BIG horses. Is there a market out there for them?

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bexwarren24

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So, I'm helping my friend sell her horse. He's a real sweatheart but so big. If he was 3 hands smaller people would be snapping him up.

She's not keen on him going to a home where he is going to be constantly hammered around the hunt field.

The only people that seem to be interested in him are (how can i put this politley) over-weight novices. This wouldnt be a problem but even though he is a safe horse, he is forward going and not a novice ride.

Would size put you off an otherwise lovely horse?
 
Depends how big it is.

I'm looking at the moment and we need a horse that is 16hh minimum because DH is very tall. We are not novices, and are looking for a RC/Allrounder type to do dressage and/or showing with DH and a bit of everything including maybe a bit of hunting with me.

However we would be put off something that is over 17hh just because of practical things like getting stuff to fit, getting on from the ground, etc etc. Doesn't mean we wouldn't look if it ticked all the other boxes though!
 
Having had a few biggies,the things that stick out in my mind... the real biggies eat loads - all their stuff costs a fortune (tack, rugs etc) and grooming, clipping, washing legs, bathing takes a lot longer quite simply becuase there is so much horse!!

But i would never get put off becuase if the horse is right for you, the horse is right, no matter how much it costs or how long stuff takes!!
 
I ideally want a nice, allrounder, 17hh+ middleweight type, but there's not any for sale near where I am. So please PM with details, and whereabouts in the country you are. thanks.

I'm very tall, and although I am not fat, my frame suits my height :p. I feel far too large on all the 16.2's I am trying! My other boy is 17.2hh and my leg reaches his elbow when I ride dressage length, so he is a nice size for me, and I feel more comfy on the bigger ones.
 
Cross posted! 17.3hh is big but if it is sane and sensible and easy to handle it isn't crazy big, although it depends a bit on how he comes across and how he rides (some horses seem bigger than they are, others smaller than they are).
 
There must be - we got a new livery on our yard at the weekend - some clever person has just sold a 17h horse to two young girls (12ish) whose parents bought the horse for them to learn on :mad:
 
NW1 said:
Having had a few biggies,the things that stick out in my mind... the real biggies eat loads - all their stuff costs a fortune (tack, rugs etc) and grooming, clipping, washing legs, bathing takes a lot longer quite simply becuase there is so much horse!!

But i would never get put off becuase if the horse is right for you, the horse is right, no matter how much it costs or how long stuff takes!!
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Disagree with this statement above.

A 4ft rug, costs the same as a 7'3" rug. Tack will cost the same more or less. The time difference in clipping a 17.3, compared to a 15hh is negligable. Feed/forage may cost more than a pony, but it depends on if the horse is a good doer or not. The difference in cost between feeding between a 16.2hh and a 17.3hh is negligable if any different at all.
 
It would put me off personally as Id feel like it was a lot of horse to hold together! but thats purely me, a single voice.

But I bet there are loads of Taller riders who are sick of everything being 16.2hh out there, willing to find a horse as big as 17.3hh lol!

I think its probably a given you are going to get overweight people and hunting men interested, this is the group of riders that need the bigger horses and will be the ones putting "17hh +" into the search fields on the sale sites lol!

Plus, I think the logistics of a horse that size would put people off that due to being of an average height themselves, can ride a 16.2hh easily. As with a horse that large you have the issues of extra feed/really large rugs which arent always easy to find and my friend had a 17.1hh and trying to find a trailer/box to get him in was a bit of a trial!!

But no doubt there is someone perfect out there for him!
 
Katt - Am hearing you about getting on from the ground. I havent even attempted that one with him. I cant even manage that on my 16.1hh but I am not the most flexiable in the world. He is sain and sensible and good to handle. Thank-fully, cos i'm a mini person.


NW1 - He suprisingly doesnt eat as much as I thought he would, infact far less than my 16.1hh. Hmm, as for tack, he is being sold with some? That would cut the cost a bit, lol! I suppose the benefit is there are no feathers to wash, that saves a bit of time.

Misinterpreted, will PM you, chances are you are at the other end of the country though - always the way.

Jane-lou - that is stupidity and exactly the type of home we do not want him to go to. It does not at all suprise me though.
 
Just to add, I took my bum high 16.3 out with three other horses a couple of weekends ago. I'm used to her being the biggest thing around - this occasion she was the smallest.

NO, I think 17.3 probably wouldn't put me off, especially if it had a wither, which my girl doesnt' really.
 
hmmm if he had manners on the ground aswell as when ridden, then no it wouldnt put me off. I currently ride a 17hh warmblood, at 5ft 4, so whats a few extra inches. :)

No I cannot get on from the ground, but have never needed to! Agree with the wither comment aswell.
 
i've got a 17.3hh horse and he's so easy to do it's a pleasure to own him, i've had smaller horses and ponies but they gave me more trouble than my big lad, they have also cost me more!!!

the 2 big things i have to think about now that i've got a big horse is stable size and also travelling! i suppose you also have to be more aware of fence sizes if they like jumping out too.

i've had incidents that meant i've had to mount from the ground and although it wasn't the easiest of things i managed it! his tack doesn't cost me any more and neither do rugs. he's cheap to feed too! i should add that i'm 5'8 so average height!
 
Wouldn't put me off, I am 5ft7 and own a 17.1hh clydesdale x, because I share with my dad who is 6ft3. If a big horse has manners it isn't a problem!
 
Nat_in_Kent said:
As with a horse that large you have the issues of extra feed/really large rugs which arent always easy to find and my friend had a 17.1hh and trying to find a trailer/box to get him in was a bit of a trial!!

But no doubt there is someone perfect out there for him!
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I don't understand this. A 17.3hh horse would probably want a 7ft rug. You can find 7ft rugs more easily than 6'3" rugs, because the the 6'3''s and 6'6''s sell out first! All my 7ft rugs I have bought in the sales when they were the only sizes left! I actually spend less on all the top brand rugs than my friends with smaller horses :p

I have an equitrek L for my big horses. Ooodles of room! You can travel two 18hh horses in the one I have. An Ifor 510 is fine for the big ones as well, so I don't understand the problem with transport? You don't buy a mini if you're a family of 6. So, if you have a bigger horse sell the Ifor 505 and get a 510, simples?
 
My horse is 17.3hh and I am 5ft 5 but I don't feel that small on him. Out of the 4 Iown he is by far the easiest to handle.He can sometimes be a bit strong but never feel unsafe on him. He wears an extra full bridle and 7ft rugs but none of his equipment have cost me any more. As for hay and feed, he eats the same as the others.
The only problem we had is that he is to tall for a 7.5 tonne lorry so we have had to have a HGV
This is him...see...don't look tiny:
bdcamplastlesson004.jpg




IMG_6537.jpg

This shows how tall he is!
 
I think i may well know this horse you are talking about :) in which case i know he is a joy to look after, a proper gentle giant type of horse, not so much a nocive ride but he adapts to the rider, if your nervous on him he will sense it and be a 'plod' if however you wanna get on and go he will also do that! hes a fab chap, and i believe his rug size varies form 6ft6 to 7 ft...although i know 7ft is slightly on the larger side.
Travelling wise he happily goes in to a 505 although its not ideal as he could do with morehead room but hes such a good chap he will travel in one of these boxes more then happily. You can arrive at a show and leave him for hours on his own tied up to the box....a god send if you ask me!
Proper good fellow!
 
neighnay said:
I think i may well know this horse you are talking about :) in which case i know he is a joy to look after, a proper gentle giant type of horse, not so much a nocive ride but he adapts to the rider, if your nervous on him he will sense it and be a 'plod' if however you wanna get on and go he will also do that! hes a fab chap, and i believe his rug size varies form 6ft6 to 7 ft...although i know 7ft is slightly on the larger side.
Travelling wise he happily goes in to a 505 although its not ideal as he could do with morehead room but hes such a good chap he will travel in one of these boxes more then happily. You can arrive at a show and leave him for hours on his own tied up to the box....a god send if you ask me!
Proper good fellow!
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Haha Nay, i think you do know him but you sound like you are advertising now. Naughty Nayneigh. You will get me in trouble.

As for 7ft rugs, i thought they were always the ones you could get cheap. I struggle to get a cheap 6f6 for my boy.
 
charlie76 said:
My horse is 17.3hh and I am 5ft 5 but I don't feel that small on him. Out of the 4 Iown he is by far the easiest to handle.He can sometimes be a bit strong but never feel unsafe on him. He wears an extra full bridle and 7ft rugs but none of his equipment have cost me any more. As for hay and feed, he eats the same as the others.
The only problem we had is that he is to tall for a 7.5 tonne lorry so we have had to have a HGV
This is him...see...don't look tiny:
bdcamplastlesson004.jpg




IMG_6537.jpg

This shows how tall he is!
Click to expand...

Wow! No, you dont look small at all on him at all, he looks lovely by the way :)
 
Misinterpreted said:
I don't understand this. A 17.3hh horse would probably want a 7ft rug. You can find 7ft rugs more easily than 6'3" rugs, because the the 6'3''s and 6'6''s sell out first! All my 7ft rugs I have bought in the sales when they were the only sizes left! I actually spend less on all the top brand rugs than my friends with smaller horses :p

I have an equitrek L for my big horses. Ooodles of room! You can travel two 18hh horses in the one I have. An Ifor 510 is fine for the big ones as well, so I don't understand the problem with transport? You don't buy a mini if you're a family of 6. So, if you have a bigger horse sell the Ifor 505 and get a 510, simples?
Click to expand...

yes I agree with buying the right size transport lol! its just she didnt have her own so she had trouble finding something to hire (trailer or box) that would accomodate him, and with the rugs, he was very broad too so she had difficulty finding stuff "off the peg" so to speak.

Your experience has been different, Im just giving her experiences to give a wider picture of why some people may rightly or wrongly be put off the theory of a very large horse, so calm down!
 
My boyfriend is looking for a horse his size but on loan not to buy. He is semi retiring his 15.3 mare at the end of this year and wants something slightly bigger - he is 6ft and 12 stone but a very experienced rider.

We are struggling to find anything suitable - the only ones we've found are to small, although he rides my 14.2 Section d with no problems
 
Nat_in_Kent said:
and most definately agree a large horse WITH manners makes allll the difference!
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Yes, agree. There are some awfully bad mannered ponies at the yard I am on, who are bargy and far more difficult to handle than mine. It is important to be firm and instill good manners into the bigger horses, for their own sakes. Otherwise that potentially could end up being a problem.
 
my Sister has an 18.2hh shirextb who is such a gentle giant and so light on his feet, like poetry so no it wouldnt put me off, i also have a 17.2hh out on perm loan to a firend of mine for her husband to ride.

the only problems i find are...

size of stable - very minimum has to be 12x12 and even then it can be a tight squeeze espesh for the bigger boy
Rugs - he takes a 7'6 which can be difficult to find cheap or are really expensive
feed - he eats 3/4 a bale of hay/night
travelling - dont even get me started on trying to fit him into a horsebox lol
riding - he is a big lad to try and keep together

but still wouldnt change him for the world, he is the perfect gent and moves beautifuly
 
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