Bit of a dilemma and interested to hear what other horsey mums would do. My daughter is 17 and has had her 12.2hh pony since she was 6. He's been part of the family for years and they've grown up together, so obviously there's quite an attachment there. She's only 5"2 however, she's put on a bit of weight over the last few months and I'm starting to wonder whether he's really the right pony for her anymore. He's getting older now too and has a bit of a dodgy back, so I don't want to be putting unnecessary strain on him. Part of me thinks perhaps it's time to find him a smaller, lighter rider and look for something more suitable for her. The other part of me wonders whether I should be encouraging her to get a bit fitter, perhaps get back into riding regularly and work on her fitness rather than immediately looking at selling him. I know ponies aren't weight-bearing machines and his age and back issues obviously need to come first. Equally, I don't want to sell a pony unnecessarily if there's a sensible way forward. What would you do? Would you draw a line and say it's time to move on, or give her the opportunity to improve her fitness and see how things go? And has anyone else been in a similar situation with a child who's grown up alongside a much-loved pony?