Discussion topic - horses height vs riders height.

[blitznbobs]

I am short 5'4, and I have never really worried about small or big horses. I (as an adult) have ridden many horses from 14.2 to 17.2 and everything in between... I don't find a big horse harder to ride than a small horse and have never understood the 'it's too big for me' line ... Except for dismounting ( my biggest difficulty with big horses) ...

What do you guys think??

 

[essex_rider]

I'm 5'9 so always feel better on a bigger horse, but have ridden ponies of 13'2- 14'2. The only issue I had was when jumping, I sometimes felt I was too over their their neck, it's all a case of balance, but you don't have a lot of room for error!

 

[Cowpony]

I'm 5ft tall with short legs, and I do struggle with some bigger horses. It's not so much the height that's the problem, it's width (because I can't get my legs round them) and length (because I struggle to hold them together). So a horse could be 15h but if it's a wide cob I struggle, whereas I would find a narrow 16.2 perfectly OK. I still prefer ponies though, I feel much safer even if they are naughtier!

 

[Cowpony]

BTW 5ft 4 isn't short!

 

[JFTDWS]

5'9, riding 14,1s. I prefer midgets - it's easier to tack up, mount, dismount, duck under branches and change jumps from their backs etc - basically I am lazy. I also like the challenges they bring and the feel of riding them. I can, and do, ride larger horses from time to time, I just prefer littlies!

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

I like to 'fit' a horse - height isn't important but I do like a short coupled horse. A Long backed/rangy horse doesn't float my boat. Mounting isn't a problem with a block but dismounting - on account of having torn my ankle ligaments - isn't so great. 'Bend your knees, bend your knees' is my mantra!

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

5'9, riding 14,1s. I prefer midgets - it's easier to tack up, mount, dismount, duck under branches and change jumps from their backs etc - basically I am lazy. I also like the challenges they bring and the feel of riding them. I can, and do, ride larger horses from time to time, I just prefer littlies!

Actually, this sums me up better!

 

[sarahann1]

I am short 5'4, and I have never really worried about small or big horses. I (as an adult) have ridden many horses from 14.2 to 17.2 and everything in between... I don't find a big horse harder to ride than a small horse and have never understood the 'it's too big for me' line ... Except for dismounting ( my biggest difficulty with big horses) ...

What do you guys think??

I agree with you, I'm 5'10 and have ridden heights from 12.2hh up to 17.3hh, height doesn't bother me. Temperament is what matters most to me

That said, I've found ponies to be the most fun to ride.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I'm also 5ft4 with a terrible back (I broke it) and I need short horses or I struggle to get the saddle/rugs on them, so some horses really are too big for me. My gelding is annoyingly growing much taller than expected and he's going to have to stand downhill from me for all tacking up and rug changes if he carries on.

 

[OldNag]

5'9, riding 14,1s. I prefer midgets - it's easier to tack up, mount, dismount, duck under branches and change jumps from their backs etc - basically I am lazy. I also like the challenges they bring and the feel of riding them. I can, and do, ride larger horses from time to time, I just prefer littlies!

Me too. And not so far to fall. At my age I have to make that a consideration!!

 

[Charmin]

I'm 5'7/5'8 and have a 14.3hh!

She was a homebred that didn't grow as big as expected. I've now also got a weanling coming in the next few months who is to hopefully make 15.2+

I adore her, but do wish she was a wee bit bigger as then jumps would seem smaller but she's a little powerhouse who tries her heart out so I can't complain if I'm completely honest! Though everyone always assumes she's a 'little project' to sell rather than a keeper!

 

[DD265]

Another 5'4"er here - I have a solid 14.2hh. I feel a bit out of my comfort zone on anything skinny or over 15hh, and I probably wouldn't feel great on something less than 14hh (most of my height is in my legs) unless it was really chunky.

If I'm entirely honest I feel out of my comfort zone on anything that isn't my boy these days!

 

[BSL]

I'm 5'4, have ridden 17. 2 heavy weight hunters, and thoroughbred types, own 14'3 arab. Like being able to get on in emergency without mounting block, also enjoy a more "sit in" rather than "on" close coupled ride rather than rangey type.

 

[Shooting Star]

Hmm 5'3 with a 16.1 ( was meant to be 15.2 but somebody forgot to tell him lol!)

Personally prefer around 15.0 , it's not the getting off that that's the problem, or even the scheduled mounting - it's the unscheduled mounting after a mishap that gets me, last one took 15 mins before I found a suitable object (out hacking) & beastie decided he would get close enough to let me on

 

[Fides]

I'm 5ft1 and my problem with bigger horses are that their 'buttons' are in the wrong places for my legs

 

[Shooting Star]

I'm 5ft1 and my problem with bigger horses are that their 'buttons' are in the wrong places for my legs

Where is that like button, damn it! Yes even with my 16.1 I struggle with the buttons, not a wide horse as such by in a wide width saddle and it does make a difference, sometimes I just feel that I can't reach where I should to be effective

 

[Minstrel_Ted]

I am 5ft4 and my boy is 18hh, I am lucky in that my legs make up more of my height then my body if that makes sense. My boy is a clydesdale but he is not overly wide (for a clydesdale) so I don't look too awful on him I don't think! It is a lot of movement for my body to absorb when sitting trot etc but I prefer a bigger horse - despite the challenges of getting up there. My last lad was 16.2 (though vet argued he was 17hh) and I think my yearling will make 17hh.

 

[rara007]

5'4, my 17.1 youngster was physically too big for me I'm afraid. I'm not a super effective rider who can make themselves ride like WFP so there was just too much going on for me- a buck from a big horse unbalanced you more, to turn them take bigger turns/more body movement, if he tossed his head it weighed more than me etc. However give me a 10yo 17.2 on the flat and that's fine, but a 16.2 Show jumper jumping over 1.10 would over horse me as I only jump through Uni really which is up to 90cm.
I have a 13.3 driving pony (Registered 137cm, bigger than some 14hhers ) He's pretty sharp with a small Arab front end and a different sort of challenge altogether! I've not let him be ridden by many 'full size' horse riders yet but I think they'll find him disconcerting At his size everything happens 2X faster and you don't lose balance and stay on like you might do with a longer/wider horse/saddle

 

[cbmcts]

I'm 5'6 but fat All my height is in my legs too.

I've ridden everything from 13.2 - 17.2 and what matters to me is if a horse takes up my leg. The 13.2 was a Highland that was nearly wider than he was tall and even people who were 6 inches taller than me looked in proportion. I've been on 16.2 TBs where I felt that my knees were meeting in the middle and my feet were too low - it's all about the horses build...

 

[WindyStacks]

I'm 5'4" and ride a 17.2hh. Ever since I was a kid I've preferred the big ones. He rides smaller than my last biggie as he's short backed. I find the bucks easier to sit to on a big horse, feel more like a bounce. Had a 13.3hh haffie for a while, when he played up the front end disappeared and felt like his ears could be tucked into my knickers! ;-)

Mounting is a pita so you become expert at clicking every single fallen log, big rock, fence, ditch when you're hacking. Also makes training them as gate horses paramount!

 

[GinaGeo]

I'm 5ft 6. I've ridden a variety of horse in the last 6 months, ranging from 13.2hh cobs to 17.2hh warmbloods. I'm most at home on my own 15.2hh who is short coupled but has a nice big front on him, so plenty in front of me but not big to maneuver, he's also small enough that getting rugs on him isn't a challenge and he costs less to keep than a big one would! I've had a brilliant time riding the other variety too, and for my next one will possibly get something a little bigger, but still compact.

 

[SuperCoblet]

6ft, cobbies 13.3! I also ride finer 14hh ish horses. I would get a bigger one but I can't afford 2 and coblet isn't going anywhere!
Off eventing on him tomorrow so it obviously doesn't affect us

 

[Darkwater]

I'm 5'2 and my chunky mare is just under 14hh. Her width takes up most of my leg and i've always felt about the right size on her. My 5'6ish instructor has ridden her and looks fine, so I have no worries about being too big for her. My new 3 year old currently measures just under 13.2hh, but she's a bit finer than my other mare, although she is currently in the same size rugs as my other mare so can't be miles behind. I'm hoping she'll grow a bit more as I think as she is, I will find her a bit small. I've ridden horses up to 17hh and in general I do find ponies easier, but this is probably just because it is what i'm used to. I don't have a problem riding bigger horses, providing they are reasonably well balanced other wise I find it hard to hold them together, but on the ground I feel much more comfortable handling the smaller ones.

 

[rowan666]

Im 5'6 and mostly ride my 13.2 cob(i prefer smaller ones its not as far to fall!) but ride 15.1 anglo and 16h shire x too and feel fine on all of them. I briefly had a 17h chunky kwpn and was completely over horsed, i looked like a pea on a mountain and i ride long!

 

[Wagtail]

I'm 5'10" and look best on horses 16hh - 16.2hh. However, I prefer smaller horses 15hh - 16hh. My three year old is only 14.3hh. She is quite fine too so I am really worried she won't grow big enough.

 

[southerncomfort]

I'm 5'3 and a bit and currently riding a 14.3 mare. I have to say that of all the horses and ponies I've ridden over the last few years, she just feels 'right' and in photo's we look a really good match. So I think that after 35 years of riding I've finally found my perfectly sized mount!

 

[Lolo]

I'm 5'1, and realistically if a horse is over 16hh I am too short to be able to ride well. I literally can't get my legs round it so I can't push the right buttons, and I find my seat is much less good and Im quite easily wobbled off balance.

But my sister is 5'5, rides everything from 13hh ponies through to 18.2hh heavyweight hunters and doesn't look or feel out of place on any of them, She is most comfortable on her actual horse who is a fine 15.2hh, and does find Reg a bit big at 17hh if they're doing more than 90cm SJ as she doesn't have the strength to collect him. But generally she's unfussed.

 

[chestnut cob]

I'm the same as Lolo. I am 5ft4 and struggle to ride big horses efficiently. My last horse was 17hh and miles too big for me to ride properly. The one I have now is just a shade of 15hh and is perfect.

 

[Rosiejazzandpia]

I'm 5' 1 and currently have a 14.2 arab. Most horses I ride are 13.2 to 14.2. My previous horse was 15.1. I have ridden big horses in the past and felt a bit lost on them, I've physically struggled to wrap my legs round enough to send them forward. I think I will stick to ponies

 

[Lynsey&Smartie]

I'm 5'7 and much prefer bigger horses, 17hh is about my ideal. I had a 15.2hh TB for a while and I just didn't enjoy riding her. I have a long body and I just feel too tall for anything under 16.2, I like having a decent neck in front of me too. Currently have a 17hh MW hunter, a 16.3hh LW hunter who is bum high so may go up a bit more and in the process of breaking my 4yo WB cross who is probably only about 16.1 so I hope he grows a bit!