Young horses outgrowing their owners!

[bellaboo]

I have a two year old filly who currently stands around 16/16.1hh. I often get comments on her being big and how i should get myself something smaller but personally i am really pleased with her, i know that when it comes to me riding her things could go pear shaped, but so far everything we have come across she takes in her stride, and i am really looking forwrad to getting on her in the next couple of years.

It really annoys me how the only thing people can say about my filly is that she is going to be big, it feels like they are politely saying she is going to outgrow me.
Has anybody had a horse grow to big for you to feel comfortable with? If so, why did you think it was too big? was it just down to riding it or did you find it difficult to handle in general? I guess it also comes down to your experience and confidence too?

 

[Ezme]

Oliver grew too big for us.... he was a percheron/shire we bought as a 4 year old and 16.3hh but he kept on growing and was 17.2hh when we sold him along with his brother. We thought he'd stop at 17hh. We were having to add extra straps to harness and buy completely new rugs and when your a charity you just can't be doing that for just one horse, plus his brother was a bit of a fruit loop so they had to go. Its a real shame as oli was a complete sweetheart and unfortunalty I could really see him being taken advantage of at a riding school/trekking centre but he was huge in ever which way, even for us, but he had that wonderful quality of not knowing how big he was. Last i heard he'd changed hands again as he (and his brother) stopped on a hill with a wedding carriage and wouldn't go forward... i'd do anything to have him back

 

[golddustsara]

This is similar to my pony post tonight (tho the other way around). If you and the horse are happy then size doesn't matter too much. As long as you are comfortable handling/riding her when the time comes and you can throw a rug on without needing a stepladder you should be ok.

You have said you are happy with her so I'm assuming that its the other peoples comments that are bothering you...

 

[Murphy3]

If you are happy and comfortable with a horse and its way of going I don't think size matters - there's been another thread this evening about people thinking ponies are too small. Horsy people always seem to have a comment to make.

One of the nicest horses I ever rode was on a riding holiday - he was 17.2 and handy as a pony. Unfortunately I lived in Dublin at the time and he wouldn't have fitted in my back garden!

 

[bungalowpickle]

That drives me mad,so many people say that they wouldn't be interested in my boy to buy etc cos he's so big,17.2hh but my YO rides him easily and she's tiny, my mate rides him and she's 5'7" and a 12 year old at my yard had a really nasty fall off a pony she was trying out so she asked if she could ride my boy to get her confidence back and she rode him quite easily, I don't believe that size has anything to do with it so long as your horse has nice manners when you are on the ground and is well behaved to ride i can't see a problem.
Good luck to you and i hope she grows to a beautiful magnificent size. Enjoy

 

[Marchtime]

I bought my TB when he was 4yrs old and measured 16hh1. Now he's 10yrs old and measures 16hh3 whilst I'm on 5ft4. There were a number of times when I thought about selling him. I almost reached the end of my teether so many times when he was younger as I felt like he was simply too much for me to hold together. It was only when a very clever instructor pointed out that it wasn't my job to hold him together that things finally clicked. Now I have a lovely horse who respects me even if I am slightly too small for him, although I have to admit I bulked out a little in the last year which has helped!

 

[DBrasnett]

Ignore other people. Are YOU happy with her? Does she do what you want her to do? if so be happy!

I know someone who has a little ex polo pony. Without a saddle on he looks like a camel because he has such high wither and odd neck. People used to laugh at him until they saw him jump, dressage or play polo! he knows his job and he does it so well. Luckily my friend has a thick hide and ignores everyone's comments, she just laughs when she wins all the classes!

 

[bellaboo]

Thanks everyone, i am VERY happy with her, although she is only two she has given me so much joy amd so far been great to handle. She has also done well in the show ring and when introducing new things to her i'm expecting her to try it on or throw herself about and she always surprises me! I'm hoping to carry on in the show ring as she gets older and i want to do some dressage, i think she'll be quite capable of doing both.
I really have to let other people comments go over my head, just frustrates me sooo much, one day i hope to prove people wrong. Thanks again for your positive comments

 

[malibu211211]

So you should be pleased with her, she really is a superstar

Last night this 2yo filly quite happily walked past some children flying a kite in the field next door where-as my 7yo stood in his field and refused to move until the scary horse-eating kite was put away

You know what horse people are like, if they didn't comment on her height it would be something else

The person that did comment last night, I can guarantee they couldn't get their horse past a kite

As for the riding side of things you may only be 5ft something? but you ride my boy who stands at 17hh with no probs

Ignore them, she's a complete star who behaves impeccably and completely trusts you. Great manners and a horse that trusts you, sounds like an ideal beginning to a horse that's coming into work next year

 

[badgerdog]

It sounds like you have a good relationship with your horse, I wouldn't take any notice of what people say. I bought a five year old 17 hh horse (who's since grown!) in february and I've been surprised at the reaction of some people. Some have commented that he's too big but he has the loveliest temperament. I bought him because he was the first horse I had sat on in a long time that felt right. Last week I let two of the kids from the riding school where I work ride him (12 and 13 year old) and he was a star.
Temperament is more important than her being too big and it sounds like your filly is is lovely.
I have the opposite problem. I have a two year old filly who was supposed to make 16 hh and she's only 14.2 hh at the moment. She sounds like yours though and is so quiet and easy to handle I can't wait to start backing her next year.
Good luck with your filly, it sounds like you're doing all the right things.