novice 6'2" 14.5 stone what horse size?

D

dusty1967

Member
Joined
23 November 2011
Messages
13
Visit site
Hi everyone

I started riding about 2 years ago in my 40's. I'm 6 foot 2 and 14.5 stone (a man!!) and really enjoy hacking. I want to be able to buy my own horse as the riding stables ones can be a bit follow the leader.... I currently ride a 16hh hunter type (mainly ID plus some TB) but some people say he is too small for me and that I need more like 17hh.... Most of my riding is on moors in the south west so the horse needs to be able to deal with steep sheep tracks, bogs etc etc. What size and type of horse would you all suggest? Cheers! PS - I also was to go out hunting so it has to be a type that's going to look good at the meet and won't go crazy in company!!
 
Mmm, I probably just bought your ideal horse! 17.1 ISH - mostly TB but with some Holstein in there, nice quality, good manners, lovely attitude and hunts.
 
It's the bone not that height that's important. Without seeing a pic I'd say what you are riding sounds just fine, because he is mainly ID, which is a good weight carrying type. 16 hands is plenty if he has the bone, at 17 hands a) they tend to be a lot of horse to hold together, esp if out hunting and b) it'll cost you more to keep!

People do tend to underestimate what horses will carry, if you look at polo ponies they all carry men of about 14 stone and they are galloping, stopping and turning, so very demanding exercise.

If you want to hunt I would say anything cobby from 15.2 up would be fine, the most important thing is that it's a very experienced hunter if you are a novice, so look for something older that's been there and got the T-shirt! A part bred ID is a good bet.
 
I would say a 16.2 + medium weight, something like an irish draught would be ideal!
I wouldn't say your current horse is too small for you - they should be well capabe of carrying your weight. It more depends on how you feel as yes, you probably are on the tall side. The stockier the horse, the more they take up your leg, so the shorter you can get away with.
I'm 5'8 and I would never buy a horse under 16.2! I just don't 'feel' right. My 18.1 is perfect :D
 
Last edited:
Polotash said:
It's the bone not that height that's important. Without seeing a pic I'd say what you are riding sounds just fine, because he is mainly ID, which is a good weight carrying type. 16 hands is plenty if he has the bone.
Click to expand...

Hi - 16 doesn't feel too small when I'm on board. All that seems odd for my height about smaller horses is the lack of neck / head in front of you on a hacking canter!
 
I would also agree an Irish Draught type would be ideal, but please please do not rush into buying simply because you think riding school horses are follow the leader. Yes they are, but going to a horse of your own is such a huge step! Why dont you see if you can find a horse to share, that way you can get an idea of what you feel most comfortable with, as most RS horses will ride the same, but if you were to hop straight on a 17hh ID which has never seen a riding school I think you might get a bit of a shock!

Sorry I know you weren't after advice in that sense, I got a bit sidetracked :rolleyes:
 
My other half if 6'3" and he rides both my shire at 17'1 and my clydesdale at 18'2 so I would think something around the 16'3 17'2 mark woudl be a good size for you. My boys both picked me and Im 5'5 :eek: so nothing is written in stone.

This is my shire for you to take a look at for comparison

CIMG0518.jpg


CIMG0517.jpg
 
Last edited:
I would have thought anything 16h + with good amount of bone. Why not contact local hunt and ask them if they know of any hirelings so you can go out on an experinced horse to get an idea of what its all about - or ask the hunt secretary if he/she knows of any experienced hunters for sale. This way the secretary will be able to honestly tell you what they are like out hunting. It is a big step getting your own but well worth it !

ps. the stockier types rather than TB will prob be easier to keep weight on and cost you less - also a little less delicate and ideal for hunting.
 
claudiacox14 said:
but if you were to hop straight on a 17hh ID which has never seen a riding school I think you might get a bit of a shock!:
Click to expand...

Hi - yes I have tried a couple out and it's the difference between driving a milk float and a porsche:D!! I also have school lessons and my ideal (if such a thing exists) is a safe sensible horse that has hunted before which can also work in the school....
 
I would go for something around the 16hh - 16.2hh mark with a large girth and plenty of bone.

ID's, Cleveland bays, Shire crosses, clydie crosses or indeed any of the heavier crosses would be worth a look. Or 'just' a good solid cob.

I think you need to look for temperament as much as anything. Most horses can turn their hooves to most things and deal with most environments but you need something sane and sensible due to the fact that you are a novice, still riding riding school horses which, as someone else said, are very different to 'normal' horses. I'd also echo the sugestion of sharing for a while to get your hand in a bit more.

Good luck
 
My OH is having similar problems, he is also 6ft 2 but of a stocky build (rugby player type that doesn't actually play! lol) and I have managed to find one riding school and one trekking center that will take him with a grand total of 3 horses he can ride between them! One of which is a heavyweight just 16hh which he feels silly on as he all legs. He really wants to advance but the two riding school horses, which although great at their job, they aren't the best for teaching the finer points on if you see what I mean! I would love to get him on a private horse to show him what a "real" horse is like but he's still a bit wobbly/unclear, although after weekly lessons since the end of july he's already popped his first logs!
 
HumBugsey said:
I have managed to find one riding school and one trekking center that will take him with a grand total of 3 horses he can ride between them! One of which is a heavyweight just 16hh which he feels silly on as he all legs. He really wants to advance but the two riding school horses, which although great at their job, they aren't the best for teaching the finer points on if you see what I mean! !
Click to expand...

This was also a massive problem for me. RS's are set up for kids so mainly ponies. I always ended up on the ploddy cob so found it so difficult to learn anything. Ended up at a really good stables where I ride horses that are used as hunters in the winter season so halfway to being private horses.
 
My husband is the same proportion as you, although you are an inch taller. We have ClydieX, Jack, who is 16hh exactly and Dom looks slightly tall on him.

1-1.jpg


However, we've worked out that Dom's height is all in his body as I'm 7" shorter but his legs are only 2" longer than mine.
 
My other half is of similar proportions he has had a few horses of different sizes and been comfortable on all of them. They were a 16.2hh overgrown cob type, 17hh tb and he now has a 16.3 ish who seems to be the most suitable match. He struggled to find a riding school with a big enough horse that wasnt a total plod, so he brought his own and learned that way.
 
dusty1967 said:
This was also a massive problem for me. RS's are set up for kids so mainly ponies. I always ended up on the ploddy cob so found it so difficult to learn anything. Ended up at a really good stables where I ride horses that are used as hunters in the winter season so halfway to being private horses.
Click to expand...

It is something I've spoken with the RS about, they could make a killing with suitable horsepower for bigger people, make it a real selling point. Wish I had the money to buy something, even if we had to share!
 
My husband is 6'1" and we bought him a 15 year old ex masters horse. He was never bought to hunt, just for a confidence giving hack after my own horse bolted with him. He is 17.2HH, absolutely bomb proof and apart from being an affectionate thug, which can bruise you at times, he has never put a foot wrong.

His hunting days are certainly long gone, but he is an excellent nanny to my youngster and I am teaching a complete novice friend to ride on him.
 
I have a photo of myself on a 16hh horse with my feet dangling below the body line - see below. Is this bad? Should my feet be engaged with the flank when in stirrups?? If so I need a higher horse - OR do I need one with a larger girth? PS apologies for the awful photo lol!

johndrover1967
 
dusty1967 said:
sorry - here's the picture!!

IMG00545-20111103-1902.jpg
[/IMG]
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say you look too big on him at all - I think it's much easier to school a horse and keep it together properly if you have a bit of extra leg so you can really get them wrapped around - I have the opposite problem as my boy is touching 17hh and I'm 5'2" on a good day!
The saddle looks a bit small though!
With regards to your own horse I think you need something like my lad (although he's not for sale!) - he's 17hh ID X WB, ID temperament, coat, mane & tail! :) with WB paces. He's never stopped or refused anything he's ever been put to, will hack all day, anywhere and in all conditions. Only ever really 'spooked' at anything twice in 6 years! He'd carry 14.5 stone all day long, so they are out there you just have to be prepared to look for them! I will admit however I've had Bailey since he was 4 years old but perhaps something so young wouldn't be good for a novice? and I'd be paying at least twice as much now for him so a lot will depend on your budget.
 
I would say you do actually look a little tall for the horse - their body is actually quite fine so isn't taking up much of your leg and making you look taller. It's not a problem as you aren't heavy and you aren't riding it day in, day out, year in, year out as it isn't you horse. But when you come to get your own I would be looking for something taller and/or chunkier.
 
Last edited:
My hubby is 5'10 and rides a 15hh cob who takes his leg perfectly. I would imagine too small for you but anything medium to heavy weight 16hh plus will be fine. Go for something that has been there and done that.
 
My youngest son is roughly the same size as you and will periodically have a sit on (he can't ride at all and panics if they go out of walk!).
My traditional cob is only 15.1 but my son looks better on him than my firends 17hh warmblood (cross giraffe!). Probably to do with the width, and taking up of the leg, as riding Markie is like sitting on a dining table rather than an ironing board.
Also, some horses ride smaller, or bigger, than they actually are.
 
Alphamare said:
Go for something that has been there and done that.
Click to expand...

And that's another question - I'm told a horse's character is developed by 4 so as long as they are sensible by 5 they will be for their lives. Now of course things can change but as a rule of thumb is that true???

Also, by looking for a horse that's been there and done that I'm looking at 10 years + old? What I don't want to do is have to deal with a ageing horse in a few years. I was thinking around 7 as a compromise and one that's been in its current home for some time??
 
dusty1967 said:
And that's another question - I'm told a horse's character is developed by 4 so as long as they are sensible by 5 they will be for their lives. Now of course things can change but as a rule of thumb is that true???

Also, by looking for a horse that's been there and done that I'm looking at 10 years + old? What I don't want to do is have to deal with a ageing horse in a few years. I was thinking around 7 as a compromise and one that's been in its current home for some time??
Click to expand...

You don't need a horses thats "character" has stablised, (not sure what is meant by that anyway!) but who has been there and done that, hunted a few seasons, lots of hacking, out to shows, hunter trials etc. You do NOT want a youngster, 2 years experience on riding school horses is not enough to bring a youngster on. A first time horse owner and a youngster looking for confidence and direction can be dire. I would be looking for something 8-12 in your position, 8 absolute minimum. I wouldn't define a horse as elderly by 17, one of my old boys was a masters horse until 19 and continued to do the odd days hunting after that.
 
It all depends how the horse rides as well, as some bigger horses can ride quite small and some smaller horses can ride quite big. You look slightly top heavy on the horse and as someone else said the saddle looks to be a little small.
Anything from about 15hh (if stocky to take up your leg with good bone) right up to 18hh would be fine for you I would say. The main thing is making sure you feel comfortable on the horse and feel secure, and you feel the horse is comfortable with you on board and you feel the horse iscapable of doing whatever discipline you ask the horse to do.

I wouldn't say based on your height and weight that you need a specific size at all. Lots of things need to be considered when you're going to get on a horse who you feel may not be able to carry you- weight (to some extent) and height, but also how the horse rides and how you ride (i.e if you are balanced and have a light seat. An 8 stone wet through rider could do more damage to a horse by bouncing around on it's back than a 15 stone rider could do if they are very light through their seat and balanced). I'm 5ft 2 and will never buy anything below 16.3 unless it was seriously talented and rode bigger than it was. I actually prefer horses around 17hh-17.2hh as I feel more secure and have never struggled with even Clydesdale horses of this size, yet I have felt unsecure on something that's 15hh and as if not enough horse was under and infront of me.

It really is mostly what you are comfortable with and if the horse is capable of doing what you require it to do.
 
Last edited:
tasteofchaos said:
You don't need a horses thats "character" has stablised, (not sure what is meant by that anyway!) but who has been there and done that, hunted a few seasons, lots of hacking, out to shows, hunter trials etc. You do NOT want a youngster, 2 years experience on riding school horses is not enough to bring a youngster on. A first time horse owner and a youngster looking for confidence and direction can be dire. I would be looking for something 8-12 in your position, 8 absolute minimum. I wouldn't define a horse as elderly by 17, one of my old boys was a masters horse until 19 and continued to do the odd days hunting after that.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree 100%

FWIW My lovely sensible boy was a bit of a fool at 7/8 years old, much worse than he was at 4 years! The heavier builds tend to mature slower as do WB's.
 
Oh yes 8 plus is a good idea. As above it's not so much about the character (although that helps) but about how much the horse has done. I would recommend that the horse you buy can do and has already done everything you will want from it. You have no experience in bringing on a horse so it's not a good idea to get one that's green in any shape or form. It's not so much about age :)
 
I would say you look a little tall but that minimum of 16 hands upwards would suite as long as chunky sort if towards smaller end of scale.

Do be careful if you go very large - farriers can charge more for shoeing (if shire type) and you would need a larger trailer esp. if larger than 17 hands

Sharing a good idea or possibly loaning with view to buy
 
I would say looking at that picture that you might feel more comfortable on a bigger horse.. I used to ride an ex masters horse, around 18hh Clydesdale x TB.. He would have been perfect for you :) Great temperament and a novice ride... he was about 17yrs old! (you would probably want something a bit younger if you want to go hunting & do lots of hacking etc)

Personally I would look for a share or part loan to start with.. But if you are set on getting your own horse I would look for a quiet approx 10yrs old 16.2hh+ hunter-type with plenty of bone, that had been there and done it.

As others have said it isn't the height that matters, it's the bone.. I am 5ft6 and have a 17hh TB (quite a thick set TB aswell) and he's just the right size for me. :D I had a friend on him that is 6ft2 and about 15st.. The horse didn't struggle to carry him but he did look rather large perched on top! :rolleyes:
 
It appears to be just me that doesn't think you look too big for the horse you ride!!!!!! I do think a bigger saddle would make a huge difference though but you need to make sure the horses back can take a longer saddle of course.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top