Height vs injury

S

sarahHugo

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 January 2009
Messages
57
Visit site
As I am sitting here with a broken leg (non horse related) I have been pondering my personal 'risk management'
I currently have 16.1 ISH and a very fine leggy type WBXTB 3 year old. If it wasnt for the accident, I would have been riding him now. Anyway he is going to be bigger than expected 16.2/3 (I am 5ft 3) I was just going to sell, but for various reasons, I have now decided to get him prof backed, and make my decision then - just didnt feel right selling purely because of his size when I can handle him fine on ground.
Anyway, he is the largest horse on my yard (mainly ponies) and everyone is always telling me how HUGE he is, and how I will come a cropper if I fall off!! It's really not helping when I'm feeling fragile!
Anyway, providing he is not too strong for me, does anybody on here of a smaller stature ride a bigger horse, and if you come off - are you guaranteed a trip to A&E?? I always thought it depended on how you fall, and not your distance from the ground
Many thanks
 
There are plenty of smaller people riding big horses! Go to any big show and you'll see them. Theres a pic in CR on a thread about middleweight/lightweight hunters of a forum member who is little on a massive heavyweight and he is going beautifully. As long as he's propperly trained you'll be fine. 16.3 isn't THAT big anyway!
 
My theory is if you fall off anything it will hurt! If you are happy on the 16.1 I think you would be ok on a 16.3. Personally, I feel safer on 17handers don't ask me why!
smile.gif
 
I am 5"6" and have a 17.hh horse. She's good as gold so haven't fallen very often, but "touch wood" never needed a hospital visit. But it did "shake my bones" a bit more than from my 16hh. lol
grin.gif
grin.gif
 
Yeah my 16.1 is a bit of a fraud as he does have high withers! I have measured both of their backs and 16.1 back is 15.1 and youngster is 15.3. Younster is is not going to have much of a wither, just big all over. Luckily he is very fine. He is also very handsome, and really my type.
Yes you're right - people at the yard arent being nasty - but I do have to remind them that there are bigger horses about!!
 
I have a 17hh warmblood who is very strong but i manage him and i'm 5ft3 and 8 stone!!! His manners on the ground are impecable and its just in the ring he's strong but we seem to do all right!
 
lol popsicle with shaking bones. Think this b*** broken leg is my problem. Before having 6 screws and a plate I never even thought about falling off
crazy.gif
grin.gif
 
A girl on our yard took a tumble of an 11hh pony a few weeks ago and has had to have her shoulder pinned and can't ride for four months (something like that anyway) I have taken a couple of tumbles off my 17.3hh in the passed and not even a sympathy bruise! (Don't like to tempt fate so touch wood!)
You could trip up standing on your own two feet and do yourself more damage than a fall just by landing badly.
If anything, I find riding my big horse give me more of an insentive to stick on!!
 
Yes you are right - just get sick of people saying I will look like a pea on a drum!! and why dont I want a 15.2!
At one stage I was the only person who could handle him, and he never took advantage of my size. I took time to dually train him so he is very easy - Just hope that with the right training he will be just as good to ride.
Yes Silverbreeze you are right, I injured myself from tripping in a field.
I am pleased that I have decided to hang on and see what he's like once backed.
 
I am just under 5'

Since 25 I have had

TB - 16 hands
TB - 16.1
WB - 16.3
Clydesdale - 16.2
Trad cob - just over 15 hands but going to end up 15.1
Clydesdale - 16.3 may go 17 hands.

The only time I find my size does not help is when schooling Farra (new clydie) at a canter - could do so with some legs to help push her out when she falls in. I get my instructor who is tall to help school her.

I also found on occasion my WB huge movement in trot difficult.

Once Farra has been schooled more, then she will be as easy to ride as my 15.1 cob - Cairo Clydie never felt big and was very balanced.

All depends on the horse, I have ridden 15.2 that felt larger than 16.2 and were far more stronger.

Falling - if you think about it - difference between my cob and my clydie is 6" in height - would you be concerned about falling of a 6" log?
grin.gif
 
I'm touching every bit of wood i can lay me hands on now, but the nastiest injuries I've had have been falling off ponies. My boy is 16.2 (I'm 5'6") and I've not really had a nasty fall off him. I think you have more time to prepare for landing coming off one of them than a pony when you're on the floor before you know it!
 
I just broke my leg falling off my 15.3 TB (I am 5' 6") so even if you get a small one its no guarantee!! I just landed awkwardly - have had much worse falls over the years and got away with bruises - was just unlucky!

How far along are you with your leg? I have 3 more weeks in plaster (well possibly 5 but trying not to think about that!!).
smirk.gif
 
I shattered my tibia plateau Rafferoo on Good Friday. Had op and was in cast for 8 weeks, and now half weight for six more. You will probably get muscle wastage. Mine looked awful but physio assures it will ok. Feel sorry for you - bet cast is annoying in the heat.
LOL god bless you - you were unlucky.
Get well soon xx
 
I know a woman who is 70 something, about 5 foot tall and rides a 16.3hh. She has fallen off him and been fine, through no fault of the horse. I reckon the bigger the horse, the less devious and the less likely i am to fall off in the first place!
 
That sounds pretty awful SarahHugo! I fractured my tibia but down at the other end of my leg. They didn't pin it in the end (although I had a few visits to the hospital before they let me off the hook!!) so I have been quite lucky really. I felt really sorry for myself at first but am a lot better now! I hope that you are fully back on your feet again soon!

Good luck with your youngster - he sounds a nice sort. On my yard my 15.3 is considered a midget and there are a couple over 17hh so I am sure you will be fine!!
grin.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top