Adults riding ponies? (ex: connemaras!)

[soloudinhere]

@Cameraine

I’m reviving this thread. For alot of years I wanted something that was at least 16 hds. My retired mare, may she rest in peace and green pastures, was 15.3 Her successor is a 15 hand-ish OTTB gelding who is the slowest, laziest horse on the planet. He’s also extremely level headed, a wonderful trail horse, and if I get off him on the trail I’m not stuck looking for something to use as a step stool.

Since I’m hedging more towards dressage these days I find myself looking for tiny warmbloods or something small with lovely, fancy movement. I’m 5’3" and I just don’t feel like I need a huge horse under me anymore. What for? When a pony can get the job done and if it dumps me, the ground is a whole lot closer.

I just bought a 14.1 mare as a dressage resale. With the pony cup there is a lot more incentive to have a small horse who can compete with other small horses.

[poltroon]

I adore my 13.3 connemara and I’m taller than you @Cameraine . She is a pocket sportscar.

[NC001]

we have a 15.2 iberian connemara x. Perfect size IMO!

[CanteringCarrot]

@NC001

we have a 15.2 iberian connemara x. Perfect size IMO!

Tell me more! I’d think an Iberian x Connemara could be a sharp little horse. What’s yours like?

[Nova2000]

@MuskokaLakesConnemaras

Careful… connemaras are addictive

So are Welsh ponies!

[Nova2000]

@exvet

Well I am petite at 5’2" but I’ve been showing welsh cobs in dressage for many, many years. I’ve taken more than one to FEI including a section C welsh cob who hits 13 hands when standing on his tippy toes (buckskin). I feel I’ve been scored fairly for the most part. No one has said that I shouldn’t be on a pony but I did have one judge who asked “why don’t you want to ride a real horse, you’re more than accomplished???” LOL, I ride what I love and I love what I ride. My current main ride, a section D welsh cob gelding, is 14.2 (bay that is pictured). We’re solid second level having a blast…I’m very grateful to be riding something of appropriate size for me at 56. He’s only 6 so we’ll see how far this pony and I go.

Lovely photos!!!

[Nova2000]

@RTF

Love my Irish Draught/Connemara/Tb cross. She is 15 hands, schooling PSG, and will pack a beginner walk trot. I wish I could clone her. The judges are very fair to her. She doesn’t get high scores with her limited flash, but she does get fair scores with correct paces and movement.

This will be me if we make it that far. Going for correct paces and movement with my Welsh cross. Not flashy at all, no big toe flicking, but clean and correct!

[CoolCats]

I had a Connemara X Arab mare who had all the smarts and talent of the Connemara with the sharp, reactive brain of an Arab (thankfully only 1/4). She was 14.3 when she puffed herself up (every day!) and was totally brilliant! She was usually 10 moves ahead ;). She had a heart of gold and talent beyond description. I’m 5’4" and fit but not skinny, I never looked too big for her. She was built and took up my leg with no problem. She was a buxom beauty who could rule the world if she were human. She was awesome!!! :yes:

[exvet]

@Nova2000

Lovely photos!!!

Thank you! I’ve added another vertically challenged guy to my herd. He’s 3 and unstarted. I purchased him one month ago and already he’s wearing all tack, lunging, line driving and has had afoot put in the stirrup and had weight on him. Hoping to continue on with another sporty model. The 6 year old in the pictures is now schooling piaffe, flying changes and really coming into his own. Honestly it’s not the height that makes them special, you simply have to believe in what you have, love what your ride and ride what you love…if their sound of mind and body then THAT is the recipe to success, however you define it [for yourself].

[NC001]

@CanteringCarrot

Tell me more! I’d think an Iberian x Connemara could be a sharp little horse. What’s yours like?

We got him recently and he is a goofball. Level headed and willing to work. My daughter is doing dressage with him and hopes he can do some eventing. We weren’t looking for a particular breed but he came along at the right time and checked all the boxes for us. I did want something under 16 hh- I prefer smaller.

[Graymaresrule]

@RTF

Love my Irish Draught/Connemara/Tb cross. She is 15 hands, schooling PSG, and will pack a beginner walk trot. I wish I could clone her. The judges are very fair to her. She doesn’t get high scores with her limited flash, but she does get fair scores with correct paces and movement.

I have an Irish Draught x (maybe) Conn/Trak. She is a hair under 16 hands and a blast to ride. I also have her half brother by Winmaur Sgt Pepper whom I measure at 147 cm. Depending on my health and stamina and the COVID epidemic he might be for sale next year.

[kashmere]

I’m 6’0 and all leg. Over the winter, I worked with a young horse who was 14.3 on a tall day :lol: I don’t think we made the world’s most harmonious picture, but I also don’t think we look like a total circus act. When her owner first asked me to ride her, I joked that I would be able to Fred Flintstone-style run along the ground while mounted! Overall, I don’t think I would choose a horse this size for myself - I’m very very lanky and the balance was a bit tricky - but I think if a 6’0 human gumby can make it work with an almost-pony, there’s lots of wiggle room for most folks!

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[alibi_18]

@meghanathtf

Do you think the judges judge us differently? Do they just prefer to see massive imports?

Because I believed no one made a comment about this specifically, I will address it:

Dressage is not judged like that. (Both Dressage, Driving and Eventing dressage.)
If you feel there is bias toward your horse, you should file a complaint concerning that judge.
If your trainer tells you that’s how it is judge, you should consider a new trainer.

If your horse is impeded by your size, that’s a different story; you will be marked down.

The only things that are important in dressage, that you are judged on:
Are you at the right level?
Are you a sympathetic rider toward your horse?
Are you following the rules?

Overfacing a horse is never a good idea, neither is riding harshly, in front of a judge. You will be marked down and/or eliminated.
Not following the rules will get you eliminated.

[warriorpony]

I’m 5’4 and ride a 14.3h Welsh Cob. Complete “regular sized horse” convert - I’ll never go back to the biggies. He has good movement, but it isn’t warmblood movement so I’m sure we get dinged a bit for that in our tests. Regardless, we scored well at second this year and am looking to move up to third. I think the pony and small-horse secret is out and now that they’re more popular you see them more and more at shows. Congrats on your purchase!

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[sparkygrace]

I am 5’2", 113 lbs. All of my ponies have been between 13.3 and 14.2. The photo, from a number of years ago, is me on a Welsh cob who was 13.3. He was chunky, which made his height less of a factor.

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[soloudinhere]

@alibi_18

Because I believed no one made a comment about this specifically, I will address it:

Dressage is not judged like that. (Both Dressage, Driving and Eventing dressage.)
If you feel there is bias toward your horse, you should file a complaint concerning that judge.
If your trainer tells you that’s how it is judge, you should consider a new trainer.

If your horse is impeded by your size, that’s a different story; you will be marked down.

The only things that are important in dressage, that you are judged on:
Are you at the right level?
Are you a sympathetic rider toward your horse?
Are you following the rules?

Overfacing a horse is never a good idea, neither is riding harshly, in front of a judge. You will be marked down and/or eliminated.
Not following the rules will get you eliminated.

I have noticed, having shown a connemara for many years, that ponies do sometimes get dinged for being (or appearing to be) short strided or over tempo. Those long diagonals are a lot longer when you’re half the size. I had to learn to be very mindful of my tempo especially in the collected work.