Do we overhorse ourselves?

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Dovorian

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I had a lively discussion earlier today with an 'older' relative who asked why on earth we have such big horses! Currently I have 17hh KWPN, before that 17.1 ID cross, and before that 17hh irish tb. I'm not particularly tall (5'7") and cannot remember having anything under 16.2 for years! My Aunt was quite insistent that 50 years ago we would never have been mounted on such large animals and that 99% os our problems + horse soundness issues are attributable to these big neddies.

Got me thinking, I couldn't really justify why I choose big neds. I had a super hack at the weekend on a 15.2 tb...... but still 'prefer' my big Dutch chap!

Is is vanity? Rather than 'does my bum look big in this?' Is it a case of 'do I look small/elegant/ etc. on this?'.

Hmm
 
I am 5'7 and my horse is 18.1. When I was looking, I didn't consider anything under 16.2, and in the future 17hh would be my min height.
For as long as I can remember I have ridden horses that are technically too big for me. I can't ride anything under 16hh, or I feel my feet are dragging along the floor. I have very long legs, and even sometimes manage to make my boy look small!
I love big horses, but I would never say I am overhorsed. I have absolute control over my boy 99.9% of the time, and feel much safer on him than I have on other, smaller horses.
I think it is very much personal choice. I feel comfortable on big horses, other people feel better on 14.2 ponies. Do whatever you feel comfortable on - don't feel the need to justify yourself - 'just because' IS a valid answer!
 
Personally I wouldn't as it'd scare the bloomin' s**t out of me, lol. Anything above 15hh makes me nervous!! My boy is quite big enough for me at 14.2hh lol, but I'm a wimp. In a way it's nonsense really because no matter what the size of our horse, if it wants to mess about, we will loose every time in a battle of strength. I think it's the falling distance that puts me off, lol.

I do think a big gentle giant is a stunning sight though and I can really appreciate their appeal!
 
Hmm, I often wonder what the attraction is too. I don't mind riding big horses but the biggest I've ever owned was 15.2. I've never wanted anything bigger than 16hh really. However it certainly seems that a big horse is a 'must have' these days.

I would agree with your Aunt though - of the big neds I know, many of them are rather doddery (having taken years to grow into themselves in the first place). Gross generalisation, I know, I know...
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im 5'7 and i ride a 14.2 and and prefer to feel incontrol most of the time and personally would not be happy with anything over 15.2
 
Not me, I get frustrated occassionally that she's never going to have the scope of a bigger, more athletic horse but give me a small, calm horse any day over a huge snorting nutter.
 
I'm 5ft6, my old mare is 15.2 and I decided to get a foal to bring on as she was doing less. When she was my main ride, riding anything bigger seemed really big.

My foal (IDxTB) was supposed to make 16.1, but forgot to stop growing and in my 17hh. Now anything smaller seems tiny.

Now she has grown up a bit and is 7 she is an easy ride. Has always been very easy to stop in a snaffle.
 
Your aunt is correct, you don't have to go back that far. If you go back 20 years kids stayed on 14.2's until they were out of the classes. I think some people think that they have to have a big horse to be taken seriously.

I would rather have my 14.1 cob any day, he is trustworthy, can do most things, and I'm not that bothered that his limit jumping is 3'.
 
im 5'3 riding a 16.3hh warmblood i must look tiny on him lol but i love big horses i had a 14.1 cony x highland before who passed suddenly in 2004 and as much as i loved him i prefer em big
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saying that my OH is 6f3 so many have something with hight lol
 
im a bit
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at the fact H will not make more than 15.2 but at only 5ft3 myself i dont feel i need any bigger. Though i love riding the big uns!
dear me, on reflection that doesnt sound very good... but you all know what i mean!
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I'm 5ft7 and regularly ride a 14.2 and a 15.1-I fit perfectly on the 15.1 (Connemara) and don't see the need to have big horses-several people i know bought big flashy warmbloods as they think smaller horses are 'ponyish' and 'babyish' and they have trouble handling them as they're smaller than me and when a 17hh horse decideds to tank off or charge to the field they can't stop them
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I'm 5'6 and my fella is 16.3 hh. I share with OH who is 6'. I'd be happy with a 14.2 but this doesn't work for OH! We actually went out looking for something around 15.2 hh but found our current fella and he was everything we wanted just a hand odd too tall! Doesn't bother me - he's fab!
 
I'm 5ft3 and ride either a 14.1hh, 15.3hh or a 17.2hh. Although all 3 are fun to ride, but I love riding the big 17.2, there's just something about him and although it's a bit of a pea on a drum situation, he's very safe and has the most amazing paces so makes you feel quite special when riding him... plus his jump is amazing, he flies!!!
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I think that many of the smaller horses/ ponies have problems with the striding etc of the senior classes and so they are very limited in how far they can go, which for me would be the appeal of having a bigger horse but personally I would never go for anything bigger than 16.2 and I love ponies and enjoy riding 11.2s as much as 17.2s.
 
I'm 5'3" and my size bracket is 15.2 - 16.2. However, I don't think "over horsing" yourself is purely about the horse's height, but also about your ability and suitability to the horse.
 
My boy is 17hh and I'm 5ft4, and pretty slim. I never feel over horsed when I'm on him though I do often look at pics and think I look too small! He's the nicest, easiest horse I've ever ridden though so I wouldn't swap him. My vet does say that in his experience, big horses like him tend to suffer more with arthiritic conditions than smaller horses and ponies.
 
I'm 5'7 and don't like anything bigger than 16.2hh tbh!! I always used to ride bigger horses, but now prefer smaller more athletic types!!
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BUT doesnt mean I don't admore some big horses, they just aren't my thing
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Prefer not over 16.2hh - they fit in standard stables, most standard horseboxes, you can get on fairly easily without a mounting block if necessary and there is less chance of getting swiped off by overhanging branches!

Used to share a 17.2hh and while everyone else went under the trees I used to go through them
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!
 
I like my bigger neds as I am about 5'10'' and not exactly skinny so generally I have always had the bigger horses in riding lessons etc but I have just started using a new horse as my lead file on the lessons that I take and she is the most fun I have ever had -she is a 15.1hh 3/4 highland 1/4 tb and I don't feel at all big on her . She may not be the most atheltic ,jump the highest etc but I love riding her and look forward to my hacking weeks on my lessons (my pupils are trying to get me to let them have a go but she toooooo much fun
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As far as iam concerned 'best things come in small packages'! Wouldn't go over 15.2hh if you paid me!! IMHO I think your all mad on your 'over 16.2hh's'. Its ok for a man, its ok if your really tall like 6ft + but if your ''only 5'7'' '' (its tall compared to some) on 17.2hh + I think it is overhorsing. The picture has to look right and if your feet are only just blow the saddle flap, if you can't get on unless a step ladder is about or if you can't put a rug on unless you are practicing the caber toss - why do you do it? Smaller horses are easier and great fun. Smaller horses can do big strides in jumping classes and they can jump big too!
 
I ride big horses for other people. I used to work with hunters some of which where over 17.2hh. I'm 5ft 2in and quite small. My first pony i had when i was 14 was a 14.2hh my next pony was 13.2hh tomorrow i have my new pony coming and he is 12.2hh. I'm 26 now!
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In a few years i'll prob be on to shetties.
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I just love ponies and they are cheeper to keep.
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I'm 5ft7 and regularly ride a 14.2 and a 15.1-I fit perfectly on the 15.1 (Connemara) and don't see the need to have big horses-several people i know bought big flashy warmbloods as they think smaller horses are 'ponyish' and 'babyish' and they have trouble handling them as they're smaller than me and when a 17hh horse decideds to tank off or charge to the field they can't stop them
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I can see what you mean, but I have a 17-2 KWPN and he is nowhere near as strong as my 14-2 Ardennes mare, who is quite capable of taking herself and her rider off in any direction she wants, her neck is sooooo strong. I don't think the size of the rider is an issue, so much as their riding and the horse's training. My daughter rides them both, she is 5ft 8 and looks great on both as Fany takes up her leg with her bulk.
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Also don't agree, in my experience, that larger horses are more prone to going lame. *touch wood* Cappy (17-2hh) is about the only horse on our yard that has never been lame, in fact other than 1 bout of colic he has never been ill. The other big horse on the yard is equally sound, so maybe it is more down to the horse than its size.
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I think there is a lot of truth in horses being too big for themselves.

There are a lot of conditions you see almost exculsively in large horses, such are Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis (roaring). It's actually a clinical diagnostic tool, the horses size!

You hardly ever see navicular/spavin/PPS in small horses.

Very few people actually NEED a big horse to carry them, although the taller riders often find the bigger horses more comfortable. And even then I don't know a single rider who 'needs' a horse over 17hh.

I do like riding the big horses - I'm 5'8 with long legs and feel most comfortable on something 16.2 ish. I also love the power and feel of their movement. But I don't NEED something that size and currently have a 15.1 MW hunter type and a cob who's going to make about 15hh.
 
If I had the choice I would have something of 14.2hh as it is fate took over and I have a 17.2 (I am 5ft 4in) I love him to bits, yes am hugely over horsed (size wise) but I dont have any say in the matter if I want a horse I have to have this one
 
overhorsing yourself has nothing to do with height though.

out of my 3 horses the naughtiest is the smallest!!

my 3yro is already 17.1hh but he has grown far more than expected- his sire is 16.2hh and his dam is 16.1hh.

i am happy on anything from 15.2hh to 18hh- as long as it is in front of the leg i am happy!
 
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