Riding big horses

Shantara

Shantara

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 August 2009
Messages
7,428
Location
Milton Keynes
Visit site
Yesterday I rode a lovely horse called Arti, he was really well behaved and has a good nature. However, he is huge! At least 16.3 - 17hh! I felt like a complete novice and it was really hard riding him. Any tips for making it easier?
 
No tips although my own horse is 16.2 .ive never ridden anything much smaller but i do know i could never cope with the smaller strides of a pony! Im watching with interest though because i have fallen for a clydesdale and want to see if anyone feels a bit worried about getting on or off something so big (18 hh ish)
 
I used to ride a Clydesdale and a shire at an old yard I worked at years ago. Literally the best fun I've ever had! Awesome horses.
My own horse is really a bit too big for me now, he's only 16.2 but a big horse and I do sometimes struggle slightly with keeping him together, especially with scary things in the distance ;)
 
it'll get easier.
use a neck strap if it makes you feel a bit more secure. I use one on my big lad sometimes as he can be a bit exuberant. :tongue3:
My smallest is 16.2hh and he feels like a pony compared to the big guy, who's 17.3hh.
 
I've got a 16.2hh that rides like a bus, and rode a 17.2hh for about a month last year, who again, rides like a bus. It's all just leg to hand really. Going from a 15.2hh with short pony strides to the 17.2hh was a bit of a struggle as it felt like you were standing in the stirrups for a year before you could sit down again haha. Easiest thing with that is to just trot around at a slightly slower pace to begin with to get used to stride length.
My 16.2hh has very, VERY elevated paces and that was even more difficult to get used to! He's a grip with the lower leg otherwise you'll bounce off type (means that it's slightly easier to keep him together as the leg is always on). You should get used to it after a couple of goes and then you'll be fine. Neck strap etc
 
Try shortening your stirrups a hole for the first couple of goes, that way you wont struggle to rise to the trot but it just takes practice i have a 16.3 and a 16.2 but the 16.2 rides bigger it took me a good weeks worth of riding to be able to actually ride him properly! I second the neck strap too it will make you balance on your hands alot less.... once you go big you'll never go back thou!! I hate riding the ponies now! Love my big striding trots!!
 
You'll get used to them! I ride my big boy with a hunting breastplate, this has a very handy "Jesus" handle just in front of the saddle if things get interesting, but he's very good. Rode a 15 hh, and it felt like a shetland.
 
I found that weird too!! I once loaned a 17.3 hunter and found riding him a doddle. Downsized to 15.3 and for a few years nothing bigger then I was plonked on a 17.2 ID and honest to goodness I could not even move him one step. It was the strangest feeling.
 
When i first started riding big girl it felt really strange for me - I'd previously been riding 14.2 and she's 16.2 now (was around 16h at the time). Everything felt huge and like it was in slow motion but now it's the other way round - I don't think I could ride a pony again!
 
I've gone the other way, from 17hh to just over 15hh. Much prefer riding the over grown pony. Far smaller a distance to fall from! Jumps do look bigger though.
 
Don't think height is completely the issue, conformation eg long backed or short coupled and how extravagent the paces are also play a part. My smallish TB had big paces for his size so rode quite big but as his neck was set on a bit too low, he felt small as there was little in front of you. Whereas 16.1 WB with lovely conformation can feel very strung out until he's working correctly, daughter's 16.2 eventer is short coupled and much easier to ride than the 16.1, doesn't feel as much horse. i rode a friends 15.1 cob recently and he felt minute mainly because he doesn't have much of a trot. Biggest issue with big horses is getting on and off if there's no mounting block...impossible for me as my spring has gone!
 
i have ridden very big horses, in height and width, 17hh gelderlanders, really round shires and more. i now only ride smaller beasties as the ground is closer so i don't hurt so much if i tumble. i always found the bigger horses had a very comfortable stride and were easy to ride. mounting was not an issue, in the days when i was more flexible.
 
happyclappy said:
i have ridden very big horses, in height and width, 17hh gelderlanders, really round shires and more. i now only ride smaller beasties as the ground is closer so i don't hurt so much if i tumble. i always found the bigger horses had a very comfortable stride and were easy to ride. mounting was not an issue, in the days when i was more flexible.
Click to expand...

Ha ha! I too have found as my age goes up, my horse sizes have gone down.. :D
 
I think bigger horses need more time to get them selves together, on my girl who is around 17h it give a warning aid before I ask for real, and I start turning way before I think I need to! hope that helps other than that it is just getting the rhythm and that is just practice.

Its ponies I have a hard time riding
 
Not keen on ponies either.. Not since one dumped me and I broke my collarbone. My excuse was the ground was too close lol.
I feel comfortable on the two 17h + I ride. They are totally different though in how they move. Just have to remember that their stride covers a lot of ground quickly and I need to start thinking turn before I get to the turning point :o
Getting on is ok it's the long way down I struggle with :)
 
I think it just takes time!
I've been riding a friend's HW hunter who's a good 17.3hh and there's plenty of him in width and length. It just took a while to get used to him but I actually found doing lots of sitting trot helped me get a feel for the beat, made rising easier! The canter is the one thing that sometimes gets me though, if we're on a hack and come across a nice big field it feels like we're going 90 miles an hour when he's still in a low canter gear, such long strides can cover ground so quickly!
But after 2 summers of riding him, a 17.1hh and a 17hh I got used to the size very quickly. Now anything smaller than 16.2hh feels like a pony. Rode a friend's 16.1hh 3/4 ID mare and called her a lovely little horse, friend looked a me like I was nuts.

That said, I still can't get my head around jumping big horses, can jump ponies til the clouds come home but it takes me several "practice" runs before I get into the swing of things with a big horse's jump!
 
I think the secret is learning to be patient and not think how much ground you are covering... everything with a big horse happens slower but bigger, which makes them easier in someways but you have to move more - oh and a really good bra is essential.
 
Practice! It's what you are used to, really

We only have big horses usually - smallest we have is 17.1, biggest is approx 17.3 - I got what feels like a little bouncing ball of a jumping machine last year -he's called the ginger pony and he's 16.3!

Previously I was eventing TBs or near TBs so was far more proficient on small sharp things -the big guys are harder to fall off!
 
I used to ride a 16.3hh IDx and she was waaaaay to big for me...occasionally ride one of the TBs (around the 16hh mark) if I feel like a change but I am very happy on my 12hh Exmoors thank you very much!! :D someone did once say that Exmoors would be lovely if they were 15hh - I looked in horror!! Could only imagine the carnage! 12hh is quite enough with the attitudes that often go with them!! :D
 
Having recently acquired a 16.3 half shire I know what you are feeling! It does take time. The more you can ride the better. I have no problems at all with hacking out, I do not really think about his size and he is so good.

My main problems are in the school. I have more problems with his size in the small space and struggle to keep him forward and off my leg, but again this will come with practice. The main think I have learnt with him as opposed to my previous boy a 16.2 TB type, is that I have to take a firmer contact with him and really ride his shoulders on the turns and try and keep him together.

I do however, totally love my big boy - he is my gentle giant (except when he does his occasional giraffe impression when trying to put a headcollar or bridle on!)
 
I don't really notice how huge my neddy is until I ride out with other people, then it's really obvious!!

Last night we hacked out with an 11.2hh pony and he's 18hh!! Yes, we did look quite comical.

It did take me a while (when I first got him) to get used to his bouncy action but that's more breeding, rather than size. He's Clydesdale so lifts his legs high.

Getting on - not a hope in hell from the floor!! Getting off - slide off until your feet eventually hit the deck.
 
I prefer 16hh compact buzzy sort of types so getting my 17hh warmblood was a bit of a surprise (Ive measured him at 17.1hh with no shoes...). But you soon get used to it. I dont suit big, long horses but I love riding him now. My only issue with his size is it really hurts when you fall off from that height! Luckily only fallen off once (not his fault) but ouch - knocked out and my shoulder is permanently lower than the other as a result...!
 
I like big horses - the bigger the better, although I'll only have short coupled ones with good conformation. I don't think of Alf as big, although he's over 17hh, because he is very light, balanced and easy to ride. I think of Spike as little, although he's 16.1hh!
 
Well, first thing is to make sure your saddle fits you and also fits him. I had a made to measure for me at 5' 2" and my half shire x Irish cob, the saddle flaps were shortened so I could get my leg on him .... That made a huge difference ! Also had knee and thigh blocks as he is so wide, my legs would slip behind or in front of his huge 58" girth
 
You get used to it!! :p You just have to plan ahead haha, if I don't prepare enough for my turns I graze my knees on the arena fence!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top