Tell me I'm not mad..short people, big horses!

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FreddiesGal

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So I'm going to view a 16 hand TB on Sunday. I can not wait, however I have only one "problem"..I am 5'1 and fear I will need a ladder for everything!

Short people with big horses - please make me feel better!
 
Lol im 5ft3 and have a 16.1 tb. Just makes mounting from ground impossible. Have to get a leg up or use block. My mate os slightly taller but skinnier than me and she has a 16.2 tb
 
I'll join in, Dougal was 17.2 and I'm 5.4. I like big horses but I admit he was tough to keep together and when he bucked (he bucked BIG) luckily not that often. It was a long way to fall.
 
I'm 5ft 3" and a 16.3 hh ISH. I can't get on from the floor thou :) however I don't think I look small on him. When people who are taller than me say they ride 13.2 ponies I wonder how, cos I'd look huge I think!
 
I always use a mountain block (as opposed to mounting block) to get up there without damaging both of us..

I'd need a rock or gate or something if I had to get off on a hack due to my health..
 
My daughter is 5' & about 6 stone wet through! She has a 14hh pony but is on the hunt for a horse so has been trying a few of her friends to gauge what kind of size she needs. I thought about 15.2hh max, bit she recently rode her friends 16.1hh dutch warmblood & looked perfect on her :D
 
I think leg length is more important than overall height. I am 5'4, but have very short legs. So short infact that I've had special saddle flaps made for me! I had a 16.3 and found him very difficult to ride well as it was hard to get my leg on. Now have a 16hh tb and she is much narrower so easier to ride as my leg goes further down her body. My 2 year old should mature at 15.2, but looks like he is going to be built like a tank so may have same short leg issue again. I could do with a 14.2 pony really!
 
Im 4'11 and have a 15.2. My friend down the yard did have a 16.2 that I used to ride & I felt fine on him, just couldn't get on from the floor but I can't with my own boy either.
 
Im 5ft 1 and had a 17hh ex national hunt race horse, he was a big lad, used to have to stand on steps to groom him and put his saddle on, but he was a saint to handle and never fussed even when I miss aimed putting his rugs on.
 
I always use a mounting block.
I'm 5'5. My smaller boy is 16.2 but
my newbie is 17.1 at the moment.

it saves my knees and their backs and it means I can get on quickly (newbie is still learning to stand still at the mounting block). :)
 
Oh, relief, 5'3" with a young 16.2" was wondering if he might be too big...I suppose unless they are allowed to be big (eg not let you get on from a block or whatever) they don't actually KNOW how big they are as they've never been anything else - it's all in our minds!
 
It surely doesn't matter. Just like with someone too tall, there is a line where height makes it harder to progress, but otherwise who cares, as long the horse is suitable for whatever you do. Tbh though, at 5'10 with 36" legs, not ever been a problem I've had.
 
I'm 5ft 2, and I have a 17.3hh warmblood. Surprisingly I don't look like a dot on him. My feet only just go below the saddle cloth haha. I do tend to wear spurs with him, because I can't get my legs around him.

Although I've not say on my 15.3hh youngster yet (not broken) I know I'm going to feel tiny on her when I'm so used to ridding bigger horses. I wish she would grow a little more but I don't think it's going to happen :/
 
I'm 5'2" and have a 16.2 and a 17hh (currently, but as he's a 4yo I guess he may get bigger :eek:). I just make sure they're trained to stand quietly at random rocks/logs out hacking for if I ever need to get off/on.

The 16.2 TB can be a PITA sometimes - he finds gates very exciting, so won't stand still for me to open them, and won't stand still for me to get back on if I get off to open them. Think it's cause they're usually followed by a gallop :rolleyes:. My solution is to take a friend on a smaller horse for any rides involving gates!
 
I'm 5'3" and my 'cut off' is about 16.1. We've just bought a new one who was advertised as 16.1, but is in fact closer to 16.2 and she is definitely as tall as I'd go. Thankfully she's quite compact. :) I like little bouncy horses :)
 
I don't understand it myself. I am the opposite as I am 5'10" and don't like riding anything over 16.2hh. If I was smaller, then I would have ponies! I especially don't like big gobby horses that are difficult to hold together because their tiny owners have allowed them to slop along and seem oblivious to it. I am not saying every combination of small rider and large horse are like this. I think that there are some larger horses that have excellent small riders and have been taught to go nicely and carry themselves, but IME when I get on a large horse that has had a very small rider, they are like planks of wood to ride. OP, just be honest with yourself when you try the horse out and make sure that you really are able to get a good 'tune' out of it. :)
 
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