Looking at a youngster, size/weight compatibility?

[Lulu44]

Hi all,
I'm considering buying a particular youngster (I've owned and brought one on before) but would like a 2nd opinion on sizing.
I've not been to view him yet, I'm still enquiring and waiting for a confirmation from a yard that I definitely have a stable.
He's a 2 year old currently standing at 12hh, the owners unsure of his expected height and has guessed 13.2hh, he's a cob x and based off his photo he's not a chunky frame.
Now I'm 5ft 4 and weigh 10st, if things go ahead and say this boy reached full height at the 13.2hh would I be too tall/heavy? I'm not certain if I will be backing him but if I do we'll be doing hacking and light schooling

"Will I be too tallheavy?"
Im 5 7" at 10 1/2 stone and for years rode a 14 2 arab I never felt ridiculous and was assured by others that I didn't look it. Her back was really checked and she had no problems and she incredibly fast able to keep up with point pointer that she road out with on the gallops.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people who are 5 foot and 1 or 2 inches insist that they ride a horse of 16 hh because otherwise it wont be "big enough"! I always think of Mark Todd who stands at 1.9m and his great horse Charisma was only a 15 3 hh if it worked for him it will work all us lesser riding mortals as well!
Obviously a lot also depends on the horses conformation a slab sided narrow chested horse is going to feel too small but a horse with a big front nice long sloping shoulder, a good length of neck and a nice well sprung rounded rib cage maybe wont.

With regard to weight again a lot depends on the breed and amount of bone. Shetlands carried lead down form the mines and Highlands carry deer, arabs are also know for their weigh carrying ability. As above confirmation will also play a big part and how you ride, some riders ride heavily others don't.
Type of saddle will also be important most western quarter horses stand around 14 2 15 hh often ridden by men who are tall and and heavier than you are and western saddles can be incredibly heavy when compared to an English ones but the have very wide panels so distribute weight more effectively. Endurance saddles also have wide panels so distribute weight better.
Perhaps you should try and ride a 13.2 who will have a similar build/conformation to the pony you are looking at and decide for yourself how comfortable you feel, you often see ponies and horses for sale and the owner says failed to make expected height it would be a shame to buy this pony put a lot of love time and care into it and then discover that you feel too big on him.

Just want to add
Is that rising three or two this year? Big difference as I'm not totally convinced a 12hh two year old, especially of its three later this year will make 13. 2. The other thing is that most people also totally over estimate the height of their horses.

At 10 stone I think you might be verging on the heavy side for that size, especially if it isn't particularly chunky. You'd certainly want someone a lot lighter to back the pony and get it muscled up before you rode it.
I say that as a 5ft3 (8st6 now down from 10 stone) rider of a 13hh (on his tippytoes) pony.

good-horse.com/tools/calculator-horses-can-carry-comfortably/

Have a look at this. Obviously it is a rough guide but based on this I'd say you would be pushing it IF he reached 13.2.

The other calculation I've seen bandied about is that a horse shouldn't carry more than 15% of it's own weight (including saddle). At this point you'd have to guesstimate the pony's ultimate height/weight.

If he's 12hh now I think you'll be lucky if he makes 13.2 My youngster has finally (rising 7) topped out at 14.1. At 3 and a bit when he was backed he was 13.3 and probably around 13.1 at 2 the year before - so he only grew a hand max from 2.

I'm 5'7" and around 9-9.5 stone. I sometimes ride chunky 12.2 ponies and feel OK on them. I think the minimum I'd buy for myself would be over 13 hands.

So I think you'd maybe be OK on a chunky 13.2 but I'm not sure if this two year old will make that. And I agree with PP - if you do go ahead, you should get someone lighter to back him and get him muscled up. It's a bit borderline and IMO not worth the risk unless there's something particularly special about him.

I was thinking about loaning a 14.1 pony - instructor (who had seen me ride him) said no, you’re too tall to be riding him every day (5’5” and 9 stone-ish). Obvs just an opinion and I’ve no idea if it was right or not, but he’s currently ridden by a teenager who is skinny but close to my height & I do look at them and think ‘yes, you look long on him’. Still Cross though, the smaller the better as far as I’m concerned

I don't really care whether or not I look silly, as I think a lot of that is down to what we're used to seeing. Where I live quite a few adults ride small, moorland ponies so you just adjust your expectations. It's more whether I think the pony can carry my weight day to day and also how much barrel it's got. Some 13hh cobs take up more of my leg than a 15hh thoroughbred.

I currently have a 16.1 horse but I am thinking that as I get older, I really should get something quite a bit smaller. Easier to fit on lorries, ducking under trees and getting on and off whilst out hacking!

Thanks for your replies, I'm off to view him tomorrow so will hopefully get a better idea of his build. He's only just turned 2 so I suppose there may be potential, but as I said it won't be the end of the world if I can't ride him