Small Competition horses . . .

LeannePip

LeannePip

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So on this dull grey evening,

Show me your little competition horses!

My new 4yo who we thought was about 16h (as advertised) turns out she barely makes 15.2! Took me a few days to get over her small stature once someone had put a figure on her, but it would make me happier to know other people are competing with success on 1/2 pint ponies!

I know about the Teddy O'conners/ Little Tigers/ Strollers of the upper echalons, i want to see your grass root, vertically challenged horses!

So this is little Ruby, all 155cm of her!

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Topaz is around the 15.2/3hh mark. Can jump 1.20m with ease though only competed 1m. Is now competing elementary schooling adv med.

Not the highest levels but we're dreaming big!

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FfionWinnie said:
15.2 isn't that small!

Mine was 15.1 when I bought her, 14.1 when she arrived (shrunk on the boat over!) and is now 14.2... :D
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Its fairly small when i said i didn't want anything under 16.2h! i'm used to the idea now, my friend has just bought a nice 4yo who when we viewed looked small, about Rubys size, when we picked her up, we had to squash her into my 3.5t and she actually towers over rubes in the next stable! needless today our judgement of height is a bit out of whack, she must be 16.3!

AlexHyde said:
Topaz is around the 15.2/3hh mark. Can jump 1.20m with ease though only competed 1m. Is now competing elementary schooling adv med.
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I'm surprised Topaz is that size, i always thought she was taller than that! she carries it very well!
 
Lol it could be more that I'm a midgit :D, but she is a very solid horse with a lot of presence. People are always shocked when we measure her, as she looks and rides bigger.

x x
 
This is meant to be my competition horse (if I can ever sort his mental and physical issues!) 14.1 on tip toes Andalusian x Welsh. Loads of scope, schools to a decent level, just a bit mentally unstable!
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I've got 2 x 15.2's I compete BS with them, they both have enormous strides and dont struggle to make the distances. I Jump newcomers/1.15's on the one and the other one is just starting out. Most of my horses have been little ones, I have never found the smaller size to be disadvantagous. I find them very brave and game for anything. Would post some pics but not sure how to.
 
She's gorgeous! I love the little 1s!

My 15.2 could jump the moon & gallop like a bullet. She also had a bigger stride than my friends 17hh! Taught her extensions, I time & 2 time changes half pass etc she was awesome ! Just sadly didn't have a good brain for competing otherwise she was easily a 2* horse possibly more. 1 weekend she woulf win then next she wouldn't walk over a pole in the warm up !

My last mare was huge at 16hh! :D currently have a 15.1 to finish about 15.2 who I am hoping is my next pocket rocket :) & a 14.2 who is going to be a pony trials pony haha
 
Love little horses! Mine is rising 20 now, but we have competed at BE90 (intro in my day) and BE100 (pre novice). Mare loved it, loved the jumping and never put a foot wrong... apart from dressage, which wasn't really her thing! lol
She is just 15hh on her highest tip toes, but barely looks 14.2. Jumps and feels like she should be 16h. TB x WelshD
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I prefer them under 16.1hh despite not actually being that small (5ft6.) Here is my old eventer (sold her last easter cry cry), also named Ruby, who I competed up to BE Intermediate and BS up to Foxhunters. She's just under 15.2hh. Super scopey and a lovely horse - also had a decent stride so size didn't matter when riding her.

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Also used to compete my 13.2hh pony at 100 level and 1.05 SJ :) I prefer a rideable, manoeuvrable, nippy small one to riding a 16.2hh that feels like a bus!!!
 
The Spooky Pony (pony of unknown breeding) is 14.1, which isn't that unusual in Endurance, because loads of Arabs are horses in name only. He's made it to 80k, and it's his type and temperament rather than his size that makes him not very fast.

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The Ballerina Mare (Lipizzaner-X) is 15hh. We're not very far along yet---were competing at dressage at N before we took a break to treat her sarcoid---but I don't think her size will be any limitation. She has a good brain, and finds most things physically easy. She naturally finds collection easier than extension, but that will have its own advantages later on! :)

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I currently have a 15.2. Previous had a 17hh. Both similar sort of shape and build. Put two photos of them with me riding, and you wouldn't think there was much difference in height
 
My son's 3* event horse is just about 15.3 and he's never made a fence feel big apparently. He only really started concentrating when he went advanced - he's quite extraordinary.

Son is 6'3 but somehow manages not to look massive on him.

I'd add a photo but I've got no idea how to do it! There's a photo of them on page 27 (I think) of this weeks H&H - the one on page 26 was only 13hh, but then Bert was only 11 at the time so that probably doesn't count :-D
 
This is my little Upton's Deli Circus mare. We bred her :) She is about 15.2 but feels like a pony!

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This is my dressage mare who is also 15.2

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My mare is supposedly 15.3hh but more like 15.2hh. She is a gypsy cob x and has surpassed all expectations by competing in 1* and at the Festival of Eventing this year. She was supposed to make the move up to Intermediate last season but I decided to keep her back at novice as I didn't want to loose my amateur status as I have a youngster who I would love to qualify and take to the Badminton Grassroots when he is ready. Also I worry she wouldn't make the time at the next level, so we are just going to stay at novice and get as good as we can before we are forced out by points.
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I much prefere a small horse (but then again I am only 5'2). Pickle is 15.2hh competing at BE novice level (hopefully 1* in 2016).

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I also have Celeste who is 15hh who will be starting some BE this season. Here she is making a BE100 fence look tiny!

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I'm hoping to compete this little mare this year - 14h3 and flies :)

Loose jumping here and showing my young lad how to do it

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Under saddle

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She jumped this from a standstill rather than jumping the scary new filler lol

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My 15.3 TB mare. First pic with me, second pic with 6ft hubby. She is NH bred, but was only 14.2 when she went to the sales, so there was no interest and theg sold to a sport horse home..

Very deep in the body though, which takes up the length of leg when hubby rides her.

Fiona
 
EventerMum said:
My son's 3* event horse is just about 15.3 and he's never made a fence feel big apparently. He only really started concentrating when he went advanced - he's quite extraordinary.

Son is 6'3 but somehow manages not to look massive on him.

I'd add a photo but I've got no idea how to do it! There's a photo of them on page 27 (I think) of this weeks H&H - the one on page 26 was only 13hh, but then Bert was only 11 at the time so that probably doesn't count :-D
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Hadn't realised that was 'you' eventermum.. Great wee article.

Fiona
 
Thanks guys! Gorgeous little horses here - hope to have a bit of an update soon! I much prefer the small ones ver the big ones but was still a little shocked when some one put a stick on her!

charlimouse said:
I much prefere a small horse (but then again I am only 5'2). Pickle is 15.2hh competing at BE novice level (hopefully 1* in 2016).

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I also have Celeste who is 15hh who will be starting some BE this season. Here she is making a BE100 fence look tiny!

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I was just thinking about your little horse the other day! Have i missed an update? haven't seen anything in ages, hope all is well!
 
LeannePip said:
I was just thinking about your little horse the other day! Have i missed an update? haven't seen anything in ages, hope all is well!
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Probably not, I haven't really posted for ages, it is a bit quiet in here. I tend to be on #twittereventing a bit more. Having said that I haven't had much to update on. Pickle picked up a minor injury in June so ended up missing the second half of the season. My younger one has been out doing unaff company with reasonable success. She has her first affiliated competition next weekend, some BE Jump Training.
 
charlimouse said:
Probably not, I haven't really posted for ages, it is a bit quiet in here. I tend to be on #twittereventing a bit more. Having said that I haven't had much to update on. Pickle picked up a minor injury in June so ended up missing the second half of the season. My younger one has been out doing unaff company with reasonable success. She has her first affiliated competition next weekend, some BE Jump Training.
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Oh poor pickle! I really loved following his story when you first got him, and you other horse, was it Jam or Sarnie or something? The youngster looks really smart too - love a nice coloured!
 
LeannePip said:
Oh poor pickle! I really loved following his story when you first got him, and you other horse, was it Jam or Sarnie or something? The youngster looks really smart too - love a nice coloured!
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That would be Jem. She is still going, mainly doing dressage with my Mum, although she did do a few events last year. This season a friend might take her to do some BE90s to gain experience.
 
I have a great 15.3, with high withers (so more like 15.2)…he competes at BE intermediate level, hopefully advanced this year. And just started BD this year and already has two firsts and a third at elementary. He's a very special small horse!

This is us competing in the 2* at Osberton Int, last year.
 
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