Horse for rider's height & weight.

[AllGoodDogs]

I'm 5'7" and around 10.5 stone. Can I get away with a cob type pony do you think? Currently riding a 16.2 TB but long term if I was able to get my own it would be a smaller, hardier, happy hacker type. I'm stalking Trina's Cobs on FB and wondering if the 14.1hh she has at the moment would be too small. Thanks!

As a general rule of thumb, rider weight should not exceed 15% of the weight of the horse.

Rider weight includes the weight of the saddle too.

Not sure she'd fit all 4 hooves on my bathroom scale to test that 😂

Lol - you would usually estimate a horse's weight using a weigh tape rather than a set of scales - although fancy racing and eventing yards do have horsey scales!

If you are serious about this cob I would ask the seller how much he weighs or simply what height/weight of rider he's suitable for. But as a guide I would expect a middleweight cob of that height to weigh about 450kg and therefore his maximum weight for a rider plus kit to be 67.5kg. So based on that I would have thought you would be a touch too heavy, sorry, and depending on how well he takes up the leg you might feel a bit too tall too... but that's not definitive so if you really like him maybe still worth an enquiry, dealers will very often only have estimated heights so he might actually be a bit taller than that...

Weight tapes are hugely inaccurate in many cases - especially cob type builds. It's worth sticking a horse on a weigh bridge if you have the chance as it's really pretty essential for accurate dosing of medications and wormers etc - many of the feed companies will take one for yard visits and bigger shows, and will weigh your horse and advise you on their condition (while trying to sell you their feed!). I would strongly advise you do not rely on an estimation by weight tape when assessing weight carrying capacity.

However, I would say that a well build cob or native should be easily capable of carrying your height and weight. Cobs aren't always well built for riding but nice examples do exist. Your best bet is to contact dealers and ask candidly whether they think the horse they have is suitable for you. It depends hugely on conformation, as well as the weight of the horse - a small, short-backed animal is capable of carrying far more than a larger, heavier, but poorly put-together example. The 15% figure has very little basis in science - and is a vast over-simplification.

That's 15% (ignoring the v good point about the accuracy of that rule as it needs many caveats!) of the horse's ideal weight too - an overweight horse is already carrying extra. Otherwise you'd be able to increase a horse's carrying capacity by over feeding it! Also, heavy draught types are often less able to carry weight than people think - they were bred to pull heavy loads, not carry them, and their conformation reflects that.

You've also got to consider your height - a too tall rider can be an unbalanced load, unless you have William Fox-Pitt levels of balance,and that makes it hard for the horse too. And you want a horse to take your leg, not be dangling your feet under their belly. If I'm on something too little I find it really hard to ride effectively, all the angles are wrong.

In all truth, I'd look for something a wee bit bigger in your shoes

I'm around your weight but a bit taller. Ive got a 14hh Fell Pony. We are grand together so you should be fine. Sturdy native ponies are wonderful. As long as the horse is in good health, not too old, and stock type with plenty if bone they are weight carriers.

You'll see how you feel once you get on board and see how much leg the horse takes up

I'm totally with Spudlet on the point about obesity - it is definitely the ideal weight of the pony, as an overweight pony is already loaded with unnecessary weight before you shove a rider up.

I'm not so convinced about height though - again, I'd say this is an issue of conformation. A pony with well sprung ribs will take up the leg well, and a well set on neck will stop you feeling like you're too tall up top. Unless you want to XC / race with your stirrups right up, and crouch up the pony's neck, you really shouldn't feel too tall on a well put together 14,1 at your height. I'm taller than you, ride 14,1s routinely, and often that is with my stirrups jacked up to stupid lengths so I can stand up their neck - provided the horse is fairly correct in its confo and way of going, it's fine!

My 17.2hh WB took a 52" girth. So did my 13.3hh tank of a haflinger. Both took plenty of leg. It'd be fine

Fair enough. I never rode ponies as I didn't start to ride until I was a gangly teenager and I've always liked a bit of height in a horse myself - also better for nosing over garden walls while hacking

Ponies are better for jumping off to pick up dropped phones, to drag branches to make impromptu jumps or to retrieve (other people's) lost shoes while you're out hacking though.

Oh, and you're less likely to be decapitated by low branches too

Depends. 15.3 Charisma managed with Mark Todd, who isn’t small.

I’d keep an open mind and try a variety of sizes. You can usually feel when a horse is too big or too small.

Thanks for all your advice, I guess it's a case of getting in the saddle to see how I'd feel. Being able to hop on without a mounting block would be a huge plus, I'll be honest. Mainly this thought occurred to me after the TB had me off in the schooling paddock and refused to stand at the fence for me to remount. I had to do the walk of shame back to the yard so someone would hold him at the block for me 😂

I can't comment, I had to make a horse stand in a ditch once, and also nearly broke something using a very wobbly fallen log as an impromptu block!

I’m 5’6/7 weigh 10 stone and have a compact 14.2. I’ve only had him a few weeks and I don’t feel overly big on him. It’s taken some getting used to on my part though as for the last few years I’ve ridden a tank of a 15.3, who is as tall as he is wide! Mine is quite narrow for a cob.

I got a company out last week to weigh him, and body score him. It’s handy to know his actually weight as a pp said for wormers etc.

I also stalk Trina’s Cobs still, she has some really lovely ones on there. Best thing to do is try the horse out, you won’t know until try .

Thanks all.

Separate issue is another cob I was looking at has a nodular sarcoid on his sheath, found at vetting for the last owner whose sale fell through for separate reasons. I don't know much about the condition but a quick Google was quite alarming and I feel like I should steer clear of that particular pony? Vet said it could be treated for around £500 and horse is priced low due to that but it seems like the chances are it will come back and can cause issues.

Unfortunately impossible to predict. My mare has one on her abdomen. It's away from rug straps, girth, teats etc. So I've taken the executive decision to not treat it as a problem until it becomes one. I don't touch it and I don't rub stuff on it - I just leave well alone.

She's a fantastic horse and at this stage it's not impacting us. I might however be more cautious about one on the sheath.

My 16hh ex racer takes my weight no problem (I have fretted about this myself and been discussing with physio and vet). I am 5 7" with longer legs. 16hh was the smallest I considered buying but I loaned a 15.1hh conniex and she was fine with me too. She wasn't even really 15.1 as she was very high withered. Ride what you feel comfy on - at that weight you should be fine on most stocky types 14hh or so and over.

I have a 14.2 Highland and I'm 5'7/10 stone. His width takes my legs up and he can easily carry my weight! No problems with balance etc. My advice is to ask the owners opinion then see for yourself. You'll know if it feels right or not and get someone to video you while you ride! I have ridden bu hunters etc but I always prefer my Highland as he's so much fun and I feel like a kid again! Best of luck xx

Just as an aside on sarcoids - one of mine had one on his belly, just in front of his sheath, and I have been feeding him a tablespoon of turmeric mixed with oil twice daily since May. It's almost disappeared.

Im 5’3 and 11 stone and have a 14.1 welsh cob, good bone and well put together. Your only problem with a pony may be saddle length... ie if pony needs a smaller saddle than you feel comfortable in.
Ponies are fab though, i can do all gates and jump on from anywhere!

I'm 5'7, weight about 11 to 11 1/2 stone and have a 14.1 1/2 cob.

I don't feel too big on her and she seems to carry me fine athough all we really do is hack.

My last horse was a similar size - maybe slightly larger but again he never struggled.