The larger horse? Advice please!

only_me

only_me

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I have been looking at a horse that I really like in every way, a very nice 4 year old.

There is only one teensy, tiny problem - he is 17.2hh!!

Advice please - I know he will need bigger rugs etc. And I would knock down the wall that seperates my stables (both are 12x12) so would be bigger.

But what else do I need to know?
 
That he will get bigger, you will need a step ladder where ever you got, eats like an elephant, p00's like an elephant, rugs will be like tents ermmm im sure there is more! :D
Seriously they might be more likely to get joint and muscle probs especially as he is big at 4, this isnt always the case but i do think they need more time to come together. Other than that same as any other although there are probally those out there who have had more dealling with big boys than me, im praying mine has stopped growing just shy of 17hh!
 
Mine is 5, also 17.2 and growing!

The main problem is if you want to travel! Mine is too big for a conventional box, he cant travel herringbone and is too big/heavy for the 3.5 fwd facing boxes that "claim" they can carry 2x 17.2hh 2x17.2 very thin, very light horses but not your average 17.2's

Rugs are a problem, most makes do come up to 7ft but most are like tight t-shirts on my lad and they rub and his belly sticks out!!
 
Issues with big horses apart from the obvious
- take longer to mature/grow into themselves
- often need specially made tack and bits to fit
- can find larger rugs more often now so less of a problem eg premier equine and weatherbeeta are good for big horses
- you will also have to buy extra eg wormer, supplements, feed etc... compared to the average horse
- watch your weights when travelling. My 17.1 ISH topped the weigh scale at 848kg at my vets! I had to buy an equi=trek trailer for my boys to fit in

I took down my partition between two 12x12 stables and made it a movable half height partition which works very well and especially useful if any time the boys are on box rest too!

Generally I love big horses but they are more expensive!
:)
 
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We have a 17hh TB, but he's very short coupled (wore the same rugs as my old 15.2hh TB!!). He needed a decent sized lorry (it's the upper limit of the 7.5tonne ones), and he eats a lot (lol). Other than that we really haven't struggled with him at all- he's in a normal stable and fits easily in, he is an absolute pleasure to own really and makes the big jumps look very very small!
 
Agree with most of the previous comments. (Especially the jumps look small - they do after riding my 16her round the same course! Our hunter is diddy compared to the above mentioned, at 17h, so fits in the box ok (Ifor 510).

Eats loads. Poops loads.
Mostly a gentle giant, but when he does play he is VERY strong, and feet are way up if he ever rears!
Needs two tubes of wormer, and I have to do a trapeze act to give it him.
 
I have a 17.2h ID x and an 18h WB (he's only just turned 6 too!!)!!

Rugs - you can get in 7ft anywhere and the bonus is they are usually the ones left in the sales as noone wants them!

Tack - have one in an XF (again easy to get hold of) and one in a full bridle. Both just in 18' saddles.

My only thing is that my older boy (IDx) is now retired with feet/tendon problems at 16! Vet said where he has always been so big and heavy means ringbone/navicular/coffin joint changes/changes to the pasturn have occurred earlier. Thankfully he is field sound at the moment so he is living out but they do break your heart alot quicker.
 
only_me said:
I have been looking at a horse that I really like in every way, a very nice 4 year old.

There is only one teensy, tiny problem - he is 17.2hh!!

Advice please - I know he will need bigger rugs etc. And I would knock down the wall that seperates my stables (both are 12x12) so would be bigger.

But what else do I need to know?
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unless you actually need a big horse I would let him go. In my experience they are just a bit harder work all round! For a start they east more, poo more and pee more!! Then riding are just generally a bit more work to get together etc.

I like big horses but they do have their down sides!
 
to be honest, ive got an 18.2 he takes normal sized head collars bridles etc, rug vairy from 6.9 to 7.3 the issue tends to be the length on hes sides not length of body, hes a 6 inch bit.

main isses with him...

the stable , he does need to be fair an 14 x 14 at least.

reins.. Full size extra full are too short.

transport.. the largest of ifors tend to be short in length.. not really for overal neck etc but how the breeching bars go.

oh and tacking up.. i need to stand on something to get the saddle on. ned is very good and puts hes head down for a bridle!
 
From experience and losing both big fellas over 17.2 both in late teens, I think the biggest problem is soundness issues, horses arent meant to be this size and in time their legs and feet show the problems. Have sworn I will never ever have another over 16.2. Plus the problem of shutting them into areas (stables) that are too small for their basic health needs, and too much work too young for the growing bodies.

Turnout as much as possible so they are wandering around all the time, to keep feet, blood supply, joint movement as active as possible, keep work very slow and gentle at least till 6 if not 8 if you want the horse to last, restrict concussive work i.e. trotting on roads, cantering etc on hard ground.

Best of luck and hope you have years of fun.
 
Is my 17hh TB a short @ss? Lol. He's in 6'9 rugs (was in 6'6/6'3 at a push but filled out loads since last winter!) a full size head collar and bridle, 18in saddle and I brought him back in a friend's standard Ifor Williams trailer that her 17.2hh fits in.

All the stables where I am are big - will accommodate the Shires on the farm. I am taking it steady working him but he'd done nothing after coming off the track, my equine dentist breaks in and re schools and told me to take it steady or I'll ruin him. He eats the same amount of hard feed as the 15.2hh old boy but has twice the amount of haylage.
 
I'll be watching this thread with interest as -km in the process of buying a big horse (3yr old warmblood who currently stands at 17.1hh !!!!)
At the moment he is in a full bridle and a 17.5" saddle. He fits easily into the equi-trek 'L' trailer but would struggle in anything much smaller. He wears 6.9" rugs with the occasional 6.6" one depending on make.
Sometimes I wish I had a smaller horse but I love big horses and he is everything I want in a horse.
 
Have a 18hh CB xTB 15yo Hunter very short coupled wears 6'6 rugs 5 1/2 inch bit and 17.5 med fit saddle Have never had any problems with lameness,have hunted his legs off!!!!!! rather high mileage. used to travel him in richardsons trailer no probs now goes on normal lorry no probs. only problem I have had with him is holding him together for a dressage test,but can jump through a bounce fence better than the rest of them Yeeaa!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I bought my 17.2hh as a 16hh 3 year old. And he continued to grow until he was 10. He was lanky and immature until he was about 8 but it has taken until 10 to finally mature into his body. He is a DWBxTB and is a 6ft9 rug. He takes a full size bridle and full in everything else. So nothing oversize on him at all. he has a 16X12 stable, but was quite happy in a 12x12. He is phenopmenally sound. In the 9 years I have had him he has only once had vets treatment. he as incredible feet, all white mind you but strong, and perfectly shaped. he never looses shoes. I travel him now in an ivor 510 - and there is plenty of room. he can do a beautiful dressage test and fly a great XC, he is so nippy he can beat much smaller horses in a SJ jump off. He has taught my totally non horsey partner to ride and lunges like a dream. And I can put my 5 year old niece on him and know he will school for her. I can hop on him bareback with just a headcollar and ride him in in canter from the fields. He is sharp and spooky at times, and can fly like the wind when i want a good blast. so actually at 17, 2 he is just like my 16'2. A lovely lovely horse.

One bit of advice I was given when I bought him which I stuck to was 'don't force the weight on with hard feed - give him years to make the weight' and that is so true. i know loads of people with big horses that force feed into them to build condition and topline, it is seriously harmful. They need to grow slowly and naturally, allowing their joints to grow with them. Forcing too much weight on leads to DJD and OCD as a young horse. Keep to grass and fibre products and keep lean. Mine was given adlib haylage, and still is, he was given Simple Systems and brewers yeast as a balancer, but never huge amounts. His main diet was and still is grass, good grass and plenty of it.
 
shhdally said:
I'll be watching this thread with interest as -km in the process of buying a big horse (3yr old warmblood who currently stands at 17.1hh !!!!)
QUOTE]

Ah, I bought my warmblood as a 16.2hh 5 year old, he's now 17.2hh, he didn't stop growing until he was 7, so watch out!
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My BWB I bought as a 16.2hh 3 year old and he is now at 5 standing 17.1hh but could potentially grow a bit more.

he is short coupled and is in either 6ft3 or 6ft6 rugs.

He is a disgusting mess in the stable, poos copious amnounts in the field and is generally a royal pain in the A** but I love him, wouldn't be without him and even if he gets to 18hh I wouldn't choose anything but him :D
 
bought my boy as 16.2hh 3.5year old now 4.5years old he is 16.3 hh a 6ft rug fitted him when i got him but is now a 6'3'' sometimes 6'6'' he always puts his head down 2 get his cob/full size bridle on ( he is quite fine) has a 16.5inch jumping saddle and he doesnt ride any bigger than my 16hh just makes jumping 1m look like trotting poles! bought an ifor 511 and he looks tiny in it! lol oh did i mention i am only 5ft!! :o
 
I have a 17hh Full Cleveland Bay Mare
(Yes yeeharider I am very jealous of yours!)

Shes a pleasure to own - no 'special' tack or rugs - just big ones!
I have a little spot on her neck that brings her head down for me.
I hope to take her Hunting a bit every winter and do Riding club ect.

She is Gangly, and with her being a 'baby' too - I do find it hard to get a poppy little Canter going - but shes coming together nicely! (broken this spring and going slowly)

You might need an extra block on the mounting block though! :D
 
ChunkyMonkey25 said:
My only thing is that my older boy (IDx) is now retired with feet/tendon problems at 16! Vet said where he has always been so big and heavy means ringbone/navicular/coffin joint changes/changes to the pasturn have occurred earlier. Thankfully he is field sound at the moment so he is living out but they do break your heart alot quicker.
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I also echo this comment, I have a 17.3hh ISH who is now 13 and is having leg troubles, arthritis and other joint issues. The vet said it's mostly down to him being so large. It is heartbreaking as he is so scopey. He is a normal full size in everything and regular 6'6" rugs so not hard to dress!
The advantage of a horse this big is he makes fences look tiny and eats them up!
I am after a new horse at the minute and I am not keen on ever having something that big again.
 
4yr old at 17.2 might mean 18hh when fully grown, easily! Obviously he would really not want to do much work at all until he was 6/7 as a) he won't have grown into himself most likely and b)the larger horses are so much mroe prone to soundness problems.
Am I right in saying you are wanting a promising young eventer?
I'm just not sure I see that many over 17hh out eventing, as it makes distances odd, they take so long to grow into themselves etc.
They cost more-shoeing, tack, rugs, feeding! Vet bills. You will need to ensure your transport is big enough to take him etc. etc.
Obviously it all depends on breed/temperment but it depends on your height as well as a mannerly 4yr old might well turn into a beastly 6yr old!
So that's what I'd be watching for, and I would get all legs x-rayed at vetting.
 
He won't be fully grown or fully developed until he is about 8 as he is so big! I wouldn't be surprised if he makes 18 hh as he is only 4! There is nothing wrong with a big horse, they just have long strides and take quite a bit of 'holding together' and learning to find their balance as they are so big which is something to think about if you are planning on doing Show Jumping or Dressage. Also, he will need big rugs, and you are limited as to what you can buy as most saddlers don't tend to stock too many rugs in the bigger sizes so you would need to either order them or buy them online.
 
Higgs was 17.2hh WBxID and in either 6'9" or 7' rugs, full size bridle 5.5" bit and normal saddles, though to be fair his dressage saddle had longer flaps as otherwise it would have looked like it was a pony saddle on a horse :rolleyes:
Pidge is 17hh reg ISH and in a 7' rug, again full size bridle and 5.5" bit. Saddles are off the shelf stubben jump, and Higgs dressage saddle.
To be fair I like a big horse, fences seem small, they have a great stride a big personality as well, or that could just be the ID in them :D
Cost the same to shoe and no more feed than other horses, Pidge gets ad lib haylage and some hard feed that will get upped later but at the moment is on 2 handfuls of alfa a oil, 1/2kg cubes and feed balancer twice a day - he's in full work and we compete every week so he's pretty fit.
 
Think my guy must have a overly large head (although he is in proportion)! He takes a 6 1/4 or 61/2 inch bit depending on type of bit. He takes 7ft rugs. Getting breastplates or martingales to fit is difficult again.

I agree with all the comments that big horses take a lot longer to come in to themselves and it is better to give them that time than stressing their legs a lot. However, my lad has not had problems with soundness (apart from injury) so far and he is now 14. We went through a phase of pulling shoes off in the field larking about and then standing on the nails so developed abscesses - if you have to poultice a back foot and they lean on you- it is hard work!!!!
 
I have a 17hh IDxTB. He is the biggest horse I've ever had and I wouldn't have another of this size again. He is 15, has arthritis which was diagnosed when he was 14 - vet also diagnosed a 9yo 17.1hh ISH on the yard with it this year ans says it is as a result of their size. He believes that big horses tend to suffer more with joint problems and arthritis that smaller horses.

Personally I wouldn't want a 17.2hh that is only 4 as he will get bigger! I like my big horse but never again. I'm only 5ft4 and although he is reasonably straight forward to ride, he really is too much horse for me purely based on size.

Rug wise he takes a 6ft9 / 7ft because he is chunky as well as tall. Bridles are either full or Xfull. Thankfully he is an easy horse on the ground which makes life easier - well mannered most of the time though on a bad day he will try to use his size against you (well, not against me as he knows it would be more than his life is worth if he did!!).
 
My 6 years old ISH is 17'2" and is fitting perfectly in a 6'6" rug, still surprised but she still keeps growing in all directions so i imagine will fit a 6;9" this winter.
I have never had a prob with lorries or trailers with her.
But then she is not heavy she got more of the TB build than the ID
 
ChunkyMonkey25 said:
My only thing is that my older boy (IDx) is now retired with feet/tendon problems at 16! Vet said where he has always been so big and heavy means ringbone/navicular/coffin joint changes/changes to the pasturn have occurred earlier. Thankfully he is field sound at the moment so he is living out but they do break your heart alot quicker.
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My friend is a vet, and said that this is typical in larger, heavier horses. As she also pointed out, they often have more bone and better, more sensible dispositions than their TB friends, who probably suffer more from strains etc over their younger years, so its swings and roundabouts. This rings true with my ISH, who is 13 and never been lame in the 6yrs that I've owned her, whereas my friend's TB goes lame if it so much as canters round the field...

I agree with the comments about needing more shoes. Yes the shoes cost the same, but they wear them out much quicker than a lighter horse, so often need doing before 6 weeks, whereas a pony/ lighter horse may go 8 wks (obviously foot length permitting). Another issue with big horses is that they sink in mud and churn gateways up more! We can jump our ponies in our fields all year round, but if we jump the 17h hunter and the ground is soft, the field has marks on takeoff and landings after a couple of pops!
 
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