minumum size horse for my height and weight

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emma.a

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Can anybody give me some general guidance on the size of horse i am able to ride comfortably, without being too heavy or tall for it. I'm 5ft 8 (just) and weight just over 9.5 stone. I did search for other threads on this but couldn't find anything for my height. I was previously loaning a 16.1hh idxtb and he felt pretty big, so i'm wondering how much smaller i can go. Cheerrss! :D
 
It's very much personal choice if just for fun.

I'm a short-arse but feel wrong on anything dinky, yet have tall friends riding ponies.

Also depends on breeding. Two horses of the same height will feel worlds apart depending on their build.
 
I'm about the same height and weight as you and ride a 14 2 cob! I think a lot depends on their build and how much of your leg they take up! Wouldn't want anything smaller though!!
 
personally even if I was skinny I would feel too tall on anything under 15h and im 5ft 6in so at 5ft 8 the top half of you may feel unbalance on anything too small

like others have said it all depends on horse and how you feel. Also get someone to photo you on the horse so you are also comfortable with what others see (if it is something that would bother you)
 
I am 5ft6 and weigh around 9.5 stone too. My horse is a 16.3hh TB, who I feel absolutley fine on.

I rode a friends 14.2hh stocky Welsh type and felt huge on her! Think its mostly personal preference, I used to ride a 13.2hh Welsh C and felt fine on him, You dont weigh much so could go smaller, but just depends on how stocky the pony is to take up your leg and quite possibly what its striding is like - I struggle with fast choppy pony strides!
 
I'm 5'11'' and 12 and a half stone. I used to ride a 14.3hh Standardbred mare, very fine boned and narrow in the chest. We hunted for three seasons no bother, jumped and everything. My dad even rode her, and he was a stone heavier than me and six foot. I've seen photos of myself and don't think I looked too big on her, and nobody ever commented on the fact. We never had any problems :)
 
I'm a smidge taller and a little heavier. It depends entirely on preferance.

I like the bigger horses and feel at home on something 16-16.2 MW. I've ridden 17hh weeds I've felt too big for (very narrow chested) and felt over-horsed on 15hh tanks. I own a 14. MW cob (feel too big for him), a 15.3 HW cob (feel a bit small on her!) and a 2yr old ISH who's going to make about 17hh (suspect I'll look like a midget on him!).

Anything from 14.2 upwards will carry you easily (and plenty of deep chested native types much smaller too), it depends what you prefer.

The biggest factor on how you feel is not their height but their girth: you will feel much more at home on a 14.2 highland (who takes a 60" girth) compared to a 16hh TB who takes a 42" girth.
 
I'm 5'11 and 9.5 stone and own a MW horse that is 15.3 who I felt like I was too big personally for but by no means do I look it and in no way am I over in weight. I share a 16.1 who I feel fine on but for my ridiculously long legs I probably would be better on a 16.2 - 16.3.

I think at 5'8 and being slim you could easily ride a 15hh horse, if its chunkier you wont look silly at all but if its a TB type you might feel your legs are too long (though again thats personal preference).
 
soooo i'm thinking that there is no guide then!!! :D Just try and see how i feel (within reason, i won't go jumping on a 13hh pony, i might squish it). Cheers guys
 
I'm 5 foot 10 and 10 stone. My ideal size of horse would be light to medium weight 16 hh, but I am more than happy to ride 15.2 hh horses. The smallest I have ridden regularly was a 13.3 hh stocky welsh section D. She carried me fine but I did look pretty tall on her! :o
 
Depends too on your build. I'm 5'10 & just under 9stone, but I'm mainly legs. So a short necked native who takes up leg suits me more than a slightly bigger finer type. I still ride my 14.2 connie x tb, & had no problems competing & hunting her at this height. And how full up they are makes a difference. Mine has no withers, so rides more like 15hh.14.2 & high withered will feel like 14hh. Really I find I am limited height wise before weight, & I imagine it will be the same for you, eg you'll feel too tall to ride effectively before you are actually too big.
 
depends on your horses build too - mine takes up a lot of leg - she's 16hh and i'm 5'6.
i've had a 6' friend ride her and looked fine
 
It's not about your height and weight really, a well built section A at 12 hands should be able to carry 9 stone, as they would have to in their native countryside. More about their spring of rib and depth of body to take up your legs. You could probably ride anything from 13 hands upwards, depends what you feel comfortable on.
 
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