warmblood horse heights

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I know this is a strange question, but most warmbloods (danish,german,dutch ect) are 16.2hh+ why are there not many 15.3 and under?


Its just, I was looking about and there doesn't seem like there is alot of smaller warmbloods?

I own a 15.2hh danish warmblood but he is 14years old, is it because they do not look as impressive or is it just because of type?

I know very random question!
 
few things i guess......its a status thing for some people-saying my horse is 18hh sounds impressive, so breeders breed what will sell (to rich amateur with more money than sense!!!!)

by the same token a lot of pro's, esp men, are very tall, so want 16.2hh+, so again, breeders breed what will sell.

a bigger horse fills the eye/arena better so they are generally more popular even with smaller riders.

mares need to big and roomy enough to breed, no point having a suberb but petit mare who is too small to put to a top stallion.
 
A client of mine has a lovely 14.2 dutch warmblood, where as mine was purchased at about 17.1 and now stands well over 18, measuring stick isnt long enough to check properly! (Didnt go out to buy a horse this size he just didnt stop growing)
 
Mine is 15.3hh!
I have heard the germans cull them, they don't like the small ones! Scary! But I do know of some little ones. Also lots of 148cms (going on 153!) German reitponies about!
 
I know there's a few WB ponies at top height around, my friend has an imported one..but thats because they sell to the kids who don't think a normal indigenous pony or whatever is good enough.

But I think in general they're bigger because they're aimed at going to either professionals who will often find a bigger horse is easier to take up the levels in jumping. In dressage I think there's a bit of a 'bigger looks better and more flashy' mentality, so I think that may be why.

Bottom line is they breed them big to sell I spose
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Having said that I do know plenty of small warmbloods, but then I'm not in the UK. I know one jumping in the Grand Prix who's only 15.1
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She's fantastic!
 
Divasmum my 15.2hh danish is a May Sherif! He is perfect for me as he was my change from ponies to horses!

Culling them!?? :O

I understand about the look of the horse filling the eye in the arena, and the look of a big powerful horse and a normal sized rider in complete control, looks very elegant.
 
There are minimum heights for approval with most books and generally breeders are not keen to produce very small horses, as there simply isn't a big market for them as sport horses. Ponies are a different situation, as most books now have a section specifically for producing FEI ponies.
 
Mine are 15.2hh and 16.1hh respectively. They are both KWPN and actually I find the 16.1hh much easier to ride than the little one even though I'm only little myself. The smaller warmblood has huge paces for her size and is rather hot headed, this makes her more difficult to manage, the larger is more on the ball and sharper but has more horse in front so in fact easier. I find though that the smaller is disadvantaged BSJA as although her stride is long for her size, she dosen't have the groubd covering speed she needs so is still beaten by bigger ones (this will all change though once I've given her more flat schooling and taught her to really turn, then we'll show those big ones how its done!)
 
Our smallest warmblood is (was) 16h but after ten weeks out end of last season he has grown 3inches He is 7 this year so late developer?! our other 7yr old wb is 17.1 he was always going to be big but didn't expect that much height! First is holsteiner 2nd is a dutch
 
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