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

Wagtail said:
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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I've ridden plenty of small horses that are like planks of wood to ride, regardless of rider height. Don't see how my height affects my ability to ride :confused:. Both my horses are very light and soft.
 
TwoStroke said:
I've ridden plenty of small horses that are like planks of wood to ride, regardless of rider height. Don't see how my height affects my ability to ride :confused:. Both my horses are very light and soft.
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I can only speak from experience. And please not that I clearly said that there are some combinations of small rider and large horse where the rider is very capable and the horse is nice and light. You are obviously proof of that. However, there seem to be an abundance of small women who like huge warmbloods that they really cannot ride! Not through lack of ability, but because they lack the core strength to ride the horse to the best of it's ability.
 
Us short folks get very defensive about heightism :D. Maybe I'm just lucky, or oblivious :p. I like my big horses, but tbh I find most horses respond the same way to my aids, regardless of their size, once they understand 'the rules'.
 
I am 5 ft 1 1/2 & the horse in my avatar, the late Catembi, was 17 hh. I just bought a big mounting block. My only prob was wrestling with 7 ft rugs, but he got used to me having a run-up & launching them at him.

T x
 
im 5'3 and have a 17.2 beast. i can get on off the floor if i really have to but i would rather not. i usually use a step ladder or a large log on the yard :)
 
Wagtail said:
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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Absolutely agree with everything you've said there 100%!
 
I am 5'3" and have a 16hh friesian mare who seems bigger due to her head carriage and big paces. The main problem is getting off as my ankles and knees don't like it much. I can get on from the ground if I let a stirrup down. Think I might be tempted to get a big pony if I was getting another.

Paula.
 
Wagtail said:
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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Agree with this. Not quite sure why people choose to buy horse's that are too big for them.
 
I'm 5'3 and horse is 16.2hh if i need to mount from floor i just let stirrup a few holes. I find I cope with everything fine and don't look or feel over horsed

I used to have 17.2hh in my teenage years who i mount from the floor (oh to be young again!) I struggled with the rugs which were heavier back then that was the only drama i really remember.
 
Ah..thanks for all the feedback guys. You have made me feel better.

Surprisingly I always said I would never get anything bigger than 15 hands, as I love little whizzy things.

I think I have some thinking to do!
 
horserider said:
Agree with this. Not quite sure why people choose to buy horse's that are too big for them.
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Because it's tough to find a good competition horse you click with if you're picky about height. My 17hh is lighter to ride than my 16.2hh, but then no one else has ever ridden him so he hasn't been botched up.
 
I'm 5'3'' and have a 17.2hh horse. I use a mounting block to get on, but then I would use one even if I had a much smaller horse.
I've never had problems riding big horses (I also had a 16.5hh and a 17.1hh). You don't control a horse with sheer physical force, so height and strength (or lack thereof) are not THAT crucial.
 
I am 5ft2 and have a 16.3hh and I love her :D
I do need a mounting block though, and getting off just anywhere on a hack is a definite no no unless there is a big rock, fence close I can hop on!

I do not feel I am overhorsed at all, as long as the horse has been taught good manners and doesn't use its size and strength against you I really dont see the problem!
 
I'm 5ft4 (just!) and have a 17.2/3hh very leggy horse!
I can get on from the ground but don't because i don't want to hurt is back to use anything from walls/fences/chairs/blocks :)
I don't look small on him, although if he is being a plonker on the ground (which he can frequently be) he is a handful for a smaller person! :rolleyes:
 
Well, I like horses to be just big enough for me to step up from the ground nice and comfey without a struggle or strain.

I'm 6 foot and normally never ride anything over 15.2.

I used to ride out all day as part of my work, and getting on and off at gates or to do some other job meant that using a mounting block was impossible and very often something to climb on was not an option. Therefore, a horse that was not too tall was the best option.

My view is that if you cannot mount easily from the ground from either side, you need a smaller horse.:)
 
Im 5ft1'' and I have to say i used to ride a 17.2hh IDxTB but nowadays I prefer anything up to 16hh. Hvae ridden a 16.2hh that person said i looked Ok on but I didnt feel ok just felt over horsed if I popped my stirrups up say :)

I think you will be fine and the finer buolt they are the less of your leg they take up :) So thet dont feel that big :)
 
I'm 5ft 1 and a half, my horse is a 16 hh tb, I mainly worked as hunt groom or with p2p'ers so I think my lad is quite diddy! Smallest hunt horse was 16.2 middleweight and largest 18 hh warmblood, could just touch his withers. Some horses you click with some you don't regardless off height, last time I got on from the ground I ripped the back of my jeans that was onto a 16.2 tb, always try to stand on something if possible I don't think it does backs and saddles any good.
 
I'm 5'3" and my mare is 17hh. I don't look small on her, only next to her, lol. I can get on from the ground but, as a previous poster has said, don't make a habit of it as I worry about hurting her back.

Oh, and she spends a fair bit of time on her back legs....then I feel small :o
 
horserider said:
Agree with this. Not quite sure why people choose to buy horse's that are too big for them.
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I am about 5' 4 and our old Shire (17.2) was way to big for me (used to mount off the back of the pick up) but i loved to ride him , and dont think i did a bad job of it! But he was bought to drive, and that was his job!
 
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