# Too tall, too large for pony?



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

They're sturdy enough to carry you plus some but they're also short necked and at 13 hands you might feel as if you don't have enough horse in front of you - and you might also have problems finding a saddle that will fit your size and the pony's if its short backed as well as n being very tall


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## SpiritxRider (Nov 24, 2015)

jaydee said:


> They're sturdy enough to carry you plus some but they're also short necked and at 13 hands you might feel as if you don't have enough horse in front of you - and you might also have problems finding a saddle that will fit your size and the pony's if its short backed as well as n being very tall


We asked the owner how tall she is. Maybe that will help to see?


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

The biggest problem as Jaydee has said will be lack of 'horse' in front of you, also from your signature line it sounds like you might be a beginner, and that will make things even more difficult...balancing on a 'pony' size horse, takes some getting used to.


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## SpiritxRider (Nov 24, 2015)

Golden Horse said:


> The biggest problem as Jaydee has said will be lack of 'horse' in front of you, also from your signature line it sounds like you might be a beginner, and that will make things even more difficult...balancing on a 'pony' size horse, takes some getting used to.


Ive ridden before, not for a while. We have a 14hh icelandic, much better than a 13h. My moms says it will be just fine. She really wants me to have an icelandic. But they run small D:


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

This is me (5'8" / 160 lbs) on a 13 hand BLM mustang pony:








​ 
I don't mind the lack of stuff in front of me, but I also honestly feel I'm pushing the max weight he ought to carry. With saddle and clothing, that is about 200 lbs, and I'd guess his weight around 700 lbs. He doesn't seem to mind carrying me for trail riding, but I wouldn't feel right about asking him to carry another 40 lbs. He doesn't have a lot of reserve capacity with me - judging from how he feels when we are going up or down hills, along a sandy wash or turning in a trot or canter. He would do it if I weighed 200 lbs, but it would be too close to his maximum ability. A horse ought to have some reserve capacity.

The saddle uses up most of his available back. Saddle fit is tough, too. He might be able to do another 20 lbs, but another 40 lbs would be pushing him pretty hard. He had a previous owner who weighed 200 lbs, but I would refuse to sell him to a 200 lb person. It isn't fair to the horse, not when there are plenty of other horses who could handle more weight with less effort.

BTW - my normal riding horse is about 15 hands and 800ish lbs.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Have you thought about driving? It's a rapidly growing sport and can be a lot of fun.


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## SpiritxRider (Nov 24, 2015)

Saddlebag said:


> Have you thought about driving? It's a rapidly growing sport and can be a lot of fun.


I would eventually like to drive, but I do want to ride.  I mean, I know for a fact it will be okay because Icelandic horses have been carrying vikings around for hundreds of years. Thousands even! I was just wondering what other people thought... I don't know how I would feel. We do have a 14hh Icelandic, I would see how I feel on him, but 1hh can make a difference and I is not fit to ride at the moment. Oh the struggle!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

A 14 hand, stocky pony would be quite a bit bigger than my 13.0 hand stocky pony. Trooper is a 14.3 Appy/Arabian - 3/4 Arabian, actually. This is him carrying a 6'3" rider (around 215 lbs?) during a 2 hour ride - no problems seen afterward. He carried an even bigger guy (6'5") a week ago, and showed no sign of distress:










Some of it depends on what you want to do while riding. Walking is straight lines doesn't stress a horse's joints or legs much. Trotting takes a bit more, and cantering a bit more still. Fast turns, steep hills, or anything requires lots of energy and balance will make things tougher for a horse.

Most of my riding involves going straight at a walk, or trotting if the ground isn't too rocky. That means we never trot long distances without a break, because the trails are rarely suitable for barefoot trotting for more than 1/4 mile at a stretch. There are steep grades, but they are usually short. No jumping, I don't ask for a lot of collection, no racing (at least, not intentionally), no spinning, no super fast stops.

Think of being the horse yourself. What things would make it hard for you to move and balance? Those things make it harder for the horse, too. Cowboy could handle 200 lbs plus a saddle for hours - walking on level ground. But if he needed to climb a steep hill, or run on uneven ground, it would be too much for him. A slightly bigger pony - 14 hands - might well be able to handle things if he was as thick legged and stoutly built as Cowboy.

Bandit is the horse in my avatar. 15 hands, but obviously very slender. He carried the guy in the picture for 2 hours last week and still had some 'go' left in him. I rubbed his back afterward - no flinching, no signs of distress or discomfort. But I think a 200 lb rider is about Bandit's realistic maximum (I think Bandit is about 800 lbs). His previous owner was probably 220 in his socks (so 250+ with saddle), and used him for racing - but Bandit braced his back like an I-beam when he arrived here, and I take that to mean he was defending his back against more weight than he could really handle.

Good luck. I've spent most of my 57 years fighting the scale, and sometimes the scale has beat me pretty badly. Riding gives me additional incentive to work on my weight.


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## rideprosperously (Nov 19, 2015)

SpiritxRider said:


> I would eventually like to drive, but I do want to ride.  I mean, I know for a fact it will be okay because Icelandic horses have been carrying vikings around for hundreds of years. Thousands even! I was just wondering what other people thought... I don't know how I would feel. We do have a 14hh Icelandic, I would see how I feel on him, but 1hh can make a difference and I is not fit to ride at the moment. Oh the struggle!


The best thing to do is to get a Cleveland Bay, Percheron or a horse breed that's historically used to carry knights/cavalry with armour and weapons. The Draft breeds can be driven as well as ridden, they will easily carry you around and be comfortably harnessed too. That's win-win for horse and rider.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

rideprosperously said:


> The best thing to do is to get a Cleveland Bay, Percheron or a horse breed that's historically used to carry knights/cavalry with armour and weapons. The Draft breeds can be driven as well as ridden, they will easily carry you around and be comfortably harnessed too. That's win-win for horse and rider.


The Op is only 200 pounds, so doesn't 'need' a draft.....lots of good solid types out there, that she could be looking at. At 5'4" she does not need a 'big horse' just a good built solid one...in the UK would be recommending a good old fashioned cob.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

What kind of saddles do the icelandics use?


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Here is me at 5'3" ~140 on our 12.3hh Icelandic.. she is probably about 700lbs (compared to our Arab who is say 14.2 850 lol). (The dog is 28" and maybe 95 lbs there)

You can see she is a little tank. She is very clearly pony sized yet is equally clearly holding me just fine. My mother is ~5'6"/180lb rides her as well (with a saddle lol). My mother is probably her upper weight limit and just trails rides periodically. My mother would never work her. I feel completely comfortable on her though she is "pony sized"

Now my mare is very small for the breed. As you know they are a smaller breed but there are plenty out there closer to 14hh, in fact I'd say most are. You don't need such a tiny one. You also don't need to be set on the breed either, there are other breeds out there that may be more suitable for you. If my mare can carry me SO easily at 12.3 one at 14.1 could probably carry pretty much anything.

Here is an Icelandic saddle:








Similar to a dressage type but heavier/more solid. (You will need to factor the weight of the saddle in as well)

I agree that YOU might not feel comfortable on such a small horse even if the weight is "ok", the center of gravity will be much higher.

Can't you ride the one you already own? Or get a larger one? Or wait until you reach your weight goals? Or just buy a different horse?

While Icelandics are an incredible breed just because the Vikings USED to ride them (which is always an amusing thought to me) doesn't mean that FOR A FACT THIS horse can carry YOUR weight. Please don't think that. It may, but it may not and it's not fair to make your decision based off that sort of history.

At 13hh, even with being familiar with the breed I would really recommend against it. There are other options.

I really doubt even as stocky and tough as they are one of the smaller ones would be able to carry 200 plus a saddle. Finding a good saddle is a valid issue as is you may just not feel comfortable regardless.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I think 'other options' is the thing to focus on
Having had children who had small ponies, plus selling ponies, having ponies boarded (livery) with us and worked in riding schools with lots of ponies I've had to ride more than my fair share of them but honestly I wouldn't choose anything under 14 hands as my own horse, even the stockier ones because I just don't find them as comfortable to ride as something between 14 hands and 15.2 - I'm 5ft 3.


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## rideprosperously (Nov 19, 2015)

Golden Horse said:


> The Op is only 200 pounds, so doesn't 'need' a draft.....lots of good solid types out there, that she could be looking at. At 5'4" she does not need a 'big horse' just a good built solid one...in the UK would be recommending a good old fashioned cob.


I am not saying she NEEDS one, I am saying that it will make life better and easier unless she has a problem with drafts. But then there are tough little ones like Mongol Horses (LOL) that can carry a lot of weight too. 200 pounds is not an "only" thing, whether in riding or medical terms. There are non-draft breeds that were historically used to carry cavalry and armoured muscle men many hours every day, so they are the ideal choice, meaning she CAN ride as much as she wants without having to feel guilty.


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## rideprosperously (Nov 19, 2015)

Yogiwick said:


> Here is me at 5'3" ~140 on our 12.3hh Icelandic.. she is probably about 700lbs (compared to our Arab who is say 14.2 850 lol). (The dog is 28" and maybe 95 lbs there)
> 
> You can see she is a little tank. She is very clearly pony sized yet is equally clearly holding me just fine. My mother is ~5'6"/180lb rides her as well (with a saddle lol). My mother is probably her upper weight limit and just trails rides periodically. My mother would never work her. I feel completely comfortable on her though she is "pony sized"
> 
> ...


Viking men with muscles and armour would weigh much more than 200lbs I think, plus, if it were really too much for the breed, their use would have stopped soon because they wouldn't be able to battle effectively like that.


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## rideprosperously (Nov 19, 2015)

If I wanted to drive and ride, driving is comfier, I would want a horse that's bred to do both, that's why I suggested OP to try a Draft breed or another military horse (that's larger or has more substantial historical use).


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

rideprosperously said:


> If I wanted to drive and ride, driving is comfier, I would want a horse that's bred to do both, that's why I suggested OP to try a Draft breed or another military horse (that's larger or has more substantial historical use).


Or a Haflinger, a cob, stocky QH........lots of options.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

rideprosperously said:


> Viking men with muscles and armour would weigh much more than 200lbs I think, plus, if it were really too much for the breed, their use would have stopped soon because they wouldn't be able to battle effectively like that.


That has nothing to do with what I said.

Vikings were shorter than people are today and as such I assume would weigh less. I don't know about you but I wasn't around then to say "oh they loaded the horses up with much more than 200lbs".

I don't think they battled with horses loaded up with supplies either...

The point I was making is that just because people rode a certain breed one THOUSAND+ years ago (to the point those people don't even exist in the same sense) does not mean "for a fact" that they can a specific large amount today! That does not make sense.

They ARE known for being a breed that can carry a good amount. I am not arguing that. Just the logic of that statement. Icelandics are amazing and I'm not even saying the OP shouldn't get one. If she wants one she should look at some of the larger specimen instead of the smaller ones.

As you can see from the picture I provided my mare is a TANK. She is that small but I do not at all look or feel large on her. Doesn't mean she can carry what would end up being say 230 lbs or so (+ saddle and such). If the OP can find a well built/bred Icelandic at 14+ I think she will be just fine, OR there are other options.

I think you are overthinking this historical thing. There are SO many breeds out there and SO many options. In fact many drafts are not ideal for riding as that is not what they are bred for. The OP is a little overweight and knows it and wants to find a suitable option which is great. She's not 400lbs with no clue. I would go the cob/stocky horse route way before I went the draft route. Especially since the OP is a similar height to me and I highly doubt she wants to drag herself up on some giant horse every day. I love my pony, and while I ride horses of all heights 14-15 is my preference. Maybe the OP will get a draft, maybe she won't, but to say "oh you're a little above average (for a woman) therefore you need some giant of a horse" is both incorrect and I think a little insulting. I am all for riding an appropriate horse, trust me, pet peeve, it doesn't need to be taken to such extremes though.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Deleted, repeating myself, it's an age thing.


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