Proportions (horse size / rider size)

I'm 5ft 4, my mare is 14.1hh, I used to worry about being to big for her until I met a lady out hacking a little welsh a last year. He couldn't have been any bigger than 11hh, she had to be at least 5ft 10, about 10/11 stone minimum. He was quite happy carrying her.

She joined onto the back of my ride for a bit (I was working at the time) all the horses towering over this little pony, but he overtook us all when we cantered including the 16.1hh tb x I was riding! I was amazed!!!
 
This is me on my 13.1hh welshie
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And my 14hh cob
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Think I am slightly underhorsed here though... ;)
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i dont think size really matters, its just weight. im 5ft7 and only have a 13.2hh fell pony. with him being stocky he can carry my weight ( im 10 stone) no bother. jumps and everything with me. i have quite long legs but with him being stocky it kinda makes up for it.
i would put a photo up but i dont know how haha
 
I'm 5'6
On 11.2
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On 13.3
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16.2- looking like a pea on a drum
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And Red, 17hh, looking a little better than on the 16.2
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To me it all depends on the horse's width and depth of their chest and also whether your height is in your calves, thighs or torso. I have short legs and a long body although I'm quite long in my thigh, put it this way, the black chaps I'm wearing in some of the pics are Xsmall :o
 
I am 5ft and feel i can ride 13.2-15.2 probably best, any bigger and my foot finishes just below the saddle :S Do ride smaller and bigger though just not sure how successfully!
 
I think that there is a definite trend towards people wanting bigger horses, particularly dressage folk looking for big movement.

Personally I am 5 10 13 stone and am comfortable on my 15 2 quarter horse, she carries me effortlessly as you would expect with this breed of horse.

I think that for people who do a lot of hacking out, especially in fairly remote areas, like where I live. You should ride a horse you can comfortablely mount from the ground, if necessary. I ve seen lots of folk get off a tall horse and be really stuck looking for a wall or something to get back on.

Getting on and off at loads of gates makes you appreciate a shorter horse.
 
I'm 5'3 (and 4 months pregnant in this pic, don't normally have such a round belly!) and here I am on my 16.2. Pea on a drum, but he is a gent. My yearling should make 15.2-16hh and my rising 3 year old is about 13hh now, but still bum high. The 3 year old is a project to sell on in a few years after he has done his companion duties, but i'll happily back him and bring him on (despite being a little heavier than I used to be after having a baby!)

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Thanks ruth for showing me a couple of pics its reassuring to see other people same sort of size weight going to same sort of size horses yeahh hopefully he will have a couple of inches to grow upwards and outwards yet ! Thanks
 
hi

I used to think that I looked silly on my 14hh welsh cob being 5ft 10" but i can safely say that she carries me fine! When i went to look at her she was listed at 14.3hh and since i was moving down from a 16hh horse see was always going to seem small but when i got home and sticked her she was only 14hh!!

Me looking slightly tall on her

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and below my tall 7 year old looking rather small on her

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More a question of whether you FEEL under- or over-horsed. Can you ride effectively? Is the horse going sweetly? - then your relative heights are of less importance........

Look at pictures of the Spanish Riding School - the riders don't look underhorsed yet their legs are quite often below the belly line.

With smaller horses/ponies the length of saddle is often the deciding factor as they have shorter backs.
 
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