How big is too big?

[ginnyspinner]

Well after yesterdays disasterous viewing am going to see next horse tomorrow - Warmblood, chestnut 6 yr old gelding - BUT 17.2hh, bit concerned will be too big as I am 5ft6 9 stone. What are peoples opinions on horse height v riders build? Will he be too tall for my Ifor 510?

Does size really matter?!!!!

 

[KarenX]

To a certain degree I dont think size matters - its more about the rideability of the horse. My daughter went from a 14.2 to a 17.2 (her first horse) and size hasnt mattered because he is so rideable and a schoolmaster with nice manners. It might be different with a young horse though!!

I dont know about the Ifor Williams trailers.. sorry!

What happened yesterday btw? I'm being nosey now!

Karen

 

[dieseldog]

Depends on the horse and what you want to do. Mine is 17.2, but he is medium narrow, so he doesn't feel a big horse to sit on. Go sit on him and see how he feels. If the 510 is the big one I would have thought he would be OK in it.

 

[filly190]

I am 5.2 and have two 17hh t.b's and weigh 8 stone. Really no problems except when jumping big fences as I have had to really develop methods, not to get jumped out the saddle.

My dressage instructor says they are too big for me and feels a 15.2 would be more suitable. I take her comments on board but feel I am fine with their sizes.

When you find a good horse that you bond with, trust etc, the shape, size and colour should'nt really come into it, otherwise you'd spend your life looking.

I really would not think about the size of the horse too much, its wether you are safe that counts and you havent got a horse thats too strong for you.

 

[Weezy]

Ditto the other posters - I had an 18hh+ mare that I used to let the YO's 11 year old daughter jump (under my tuition) - she was TINY but Emily was so well schooled and well mannered it mattered not a jot

In Spain most kids ride horses (ponies are rare) so go have a sit on and see how you feel - good luck!

 

[Santa_Claus]

i am 5ft7 and 9 stoneish and Dan is an unbalanced 17h2 who requires a lot of holding together and I manage fine. He also fitted in whatever the biggest Ifor Williams are although he didn't have huge amounts of head room (which never bothered him) he fitted fine.

 

[MillionDollar]

I would have thought you would be fine, but as the other previous comments have said its all about the rideability. Just see how you feel when your on him.

I would have thought he'd be completely fine in your trailer, i know someone who puts an 18.2 in a rice trailer and the horse is completely fine.

 

[ginnyspinner]

Thanks everyone - this horse was apparantly squeezed into an Ifor 505 when she bought him and was quite happy with his head touching the roof, so should have no travelling/loading issues.
Glad that you feel that the height of the horse is pretty irrelevent, it will be an interesting visit - hopefully this one will NOT be lame!!!
By the way, it is branded and has a passport but no papers - would this ring any alarm bells with anyone??

 

[Clodagh]

Is it with a dealers?

 

[Tempi]

in my opinion id say you will be too small for him. Ive just brought a 17'2 dutch WB and hes 5, im 6ft and weigh just over 9.5 stone. When hes b*ggering around hes a BIG horse, and im not incompetant - ive been riding since i was 3 and have lessons with a trainer about 3times a month and compete BD most weekends.

What im saying is you have to be absolutly positive hes the right horse for you - if you get it home and it naps or plays silly b*ggers with you you will find it hard, trust me.

 

[Weezy]

Quite normal to have a branded WB with no papers - so long as the passport is all in order then its fine

 

[Parkranger]

Ditto everyone elses views.......bigger the better I say!

 

[ginnyspinner]

Its a private sale, don't much like buying from dealers.

 

[samp]

I am only 5.4" and 8 stone like Parisienne girl says when they misbehave you need to still be in control. My mare is 15.3hh and very long I can have problems holding her togetherand if I had anything bigger like her I think i would not cope

 

[dieseldog]

It's passport is it papers, the breeding should all be in there.

Although, if they aren't, look to see when the passport was issued as if it is recent there is a reason why a branded warmblood has lost it's papers

 

[H-J]

I am riding a 17.2hh warmblood at the moment, I am 5ft 8 and also weigh 9stone, I dont feel too small for him at all even in my jump saddle when my stirrups are shorter.

He is very well behaved so would probably be to big if he was a handful so I think you have to take that into consideration

 

[Pasha]

If he's branded and has a passport you can contact his relevent Warmblood society and get copies of his papers (you may have to pay a small fee for this)

 

[ginnyspinner]

I know they can be difficult when misbehaving, but so can all horses whatever their size. The horse I have just sold was 16.3hh and he was sold because he wasn't able to do the job I wanted him for (ie, hunting) not because he was difficult - believe me he could be a real git at times and was very awkward.

 

[Agent XXX999]

Depends on how he ‘rides’…Bruce is 17.3-18hh but he doesn’t feel it…even though he has a huge stride.

 

[KatB]

I used to jump and hunt a 17.2hh WB when I was 13. It was alot of horse, but copeable! Depends whatyou are comfortable on, personally I prefer smaller horses, but know alot of people that prefer riding something alot bigger.

 

[Clodagh]

Prepares to run and hide

Why would you want to hunt a warmblood? They never seem absolutely sure where their feet are out of a menage...

DD, I have a friend who bought a branded WB from a well known unreputable dealer, (not known at the time)...I can't see what benefit is to be had by losing its papers? Am probably SERIOUSLY missing the point here!

 

[ginnyspinner]

Why wouldn't you want to hunt a warmblood?
They are highly adaptable horses with good feet and plenty of bone.
As for the papers, I do find it strange that they are missing. I would do everything possible to obtain the papers of a horse I was selling, hence my concern about these ones being missing.

 

[dieseldog]

Different horse, age, original passport had loads of drugs (Section E?) in it, stolen, used to jump but threw the towel in, loads of reasons why people lose original documentation.

 

[ginnyspinner]

Abslutely - am starting to get worried now!!

 

[Clodagh]

OK, it was a bit of a generalisation!

 

[lillie07]

I have to agree with P_G. I have a 17.1hh 4 year old and its a hell of a lot of horse when he doesnt want to play ball- thankfully 99% of the time he is amazingly laid back and easy going. I am also nearer 5'10 and slightly heavier than you but still have doubts about being over horsed. You should also take into consideration handling from the ground, and the cost to keep something that size running. I get through enormous amounts of feed, hay and bedding. I personally would never go and buy something that size unless it really was my ideal horse and I was 110% confident in my ability to cope with it. Just my opinion

 

[dieseldog]

I wouldn't worry about the feed side of things too much, depends on the horse again. Mine is a WB and is naturally fat, in the summer I have to restrict his grazing and currently even though he is in full work he doesn't get any hard food as he is so fat. The problem you will get is trying to feed them for energy without putting anymore weight on.

I don't think it matters what size the horse is if it wants to be a git, a 15.2 can be just as scary as a 17.2 if it wants to.

Go see the horse with an open mind and if you like it go for it. There probably is a completley innocent reason for it not having papers. Check when the flu jabs started as that normally is a good indication as to how old the papers are.

 

[Baileysno1]

I think the horses way of going makes a difference I went from a little skinny 15.3 pony stride TB to a 16.1 WB with such exageratted movement ,to begin with almost bounced me off it trot, but the other night I rode a huge 17.1 WBX who had such a long and smooth stride and was so comfy I could've sat on her all day!

 

[happyhack]

i'm 5ft5 n have only recently stopped ridin a 13.1hh!!

 

[Skhosu]

I have a 17hh and am 5"5.
I feel good on him (I am shall we say not lightweight!) and whilst he is a handful at times I ride in a snaffle 99.9% of the time and he listens well to me.
I did originally have big problems with getting jumped off, but have luckily only fallen off once, an then I slid down his neck!
When I tried him I went on to try a 15.2hh, which is more like what I was looking sizewise, but there was no way I would go on anything much smaller, they just feel like ponies now!
It all depends on rideability really!