does size matter ???

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PaintboxEDT

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I've been looking for a horse to loan between 15 to 15.3 i didnt want anything bigger as i felt that on the ground i mite not feel as confidant with a bigger horse,im 5.4 !!
well I'm going to have a look at a 16.2 gelding at the weekend and i know he is very good and has manners as ive decided after the disaster i had with first loan horse (15.1) that i doesn't matter what size they are as long as there well behaved !
did any of you feel like this and have confidence issues with bigger horse ???
riding isn't a prob just height when leading in etc !!
 
I don't personally, but my mum does! She wouldn't let me get anything over 14.2hh, and is deeply worried that Flash is still growing and he's 15hh! If the horse is calm and well behaved, I wouldn't worry, horses are always stronger than you no matter what their size
 
I'm 5'2'' ( although due to ill health , I don't ride anymore ) , but I used to ride a 16.2 , well mannered horse without problems ( apart from mounting - that was tricky
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lol yes will deff need mounting block !!
im not worried about riding just reaching his head as he is a gelderlander and head carriage is high !!!!
he will make me feel tiny !!!
 
I'm 5'4 and have a 16.2. The only trouble I have is that I can't get on from the ground, but she does stand still next to the mounting block. I tried her out before I took her on loan cos I thought the she might be too be for me, but once I got off her a couple of times I realised it wasnt that far down honest. The only thing I find is that you cant see over them when crossing the road
 
Have you got long arms ? !
Seriously , my arms are long & that helped . Also , I had to buy a longer schooling whip , but it felt better being on bigger horses - I was a lightweight then & often got put on a 13.2'' which felt odd , especially when cantering ( far too close to the pony's ears )
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The absolute max I would go to is 15.2hh. I am 5ft 4 and like to be able to mount from the floor without too much trouble and not feel like a pea on a mountain! Just personal preference though. I have ridden many a bigger horse in the past but would not choose to buy one now. My current horse is a 15hh Welshie and he is perfect because I look right on him and can hop on from the ground and get my legs down and around his sides...fab!
 
I'm 5' 1.5" and used to ride a 16.2hh gelderlander. bridling was no problem but definately needed a mounting block!!
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I used to get someone to hold the horse by the fence , then I'd climb the fence to get on - honestly !

Must have looked ridiculous , but it worked
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I probably looked like a pea , but didn't mind - I resemble a small tank these days
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QR

Im 5'1" (and a bit) and Gen decided to grow to 16.3hh and is chunky and tbh I have no real problems. Due to a bad knee I couldnt actually mount a shetland from the ground so using mounting blocks, tree stumps, fences etc is something I have had to get used to.
 
If worried about reaching the horses head then train him to put head down, treats are very useful for this! If you're lucky he'll put his head down anyway just to be helpful.
 
Not with the right horse. Cairo is 16.3, and 750 k - a clydesdale so not a small chap, I am just under 5'. He is also ridden by small kids - he is such a good boy that anyone can get on. He has a short stride and very relaxed canter.

Fleur was 16.3. Her movement and jump were huge and I used to get left behind on occasion. When she was on one of her rearing and throwing around moods, I felt I was on a lot of horse. When she was good, I felt fine.

I ride anything, but to be perfectly honest am better on a 14.2 - 15.1.

Try him and see how you feel.
 
I'm 5'6'' and ride a 14.2 at weekends (hacking) and told I look just right on her and not too heavy (I'm lightly built) but during my lessons I ride a horse that is 16.2 and as I'm so small I feel it's a struggle sometimes as trying to get him working correctly and hold him together can be difficult as he is quite long if you know what I mean?! When I get my own horse (someday!) I'll be looking around the 15hh mark
 
thank you tf i will,im really looking forward to it,funny how you have this ideal size etc and then it goes all to pot and prob end up with something totally different !!!!
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My mare is 16.3hh heavy hunter. She also has huge feet. She had lovely manners when I bought her and she is such a 'nice person' that it has been easy to maintain them. She is always aware of where I am and I'd rather lead her than anything else. Before her I had a 15.2hh who could send you flying without a thought!
 
Im quite short too and find bigger horses alot harder to 'pull together' need longer legs to wrap round! And also for general handling prefer them under 16.1hh

Although, when jumping a well built up to height course looks much higher on a 15.2hh than a 16.2hh so i guess it works both ways! Not that small horses havent got just as much of a jump (just look at headley britannia) but from riders point of view being that little bit higher up makes the fences look smaller!!
 
I am 5ft 4" and went out planning to buy something in the 14.3-15.3 bracket as I thought I wouldn't cope with something bigger. So of course I settled on George who is 16.3!! He puts his head down for me when I bridle him, took him 3 days to learn this with treats, but a mounting block is a must!
 
thankfully we have a mounting block built in to the middle of our yard so getting on is ok well there anyway lol have to improvise if im elsewhere !!!!!
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I am 5'1" & own a gorgeous pair of natives, 1 is 13HH 1 is 14HH, I really don't feel comfortable on a larger horse. Competition wise I am happy with them both, 1 dressages at medium, the other is at elementary. However, jumping at shows can be more difficult, as MissB said, the fences certainly look bigger, & we have to deal with horse distances. Go for what you feel happy with, but for me its ponies all the way!!
 
I'm nearly 5'6" and my mare is 17hh, IDxtb but built like an ID and is 5. she is a doddle to manage, very easy to lead and handle. She does sometimes get a bit silly and strong if something happens when I'm on the ground and gets a bit bargy but thats all, and is always totally handlable. She was a get for putting her head up when was putting a bridle on her, but las learned to keep it down with a polo!!

I don't think size should be a factor, I've been tanked leading a shetland pony in a bridle up the middle of the road, much to the amusement of the car drivers. You can't pysically control or force the smallest of ponies to do what you want.

As far as riding her goes she is no where near as strong as my 15.2hh light weight mare!
 
I'm 5 ft 1 1/2 & Cat was 17hh. I meant to buy something 15.2 to 16.1 ish for bd/bsja but I fell in love with him absolutely head over heels. So I bought a massive mounting block & that was that!! Competed bd to novice & bsja to 1 m 15 with no probs at all.

Having said that, after I lost Cat earlier in the year, I bought a carbon copy of him except 16.1...& I have to admit, I'm finding it a lot easier to get my legs round him.
 
it great to read these and feel that size isnt a big prob,i cant wait to see him at the weekend and hope that i get on well with hoim cos if i do then im sure he will be coming home with me !!!!
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My mare is just a smidge under 17.2hh (sure she makes the 17.2 when she has a nose at something) and as you can see from the pic, she is more than happy to lower herself for my kids! (kids are only 8 and 5)

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She is as gentle as they come. Thick but very gentle.

I do think it comes down to manners and I'm sure you won't have a problem. After all we can all be taught manners.

Hope it goes well for you.
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size absolutely doesnt matter! My last horse was a 14.2hh welsh cob who was a lunatic and impossible to do anything with!

My new horse Beau is 17.3hh and the most gentle, honest and loving horse Ive ever met in my life. He taught my novice partner to ride and has never put a hoof wrong, he is an angel.

Of course with his size he could do anything he wanted, but Im only 5ft 5 and I do everything with him, he is good as gold.

My old 14.2hh on the other hand, nightmare!
 
What a sweet picture!! Mooch, your mare looks really kind and lovely - lucky you! I went horse shopping for a 15.2hh -16hh horse, but couldn't find anything reasonably priced. (except a very green 6yo cob). I ended up with a 16.3hh IDxTB, who is generally very sweet. He doesn't use his size against me and lowers his head to be bridled. I definitely need a mounting block, though and getting mud off from behind his ears is interesting! Don't know if I'd go for one as big again, but don't regret buying him for one minute.
 
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