Really big horses

[BigRed]

I am very tall, and I like big horses, but someone has offered me a horse on loan, with a view to buying him, who is 18 hands. I would normally consider this a bit OTT. But, he sounds very nice, and it's a huge bonus to be able to have him for a while before handing over the money.

Who has a horse this big and what are the downsides ?

 

[Chestnutmare]

Wow 18hh...BIG...downsides are BIG feet, BIG rugs, step ladder in order to get on, your stuffed if you need to get off on a hack...lol.
travelling I guess have you transport big enough?
Stable big enough?
Does the horse sound ideal for what you are looking for?.

I too am tall and been looking at anything over 15.2hh and have 16.3hh and 17hh offered to me both ideal.

Depends on what you want to do.

 

[BBH]

Downsides would outweigh everything else if you really like the horse but a few..

Rug availability
trailer / lorry height
others may not feel happy handling / riding him if you needed help
hard to loan out / share / sell if your circumstances change
tack, may need a few made to measure items
cost of keeping him, thats a big horse to feed
not all livery yards may be able to accommodate a horse that size
cost of shoeing

actually there's loads but it still wouldn't out me off if I loved the horse.

 

[BigRed]

I have been told from two sources that he is a saint in all respects, temperament is very important to me. I want to hack and compete in dressage. I wouldn't normally look at anything smaller than 16.2. I feel too big. I have a 5 x 5m stable. I just realised my trailer is only good for 17.2...

 

[JessPickle]

Find out what size feet he has, up to a size 7 it doesnt cost more, as for rugs it isn't a problem 7ft3+ is easily available and often cheaper than other sizes and always in the sale.

Mine isn't quite as big as 18hh, but is 17.1 and chunky, feed wise he is on livery where all feed is included as well as ad lib hay meaning he costs no more than our 15.1hh TB x.

Tack wise extra full bridles are available cheaply! I have a huge extra full bridle where even pickle has it on the top holes. It was £30 was brand new

Transport wise though you would definitely need to consider carefully, mine I can just about fit in an Ifor 510 but 18hh would be a no go. However with a large lorry you wouldn't have a problem.

 

[smudge99]

Go and have a look at him. My 18.1 would go into my IW510 as he had quite a low set on neck and was quite short in length. Although he wore a 7'3 rug I never had any problems getting these. I would NEVER have let him go but he was too sharp for me too ride so he has gone to a super home. If I got offered another that size and was brill to ride I wouldn't think twice....pass him my way if you dont like lol ;o)

Liz

 

[MissTyc]

Tons of 7ft3 rugs in the Premier Equine sale at the moment.
It's very sad as I have no such huge horse!

 

[jhoward]

I had an 18.2 things like rugs/tack/shoes are no different and no extra costs. the main things to consider, are stable size, cost of feeding and travelling.. it was never the height I had a problem with but overal length of horse space.

Im only 5"1 and never had a problem mounting him!

 

[jhoward]

I have been told from two sources that he is a saint in all respects, temperament is very important to me. I want to hack and compete in dressage. I wouldn't normally look at anything smaller than 16.2. I feel too big. I have a 5 x 5m stable. I just realised my trailer is only good for 17.2...

the trasiler needed be a problem, chances are it will be hte length that proves an issue.. rump to chest wise, but.. depending on your trailer it is fairly easy to move a breast/breach bar forward giving horse a few more inches.

 

[Umbongo]

I would go and have a look at him

Rug/tack/boots availability etc would not be a huge problem...as they are normally easily available in the sales!!!

Other people may be worried about handling him, but tbh we have a couple of 18hh's...and I would rather lead them in together than some of the smaller horses on the yard any day!

The only downsides I can think of are stable size, cost of feeding, trailer size (we have to use a lorry), trying to throw rugs on and off Step ladder for plaiting etc. If you are tall then I would have thought getting on and off wouldn't be a huge problem. I'm a leggy 5ft 7 and can get on a 17.2hh from the ground if need be on a hack/stand on a wall or gateway.

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

I have an 18.1hh shire and I would never go back. (and I'm 5'7/5'8)
He travels in a 3.5 tonne box, so not much of a problem.
Costs the same to have his feet trimmed, but shoes cost around 50% more as they have to be hand made, off the peg shoes are too small and would damage their hooves if you used them for long.
Rugs are cheaper if you get them in a sale, but more expensive if you have to buy them at other times, like if they rip them...
Bits can be a little tricky to get hold of in their size, but seem to cost about the same.
Cost of hay/haylage. I feed mainbale, which is mean to last a 16.2 3 days... it lasts Fella one...
The only other cost I can think of is if they trash something, they don't always know their own strength and if something catches their attention, fences and stable doors don't always hold...lol!

 

[miss_bird]

I have a mare touching 18hh she is in a full size bridle, normal size shoes, rugs are 7ft, does fit in a 510 and a average stable so cost no more than a 16 - 17hh horse to keep or buy for.
So if the mare sounds right for you go for it

 

[beutifulwobble]

I have a 17hh shire cross- he is in 7ft rugs, the biggest shoes my farrier has, xxw saddle. th eonly issue i have is bits. A saddlery is derbyshire makes my bits to order at 7 inchs. He is lush in everyway and wonderful to own. Take a shot it will b worth it xx

 

[juliette]

The only other things to consider not already mentioned are who you are going to hack out with - would a small horse keep up with his long paces for example?!

Also, what fencing you have - I know someone who has an 18hh horse that can really jump so he has a special turnout area for when he is out alone that is about 8 foot high - made from telegraph poles. That does keep him in!!

 

[Kellys Heroes]

The only other things to consider not already mentioned are who you are going to hack out with - would a small horse keep up with his long paces for example?!

Not big-big but this caught my eye - my first part loan 13.2hh pony kept up with the other 16.2hh and 14.2hh girls when we all hacked out - kept him fit!!
I'd say go for it, the only problem I find with bigger horses is apart from what's mentioned they don't know their own strength when they're pratting about!!!
K x

 

[FanyDuChamp]

My 17-3hh is in 7ft rugs, so no probs there. Normal tack, WB or XF bridle, bit and normal saddle. Handling,a big horse no more likely to be difficult than any other horse in my opinion.Farrier costs exactly the same as my 14-2hh.

Only problem is the travel, has to be a lorry or the 510 trailer. He also has a big stable around 16 x 20ft. This is more because of his rolling than size though.

As for not keeping up, Captain has trouble keeping up with a veteran welshie, who is around 14-3hh, so not even issues there.

Overall he is no more of a problem than my mare, in fact it was a lot harder getting a saddle to fit her than to fit him.

If the horse is right, I don't think size is relevant.
FDC

 

[TheEquineOak]

My boy is 17.3hh

The only thing that costs more is the feed! We have access to a hgv for transport but if I didn't, it wouldn't put me off him.

Big is best

 

[Cuppatea]

Im only 5"1 and never had a problem mounting him!

I don't think size is relevant.
FDC

Big is best

 

[TheEquineOak]

Tut Tut

 

[MizzPurpleKitten]

I have an 18.1hh WB Gelding. I was originally looking for something between 16.2hh and 17hh ideally but I met him and he fitted the bill perfectly. I don't find shoeing, rugging, tack, handling, mounting, dismounting or anything any more difficult than it is with a smaller horse. My boy goes in an Ifor Williams 510 or 511 happily, and regularly travels in an Oakley Supreme supposedly built to carry up to 17hh fine. The only small issue I have found is stables......not a lot of yards have stables big enough (in fact if we're talking on a technicality here, my stable is a little on the small side for him but he is happy in it) so if ever you were to move (not sure whether you keep your horses at home or at a yard) you'd need to consider stable size carefully.

 

[jhoward]

LOL theres always one!

 

[MrsHutt]

Cheeky! Well they do say size doesn't matter! That's what my hubby says, anyway!

 

[vickyc]

Hi there

I have a Irish draught x TB 17.2hh and I have found transport being my BIG problem, as all my friends have small trailers so I had to hire a box on my own, which got very expensive.

 

[Vixen Van Debz]

18hh? Photos of your giants please! I met a proper shire as a kid and it seemed impossibly tall... though given I was knee high on a grass hopper at the time, he might not have even been all that tall for the breed but seemed giant!

 

[jhoward]

my big lad.. sold now

 

[TheEquineOak]

Here's the old shire horse Tyson - 17.2hh

And here's the young boy Arnie - 7.3hh

JHoward - was this the horse you emailed me about? In september I think?! I didn't get to see any pics but he's LOVELY

 

[laurajane]

Downsides would outweigh everything else if you really like the horse but a few..

Rug availability
trailer / lorry height
others may not feel happy handling / riding him if you needed help
hard to loan out / share / sell if your circumstances change
tack, may need a few made to measure items
cost of keeping him, thats a big horse to feed
not all livery yards may be able to accommodate a horse that size
cost of shoeing

actually there's loads but it still wouldn't out me off if I loved the horse.

Well my boy's 17.3, and i'm 5'4" - size doesn't matter hehe

Trailers are difficult to come across, but I have a cheval liberte and he has about a foot of space above his head when he's stood high. plent of room above the withers.

7ft 7'3" rugs aren't as hard to get as you may think, and everywhere I've been has always had a stable big enough. To be honest, I don't think it'll be as difficult as some people may think it is. for the sake of an inch on eight difference, i don't have any problems with anything, and he doesn't cost alot to feed either.

Obviously a 14.2 would be alot easier, but he's my first horse n i've never struggled. Oh, and he doesn't need special shoes and he's got MASSIVE feet, so I wouldn't worry too much!

Best of luck!!

LJ x

 

[Apercrumbie]

What other people have said is very true. However I would like to add:

18hh is a lot of horse to keep together for dressage. I understand that you are tall but make sure when you try him that he has good balance. Also, and I know it's a bit silly, it's also a lot of horse to groom

 

[BigPony]

My old man is 18.1 and an absolute sweetheart. I wouldn't swap him for the world

I find rugs are often bargains because noone else wants a 7ft 3 or 7ft 6. Beware of terrible colours though

(For scale, the other one is 16.3)

I don't have a hope in hell of getting on from the ground (I'm 5"6) and have walked home a few times, or been giggling too much to be able to get back on as he refuses to get in a ditch or stand by the precarious forestry gate But I don't feel overhorsed and generally quite secure, there's a lot of horse to hang on to if it goes wrong

Stable sizes can be a problem - he's currently in a 12 x 14 and that's probably the smallest he's been in, although he was briefly in a 12 x 12.

Transport wise he didn't fit in YO's gorgeous new sovereign lorry, but he did fit in their little daytripper with room to spare:

He does occasionally get told off for chewing on the stables fascia boards, but is handy for clearing guttering out Oh and we do sometimes get a bit stuck exploring new routes if there's some low branches, but it's usually just me who suffers

 

[BigRed]

Thanks to everyone for your input. Much appreciated.