Buying the horse you need rather than the horse you want

I have always wanted a welsh d and 8 years ago I started looking. I wanted a 14.2hh, over 8 year old mare ended up with a 15.1hh, 5 year old gelding just because of his breeding. He was same breeding as my first pony and he is very handsome. Big mistake!! Wish I had stuck with what I knew I needed. Would never sell him and but he is just to much horse for me. Go with what you need and don't be distracted by looks, colour or type.
 
Just had my last 17.2hh at 5'4". Even tacking up can be a pita. Always scanning the landscape for something to stand on in case you need to remount.

Next one won't be bigger than 16.2hh.
 
nikicb said:
I am in my 50s and 5'4". I have just bought a 14.2 and whilst I still love my 15.2 who is currently off work, I am totally loving dealing with a small horse. She can do everything the big chaps can, but everything is easy with her. I have not curtailed my ambitions in anyway, but realise I do not need the 17 h WB to live my dreams. Good luck. xx
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this too!! ^^ I have gone full circle! Started out on 14.2hh as an adult rider... bought a big ISH... long story but then lost all confidence, had a baby etc etc, ended up buying a 13hh Highland as a project and to potter with and get my confidence back up which she duly did. (Even on her I wasn’t huge and I am also 5ft4!) Finally found myself back wanting to really have a horse to ‘do’ something with, enjoying jumping, RC things, the odd low level event.. maybe an 80 and I bought a 14.2hh irish cob x , fairly sure he has a dose of connemara in there as he has a lovely pony head but his legs are like tree trunks. He hacks, he moves well, he jumps and above all he is super easy! He is definitely the horse I need -- and as NZ Jenny has said he has become the horse I also want. Love him to bits and very very glad I didnt over horse myself.
 
We had a lovely 14.2 connie/TB, my daughter who was 5'7" and heavier than you rode him in FEI eventing trials and at the PC senior eventing champs. I don't think for one minute you are too big or too heavy for the connie and they are a really super breed!
debsflo said:
My original wish list was for a small horse for the ease of getting on and off etc but for some reason when looking I'm drawn to the big horses even though my sensible head says no. Daughter will be sharing when home from uni and would prefer pony type. Just worried I will feel like I'm pony squishing...I'm about 9 stone...is that too much for a Connie type ? My current horse now retired is a big girl and I love that feeling of security and her buck neck and shoulders.
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Thanks for all your comments,think i will aim for a chunky connie or a small irish draught and see how they feel. Think i am so worried about getting it wrong i am overthinking and hope the right one will just feel right.
 
When I rode the horse I thought I wanted ( for hunting ) in a school it frightened the .... out of me ! When I rode the horse I thought I needed, it was fine hacking and in a school and I have great fun going hunting which for me doesn't include a great deal of jumping. However, I find that there is just something in the feel of the horse, somehow you know when it's right. Good luck in your search.
 
debsflo said:
Thanks for all your comments,think i will aim for a chunky connie or a small irish draught and see how they feel. Think i am so worried about getting it wrong i am overthinking and hope the right one will just feel right.
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Just to reassure you, this rider is much taller and a lot heavier than you riding a 14.2 connie/TB!
 
I'm 5'7 & 10 stone & I currently have a 14.3 connie & a 15.1 connie x tb rising 4 year olds I am breaking.

I look perfect sized on both of them! I certainly don't feel big at all.

I've always gone for small horses with big personalities! These 2 are no different :D my biggest was my last mare at 16hh !
 
Any of the large Mountain and Moorland breeds could be suitable for you, its not size that matters, any of them should be able to carry 10 stone and more, its conformation which dictates how comfortable the ride is and how secure you will feel. You need a decent length of rein, a properly set on shoulder and a big front as well as ability to move correctly. There are different 'types' within all the breeds and if you look at photos on the breed society websites you should be able to work out who is breeding the type you prefer. There are unfortunately a lot of poorly bred/not true to type natives about - remember if it doesn't look like a xxxxx it probably isn't a good example of its breed. Native/M&M dressage is gaining in popularity and there are affiliated and unaffiliated competitions, as well as WHP and jumping. I would try a few different breeds - connies are great all rounders provided you get a good one - you will probably have to pay for the privilege, new forests tend to be slightly cheaper but are similar in their abilities, welsh cobs seem to vary hugely in height and type but a good one is useful, fells with a top height of 14hands can ride big even at 13.2 but do need the conformation and breeding to be good ridden ponies - some are more suited to driving with a more upright shoulder, and dales although bigger can do similar activities. Hope this helps and good luck in your search.
 
I'd say follow your heart.
Before I got CC I was looking for a 16-18hh, 12-20-year-old gelding, gentleman sensible type, preferably of the lighter type (no cobs!), that was semi-retired to hack and let live out in a nice paddock till I was ready to fully stop riding in which the horse would turn into a compainion/pet. So when I clicked to a 14.2hh, cob, 6yo, unbroken, vertually unknown history broodmare I wasn't looking seriously. At all. But hey ho I got a good feeling from her even if her ad was two sentances and picture of her from half way up the field. Went to view her the next day, mum said "she's coming home with us" because she loved the look of her even just driving past when finding the field, loved her too bits as well (even if I never got within 5 feet of her because she was that scared of people). I thought I was off my head at first on the way back home after suddenly coming back to my body to realise I had just bought a horse with no vetting or anything, my mum was smitten and off on a tangent about what to name her and what headcollar colour and how excited she was that we'd finally have a horse at the weekend (may I mention she was scared of horses before I'd viewed CC?).

Two years down the line and she's the best thing I've ever done. She's brought me back from bad times with my mental health more times than I can count, but most importantly- she's made me love riding and love eventing again. We'll be going out BE100 next year which was always a dream of mine. I'll never be able to thank her enough for what she's done and I'm so glad I wasn't sensible with buying a horse because I fear I may not have achived what I have and may well not even be riding anymore.

Just to mention on pony squishing, I'm 5'6 (I might be taller actually?) and I go on 12hh ponies and still look fine. At 9 stone you'll be fine, a friend who is about 10 stone has been on CC and there was no squishing of the sort! I could very easily see a 12 stone rider on a 14.2-15.2 without any problems, it's really not all that heavy. Even after a very big Christmas dinner and a few boxes of Milk Tray (mmm Milk Tray...) you're not going to pony squish!
 
There are many classy, beautiful, refined, flashy horses of smaller size, they used to be called ladies hacks/ hunters/ riding horses before ladies wanted to ride huge horses big enough to carry blokes all day. You might not need a little horse but it would make more sense for more women to want one!

ETA OP if you want a broad, powerful, athletic horse of shorter stature, there will be the right equine out there somewhere, seek him or her out! :)

ETA some more… I love the irish somethingorother. Super cute!
 
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I love this thread, I think we all ask ourselves this question at some point. I will be horse shopping in 2016 and ask this a lot. But I totally agree with those who have said that height really isn't the be-all and end-all. I don't see why you can't aim for a 15.2hh with plenty of substance if that's what you like. Sure, a connie might physically suit you a bit better, but I don't see why you couldn't find your chosen type in a really nice tempered horse. And I totally get the feeling of "sturdiness" that you describe, if this gives you confidence, stick to it. I have a filly by an Irish Draught stallion set to make a chunky 15.2hh. She is SO quiet at 20 months old. I hope she grows up to be my horse of a lifetime. I'm 5 foot 2 (in the morning)!!

Sounds like what you need is an easy going, uncomplicated horse that will give you loads of fun. Go and find him in a model that you love!
 
My rising 4 year old Connie x ish is standing at 15.1 & I've been breaking her & when I 1st got on I was surprised at how big she felt as she really doesn't look big. Think she's going to be a lovely little horse quite excited about her !

I buy to sell so I buy nice stamps but not technically what I would choose for a horse for my self
 
I weigh more than 9 stone and have a 15.1 Connemara, Had him 10 years now and have had so much fun. He's done everything my friends big horses have done and had no trouble keeping up. Go and see the Connemara you wont regret it :D
 
If i read 17hh ex hunter on paper, not a mission would i look. Thats what my part loan is, and he is a big dope on a rope, and when he DOES have a paddy he is manageable.
 
Just go and try whatever you like the look of in adverts. Every horse is different and you might just come across a warmblood who is very laid back and could be ideal. Of course the connies and draughts are more predisposed to be calm.

Don't worry about being too big for the horse/cob. At this side of the world we've lost touch a bit with the true capabilities of horses, who were designed for much heavier work than leisure horses nowadays have to endure. Your nine stone really won't be a problem.

For me small is better, so much easier to manouver and do things with and more fun to ride then a big, lumbering 17hh.
 
Go and look at everything and choose with your heart and a little bit of head. No good having the perfect lifestyle horse if you don't like riding it .

I have a 16.3 Hanovarian dressage bred horse but she adores hacking and is a fun safe girl and we've done a bit of lots of things so far. Yes she can be sharp but equally can be the sensible one. She has been a bit accident prone at times but that's been when growing up. Currently she's the sound working one on a yard full of ponies!!! Gates......I just spent a lot of time teaching her to stand still up against any useful obstacle.
 
MrsMozart said:
I've just found mine! Picture below...











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You need to adjust your saddle, you're tipping forward through your seat and it's a bit all over the place, bound to give him a sore back. He appears to be roach backed so really you need to make sure he is seen by a physio on a daily basis and feed him some turmeric. Did you get him five stage vetted or not? Doesn't matter how well behaved he is you should still wear a hat as well, and preferably a body protecter and two air jackets.

He looks to be coming out of his shell nicely tho!
 
FfionWinnie said:
You need to adjust your saddle, you're tipping forward through your seat and it's a bit all over the place, bound to give him a sore back. He appears to be roach backed so really you need to make sure he is seen by a physio on a daily basis and feed him some turmeric. Did you get him five stage vetted or not? Doesn't matter how well behaved he is you should still wear a hat as well, and preferably a body protecter and two air jackets.

He looks to be coming out of his shell nicely tho!
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Thank you for the critique, I really appreciate it. Do you think I should get a carrot stick, or will a lettuce leaf do? Would a colander do instead of a hat? No vetting, they said he was too hard a case for them.

Thankies. I'm hoping to do some pleasure rides and maybe a bit of endurance :D
 
MrsMozart said:
Thank you for the critique, I really appreciate it. Do you think I should get a carrot stick, or will a lettuce leaf do? Would a colander do instead of a hat? No vetting, they said he was too hard a case for them.

Thankies. I'm hoping to do some pleasure rides and maybe a bit of endurance :D
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Well they do say slow and steady wins the race. I think you will have lots of fun with him. He looks a nice sort.
 
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