Should riders age out of ponies?

[awaywego]

Limiting the ages on ponies just means more ponies will be out of jobs I am for more ponies (and honies) keeping the jobs they are good at.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

@chillydc

I’d vote to allow for adults on ponies as well, or maybe just pony jumpers. I am super short and would be interested in doing pony jumpers if the right pony came along. The pony jumper division usually does not fill and allowing adults might help that a bit. It might allow an adult who owns a pony to show where otherwise they would not. Adults can show ponies in the adult jumpers but the strides are a bit dicey in the combinations for ponies.

That’s such a great point about the pony jumpers. They hardly ever fill in my area, but riding an appropriately-sized jumper pony is a great experience for developing riders, and many adults who love ponies would prefer riding a course that’s specifically designed for their mount’s striding. Plus, extreme cuteness.

[FieldFluff]

Thanks for everyone’s thoughts!

[clcoronios]

@Toblersmom

If anything, I think there need to be more classes, divisions, and championships that are open to and geared toward adults riding large ponies and small horses. I think there’s a growing problem with inflation of expected size for sport horses. It’s only in the last ten years or so I’ve seen an uptick in ISO ads requiring “at least 16 hands” and apparently the hunter ring is such these days that even a big-strided smaller-than-16 horse is unlikely to be competitive because they look like they are working too hard to hit the stride numbers for the course. As far as older kids vs younger kids, I think it’s fine to divide classes based on years showing, but there any number of “little” kids that have been riding since they were in diapers that can clean the clock of “big” kids that have just started. And if you are going to be hung up on size, the “little” kids shouldn’t be riding in the large pony divisions, anyway.

But isn’t part of this problem the fact that the stride count must be the same for every horse competing - not taking into account the stride variance between a 15.2 and a 17.2 horse? How ridiculous is this? Why would ANYONE expect both horses to come down a line with the same number of strides - and both looking comfortable doing it?

And why is it that the industry feels a 5’ tall human needs a horse they need a ladder to get on? And a parachute to get off?

[skydy]

@supershorty628

I’m not sure that there’s really a consistent problem with riders doing both the pony medals and the big kid medals. Once in a while, maybe, but usually the ones who are competitive are pushed to move into the horse ring.

The age limits as they are seem pretty fair, although I agree that I’d love to see more adult pony classes (I’m admittedly biased because I still fit my pony at 27).

I agree. At most of the indoor shows anyway, it is not allowed for a rider to enter both the pony EQ and the regular EQ.

[BITSA]

I think there should be cross entry restrictions, I do think its unsporting to have a kid on a medium hunter pony who is also showing in the Maclay and 1.30 jumpers. And yes, I’ve seen that exact scenario at Thermal. It seems so odd that a trainer cannot show a rated pony but a kid can even when they are mini-pros.

[atl_hunter]

@clcoronios

And why is it that the industry feels a 5’ tall human needs a horse they need a ladder to get on? And a parachute to get off?

Personally, I’m 5’4" and have always preferred large (16.3+) horses - like 35+ years of this preference. Perhaps I have a Napoleon complex and am compensating with larger horses? Perhaps I prefer the larger horses because the jumps look so much smaller? Perhaps my years of showing stock breeds make me prefer that longer, slower sweepy step? For me, it has absolutely nothing to do with the industry, rather, it is what I personally want. Even my first horse was a giant mare, and I started when I was 9. I don’t think size is as much of an issue as people make it out to be so long as the horse is well broke and the rider is capable. Or maybe I have been riding unicorns?

[PonyPenny]

@BITSA

I think there should be cross entry restrictions, I do think its unsporting to have a kid on a medium hunter pony who is also showing in the Maclay and 1.30 jumpers. And yes, I’ve seen that exact scenario at Thermal. It seems so odd that a trainer cannot show a rated pony but a kid can even when they are mini-pros.

I believe it is the Medium Greens they can show not the regular Mediums. Here is the rule . “Junior riders showing ponies cannot compete in any class where fences may be set higher than 3’6” at the same competition (Exception Children’s Jumpers, USHJA International Hunter Derby, Junior Hunter Classics, Pony Jump- ers and WIHS Equitation Jumper Phase.) Additionally, junior riders competing Green Ponies but not Regular Ponies are exempt from this fence height restriction."

Thermal is notorious for not checking cross entry restrictions though especially zone restrictions. Many of the stewards are not from Zone 10 and do not know the rules, neither does the office staff. Bringing violations to their a attention produced no results, at least that was the case when my daughter tried.

[DiamondJubilee]

As a pony rider for life (even at 39 years old - all I own is 5 ponies), I would love it if classes opened up for adults on ponies.

I love riding anything over 14h (I find I fit them better and they have a bigger less choppy stride, which I prefer - though I do have a yearling who I think will finish a large medium) and there are no rated shows for us of course. I could always show in the adult ammy classes and we could make the strides, but a 17h horse with a nice flowing stride will of course always pin over my mini hand gallop to make the lines. I do wish they would remove strides, but I know this has been discussed to death…

Though I don’t nesessary like the idea of showing against kids (but lets face it, 99% of the time they are way better riders then me anyway!!), it would be nice to see a pony division (or hony) where its open to any age.

For now, I will just compete in dressage and driving and I do some schooling shows where they don’t have age/pony restrictions

Pics of my cute 5 year old BRP 14.2h pony and my short 5’2" self

[BeeHoney]

Add me as another vote for allowing adults to show ponies. I think it would be a very positive thing for the industry for rated shows to offer classes for adults on ponies and adults on small horses.

I see no reason to limit children riding larges. An oversized child riding a pony it doesn’t fit will be penalized in the suitability department.

[RugBug]

@clcoronios

But isn’t part of this problem the fact that the stride count must be the same for every horse competing - not taking into account the stride variance between a 15.2 and a 17.2 horse? How ridiculous is this? Why would ANYONE expect both horses to come down a line with the same number of strides - and both looking comfortable doing it?

And don’t shoot me for saying this, but local type shows seem to have no problem dealing with horses getting different strides in lines. We are obviously not talking about classes with combinations, but what can a local show judge watch rounds from a small strided horse, big strided horse and a small pony all in the same class and come up with reasonable placings for them but bigger judges cannot? We act like adding strides is the kiss of death…but it only is because we arbitrarily make it that way. As long as it’s safe to do (meaning no combos), why does it have to be so taboo.

(*i just got back into the local ring after a 3 yr hiatus and an injury…soo LOTS of fear and trepidation. I was on a borrowed small, short strided saint of a horse. We put in some decent rounds in large classes and I never expected to even place because Mr. Small but Mighty adds strides. Imagine my surprise when we won one class and got two seconds. out of 27)

[supernatural]

I would like to suggest an Open Pony Hunter Class. No age limit and including adults so 85 year olds welcome.

[supernatural]

Open Pony class would run all size ponies at respective heights with no rider restriction including adults.

[Sswor]

Not sure the reason for all this concern about “fair” when precious little about showing h/j is fair. I think age limits on any size pony is absurd. Tell me why suddenly upon kiddos 14th birthday, it is inappropriate for her to keep riding her small pony–and a vast additional expenditure is required for her to continue participating in her sport. If the collective we is so concerned about size of riders on horses then petition to implement a rider height (and weight too) restriction and be done with it. Also absurd. Offered purely for perspective.

I love ponies. Riding a pony is vastly more challenging then riding a big giant horse. Big giant horse scoffs at your misses or tipping. Pony is instantly affected. You must be on your game riding a pony. Every move you make matters.

[RugBug]

@Sswor

I love ponies. Riding a pony is vastly more challenging then riding a big giant horse. Big giant horse scoffs at your misses or tipping. Pony is instantly affected. You must be on your game riding a pony. Every move you make matters.

]Like watching John French ride a small?

[bt1]

As a “fun size” adult (just under 5 feet 105lbs) I would love to compete on ponies…I think appropriately sized adults should be able to compete on ponies in their own age division.

[KathyR]

I would love an Adult Pony section at shows! I’m short enough to ride a large pony, and that could be so fun!

[OldLadyYoungOTTB]

@KathyR

I would love an Adult Pony section at shows! I’m short enough to ride a large pony, and that could be so fun!

Same! Ponies are so great! At my age the closer the ground is, the better. LOL

[findeight]

Would some advocating for Adults on Ponies in Eq or Hunters personally load up their Pony and haul to the AA rateds or are they speaking hypothetically? Few years back there was an effort to add a Small Hunter division, many on here cheered it…but in most zones nobody entered it, think they got three around here and one was a stuffer around here.

Far as the Regular division Ponies, that’s a really tough division, dead serious competition. Just not a place to bring a young child along among their peer group. Thats what Children’s Pony and the various unrated divisions are for.

You out can always ask your local shows if they would put a class in but remember it needs to fill and lots say they’ll support it then no show. Come to think of it, don’t think theres any restriction on a Pony in the 3’ Adult Ammy Hunters but there are combinations at the more competitive rated shows that might be problematic.