its only a hand

I like riding big horses. They're comfortable and (if you're used to riding ponies and sharp little horses) they feel like they do everything in slow motion. What I don't like about big horses is looking after them and paying their bills (not that I have had to pay their bills but YKWIM) .

Looking after a small horse or pony is easier in EVERY WAY. They are easier to groom, clip, bath, plait, easier to tack up & rug, considerably cheaper to feed, easier to poo pick after, their stables stay cleaner and they cut up the ground less out in the field. You have more choice of transport and stables with a small horse, you can put a small horse in a big or small stable but you can't really keep a big horse in a small stable. These are the reasons I will never keep a big horse for myself (apart from the fact that at on 5' I don't need one), I just ride other people's 😁
 
ihatework said:
You get used to the height very quickly. Thats generally not the issue. It’s more how big they ride, as in how much in front and behind the saddle needs connecting up.

She looks lovely btw
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This is so true, I ride quite a few big horses, and generally I find the actual height the least important thing in how big they feel to ride. The horse in my avatar is just over 18hh, and he has never felt like a big horse to ride, he's very compact, light on his feet and well balanced, the only time he feels big is when I stand next to him and he towers over my head! I used to have a 17hh mare and she always felt ginormous to ride, she was long, wide, unbalanced and it took a long time for her to feel remotely organised under saddle, and she always felt so big to ride. Dont get hung up on height, its more about how the horse feels, and your youngster looks lovely.
 
You will adapt.

I rode ponies for years. I'm 5ft7. Rode no taller than 14hh for most of my adult life.

Gosh it felt big first sitting on a 15.2.

If I was buying again, I would much prefer something 15hh upwards if I could afford.
 
daffy44 said:
This is so true, I ride quite a few big horses, and generally I find the actual height the least important thing in how big they feel to ride. The horse in my avatar is just over 18hh, and he has never felt like a big horse to ride, he's very compact, light on his feet and well balanced, the only time he feels big is when I stand next to him and he towers over my head! I used to have a 17hh mare and she always felt ginormous to ride, she was long, wide, unbalanced and it took a long time for her to feel remotely organised under saddle, and she always felt so big to ride. Dont get hung up on height, its more about how the horse feels, and your youngster looks lovely.
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Agreed, my dad's horse is only 16h but she rides really big because she's long and long striding, I've ridden much taller horses that felt smaller and more compact.
 
My last horse was 15.3. I'm just under 1.50 meters. When I was riding her I made sure that I never looked behind me as she seemed to go on forever. I think you get used to what you have.
 
I’ve always preferred small horses, the biggest I’ve owned was 16hh. My current ones are 15.1 and 15.2, but I rode a big ex chaser recently who was at least 16.3 and when I saw the photos I thought I actually looked really well suited to him! I’m 5ft7 so should really be on something bigger but I just prefer the little ones!
 
I occasionally ride my YOs 18h ex hunter and he feels loooong and yet much narrower than my 13.2 😅 she rides big but when you go down a steep hill her head disappears which is disconcerting. The first time I got off the big guy in the winter I thought I'd broken both ankles.
 
My spotted warmblood is 16.3ish however doesn’t feel hugely bigger than my wider but 15.2 Welsh. As above, it’s the distance to his ears that I notice the most! (Oh and the distance to the ground when getting off 🤣)
 
Asha said:
But my word it feels a whole load different.

I usually ride 16ds types, and feel very comfortable at that height. However, one of my homebreds has reached the dizzy height of approx 17hd at 4yo. I sat on her for the first time yesterday, and was a little taken aback at how high i was off the ground. Width wise she felt amazing ( i know she will bulk out in time ) She gave me a lovely feeling just walking out around the yard and hasnt put a hoof wrong .. yet !

Have any of you moved onto bigger horses and actually got around the size difference ?

ETA . Photo of her usual jockey who is much taller than me
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I went from 14,3 to 16 hh and 16.1hh. I recently in Sept bought a 16.3hh, and like you don't feel happy that high as I like to look horse in the eye and not crook my neck, and also I have a permanent shoulder dislocation so its too hard to put bridle on so will be selling her.
I will be buying a 16.1hh max once sold, as don't like big horses even though I am 5ft 8
 
I have tended to ride bigger horses, which I'm very comfortable with, and when I bought my own, ended up with a 17.2hh-ish chap. Although I hadn't planned to buy anything bigger than 16.2hh because of bills/handlability/good sense when looking for a first horse. Fortunately, he's delightful and very easy to handle, although I've fallen off him twice and the ground is a long way away.

I did once somehow nearly fall off the "wrong" side of a 15hh cob because when I swung my right leg over and went to balance before jumping down, the ground was a lot closer, and the horse a lot narrower than the 17hh horse I usually rode.
 
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