What size horse for 6'2" boyfriend? Type/breed suggestions too!

CobSunshine

CobSunshine

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My boyfriend is thinking about a horse to hack out with me, after many hours spent helping me tack up, groom, driving to and from, following on foot, trudging through snow on dark nights with a feed bucket, seeing my current horse develop and gain our trust - I think he's got the horse bug :)

He's 6'2" and likes the look of cob/draft horses, chunky/muscle horses which look like they could pull a train carriage LOL a breed which can live out 24/7 happily on grazing too.

Not interested in jumping/dressage, purely for taking out on the local trails hacking - so a good safe novice temperament.

The trend seems to be the taller the horse the better on my yard, but he would be happy with a 14.2 hand if the barrel would take his 34" legs!

Thoughts on height based on experience from 6' + people :)

and any thoughts on type/breed choice? :)
 
An irish sport, with more ID than TB. We have an ISH for my 6'4" husband, which is 17h, but looks 15h with him on! IDs are lovely horses.

Get him plenty of lessons at a good riding school first - make sure he doesn't turn into the type of bloke that is "all confidence and no skill" on a horse.
 
Id go for a cob type/gentlemans hunter type thing. Desnt have to be completely pull a cart type, and no smaller than 16.2. Steer away from the Irish sports types though, they do look stocky but they have so many problems in my experience!!! Not great if all youre wanting your horse for is a novice hack!!! My boyfriend is looking at getting a horse too. Hes trying to find a shirex. If you look up martin clunes, his horse is stunning and just what my bf wants!!! This way theyre not a cart horse but they have bone and strength to live out. Go for a shire or clysedale crossed with an irish draft. That sort of thing :) Good luck!!!!
 
OH is 6'3 and owns a quarter horse who is 15'1 and he fits fine suppose as they are chunkier you can be a bit bigger. He is also great temprement wise you can hack out all day, go to a show or just leave in the field.
Mary
 
Another vote for the Quarter Horse. They are muscular but not too tall - a lot of men over 6' ride them. Generally good temperaments and good doers as well.
 
my hubbies 6' and he ust to hack my 16.2hh wb out with me and my old pony.
for a total novice i like nice welsh d cobs, big and stocky but also fine enough and look quite flashy. very sencible little horses too, tend to have some substance between there ears if you know what i mean? lol
 
im 6ft2 male with a medium build. Size 40 jacket, 32 waist, usually wear size Medium etc... I ride a 17.1hh Half Bred horse. I also have a 16.2hh Half bred mare but I feel more balance on the bigger horse. Hope this helps
 
I have a shirextb like Martin clunes, she has a lovely temperament,, safe hack but not a plod can be sharp, but if all you want is a horse to go on trail rides, that breed of horse will be fine!
 
my ex partner was 6ft 4 and biult like a brick s*** house lol. he liked a shire because it was big! lol we eventually settled on a 15.3hh heavy weight cob and to be honest they look perfect together. when we first went to have a look i thought he would be to small but once OH was on him he looked like they were just ment to be.
we had a few trial and errors when we went to look at some, to small, not heavy enough, to big, to forward. just experiment. you will know when you find the right one.
cob suited him but i know other men that have ID's ect. it is all down to personal preference :) xx
 
feisty_filly said:
my hubbies 6' and he ust to hack my 16.2hh wb out with me and my old pony.
for a total novice i like nice welsh d cobs, big and stocky but also fine enough and look quite flashy. very sencible little horses too, tend to have some substance between there ears if you know what i mean? lol
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May get shot down for this but I dont know any sane Welsh D`s lol my old boy was a nut case!!! as are other d`s I know, very sharp and stubborn!

OP, have a look around, height wise a 17hh could look too small IMO it depends on how deep the girth is, you could find a 15.2 with a deep girth that you OH looks fine on.
 
Ayla84 said:
May get shot down for this but I dont know any sane Welsh D`s lol my old boy was a nut case!!! as are other d`s I know, very sharp and stubborn!

OP, have a look around, height wise a 17hh could look too small IMO it depends on how deep the girth is, you could find a 15.2 with a deep girth that you OH looks fine on.
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hehe i suppose every horse is different but i know a quite a few people that have ended up with these as first horses!.
as said above, have a good look arround, every horse is different :)
 
Not sure why welsh d's are thought to be good first horses, like the others, the ones I have known are pretty sharp and can be quirky rides. Not sane and sensible.
I would consider a shire or clydie cross. Shires tend to have lovely calm temperments - although there is the odd one out in every breed! Wouldn't necessarily go for a massive one, a heavier weight one will take his leg up perfectly well without needing to be terribly tall, and if he is well built it would carry his weight better. (my inside leg is 34", although am shorter at 5'8", my 15.3hh connie x and oh 16hh cbx take up my leg very well).
 
I'd go down the ISH route as well, again with more ID than TB or a nice hunter type (most of these are ISH anyway), but if he's quite light for 6'2", you could get away with something a bit finer. My friend (female) is 6'2" and slim, and she's got a 17.1 TB that she looks fine on.

I had a nutty Sec D as well - he did have a lot between his ears and normally used it for good to keep me and him safe, but he could also use it for evil when he got a bit excited:D
 
Suprised no one has asked the weight question yet. 6'2 could be 11 stone wet through or 18 stone. That will make a difference to the kind of horse you buy. Sorry if I'm stating the bl%&*in obvious!
 
I have an ISH 16'3 and he is not a weight carrier at all!!! He is a big boy I have his back checked regularly so nothing wrong with him but anyone over about 12 to 13 stone tries to get on and he struggles big time - my OH is 6ft3 and 18 stone and there is no way he could ride him.
I also have a 16'1 suffolk x tb who is by far smaller but can carry him no trouble. I would go for a heavier horse.
 
oooooooooooh some great suggestions so far! :D

I think thats the term I was searching for, he's always drawn to the gypsy cob type horses with lots of bone and feather LOL (not sure on gypsy temperament?)

He's 14 stone, but once he starts back at the gym average weight 14.5 stone.

He seems to like the sound of a 15.2 approx if he could find a stocky one, (i think he's a bit put off by the height of bigger horses! :p)

I've never looked into quarter horses *goes off to check google* !

Also ISH seems to be getting a lot of mentions.

Some more questions...

Something else I forgot to ask, absolute top budget would be £2000, ideally less! (i guess this rules out shires/cyldes?)

Gelding Vs Mares?

Ideal age to have seen enough of the world to not spook easiliy/be good for novice - but not too old to be prone to illness?
 
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My dad and me share a horse, he is similar size to your bf. Our clydesdale x he is 17.1hh and absulutely perfect, combines the ability to teach my dad as well as allowing me to have fun! would highly reccommend hehe

Dads 6ft3 and I think anything smaller he'd look a bit strange!

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Hello. How much riding experience has your partner had? I think someone suggested he get himself some lessons first? Does he need lessons or is he a competent rider that just hasn't owned a horse before?

At 14 stone he's not a featherweight, so if/when you do seek to purchase I'd think that you're going to be looking at the draught crosses that people are suggesting on here. Of course a lot of the natives were bred for weight carrying (Highlands, Fells etc) but they may be a little short for him?

Anyway, I digress. In my humble opinion, he needs to learn to ride well before he becomes a horse owner.

If he can ride already, I apologise for any slight caused!

At the budget you mention I think that you are going to be searching more on price than breed, and need to consider anything that is a sound, nice-natured weight carrier.
 
that clydesdale is very nice :) whats going on with the backlegs in second pic lol!

He's starting lessons this week so a total novice! Horse won't be purchased until he's proficient in riding and looking at getting lessons on said horse once he's ready. - being the type that spends many hours pouring over and researching he's already on the laptop looking at everyones suggestions :p

Its funny you mention a Western saddle as he's keen to *eventually* ride western style.
 
I know two men who've done the same - caught their other half's horse bug and got a safe ride for themselves to start with. One has an Irish Draft - the most honest, straight forward and loving horse you could ask for. He's an original type ID, so lots of bone and a great weight carrier. He loves hacking and is a great jumper, though it took a while for his owner to develop well enough to jump him closer to his full potential. He loves hacking and cuddles though, so never appeared unhappy when he wasn't being jumped.

The other I know is a man who's depressed, and bought a 14.2hh or so Highland, who's possibly the most loving and honest pony I've met. His partner also rides him, and she's over 6ft with a muscular build: with a broad girth and body generally like a tank, neither looks too big on him!
 
Take a look at Cleveland Bays - Few and far between but good weight cariers and nice temperaments.

There are so many horses that could possibly be suitable it's just a case of looking and reading tonnes of ads. I'd be looking at 'cobs' - come in all shapes and sizes but tend to be Clydesdale or Shire crosses and some with a lot of 'Irish' in them, I'd also look at Irish draughts - you get shorter stockier ones as well as taller ones and also Cleveland Bays.

as for mare or gelding - I think men don't need to worry about this nearly as much as women. Women tend to clash with hormonal mares but men don't have as many hormones so don't! lol!

I'd avoid welshes too - not easy horses for novices..
 
Being 6ft 1 myself. I'ld strongly reccomend anything above 15.2. Whilst our cobby 15.2 can carry me, my legs are by her hocks, and I do look quite silly on her. My leg size (34) is the same as yours OH's. Depending on the horse you may be able to get below 15.1 but I think in the long run it's highly unlikely.
 
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