Should I keep or Not to Keep

Question

I have a pony who is 14.2 hand high and I am 5'8 and on the chubbier side.. I have been thinking about selling her because she has a long back and it has been getting sore and so we are associating it with my weight.. So what do I do? Do i keep the mare and work even harder at loosing weight or Do i sell her and continue to work on loosing weight and buy another horse that can hold my weight.

Answer 1

If you are overweight and getting down to an acceptable weight for your height and build will allow you to continue to ride your pony, then I say lose the weight!  I would firm up that decision if the pony is very well-trained and you can control her easily.  It can be difficult to find a really good horse at a reasonable price, so I wouldn't give her up if she is a good horse.

Answer 2

I'd get a larger horse and sell the pony.  It sounds like you have outgrown her height-wise anyway, and it's time to move on to another horse.  Let the pony go to someone younger and smaller for them to learn on and you can upgrade to something more suited to you.  

Answer 3

To get her head down I would get a training caveson.  Here is a complete system.  Don't know how they work I have never needed one.

http://www.horse.com/Western-Tack/Traini...

Answer 4

You will probably need a larger horse, if your pony is getting sore from the work you're doing with her.  You may lose weight, but you won't lose height!

If you can afford to keep two horses, then I would buy a larger horse for riding and keep the pony and learn how to drive her.  That way you could keep her and still work with and interact with her (and learn something new, if you don't know much about driving).

Answer 5

i would keep her if you are interested in loosing some weight and if your not i would just sell her and dont feel bad about selling her i bet she will find someone who takes care of her!

hope this helps!!!!!!

Answer 6

a sore back?  get her saddle checked IMMEDIATELY.  i've never known a horse get a sore back from an overweight rider.  why sell her when all you perhaps need is a new saddle.  but again with both your heights and depending on your age then you might need to think about buying a horse.

a friend couldn't ride her horse until i discovered a nail sticking down from the pommel into the horses withers.

now you know why i panicked when you said about your pony's sore back.

from someone also trying to lose weight.  good luck

Answer 7

How old are you? If you are younger and are going to grow I hate to say it you may want to find her a new home. If you are showing you may want a horse with a hand or two extra. You're fairly tall. If not and your heart is attached (which I'm sure it is), keep her, lunge her, use her love as an encouragement to work on your own weight. I know you will make the right decision! Good luck!  

Answer 8

shes not a car, shes a pet. Why sell her at all. Lose weight, keep her as your friend and get a different horse that can support you.

Answer 9

At 5'8 you are a bit large for your pony.  The market for smaller kid friendly ponies/horses is still viable.  You can probably make enough money with her sale that you can afford to buy a horse of probably 15.2 + which would suit your height and weight.

Best of luck.

Hey I've got a NEW format here for Yahoo Answers!  Anybody else getting it too?

Answer 10

Depends on how soon you want to ride. Losing weight is always a good idea but you can't rush it. You may have outgrown her. There is nothing wrong with selling a horse but remember to sell her to someone you know is responsible. A responsible owner will care for her and she will have a happy life.

http://www.saferhorseracing.com/gpage14....

Answer 11

Getting her head down is actually not really about the head.  When you get her to round up her back and engage her hindquarters, her head will follow by coming down and accepting the bit.  When you work on this, you will be strengthening and tightening the ligaments that support her back, as well as the abdominal and haunch muscles.  This is achieved by improving your riding skills, not by using devices.

If you keep her and begin this training, you should monitor her saddle fit, since her topline will change and the saddle will fit differently.  I'm glad your instructor is working with you to address the problem, and getting your horse to move correctly is the best solution.  Even if you later decide to sell her, she will be much better off, and worth more money because she is trained properly.

Answer 12

You're probably too tall to be riding a pony anyway. I would get e larger horse. But don't let that be your excuse to not try to lose weight. Be healthy and exercise regularly, and as the weight continues to come off, your new horse will appreciate it.