Size matters

DUE to their stature and bone, M&Ms can generally carry more weight per hand than sports and riding pony types. The lack of rider age limits in showing classes also means they can make the ideal competition pony to keep in the family for many years.

Petite adult riders may be suitable for a small breed, while taller, broader riders might be perfectly fine on a stockier large breed.

“There is no proven ideal weight ratio,” says Gemma Stanford, director of welfare at the British Horse Society. “A pilot study was done but further research is needed to work towards the goal of producing guidelines. However, there are a host of other factors that should be considered. These include conformation, fitness and strength of the pony, the fit and suitability of the saddle, ability of the rider, rider balance and symmetry, duration and intensity of work they’re being asked to do, as well as the footing and terrain.

“Ask some questions; does the combination look right? If not, it is likely that the rider is too big. Look at the position of the rider in the saddle; is the rider sitting nicely in the middle of the saddle or on the cantle? Are the rider’s shoulder, hip and heel in alignment?

“When choosing a horse appropriate for your size take into account the horse’s ideal bodyweight, rather than the bodyweight of an already obese horse; the horse should not be allowed to gain weight in order to reduce the rider/horse bodyweight ratio.”