I am 40 years old, but have dreams of training ponies again someday (when my 2 kids are a little older). At 5’2"/110 lbs, I know I could ride Larges and maybe Mediums, but I would probably be too big for the smalls…or not? Thoughts???
There are a couple of pony breeding farms near me, and I was considering asking if they needed someone to help ride/exercise/train their young ones. Is there a need out there for a small adult to help put some miles on young ponies?
You should be fine. I ride smalls, meds, and larges. I’m 5’8 130lbs and I don’t have a problem getting on one of my smalls that need a school.
Go for it and remember that your center of gravity is WAY different than when you ride a horse. You need to make sure that you sit back. You don’t have much in front of you and what you do have can disappear pretty quickly.
Have fun!
Haha, I’d say it’d be hard to find many adults much smaller than you! I mean small ponies are usually started by people your size (and taller/heavier too), whether they be adults or teens. I’m 5’4" and 125lbs and I’ve ridden smalls with no problems. Do I look ridiculous? Yes. Am I hurting the pony? No.
I rode/trained a couple of mediums and larges and I’m 5’7". I don’t think you’re too big at all!
Have fun on the ponies!
We’re same height and weight. I owned a small for 3 years and trained her. She didn’t break 
You sound pretty much spot on for a pony rider.
I’m 5’ 5" and 115 lbs, and I trained a small pony to jump with no difficulties (except for that little stopping problem we worked through:cool:). Since I’m usually on the bigger horses, the contrast was fun.
thanks
Thanks so much for your responses. I know I’d look silly on a small, but as someone else said, I just want to make sure I wouldn’t hurt it.
I never outgrew my childhood love for ponies, and am harboring a secret desire to begin my “career” as an adult pony jock. Just as soon as my two kiddos are in school full time.
Is this something people would pay for, and if so, what is the going rate?
I WANT A PONEEEEEEEE! I swear my next horse will be a pony. Never had one as a kid and it is a wish that has never gone away.
You should be perfectly fine on all larges, but i’d stay away from very "dainty’ smalls and shorter mediums, and i say this because i have seen ponies grow sore in their back way before they should, mostly from too much weight on their back. would it hurt to hop on a "dainty’ pony once in a while? absolutely not. but if you were riding every day for an extended period of time, it will take a toll on those dainty/thin boned ponies.
just remember your center of gravity will be very different from riding a horse! especially when youre jumping those smalls. that neck can dissapear in no time !
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Is this something people would pay for, and if so, what is the going rate?[/QUOTE]
you might be able to find a minimal amount of business in showing/training perhaps a super green pony, however most people would rather have a junior showing, because ponies are “meant” for juniors at least for show ring purposes, FOR THE MOST PART. ponies, when they are being sold, are almost always going to be advertised towards a JUNIOR, so i find it VERY unlikely that you would find anyone who wants to give you their 3’ large pony hunter to show–if it can do the 3’ ponies, theyre going to have a junior showing it in the large ponies–youre an adult, so you cannot show in that class. you’d be stuck with unrated classes, which most buyers do not care much about on a record when youre looking at a fancy pony.
i think it might be more realistic to look into training and showing potential pony jumpers. the kids doing the pony jumpers are a bit more “ambitious” you could say, generally. they might not mind a pony thats been shown by an adult. if i am looking for a hunter, i’d find it suspicious if it’s a 3’-capable pony, yet its only been shown by an adult. that says to me that the pony is unsafe for a kid, or that it is extremely tough to handle.
As a pony breeder, I would have to say that I don’t agree with Superpony123 - if you are are a good rider/trainer, you will most likely be able to easily find work starting/riding hunter ponies. Myself and many other breeders I know use small adult riders to start and work our ponies all the time. My rider is a small adult - 5’3" about 115lbs - and she rides all sizes. As far as showing goes, of course, you can not show a pony at a rated show in a pony class, but you could certainly show ponies at schooling shows - my rider does it all the time. Most of us breeders don’t feel comfortable with a jr. rider on a very green pony its first few times in the show ring. Please feel to pm me if you would like more information about how my rider works with our ponies. Good luck with your plans!
I ride smalls and I have about 2" and well…a few more lbs than you 
I agree totally with Melinda. My pony jock started riding ponies for me about 18 yrs ago. She is all grown up and still rides them. She can take them to schooling shows and ride them around and get them ready for a tiny tot to show. If you were in my area you could ride for me in a heart beat!!
I had to get on my daughter’s small last week b/c it was too cold for her to ride him and there was no one smaller around…i’m 5’8 and 140 lbs. I was worried about it. But for the 15 minutes I hacked him, he was fine.
You are the perfect adult pony rider size…go for it!
I bought a large recently to resell, and I am riding/training him I am 5’7" 130lbs and feel ok on him.
But you should have no problem and you CAN show in the nonrated divisions, where most of he green ponies get miles before they are sold to show in the green rated divisons.
Have fun, if you ride well, you will be in demand,have fun, don’t wait till the kids are in school drag em around to the barn, they’ll have a ball watching Mommy ride the ponies(if you can handle kids and riding or better yet get some help to watch the kids while you ride)
I’ve always loved ponies! I’m 5’4 3/4" and 125lbs, and just bought a 14.1 3y/o Quarter Horse mutt gelding who shouldn’t grow much more…
I can’t wait to back him this spring. 
Can you fit in a “smalls” size saddle (complete w/ crupper)?
Maybe just 2 point it all the way…
—just messin’ with ya…:D:D
Out of curiosity, how big IS too big? I am 6’0, and about 150lbs. I have in the past schooled larges and mediums on occasion, and had to get on a couple of smalls that needed a quick tune up. Not pretty, but they didn’t seem too upset with me. Am I too big/heavy to do this?
Well, how good are you? Have you been regularly riding and jumping? Or has it been awhile…and how long?
Can be you may make 5 to 10 a ride. Could also be you need to pay for lessons to get back up to speed.
And what is your background as a rider? Everybody claims they can ride the tough ones but breeders and good barns don’t have those, they have good ones that require a more tactful ride. Or youngsters that require confidence and a patient, subtle approach.
So what are you offering besides your height and weight? Think it out now and it will help you when you talk to them and ask for rides.
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