Talk to me of itty-bitty endurance horses

[BarbeyGirl]

What's your experience with small horses / ponies and endurance?

I ask because my smallest Barb mare is 13 hands, about 500 pounds, with 7 inches of bone. She's four and a half years old and Barbs are a slow-growing breed, so she may grow a little bit more.

I'm 5'3" and 135 pounds including my heaviest tack (leather endurance saddle instead of my Wintec).

I'm hoping to start her with some LD's in 2008 -- we're just starting under saddle. :yes: Will try to attach pics...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f73e40547000000026101UcNG7dyxI
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f739b7141c00000025101UcNG7dyxI
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f7398f142400000025101UcNG7dyxI

[Petstorejunkie]

Oh my gawrsh, the cuteness!!!! :eek:


.... i'm sorry, what was the question?

[BarbeyGirl]

Oh my gawrsh, the cuteness!!!! :eek:




Awww, thanks. :)

Here are some pics of her 18-month old filly (she was bred young by accident, to a very nice Barb stallion, before I owned her).

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f1bc1d95c500000025101UcNG7dyxI
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f1b10c547a00000025101UcNG7dyxI
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f1c24a95ad00000026101UcNG7dyxI
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f1b137d57100000026101UcNG7dyxI

Okay, okay, I'll stop. :D Hey, I was baited! I swear! :winkgrin::lol:

[Auventera Two]

I can't open pics here at work, but I'll look from home tonight. :)

I saw a super cute little pony (probably 13 hands) with an equally cute little rider at a ride. He was all decked out in his little endurance gear. Ohmygod, so sweet I couldn't stand it!! I just love little horses!! One of my favorites is my mother's Arabian/Morgan pony - a whopping 13.1 hands of piss and vinegar, tail flagging, and fancy trotting. Awww, so cute.

Hey - you're tiny, and you fit the horse perfectly. GO FOR IT!! And don't forget to post pictures! :D

[Petstorejunkie]

<<uggh>> you're killin' me aack, the CUTE the FUZZY! aah, room spinning.....

How do you live next to those things and not squeal in squeaky baby talk all day?

[BarbeyGirl]

<<uggh>> you're killin' me aack, the CUTE the FUZZY! aah, room spinning.....

How do you live next to those things and not squeal in squeaky baby talk all day?

Baby talk in action: http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f3de84d5f500000026101UcNG7dyxI

This one is just for you: http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f3ec05d56d00000025101UcNG7dyxI

And here he is, also 18 months old now: http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7cf07b3127cceb0f3dd73959b00000025101UcNG7dyxI

All right. I'll stop now, really I will. I just WUV them so much! :lol::lol::lol:

I love your sig line, by the way!

[BarbeyGirl]

I just love little horses!! GO FOR IT!! And don't forget to post pictures! :D

Me too -- I'm a sucker for the cute ones! I can hardly wait to hit the trails on this little girl. She's adorable and hot to trot...and it won't hurt much to fall off...right? :winkgrin:

BTW, I notice in your sig line that you ride barefoot horses -- do ride managers require boots? My horses have never been shod, and they have incredible hooves...is there any chance I'll be allowed to keep them totally barefoot? (I'm willing to use boots if I have to, of course.)

[Romantic Rider]

In my experience, itty-bitty horses do just fine in endurance. My Mom has an endurance pony, 13.3 hands maybe, and short legged at that. But let me tell you, the pony is tough as dirt, and can out trot my 15.3 hh. Anglo Arab, honest to God she can. It's incredible. And my Mom's bigger than you are too. Go for it. Little horses are fun.

[Petstorejunkie]

Why is it that i have a passion for ponies when i am 5'10"?


heck yes you can keep your critters barefoot and ride endurance!!!! For really long treks you may opt for some boots. Av2 can help alot with advice here. I am just barefoot, she's the endurance barefoot guru:yes:

[Kyzteke]

Well, if Theodore O'Connor (a 14.1+ "pony") can carry the rider Karen O'Connor (no relation...)who is 5'6" to the individual GOLD in eventing at the Pan Am Games, I'm sure your little gal can do just fine.

It isn't really the height of a horse that determines it's weight-carrying ability. Its the bone and structure -- your little gal has plenty of bone, especially for her size/weight.

Right now there is a 'pony' named Picabo Street doing endurance and she is kicking butt and taking names (sired by a half-brother to Theodore O'Connor). She is a mix of Arab, TB & Shetland and has TT most of her recent 50 milers. I think she just finished her first 100.

Of course it helps if you are a balanced rider, but that will help any horse, won't it?

[Auventera Two]

This is only my first endurance season, so I'm no expert! But I do know that the rides I've attended have not required boots or shoes. I saw one horse competing totally bare, and my mares went bare on the hinds, and booted on the fronts. I had a vet recommend boots when I went to the vet check bare footed. I told him that yes, I'd have boots on the fronts for the ride. He said good because the trail was really rocky.

From what I've read, some rides like the Tevis don't allow bare feet at all. Have to be booted or shod. But Tevis might be a little ways down the road yet. :winkgrin:

[Prieta]

Your Barb looks like a GREAT and tough darling! I used to think that I'd need to a HUGE horse until I got my 14.1 Arab. I realized then I do not need a huge horse to carry the lighter me - My Arab did me a favor by telling me that I was too heavy and that I'd need to take care of her and my own health. I think that small horses are awesome! :D

[matryoshka]

I think your weight is quite reasonable for the mare. Oddly, the little horses seem to carry weight better.

I took a 14hh, 14 yo Arabian mare on her first competetive trail ride this year, and she did great. We weren't going for speed or anything, but she had a lot of pluck and didn't struggle with me at all. I'm 5'8" tall and weight 175 lbs with tack (had to know for the ride). You are 40 lbs less on a horse that is built a bit sturdier than the Arabian mare I rode. You two should do just fine.

I've got a trimming client who rides Icelandics (ponies), and she's 6 feet tall and built solid. She's not heavy at all, just sized appropriately for her height. She rides for hours, and her Icey's do great with her.

[Jess!]

I believe she will do fine :) She's a cutie, by the way!

My last two rides were done on full sisters, both whom were 14.2 on their best days. :lol: The one mare, Anna, was petite petite, but still kicked butt. 3rd out of 86 on her first ride. The sister, Tank, had more substance but was still short and managed 1st.

I think short horses have determination and I've seen plenty on riders on short little horses/ponies!

[clanter]

Arabian/Morgan pony - D

all Morgans are horses; there are not any Morgan ponies

We have been using 14.1h Morgan mare and she beats all of them..just a very good horse

[Prieta]

I spent some time thinking about why I like riding my shorter Arab than I do on my other horses...I feel as if I can reach the ground better and yet feel as if I'm riding on a horse. Several times out on a hilly trail, I did not feel afraid of failing off such a short distance if we are to fall down and yet at the same time, I felt as if I rode a light but sturdy sport car built for rough terrian! :D
Also, I notice that many of the endurance horses are under 15 hh. Perhaps, many of those riders feel the same as I do - fear of falling of such a long distance from the horse to the ground?? :yes::lol:

[BarbeyGirl]

I'm glad to hear y'all like small horses, because ALL mine are under 15 hands. :cool: Acey (the bay in my original post) is the smallest, one of my stallions is only slightly taller, and the other Barbs are around 14h. My Arab gelding is the tallest at about 14.2, but he's also slighter in build and probably shouldn't carry as much as the shorter Barbs.

It seems to me that endurance people are used to small horses, being as Arabs are the most prevelant breed in the sport, but 13h is especially teeny! I'm sure she can do it, though, and like Prieta said, there ain't far to fall! Gotta love that! :winkgrin:

[RydArab]

I've had the same concerns as you have about whether she'll make an endurance horse or not. I think if I keep my weight down and if she manages to grow a tad bit more we'll be fine. I think at your weight your horse won't be uncomfortable. You look to be in proportion to each other.

The photo below is me on my 770 pound 13.3 and a smidge 4y/o Arab. I too would like to do some endurance with her someday. I weigh between 140 & 145 (or I stop eating for a few days) and I am 5'7. I feel comfortable on Bashirah and she seems ok with it, too. She is fine boned, though...


Your Barbs are adorable! I love the little ones, too.:)



http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/StaceyMWaldruff/May%202007/3.jpg

S.

[EquineLoveSpell]

RydArab, your mare is gorgeous! I don't think you look too big on her at all.

[RydArab]

Thanks! Last I saw of her this morning the little hussy was apparently doing a full body mud mask treatment. So was her pet emu. Ugh.

I think she's done quite well . She was pretty neglected when I came across her as a yearling. Under 350 lbs at exactly 1 year and parasite ridden-even had lice...

I am still on a campaign to lose 10-15 pounds both for myself & my mare. I guess this could actually become a thing- "The 30+ years & a Pony" diet... Kind of like Atkins, in a way. Finally something to inspire me. I just visualize my mare using her less palatable hay stems to spell out messages like "Step away from the cheesecake, lady" or visuallize her sagging like an old sofa when I'm on and my appetite just disappears ( briefly).:lol:


Thanks for the opinion on our sizing together. I never had the wish to be a little shorter until I found Bashirah. She's my forever pony...

Had to come back to this thread to see those barbs again-beautiful:D...

S.