On the other side of the coin, can you be too light for a horse?

Blizzard

Blizzard

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ie Im 8 stones and have a 17.3hh (the bay) and a 16.2hh (black), OH jokes on that they are too big for me and they wont even know Im there!

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so can you be too light for a horse, ie in that your aids are ineffectual etc I suppose,although I think thats more to do with strength than size?

How many times do you hear, that horse is too big for her/him!
 
I think if you are a capable rider it shouldn't matter how small you are.
Of course it helps if your legs reach the bottom of the saddle flaps though, lol
 
LMFAO missugoopy!!!!!!!!

Ummmm yes, I think some people can be too light for their horse, as some horses will just take the pee, but then again some people ride v well and have an understanding with their horses - SpottedCat and her big thug spring to mind!

I have never, in my entire life, been too light/small for a horse - it would have to be about 20hh
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I'm 9 stone and 5'7'' and my horse is 16.3 MW so I'm not that little for him, but he's very powerful and at times I do think he's more of a "mans ride".

I like big, powerful horse though so I'll struggle on!
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I might get bigger muscles eventually!
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I dont think you can be too light (shades of that old hag Wallace Simpson saying you can never been too rich or too thin), but I think you can definitely be too small to be effectual.

The horse I ride currently is a stonking great chap, all 17hh of him. He carries me very comfortably, and I get pretty good results out of him, even though i have short legs and have to work hard to make my aids effective. We put one of the little girls who helps out at the stables on him, for some fun jumping, she is only 12 and a featherweight little thing, and i swear, he didn't even notice she was there. It was like loose jumping for him!
 
i agree with burtie, having had the privilege of seeing Lee ride.
there are lots of very small riders who get an amazing tune out of horses of all sizes. Helen Bell on Troubleshooter springs to mind... she looked like a pea on a piano, and he went brilliantly. and Tiziana Realini on Gamour at the euros looked the same. strength and weight are not necessary, schooling is, imho.
 
im 7stone and 5ft1 !!! so tiny and ride horses up to about 16.2hh - have ridden bigger but do find if im on a 17hh and it really doesnt want to do something im sometimes just not physically strong enough !!
 
I have to agree that I don't think it is a case of being too light but more not being strong enough. One of the girls down my yard is about a size 10 and is 5'5/5'6 and she recently got a 16.3hh hunter type and she just did not have the strength in her legs to ride him and he became too strong for her. She now has another 16.3hh but he is a lightweight warmblood and she is much better off now.
 
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