I Think She's Too Big

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Tamollymoo

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I have had my ISH mare since she was four, next year she will be seven. This summer we have been show jumping up to 1.05, no bigger as she was still learning to lengthen and shorten and has been slow to develop, carry and balance herself. I have found that she has got a lot wider as she has grown - she is part warmblood and has tiny wither and a very flat back. She is 16.2hh and I am 5'4. This year I really struggled to get my legs around her and she is a big tough girl and can be very strong. She is a cracking horse but I cant help thinking that she would go better for a taller, longer legged rider and that I could do with something 15.2-16hh instead. Thing is I am a bit loathed to sell her, but I know I do better on smaller horses. Unless any one knows of anything that makes your legs grow
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I have had horses her height before but they have been quite narrow so I have got away with it. Any one else had this problem? Bit dissapointed really but I do struggle to hold her together.
 
I know what you mean! I'm 5'2" and will not ride anything over 15.2hh for exactly that reason; you can't use your legs properly and with something so big, it will probably need it.
 
What a shame randira
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Only you can answer the question as to whether she is too big for you and your legs - if you are struggling to get your leg around her to hold in stride then chances are yes, you would be better off with something finer or smaller
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Bit of a scary option to sell and replace her if she is so nice though - good luck x
 
I know what you mean im 5ft !!! my mare is 16.1hh and i can ride her fine but my gelkding is definately wider - i do find it a lot different and tend to ride shorter on him than my mare for some reason !!

have you ridden anything lately that is not as wide to see if you do really feel more comfortable you may find you actually dont ?
 
Your right. I am 5'4 so not that small. My mare in onkly 15.3, but she is so deep (not even wide-only a M saddle ) she makes me look like a midget, I rode my friends 15.3 and had to out my stirrups down several holes
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I ride my 16.3 IDxTB fine, he is quite narrow though. But you could put me on a 15.3 cob thats really wide I I just cant get them to go at all, my legs just wont work.

I am 5ft6 though with quite long legs.

I would perhaps ride a few different horses and see if you really do like the feel of something smaller/narrower before you sell her, she sounds like a cracking horse but no good if you dont feel you are able to connect with her properly.
 
I have the opposite problem - my horse is 16hh and I am 5ft8, should be fine but she is so narrow I feel absolutely huge on her!

If I loose my balance (easily done - she is very quick and springy) I can throw her off her stride completely.

Bought her as a 3 year old expecting her to grow - she will be 7 in a couple of weeks and showing no signs of that!

Sticking with her at the moment because I think she is so talented but I do think about the size thing (and wonder if she would do better with a smaller, neater rider).

Perhaps we should swap!
 
I understand how you feel as I'm only 5'2. I've got 2 horses both full TB but they couldn't be more different! My mare is 15h at a push and quite narrow but my gelding is 16h2 and wide. It takes me a while to adjust to each of them. To be honest, I feel more at home on my 16h2 as I have phases of worrying that I'm too big for my mare. I don't have problems getting my legs round them to keep them together but they are snaffle mouthed and have good attitudes. I think I would struggle with something stronger. I do struggle with my sister's 17h horse as he's so long.

Only you can tell whether you are ever going to feel truly happy riding her but I would be tempted to keep with it. As she gets more balance and self carriage you will find her a lot easier to ride. And if she's good in every other way you may struggle to find one that's as good as her.
 
The horse in my avatar was ISH but looked very ID & was 17 hh & quite strapping whereas I'm 5 ft 1 1/2 & quite petite. I competed him up to 1 m 15 bsja & did tracks of up to 1 m 25 in lessons.

I really loved his power, also did BD to help with the control issues & could pretty well hold him in a dutch gag. I didn't think the size was an issue...until I sadly lost him & had to buy something else. His 'replacement' is also an ISH but 16.1 / 16.2 & a lighter build, & I have to admit that he's a LOT easier to ride.

If the partnership works, I wouldn't worry about size.
 
I am 5'4 and a slim build and my warmblood mare is a headstrong 17 hander. We start out first BE season in April next year and in the meantime we train and compete at dressage, SJ to 1 meter 10 and XC.

She is a big girl, esp when she is fully muscled up, but my control comes from our balance and respect. I ride her in a snaffle with a flash - nothing strong!

Catembi is right - size doesn't have a lot to do with it, it is about the relationship you have with the horse. Don't worry! Just concentrate on the partnetship you are building with this horse and you will be fine.
 
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I am 5'4 and a slim build and my warmblood mare is a headstrong 17 hander. We start out first BE season in April next year and in the meantime we train and compete at dressage, SJ to 1 meter 10 and XC.

She is a big girl, esp when she is fully muscled up, but my control comes from our balance and respect. I ride her in a snaffle with a flash - nothing strong!

Catembi is right - size doesn't have a lot to do with it, it is about the relationship you have with the horse. Don't worry! Just concentrate on the partnetship you are building with this horse and you will be fine.

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I agree, I think if any size horse or pony wanted to tank off with us they could if they really wanted to so that isn't really an issue! Aesthetically having a horse the right size is important but performance must be worth more than anything.

I was 13 when I first rode a 17hh Dutch Warmblood, he was great and jumped really well, never stopped or pulled, so it is all about personality too!

Diana
 
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