Horses height vs riders hight

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Channy.marie1992

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I have had my horse since 1 year old he is a thoroughbred x Irish draught he is now 4 years old and is standing around 15.1hh I my self am 5.1
I have started to back and while working on the lunge this morning with him ridden in my opinion I looked like I am too big for him. No I don't no if I'm being a idiot or is it worth either selling on which would kill me or to loan him out once he is back and riding away properly I just want people's opinions as I would like to do what is best by my horse

Thanks in advance
 
can you post a picture of you on him otherwise no one can give you an answer...but unless you are very overweight it sounds like you will be ok
 
I'm 5'7 and the mare I've had for 14 yrs is only 15'1. My gelding I have to ride now is 16'1 ish and I wondered how I ever looked ok on my mare. But I never looked huge. They are both Connie x tb's. So not huge

I can't imagine for one min you look big. And yours will Fill out a lot in the next couple of years
 
I can't imagine that at 5'1" you'd be too tall on a 15.1. I'm 5'9" and have from 14.2 - 15.1 horses (all chunky); not too big on any of them. If you feel OK on him then the "look" is really a subjective thing.
 
I'm 5'8" and used to ride my daughter's 14.2 and never felt big on him as he was wide enough to take my leg.
 
I'm 5'5" and ride a 14hh Connie who isn't chunky at all really and I look fine on him..

Never had a pony over 14.2 so can't imagine you look big on 15.1 at 5'1" in anyway, shape or form.
 
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I'm a leggy 5ft6 and my favourite of my horses is 14.2hh - we BE90, and while I am probably tall on him, it doesn't slow us down or prevent us from having so much fun. I got him as a foal and he just didn't grow as much as expected. I have, however, developed a permanent "hunt/defensive seat" when jumping big fences. I almost lean back these days as there's just no neck and head to the pony!
 
It depends on the build of the horse and your build but I can't really imagine you looking big on a 15.1.

I am 5ft8 and have a 14.1 and a 15.1 and I reckon I look better on the 14.1.

Most folk expect you to be over horsed.
 
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Maybe he hasn't grown enough to take up your leg yet? A tb x id mature quite late so will fill out tremendously in the next year or two. Pardon me, but at 5'1" I'm sure your leg can't possibly hang below his ribcage :D... maybe start looking at realistic pictures of riders as I think these days people think they should be riding massive horses.
 
Ditto the others can't see how you'd look too tall on him unless you're all back and no legs. I'm 5'9 and have a 15hh and a 14.2 and look fine on both. I'm also longer in back than leg. I'd say I was just bordering on looking tall on the 14.2 but absolutely no issues with the 15hh.
 
tallyho! said:
Maybe he hasn't grown enough to take up your leg yet? A tb x id mature quite late so will fill out tremendously in the next year or two. Pardon me, but at 5'1" I'm sure your leg can't possibly hang below his ribcage :D... maybe start looking at realistic pictures of riders as I think these days people think they should be riding massive horses.
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I agree, so many people seem to feel they need to ride big horses (maybe to look good, is it a fashion?)
I often see for sale adverts saying 'hopelessly outgrown' and think the rider looks absolutely fine on them.
I'm 5'3 and ride a 14.1hh lightweight cob. I ride with fairly long stirrups and when just hanging loose they are just level with the bottom of her belly. She never seems to struggle with me and absolutely blasts round xc courses.
If I were to look for another I wouldn't be looking for much more than 15.2hh which nowadays seems to be pretty small.
 
without wishing to be rude you would look like a pea on a drum on anything much bigger it is a silly fashion that everyone needs massive warmbloods to compete at local level and hack about or even for that matter compete in any discipline most women are way overhorsed by anything over about 16hh unless the horse is very fine or the lady in question is above average height. I am really a pony fan for everyone within their joint capabilities. There is a pony for everyone even if they are not everyones first choice. by pony I mean under 14.2. My 5ft 10 friend hacked my 13hh highland out for years and looked great my 4ft 11 yard manager looked stupid on her 16hh warmblood so it is subjective and is the picture like beauty is in the eye of the beholder
 
You'll be fine! I'm 5'6 and just under 10stone and look fine on my 14/14.1hh pony. From a welfare point of view, I worry more about my weight than height.

I've had the odd comment that I should be riding a horse - but he carries me just fine & we have a lot if fun together!
 
While I agree that many people seem to want big horses for no apparent reason, the build of the horse is important. And even more so, the build of the rider. You can be 5'10 and very slim, or 5'10 and need more of a weight carrier. In that case a more well built horse is needed, but also one with more height. My 17 hander can take up my leg properly and on him I am not concerned about the weight ratio as I weigh 12 stone. Yes you can ride a smaller animal and look fine but is it always fair on them?
Anyway OP, at 5'1 I cant imagine in a million years you'd be too big for a 15.1 ID x TB!
 
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My 5'10"ish friend rode my 15.2hh horse for the first time yesterday and looked remarkably good on him - he's a cob so takes up the leg but I did expect her to look as though she was on a Pony Club games pony and she actually looked great. I'm 5'4" and she rides about five holes longer than me. He's certainly plenty big enough for me and obviously for her too!

I would think your horse has some maturing to do but I would say you should be fine - he'll be a different horse in two years
 
im 5'6 and have a 13.2 (fell type build) and im fine on her, i also look fine on my 14.3/15h anglo, my 5'3 friend gets on my anglo and looks like a pea on a mountain and he is a very fine build. i cant imagine you as 5'1 could ever look too big on a 15.1, do your legs even reach past the saddle lol :p
 
Thank you every one for your reply I don't no how to put a photo on the the thread.. But I'm 8 and a half stone and have quite short legs ( but I'm quite small) il try and get photo on my profile if you want to see the difference
Thanks you all
 
I'm 5'7 & just under 10 stone.
I used to school & compete 13.2 connies at my last job but did feel too big! Anything 14.2 plus i looked & felt fine on :)

My id x tb is 16hh & i actually look small on her in quite a lot of pics!

I also have a now 14.3 3 year old connie who i broke in april at 14.2 & i did not look big on her at all!

I would not think that i would look big on your id x tb at 5'7 so i can't imagine you will, don't worry :)
 
 
Two things spring to mind. Firstly you're long in the body and short in the legs so if you look at your legs on the horse you're fine but your top half will always look taller - whatever the size of the horse. Secondly who measured him and how because if you're 5'1" he doesn't look anything like 15 hands.
 
The horse will have no trouble carrying you. However, I agree with jemima that if you are 5'1 the horse doesn't look 15.1. You are 15.1 and in that picture look a lot taller than the horse. Measure him again and see what you get. Even if he is smaller he'll still carry you though.
 
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