i need to hear good things about big horses, 17hh+

[Fourtoomany]

I’ve just recently got a new horse who is 17.2hh. She’s fantastic and the right horse for me but so many people seem to be telling me how dreadful large horses are!

I’m starting to fee a bit down about it, so I’d love to hear some really positive stories from those of you who have large horses!

 

[rabatsa]

You can see a lot from on top of them.

Mine had to have a wind operation but otherwise was a big pony.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Mine is around 17hh and still growing. My friend has two 18+hh horses and they are lovely.

We are on a yard with very large stables and I think that is key. We are in old cattle sheds so I'd guess they are around 20ft by 18ft.

 

[Abacus]

They are just gorgeous. Best horses I have ever had have been 16.3++. My new one is 17.2 and apart from needing condition, he's a dude. The downsides are the quantity of feed they eat and the heavy sopping rugs - apart from that there really isn't anything I don't like about them. They also make the jumps look much smaller.

Why would people say things like that when you've just bought a horse? Fair enough to point things out beforehand but after the decision is made... is rude. Ignore it.

 

[cold_feet]

My 17hh TBx gelding is 24. He had a successful career eventing, and since retiring from that has done very well at endurance. He’s easy to do, beautifully behaved on the ground (mostly ) and a joy to take out and about. He eats a lot! And when excited he feels VERY big. I wouldn’t swap him.

 

[meleeka]

There’s no difference. I personally wouldn’t want one again because the size of the dung gave me RSI. They were like elephant poos

 

[Fieldlife]

Big horses are easier to stay on, there is lots of horse in front of your and generally lots of shoulder.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

My last one was 17.3 and probably one of the best horse's I have been lucky enough to own. Good temperment ridden or on the ground, traffic proof non spooky. Nice and quick off the leg and very comfortable too. Just perfect for a nervous old lady in her 70s. I have had some 14.2s I would only ride with an Oh Jesus strap in place and my body protector on.

 

[Fieldlife]

Big horses also tend to be slower to react to things. It is like there is a time gap brain to feet whereas ponies tend to process and react very quickly. You have more chance to intervene with a big horse before they react / explode / spook etc

 

[Sealine]

As a teenager I used to ride a 17.3hh TB. He was such a gangly youngster his breeder had left him in a field to allow him time to grow. A friend saw him and bought him as unbroken 7 year old. He was a wonderful horse although he did have tie back surgery early in his career. Amazing temperament, easy to handle, great to hack and he used to show jump 1.2m. I'd have one like him tomorrow.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My retired by is 17.1, I've had a 17.3 and an 18.1. All beautiful big chestnuts, all beautiful inside and out. These were all tb's with the exception of my retired boy who is a warm blood.

 

[AthenesOwl]

I love big horses! My current regular ride is 17.2ish and he's wonderful. A gorgeous big dude of a horse, currently so fluffy he looks like a giant pony, and will do anything for a mint. He's given me so much more confidence in my riding and is a total sweetie.

I feel silly on a horse that's too small, and less able to ride properly because there's less horse underneath me, if that makes sense.

 

[Ratface]

My friend, a regular winner at British Dressage Advanced Level, had a fabulous 18.2hh gelding who she broke in (she's about 5ft 4inches) rode away and started competing him when he was seven.
She was stabled at a professional dressage yard. I was there with my spooky little Arabian and she asked me if I would accompany her when she hacked out. Spooky Arabian defaulted to plod mode and we hacked, in fits and starts, round the local countryside and up and down bridleways. Big Horse chilled out eventually and they both went on to great things.
He retired sound and died in his late twenties, having led a wonderful life.

 

[94lunagem]

I had a big chunky 16.3hh and a finer warmblood 17.2hh, they were both brilliant! Both had very different temperaments but were a pleasure to have around the yard and I loved them to death (literally, in the end). I'm done with riding itself now, but I have many many happy memories with both of them, doing exactly the same things as my friends on 14.2-15hh's (apart from my feet never got wet in the ford!).

The only size related things I noticed is I found short arena dressage tests harder and preferred long arenas with more space, poo picking was heavy (my 11hh is much easier!) and big rugs are heavy when they are wet. So I adopted the leave them on to dry approach!

 

[Fourtoomany]

Thank you all so much for for those stories. They all sound like such wonderful and special horses!

I’m on a yard where people are just filled with relentless doom and gloom and it can be so hard ignoring the negativity.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I have a huge ID horse. He is over 18 hands at rising five. He’s an absolute dote and has been trail hunting with my son all season. I know long-term soundness is a concern but that isn’t confined to big horses. A big horse with good conformation is better than a small horse with not so good conformation. He is so comfy to ride and is clever with his feet even though they are a long way away from his brain. We adore him.

 

[abbijay]

My first "pony" (in my avatar) was 18.1hh and he is the best horse in the world (yes I'm biased)!
Since then I've had a 17.2 and now have a 17.1 1/2. In 15 years of having them I have fallen off once and we both hit the deck once. *touches wood quickly* There is definitely more to grab onto when you get into dicky situations.
The greatest thing about them is in traffic; cars are generally more cautious when driving past the bigger horses - they know you'll do more than scratch their bonnet if you end up on it.
Little kids and men are always drawn to the big ones too. You'll get much more affectionate interest in your horse than if it were a generic 16hh ginger donkey.
I usually find the naysayers are jealous of your bravery for riding such a big horse or are threatened that your horse will get more attention than theirs. That's their problem not yours!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I have had a 17.2hh warmblood, 17.2hh TB x, 18.3hh Westphalian and current 3.5yo ID is 17.1hh - I love the big horses, and whilst I was trying to be a bit more 'sensible' this time around (Dex was supposed to make 16.2/3, previous horses had some soundness issues, not because of their size but because of their management before me) I have to admit, I am not sad he's over 17hh.

They have more body to move, so usually before they do something you get fair warning.
If you do come off you usually have enough time to try and rotate and not hit the deck as badly.
You have a lot of shoulder/neck in front of you so you feel secure.
You can look over garden fences.
Grooming/doing up rugs/picking out feet etc isn't as back breaking.
They are wonderfully fast and powerful at full gallop due to stride length.
They make jumps look small. Drivers on the road seem to respect them more sometimes.
You can see over garden walls and hedges when out hacking which is great fun.
They do turn heads when you're out and about which means you tend to get chatting to loads more people than usual.
They will ride well for a male ride judge who may be bigger/taller and a bit stronger with them.
You don't have to umm and ahh about what size to buy, get the biggest one and usually it will fit.
Rugs in 7ft3 and 7ft6 are usually the ones on sale, ditto 18'' saddles.

What's not to love?!

 

[KatieDM]

I love a big horse. I really do think they’re comfier and easier to sit… Less bounce?!

 

[GypsGal1718]

My previous neighbour had two Irish drafts and they are just so sweet gentle giants!

 

[Cloball]

I've never fallen off anything over 16.2 take of that what you will
There's an 18hh horse on my yard whose a gent and going strong at 19. I did think I'd broken both ankles getting off in the cold weather.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Also, just because I absolutely love them (sorry if I am hijacking OP), if anyone feels like posting photos of their gentle giants, I would love to see them!

Here are mine, left to right, top to bottom:
17.2hh ex eventer (please ignore all the tack on his face, he'd just arrived wearing it and I whipped it all down to snaffle soon after)
17.2hh Warmblood
18.3hh Westphalian
17.1 Irish Draught 3.5yo

 

[Cortez]

Big horses are just......bigger than small horses, really. There was a time when I had nothing under 16.3hh, and have had two really wonderful 18+handers, but there are a few disadvantages: they eat more and thus poop more, there's more to groom/shoe/rug/fit tack to, and I needed an extra-large horse box, if you're into going fast they are more prone to wind problems, and can take longer to get really fit. I've never fallen off any of my big lads, but getting on in the first place can be a challenge (I'm trying to remember if I ever mounted any of them from the ground - and I don't think I ever did).

For the last 20 years my horses have all been between 14.2hh and 15.1hh, and honestly I don't think I'd go back to big horses again.

 

[Fourtoomany]

Also, just because I absolutely love them (sorry if I am hijacking OP), if anyone feels like posting photos of their gentle giants, I would love to see them!

Here are mine, left to right, top to bottom:
17.2hh ex eventer (please ignore all the tack on his face, he'd just arrived wearing it and I whipped it all down to snaffle soon after)
17.2hh Warmblood
18.3hh Westphalian
17.1 Irish Draught 3.5yo

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Oh goodness!!! That’s an incredible herd you have there. The 18.3 is just WOW! Your others must feel teeny in comparison. I don’t think I I’ve ever seen an 18.3hh in my life.

 

[Fransurrey]

I used to have a 16.3 hh ID on loan and he was lovely. I only ended the loan when my circumstances changed. Wish I'd kept him. My friend has a 17 hh mare and she absolutely adores her!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Oh goodness!!! That’s an incredible herd you have there. The 18.3 is just WOW! Your others must feel teeny in comparison. I don’t think I I’ve ever seen an 18.3hh in my life.

I wish I had them all at the same time! Sadly I only had one at a time, and three of them are no longer with us, but yes the 18.3hh was magnificent both to ride and in sheer size!

I have to admit one of the posts up thread saying they're less bouncy did make me laugh, as this was him in full passage mode:

 

[Jenko109]

The horse who took me hunting in Ireland was 17.2 and nearly 20.

Fit as a fiddle. Sound as a pound.

 

[millitiger]

Big horses are glorious and I wouldn't want anything under 17hh.
There's nothing like the power of a big, athletic, horse and I feel much happy on a big horse- like comfy slippers.

However, their soundness and bodies can be more fragile than smaller horses so that is something to have your eyes open about

 

[Cloball]

One of my all time faves 17.3 clydie x tb mare, me aged 13.

 

[SheriffTruman]

They make jumps look small.

This absolutely! I adore large horses. I'm only 1.60 m, so do look quite ridiculous on them, but love the massive strides, and big swing of large horses. And they make jumping so easy. You just sail with them.