big pony, and I'd say just about any adult who was at a normal weigh (not overweight) could ride him without me even seeing him.


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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

Naturally, we'd probably need pictures to really be able to see the full effect. When I was looking at horses I was 5'3 and about 105 (still roughly the same size now) and 14.2 was on the low end of what I was looking at. It's possible that if your pony is really fine boned and you are super long legged you may look a little too tall on her, but there's no doubt that you're plenty light enough for her. Depending on your age and how much growing you have left though, your trainer may be right. In the not-too-distant future you may outgrow him, but cross that bridge when you get to it. 

As far as surpassing his jumping ability? I have no way of saying. There are some ponies that are super jumpers, and some full sized horses that shouldn't be pushed to jump near the height they are at.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Absolutely not. I've ridden horses that size and I'm twice your weight. Have you out grown him skill wise?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I'm 5'7" and weighed 160lbs when I had my old gelding, who was 14.2hh and 900lbs. I didn't look overly huge on him, but my legs are really long, so I didn't feel right on him (felt like I could touch my toes under his belly lol). At 5'2" and 90lbs, there's no way you're too big for your 14.2hh pony.

Look at this way: the average cow pony is between 14 and 15hh (which is right where your guy falls), and they can carry a large adult male rider (usually 5'10"-6'1"+ and 175-250lbs) all day over rough terrain gathering cows, or in a reining or cutting pen, and be perfectly sound and ready to do it all over again the next day. If they can do that, your pony can carry you over jumps.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

^ very true. For the record, we have 13.2 and 13.3 hh STOUT ponies (Quarter Pony and a POA/Appaloosa, not sure which) that are ridden by all of the ranch hands for a few hours at a time at a walk, trot, and small bits of cantering- and a few of the hands are pushing 200-215 lbs and have big roping saddles. They sweat more than they would with me, but as long as they're in good condition and are warmed up well that do just fine with any of the guys on them.


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

Agree with the others I'm 5'5 about 112-118 and I generally rode a 14.2 Arab, 14.2 quarter horse cross (both lighter bone ) and a 14.1 hand thick quarter horse and I felt comfortable in all but the first 2 as I have a long torso and I felt like I was towering over them haha. But all 3 carried me with no problems through long trail rides, barrel racing, gymkhana and some endurance type rides.


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## GamingGrrl (Jan 16, 2013)

I'm 5'9 and 170 and I ride a 14.3 (on a good day haha) horse sometimes. We do hard work, like barrels and cattle work and I've never once worried that I was too heavy for him or pushing him too hard.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

My arab is 14.2hh and im 5'4" and an undisclosed amount of weight over 145lbs. So no i think you are fine


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## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

I believe 20% is the optimum ratio. A 900lbs horse can comfortably carry 180lbs.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Western Mare (Sep 14, 2013)

I think you are absolutely fine. I am also 5'2 and weigh 110 lbs and my "perfect" pony was only 13.7! I was also worried that I might be too big for him but I was reassured that was not the case, that size was ideal for me.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

I LOVE to tell this story, lol!!

My first endurance ride, the Best Condition( which uses a formula that favors higher weight) winners were a 100 lb girl, and a man who weighed 310! He is not fat, but 6'8", and rides normal size Arabians, 50 to 100 miles, for years. 

I DO NOT believe in any weight ratio rules.....it is only about how you and the horse feel together!

Nancy


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## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

That is a good point... Being a heavy sack of potatoes vs a heavy fit rider are two very different things! I've seen teeny people give horses girth galls from unempathetic mounting, as well as been awed by the grace and synchronicity of a heavier rider...

I've also ridden a 900lbs fine-boned QH with a 350lbs+ owner. The damage to that horse's spine was glaringly obvious. He was high-headed, hollowed-out and ridiculously short-strided from years of trying to haul his owner's much too large bulk around. Started so early by this idiot, the horse's skeleton had fused this way. I could not get him to relax with my 120lbs for the two hours I was on him. I even avoided hills because his head was so in my lap, I was leery of him coming over backward ontop of me. I felt so miserable for that gelding...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Did she say "too big" or "outgrow your pony". Those two terms have two very different meanings. If she said "outgrow" is means your skills will move up to a level that may be beyond the pony.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Western Mare said:


> I think you are absolutely fine. I am also 5'2 and weigh 110 lbs and my "perfect" pony was only 13.7! I was also worried that I might be too big for him but I was reassured that was not the case, that size was ideal for me.


There is no such size as 13.7hh. Hands only have four inches in them, hence the designations 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, then 15hh.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

I think she meant you're about to outgrow your pony skills wise. Take my sister: she's fifteen, she'll never "outgrow" her pony, but she's only got one season left showing pony before pony can't jump as high or as well as what she'll want to be doing. She'll have "outgrown" her that way.


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## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

From the studies I've read on the matter, a horse can carry 20% of his weight and perform well. That means you could ride a 450 lb. horse with no problems.  you're totally fine.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> There is no such size as 13.7hh. Hands only have four inches in them, hence the designations 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, then 15hh.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


The person who posted that is Irish. In Europe, Ireland and the UK, horses are measured in cm more often than in inches. Therefore, the pony in question is likely around 13.3hh, but is measured as 13 hands and 7cm, = 13.7


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

blue eyed pony said:


> The person who posted that is Irish. In Europe, Ireland and the UK, horses are measured in cm more often than in inches. Therefore, the pony in question is likely around 13.3hh, but is measured as 13 hands and 7cm, = 13.7


In the the UK and Ireland pretty much everyone refers to hands and inches ie. 14.2 etc

Though I have noticed that occasionally a pony is measured in centimetres but never a mix of hands and centimetres.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Shropshirerosie said:


> In the the UK and Ireland pretty much everyone refers to hands and inches ie. 14.2 etc
> 
> Though I have noticed that occasionally a pony is measured in centimetres but never a mix of hands and centimetres.


Well, that's how it was explained to me, at least. Countries that operate more under the metric system than the imperial [aka, cm/metres/km rather than inches/feet/yards/miles] treat the period as a decimal point.

Australia is entirely metric but we use hands and inches, so of course this isn't a hard and fast rule. It's just that saying something is wrong when it doesn't match your own experience is a bit... judgmental.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

One of my stallions was 14.3 and built like a tank. I'm 5'10 and 200#, no problems.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

If you're 90lbs I cant imagine that would be a problem. A photo would help see the sizes of both you and the horse.


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## AngieLee (Feb 20, 2011)

I don't think your too big for him at all!!!! my horse is 14.3 and i weigh 170 (working on getting it down! i was almost 200! and even then he didn't have trouble carrying me) and we have no issues! at 90 LBS i don't think you should be concerned at all. generally a horse can carry up to 20% of its weight with no strain to him. and your nowhere near that.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

...If your horse /pony groans when you get on.. I think its time for a diet . just a little warped humor for the day.
In the usa we use hands to measure ( 4 inches to a hand) , so its odd to see a horse measured in centimeters (not our standard unit of measure ) . also 14.2 hands here is a horse in most western states .  and its odd to me that people call them ponies .


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## imahorselover9 (Jun 14, 2011)

Thanks to everyone who replied!!! It made me feel soooo much better!


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## Ripplewind (Mar 22, 2012)

I am 5'8" and around 140lbs. My boy is 16hh and somewhere around 1100. Not sure since I haven't weighed him.  But I have ridden horses that are 14.2 and I look and feel fine on them. Granted, my legs are super long so it feels a little weird (probably looks a bit funny, too), but I don't mind, and I feel that 140 is a safe weight for any horse, as long as they are fit enough to safely carry it and an appropriate height for me.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

You might be progressing past the point where your POA can jump, but I expect that's more based on his talent/conformation than his size.

My horse is not quite 15hh and is still pretty green over jumps (we've been jumping less than a year, only jumping 1-2 times per month), but he's going over 2' jumps with plenty of room to spare. If I was actually trying to go up in height (which I'm not, since I'm a little bit of a chicken) I don't think he'd have any problem hitting 3'. I'm also 5'2" and a little bit heavier than you and he has absolutely no issue carrying my weight over jumps or otherwise.


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## BuildDaBunny (Feb 16, 2013)

I'm 5'6 and 127 and my QH is 14.2h. I honestly doubt you are too big.


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## PleasureLoverxx (Dec 15, 2013)

nope dont listen to dumb people :3


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## poundinghooves (Aug 5, 2010)

You are definitely not too big for him. I barrel raced a 23 yr. old, 54" (maybe 52", can't remember) POA a couple summers ago. I'm 5' - 5' 1" and weigh about 107 pounds. We were absolutely fine together. I own an 11.3 Welsh Pony, and I'm not too big for him, though I do look a tad strange


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Photos are needed.

You may be longer torso and overbalancing pony. Pony might not be as tall as you think?

Could be legs are too long and too hard to get you into proper position?

And if you want to advance, it would make sense to listen to your trainer if they are any good.

Pony may be struggling and you aren't seeing it.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

1. You're not too big for the pony. At your size the animal would have to be pretty small (e.g. a miniature horse).

2. I'm inclined to agree with those who said the trainer is likely meaning that you'll "outgrow" the pony for what you are going to be doing. Not that you're about to become to large for it (unless you're anticipating a massive growth spurt).

3. The "20% rule", while actually quite accurate, is only one part of the three part equation :lol: (and there are a couple of additional variables too). For some reason it seems to be the part that everyone remembers, but it's like figuring out the area of a polygon without enough of the dimensions.
The three parts to the equation for determining if a horse is carrying too much is: Weight ration, cannon bone size (diameter), and loin width.
(the variables are things like conditioning, rider's ability, etc.... which are generally taken for granted as being up to standards).

Now for those who want to jump and say (as some of my friends did when I first pointed this out when explaining why I do what I do with my horses) "there are many endurance riders who are 30% of there horses weight and the horse does fine". To day "fine" is relative :lol:. If you took blood samples at the end of the race and did a chemical analysis you find that there would be some elevated levels well about what would be considered normal (i.e. the horse has been "technically" carrying more than it optimally should). However, most riders give the horses a break, so they get to recover and most riders spend time conditioning the horse to carry the weight so while it might not be great for the horse on one hand, it's not going to break them down any time soon.

The weight, bone and loin criteria are really designed for horses that in fact worked harder over all than most endurance horses. Horses that had to be able to cover around 20 miles every day for 5 or more days a week and be able to do it for most of the year. Like Cav horses. You take a horse with thin cannon bones, narrow loins, load up 30% of it's body weight on it and ride in 400 - 500 miles in a month and you're very likely to put that horse out of action for any number of says while it recovers.
Since most people don't really ride that much most horses have time to recover from these things and it's not often noticed (or noticeable).

I know :lol:....TMI and it's not what the OP wanted to know (which is that based on the information she provide she's a long way from being too heavy or too big). I just always find it interesting how everyone knows the weight ration, but "not the rest of the story" :lol:


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## monkeyleap (Dec 16, 2010)

I wish I wasn't too tall for ponies! As many others have said, you probably aren't outgrowing the pony in size: just ability.


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## FoxyJumper (Jan 3, 2014)

I think you're fine as far as looks go, unless as others have said he is very light boned and you are very long legged. As far as skills go, do you think he has any more to give with his jumping? You have to make your own decisions sometimes and if you think that he has more to give you should let your trainer know your concerns and ask her why she thinks that.


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## NoBigDeal (Jan 23, 2014)

You're just the right size


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