Ideal horse height for jumping

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horseybohemian

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I'm in the process of buying a horse and have just fallen in love with a 15.3 horse. I love his jumping technique and the way he feels, but the breeder told me he can never work into the higher levels of eventing because he doesn't have enough height. I always thought height had nothing to do with jumping ability, even at the higher levels. What are your opinions? If height is an important factor, what would be the ideal?
 
horseybohemian said:
I'm in the process of buying a horse and have just fallen in love with a 15.3 horse. I love his jumping technique and the way he feels, but the breeder told me he can never work into the higher levels of eventing because he doesn't have enough height. I always thought height had nothing to do with jumping ability, even at the higher levels. What are your opinions? If height is an important factor, what would be the ideal?
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Mark Todd's Charisma was tiny!!!! And he didn't do too badly! Likewise Stroller. There are loads of smaller horses jumping big tracks - I feel sick just watching what some of the better 128s get up to!!!! I would much rather get a talented 15.2 than try to hold a 17.2 together into a fence!
 
Most horses at the very top level are over 16 hands, often due to the riders height more than the lack of ability of the horse, the trend seems to be big is best for all disciplines but the old saying about a good little'un being better than a big horse still holds true in many ways. There are numerous smaller horses that have competed, and won, at the very top, more in eventing than other disciplines, Charisma was a small 15.3 and tiny to stand next to, Headley Brittania was one considered too small but went on to prove otherwise, just to name 2 there are many more, Theodore O'connor was only a pony yet he went to 4*.

If the horse is everything you want buy him, the stride length, jumping ability and temperament are what will take him and you up to the level that you aspire to, in many ways a smaller horse will be easier, they can cover the ground and are less likely to have physical problems if they are well put together.
 
Wasn't Headley Britannia 15.3? (Not sure if memory serves me correctly!) Unless there are some underlying issues with the horse, I'm not sure why he would "never" be able to compete in the higher levels with the right training etc.
 
be positive said:
If the horse is everything you want buy him, the stride length, jumping ability and temperament are what will take him and you up to the level that you aspire to, in many ways a smaller horse will be easier, they can cover the ground and are less likely to have physical problems if they are well put together.
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^^ Good advice :) I used to groom for a pony cross who went to advanced, he was about 15.3 and weedy looking, but he had so much heart and ability that it didn't matter.
 
Thank you guys for the reassurance. What won me over with this horse before anything is his love and enjoyment for jumping - and anything active! He's truly sporty which fits me, and i just feel that it would be amazing for both rider and horse to share in the same passion. Just seems a shame for height to get in the way when everything else is perfect. So thanks for the positive and encouraging answers!
 
Agree with breeder, offer less money due to stunted height, go out and win with the horse ;)



15.3 isn't small. My 14.2 jumps over a metre no problem and she's just a wee cob. As someone else said look at those tiny kids ponies jumping their own height and more. A couple of inches won't make a difference if the horse is talented.
 
My horse of a life time was 15.3 and while I always felt she was small and at advanced she had to work harder than the bigger ones to jump the wide let up fences I would not have changed her for anything .
If the horse gives you a good feel buy him .
 
My 15.2 on tiptoes mare competed to Intermediate no problem - if I'd been able to ride properly and had more time she might have gone 2*. I think it's harder to sell the little ones due to rider size, and that's often also the reason pros have big horses - WFP would look a bit daft on a 15.2hh!! If you like the horse go for it - and if he's really lovely but Novice/Intermediate is his limit and you want more, a genuine 15.3hh at that level is worth its weight in gold so you could sell him and invest in another more talented model!
 
Are you sure she didn't mean that he doesn't give enough height over the jumps, instead of referring to his actual height?

Seems like a strange thing to say.
 
Headley Britannia was only 15.3hh, and she won Badminton, Burghley & Rolex. I have a 13.3hh, and she's jumped 1.30m hedges out hunting with ease!
 
Great idea ffionwinnie! As the breeder is insisting the height is a negative i'm going to play the game and try to get a lower price due to my "compromise" ��
 
No I don't think that it will stop you. As long as the horse has scope and loves the job, you'll be up for it no problem. There really is an ongoing craze for massive enormous warmbloods with teeny tiny riders. People over look just what the middle sized horses can actually do! I don't understand it when I hear someone who is about 5'6 and of an average build claiming there is no way they could ever ride something as "small" as 15.3. What nonsense!
 
Well i certainly feel quite uncomfortable on big horses as i'm only 5 foot 4 and weigh about 8 stone, so it's nice not to have a huge horse. The main thing the breeder kept saying was that because of his height his strides are short and that will limit him as we reach the upper levels...however that confuses me because i always thought you could train a horse to lengthen his strides...
 
I love smaller horses! A few of the smaller horses (some already mentioned) who seem to have managed okay with their short strides:

Stroller (14.2hh)
a3cff9fb95ad32e8ac20f314d09f507d.jpg


Headley Britannia (15.3hh)
headley-britannica.jpg


Erin Go Bragh (15.2hh - advanced eventer)
Erin-Go-Bragh.jpg


Mr Big (15hh - advanced eventer)
Steinberg.jpg


Theodore O'Connor / Teddy (14.2hh - advanced eventer)
acde9ccb80c876ee1c5e878aa161847d.jpg


I'll stop there but there are loads more!
 
My old boss had a 15.3 & he was cracking ! Could sj round 1.30s & 1.40s but could only go to intermediate as he didn't have the reach & stride for bigger xc

I love little horses though there have been a lot of good 1s !!
 
Oh my god laura those photos are amazing! Ok im LOVING the smaller horse... And now realising how ridiculous the breeder is for saying the 15,3 hands horse is too small :) oh happy days
 
You most certainly can train a horse to lengthen (and shorten) its strides but that's up to a point. Imagine lengthening your own stride compared to someone with much longer legs... Obviously, you can only reach so far. The exact same applies to horses. So a smaller horse is definitely limited in that respect but 15.3 isn't THAT small and I doubt it would be particularly noticeable.

Similarly with jumping height, the higher you already are, the less you have to jump to clear a fence. Though there's a trade-off there as you also have more leg to tuck up. This is obvious when you think of a Shetland jumping a foot-high crosspole compared to a big horse that just trots over.

So she isn't talking total nonsense... But the horse is 15.3 - not 13.3. I'm sure the disadvantage would be minor if the horse is otherwise talented. Many successful horses are a similar height and do just fine.
 
The point about stride length is a valid one .
However it can be covered in the training ,my horse would occasionally put in four strides in a three if she had the jump a big spread at advanced coming out of a combination but she got very good at it and learned I how to gauge what she would want to do .
 
Oh my gosh, love those pix of the little uns conquering all. Stroller and Marion Mould were my heroes from my childhood. And little Teddy O'Connor, what a superstar.
Go buy that not so small horse! He's huge in comparison! Good luck!
 
The individual horse's scope and power is more important that its height. I would far rather have a well balanced, nimble and brave 15.3 than something that needs a lot of riding and holding together that is larger. As Ian Start once wrote "The most important attribute of an event horse is the desire to get to the other side of the fence."
 
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