is this rider to big for her pony?

[ponyhunter62]

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[HARROLDhasmyheart]

I would say that the rider is NOT too big for the pony. However, it is difficult to definitively say without pictures. I showed a pony in the long stirrup when I was 16 and a similar height/weight combo to what you posted. The pony was a large, and we were champion. So long as the rider is not causing the pony's legs to buckle under them and can carry themselves well, there should not be a problem.

[Seven-up]

Are you asking from a 'too much weight for pony to carry' perspective, or a 'show definition of suitability' perspective? If it's the latter, (which I assume that's what you're asking since you mentioned getting marked down) pictures are a must to be able to determine that.

If suitability is mentioned in the division specs, then yes, the judge can mark you down if they want.

[SkipChange]

I doubt she looks big on him, but pictures please!

[Go Fish]

I'd say that half the kids I see on ponies these days are too big for them. But hey, that's just me.

[ponies123]

Hard to say yes or no without pictures, but I showed my large until I aged out of the juniors. I'm 5'3" about 130 +/-, my pony was a BIG large though, 14.1 1/8 I believe and was AQHA so very wide, took up a lot of leg. Also depends on length of torso versus legs, my legs are longer than my torso so my upper body didn't look huge on the pony. Plus my leg is much longer from hip to knee than from knee to toe, so although my knee ALWAYS came over the front flap of my saddle, my lower leg did not hang so low on the pony as to look too big or long.

[LiveLikeUrDyn04]

I would say no. I ride a variety of 13ish hand ponies for a lady who sells them and I am 5'4 and 120lbs. I fit some of them better than others and larges are perfect for me size wise.

[pday09]

I usually go on pony club rules for weight limits on ponies, which are: small pony (under 12.2h) cannot have a rider over 117 lbs., a medium pony (12.2- 13.2h) cannot have a rider over 150 lbs, and a large pony (over 13.2 h) cannot have a rider over 190 lbs. So by this rule she is not technically too large for the pony to carry. However, in hunter land where judging is subjective, if she looks disproportionate on the pony it could very well effect her placing. I'd need a picture to have a real opinion.

[mg]

I'm 5'4" and ~130lbs and event a delicate TBx pony who's 14.1 3/4" and I don't look too big on him at all. I often ride and jump a 13.2 pony too and while I don't fit him as well, I don't look too big.

[MistyBlue]

The average large built pony fits well aesthetically with most people up to (and sometimes over) 5'6".
Today's ideas of what a well matched horse and rider look like are skewed beyond comprehension due to so many bitty people riding 17-18hh horses in the rings these days. Just because it's what we see most often does not mean everything else is a mismatch.
Not to mention that in hunters the rider can be a capuchin monkey and the judge won't mark it down for that either...in hunters *only* the horse is judged. In pony classes the age of the child matters, not the size. The only people who care about riders being on humongous horses (or if the rider is wearing the latest styles, etc) are the other riders...and their opinions don't matter when it comes to placings.
In Eq the whole picture matters, but it's the rider being judged. Suitability can come into play there.

[HowDoILook]

If shes to big then I should have given up along time ago :D:D:D

Im 5'6"-5'7" ish and still show my large pony who is 14.1 7/8. I aged out of Juniors this year so he might even become an Adult Hunter for a little bit. If the pony is overly dainty or anything like that she should be fine.

[Sunnyhorse]

Height- and weight-wise, the rider is probably fine, but I'd be interested in seeing photos to gauge how she's proportioned -- if her torso is long, she may be too tall, despite the overall shortness, and superlong legs could also pose a problem. (For the record, I'm 5-foot-2 and weigh 113-115, and I ride a 14.2-hand Welsh-Arab cross. No one's ever told me I look disproportionate on my mount, and my trainer, who cares about such things and sold me the pony, would've found me a different mount if there'd been a problem.)

[JinxyFish313]

As long as she is evenly matched (not super tall torso or super long legs) I'm sure she's fine in terms of pony comfort and suitability in the show ring. At that height you only look funny if you're disproportionate and/or if the pony is very slight.

[ExJumper]

...in hunters *only* the horse is judged. In pony classes the age of the child matters, not the size. The only people who care about riders being on humongous horses (or if the rider is wearing the latest styles, etc) are the other riders...and their opinions don't matter when it comes to placings...

Being vastly too big or too small on your horse or pony DOES come into consideration in certain hunter classes where "suitability" is supposed to be considered. (Although I'll grant you not so much in the adults, especially with small people on large horses.)

In pony classes, suitability is definitely considered. It is most important in Children's Ponies and least important in Green Ponies. Moderately important in the division pony classes. An oversized pony jock probably isn't going to get marked down on a Green pony, but a too-large child in the Children's ponies CAN be at a significant disadvantage.

That being said, the match you describe doesn't seem like the kid would be too big at all, but only pictures would allow us to go on anything other than speculation.

[Milocalwinnings]

I would say that the rider is not too big... I'm 5'9, 150# and was riding a stocky 14.2hh quarter pony. She carried me just fine. I actually looked better on her, fit wise, than I do on my 15.2hh TB/QH cross gelding. Had she been fined boned, there was no way I'd get on her- but she was stocky and had no problem.

[Linny]

Monstrous WB's have skewed alot of folks' ideas of "suitable." I'm 5'8 and have long legs and a relatively short torso. I used to ride a 15h horse that had a "pony" look about him and fit him fine. It's often more about the roundness of the barrel than the height of the horse/pony.