What do you call "big"??

[SatansLittleHelper]

As in horses
I've noticed a fair few people seem to find it strange that I'd want a 16.2 and ask why I'd want a horse that big??
It seems that size really does matter

To me 16hh-17hh is an average sized horse...bigger is a large horse and smaller is a small horse.
Just curious as to what other people's perceptions of a "big horse" is??

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I personally wouldn't consider anything under 17.2hh.. Just personal preference, I like the look of them, and like to have a lot of horse around me.

18hh+ is big, although I would love to have one, I would have to sit and consider things like traveling, getting things specially made, and special farriery before I bought one.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Well a 16.2 draft is bigger than a 16.2 TB. It's not all about height. I can say that as I own the biggest 14.2 *in the world*

 

[MotherOfChickens]

anything over 15.2 lol. Mine are 12, 13 and 15.2-my last one was 15.1.

Joking aside, I don't think 16.2h is especially big although it does seem so to me now. I recently had some lessons on a 16.2it was weird how quickly we got down the long side

 

[4faults]

I have 3, a 16.2, 17.2 and 18.1 so anything else seems small really haha. I do feel under horses if I ride anything under 16h although a 15.1 cob I just sold wasn't too bad as he was a chunky boy that took my leg up

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Well a 16.2 draft is bigger than a 16.2 TB. It's not all about height. I can say that as I own the biggest 14.2 *in the world*

Lol I suppose I hadn't thought of it like that.
I like them tall and at least middle weight.

The only reason I haven't considered anything bigger than 17.2 is because it wouldn't fit in our field shelter

 

[crabbymare]

I think you are about right but there is also the build of the horse to take into consideration as a heavier type will often look bigger than a lightweight. with horses over 16.3 (by the measure rather than what people think they may be) I am always aware that because of the size they may be harder to keep sound when they are in hard work so I mentally penalise conformation faults more with those if I am viewing

 

[Jo1987]

I class 16hh + as big, I think because I can't see over the withers after that!

 

[JFTDWS]

I call it big if I need a fence to mount off. I call it monstrous if, once mounted, I feel like my hips are being ripped out of their sockets...

 

[Orangehorse]

Mine is 16.00 and I can only just get on from the ground, so anything over that is big. Bigger the horse the more food it needs and the more prone to unsoundness of all sorts.

 

[rowan666]

Anything over 14.2 is big to me! I do have bigger but I don't ride them myself anymore, it's too far to fall!

 

[Leo Walker]

Mines a midget! Hes 14.1hh. I love that hes so small on the ground, I wish he was a hand bigger though! Saying that he rides huge! You definitely dont feel like your on a midget cob, he feels like a lot of horse when your on him, and the ground seems very, very close when you get off :lol:

 

[stencilface]

Anything more than 15.2

Above that you just get problems from experience, I need something with short sturdy legs next.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I call it big if I need a fence to mount off. I call it monstrous if, once mounted, I feel like my hips are being ripped out of their sockets...

Mine is 17.3hh and I get on him from the ground a fair amount (only if there is nothing to get on from if we are on a hack, I prefer not to I hasten to add), so where does that leave him?

 

[Asha]

Anything over 17hds is big to me. It's irrelevant whether it's tb or a full ID to me, I go by height rather than width

 

[JFTDWS]

Mine is 17.3hh and I get on him from the ground a fair amount (only if there is nothing to get on from if we are on a hack, I prefer not to I hasten to add), so where does that leave him?

I rode a 17,2 when I was much younger who I mounted from the ground routinely. I didn't call him big then. I would now

 

[Wagtail]

Anything over 17hh is big to me. Average is 15.2 - 16.2 judging by the horses I have had at livery here over the years.

 

[Charlie007]

I would say big for me would be over 17h. When I was looking for a new horse I read alot of adverts stating gentle giants, they were 16.1??!! It does also depend on build.

 

[Micropony]

I'm with you, 16-17h is "horse sized" to me, smaller than that is a small horse and over 17h is a big horse. Yes, 16.2 of heavy horse is more than 16.2 of TB, but I'm another one who's a bit nonplussed when people describe their 16.2
TBs and TBxs as gentle giants in adverts!

 

[Dave's Mam]

Mines a midget! Hes 14.1hh. I love that hes so small on the ground, I wish he was a hand bigger though! Saying that he rides huge! You definitely dont feel like your on a midget cob, he feels like a lot of horse when your on him, and the ground seems very, very close when you get off :lol:

Midget? That's huge! I have a 12.2 & a 13.1.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I rode a 17,2 when I was much younger who I mounted from the ground routinely. I didn't call him big then. I would now

Same.

 

[BSL]

I have a 15 hh Arab, when he shows off and "grows" I certainly wouldn't want him any bigger lol.

 

[Nudibranch]

I suppose 17hh plus with some bone. I've been asked a few times why I want "a great big horse like that" about the 4yo. Erm...because (a) he's a throwback and has outgrown his sire and dam who are 16.2 (he's 17.3). And (b) I'm 5'10, not exactly a featherweight and don't want to be pony squashing or having my legs hanging down by his knees. And anyway, I could be 5 foot nothing and just like big horses. Some people are just awkward.

 

[skint1]

My mare (deceased) and gelding both between 16-17hh but the gelding seems so much bigger. I think because he has a lot more substance than she did, so to me it's not always just about height. I wouldn't really want something bigger than 17hh though, it's a lot of horse (but that's just me). I am not a lightweight myself so I am more concerned with bone and general weight bearing ability, but I think the smallest I would consider would be 15hh

 

[Evie91]

I'd consider 'big' anything over 17hh.

 

[Greylegs]

Well a 16.2 draft is bigger than a 16.2 TB. It's not all about height. I can say that as I own the biggest 14.2 *in the world*

.... Lol .... Bet you that you don't. Have you met my 14.2? He's a chunk of a pony!!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Well,OP, I did say I wouldn't have a other big horse after losing 3x17handers prematurely, so I bought a 16hh Draft mare, who weighs more than any of the three and whom my vet thinks is enormous! Really I think of over 17hh as big, I would say 16.2hh is fairly average as horses go. I like to feel that I have something substantial in front of me when I am riding.

 

[Merrymoles]

Anything I struggle to throw a rug over or have to stand on a box to mane pull or clip!

 

[Leo Walker]

Midget? That's huge! I have a 12.2 & a 13.1.

I bought him as a youngster and both mum and dad were 15hhs + so he always seems small to me. Plus I'm fat and definitely a pony squasher :lol:

 

[Dave's Mam]

I bought him as a youngster and both mum and dad were 15hhs + so he always seems small to me. Plus I'm fat and definitely a pony squasher :lol:

My 12.2hh is due to make a big humungous 12.3hh, best get the ladders out.