height of horses, what are your limits?

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candyhorse

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We recently bought a 17.3hh Irish draught, he is a lovely boy and I am 6 foot so I don't look small on him. However, I am constantly hearing "he is too big" and "what a stupidly sized horse". Personally, I have nothing against big horses providing they have manners and are light in the hand.


What are other peoples thoughts? Do you have a limit on how big you will go?

ps) Have attached a picture of the big boy!

photo.php
 
I haven't really got a limit any more!

I bought Vinnie as a foal and he is now a 6yro and 18hh! Not expected or meant to be that big.

Here is a photo of him last year at around 17.3hh- I am about 5'9ft and mostly legs so we don't look too out of proportion! My other horse is only 15.3hh and I look the right size for her too oddly.

VIN.jpg
 
I think 15.3hh is the perfect height. Not too far to fall off, small enough to mount from the ground if you do, but big enough to soak up my legs. I don't like being too far fro the ground!
 
I'm 5'6 and my mare is 16.3 (but a large 16.3). I do think she is a bit big for me - although I look ok generally on her. But I find her jump nearly launches me into orbit and she does feel quite large, particularly when she gets in a tizz and grows to around 50hh!!! :eek:
 
As long as I get on with it and it has manners, I don't really have a limit, though for my height, (5ft7) I would go 16-17hh :) I often feel over horsed if I'm too small, used to a lightweight 15.3hh TB mare :p Though I do look big on her
 
I'm 5'6 and used to like big horses as a teen and rode a 17.2... then in my twenties i preferred around 16hh... then in my thirties i prefer 15.2 types.... by time i'm forty i reckon it'll be 14.2 ponies... you see where i'm going with this... the if still alive by 80, wouldn't mind a pair of shetties to drive!!! :D
 
Personally I'd ignore people's comments when they're saying to you he is a stupid size. Maybe he's unsuitable for them - but it's not them that will be riding him. Like you say, at 6 feet tall, he is probably a good size for you.

The only thing when they are that big though - is that when they kick off, it's big-style!! big bucks, big bronks etc...I had a 17.2hh previously, I am 5'8. When he threw a tantrum (often), I would just get thrown off like a rag doll.
I downsized to a very feisty 16.1hh. He kicks off, but the size of it is manageable - I've stayed on through all sorts of hairy wild moments!!!

Enjoy your horse, the ID's are fab, I bet he has a sweet temperament and loads of talent :) It's a shame your pic didn't upload though!!
 
i don't have an upper limit ,i have a 17hh a 16.2hh and a 15hh and feel perfectly comfortable on all of them, what i do not feel safe on is my daughters 13.2hh!! there's just not enough horse in front of me or under me and i feel that one wibble and i'll be off:o even tried a friends 14.2hh a few years back and felt like i was on a shettie!!
 
I like the pocket rockets, but I have no objections to riding a big horse.
I can't see myself owning anything over a maximum of 16.3hh though, I am rather wee so I look slightly ridiculous on anything over 16hh!
I like ponies/small horses because I can wrap my legs around them and get them going nicely a lot quickier as I can use my whole leg far more effectively.
 
I'm 5'4'', my boy is 17.1 and is probably the biggest I'd go. Have sat on a couple of 17.2's, but wouldn't own one. Smallest I'd go would be a 14.2.
 
Our biggest is 17h and he is quite big enough! My husband is 6'4 and he does fine on him.

17h was probably the max I wanted to go. Bigger horses need bigger stables, shoes more often, more food, more hay, more handling, bigger trailers... The list goes on.

My instructor's dad, who is an old army/hunting type reckons they have more problems with legs later in life.

When someone actually owns a big horse I find it quite rude that someone would tell you its too big or criticise it to your face. But then thats horsey people - have to knock someone whenever they can!!
 
I am 5ft 8 and fairly average build. I used to have a 16.3hh Hanavarian on loan and i just found him too big and it really didnt assist with my confidence.His size intimidated me.

However, i now have a 16hh 1 irish daught and i love his size. Wierd coz he's not grossly smaller but for some reason im a 1000times more confident with him
 
your boy is lovely :)
My own horse is 13.3, my youngster who's 2 this year should make 16 hands which suits me fine. Apparently I only look slightly small on the '17.2''s at college. I put that in speech marks cause they are so much bigger!
I'm 5ft 4.
 
I have ridden all sorts from 12 hands to 18 hands and I have recently had the pleasure of hunting a big 17 hander and I must admit that I have rather enjoyed him (my own is only 14.2).

However, whilst it's nice to borrow a biggie now and again, I wouldn't go out and buy one for myself, smaller horses are just sooo much easier to deal with, easier to groom, clip, rug, tack up and so on. Biggies cost more to feed and you are limited when it comes to what lorries and trailers they will fit in to.

As I am only 5', my height limit when buying for myself would be 16 hands, but I still like having a ride on a biggun when I get the chance!
 
I am 5'1" and own a full ID too who stands at 17.1hh and constantly get told I am too small, but I can ride him, getting better scores at dressage (over 70%) than some of my friends who go on about it. We jump and I love him to bits. I owned a 17HH ID x TB for 17 years and jumped her to Foxhunter so height is not an issue.

Don't listen to these people = they are only jealous LOL xx

Have fun and enjoy! xxxx
 
I'm happiest on 14.3hh-15.2hh cobby/ solid types, because I'm pretty short and my height is mostly in my upper body! I rode a very lovely 17.2hh heavy weight hunter type, and although he was the most well mannered and lovely horse I've had the pleasure of riding I was totally over-horsed and relied on his lovely nature. My legs weren't past the saddle!
 
I'm 5ft 2 and used to ride my friend's 17.3hh elephant but when it came to getting my own I knew I didn't want something so big partly as I found it a struggle throwing rugs on and seeing all the bits to groom (I'd always missed a bit on top!) and just general handling. I have a 14.2hh New Forest and that's ideal for me. I have a friend who's a tiny little size 8 and she won't look at anything under 16.2hh!

I remember riding out on the big lad once and stopped to talk to a couple walking with some kids and the kids said wouldn't their dad like to ride something like that? Dad said "oh I expect I'd be too big for him wouldn't I?" (He was small to average height!) I always wondered just how big he thought horses came?!
 
my chestnut in my siggy is 17.2hh im 5'4ft haha if youlook small what do i look like?! but i will go to any height as i have long legs so can easily get my legs around a bigger horse and my feet dangle on ponies :o bit odd really :)
 
Tallyho - you've just described me too! Used to be the bigger the better for me, now I have a 15.2! I too shall have a pair of driving shetlands to grow old with!
 
Anything from a stocky 12.2 upwards, no upper height limit. I'm 5'10 & v long legged, so even tho I ride my 14.2 I wouldn't buy anything under 16.2, actually prefer around 17.2. (And i'm not a total pony squasher, i'm a lightweight & only get on 12.2s if its needed & even then hike my stirrups right up! Don't mean I regularly ride them for the sake of it)
 
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