training a pony

Question
We have several shetland ponies that we train to pull a cart/wagon. I would like to break one to ride.  Is there a good way to do this?  Can a full grown pony handle the weight of an adult?

Answer
Hi - before attempting to break any horse or pony to carry a rider, you have to take into consideration the size and bone structure of the animal.

From what I know and have seen of Shetland Ponies, they are not of a size that can safely carry an adult. Also, if you have 'American' bred Shetlands, the breeding trend has been to produce more horse-like ponies insead of the original/old style work ponies. This has resulted in a finer-boned pony that is not as sturdy as the original breed.

There is a formula that is used to calculate how much a horse or pony can safely carry - I ~believe~ it is abou 25% of the Ponies'/horses weight - an average 800 lb horse/pony IN SHAPE could carry 200lbs.....this INCLUDES any tack.  So, if you take a pny that weighs say, 600lbs - your 'safe' rider load would be 150lbs including tack.

That being said, they can be broken to ride, carrying children - this should be done as with any other equine - there really isn't anything special you need to do when breaking/training to handle a rider.

Hope this helps! Lisa