Once you are used to him, you will get all kinds of spectator points just for riding something that big. It’s a plus, I tell you!
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Will it matter for archery that he is very tall, or is that just a rider adjustment to shoot from higher, practicing will fix that difference?
He sure will be the prettiest one out there. 
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When I got Viggo I couldn’t believe how big he was at 18+ hands. I was currently riding a 17+ hand horse, so shouldn’t have seemed like a big change, but it was. Every now and then it still is.
It takes time getting used to them, but as someone already mentioned. The bigger they are the better their manners tend to be.
Good luck
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@Bluey Mounted Archery is a young sport still evolving. When it started it seemed to me to be a handful of middle eastern/ European/Asian men seriously competing in ancient sport. But that has changed as the sport became more widely known. Along with committees and rules came people interested for reasons other than shooting well. A large faction seem to be in it for appearance. These people (some) wear silly costumes…dinosaurs with riders dressed as cavemen, princesses on unicorns, sigh. And Gypsy Vanners with flying hair, ponies, and Clydesdales are common. If there is a dominant breed in the sport it once was Arabs but now seems QH or that type. I chose QH for my two current archery horses as they come from cutting/roping backgrounds and both worked hands free making it easy for me to shoot well.
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We have an annual competition that occurs just down the road from me. Our good friend flies down to stay with us while he cooks and caters the 3-4 day event. He’s been doing this for a few years and we’ll occasionally go watch the competition. We found it very odd to see how many were dressed for the competition and generally stayed in costume the entire weekend. It is interesting and does look like fun.
Just have to say I love the horse names in this thread! William Tell, Hugh Jackman, and Viggo (Mortensen I presume?). 
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@exvet -I think at some point there will be a break between the two factions --as there is between SCA/LARP and those who compete seriously in “blade sports” of sabre, rapier, etc. Right now I prefer the "serious’ aspect and dress accordingly in the “uniform” of breeches, polo, boots, and helmet. My horse is unadorned except for a long strand of white hair from his stable buddy that I put on his bridle.
@Libby2563 RE: Names: my other horse competes in archery under then name Legolas --at one meet, where the announcer was clearly not versed in “Lord of the Rings” she called him “Leg-Less” --so we had “Foxglove riding Leg-less” --it was too funny to correct her as that horse is short legged and well could be “Leg Less.”
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He looks very classy! Do you know his JC name? I’d be interested to see what’s in his pedigree.
Beautiful horse! I’m surprised he raced at all, seeing as he’s so big. Some trainers just won’t even try with the big guys as they tend to be so slow. (My 17.2 h raced 4 times, and was absolutely terrible)
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That is a beautiful horse and I love the name as well. Love all the names of all the horses in this thread. Especially “Leg-less!”
@Jenerationx @StormyDay Hugh Jackman raced under the name Taylor B by Gulch out of Bea Ware. Florida bred.
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Take your time. I had a dinosaur sized horse myself - 17.3, long as a school bus, and wore a #6 shoe. At first he was intimidating from the ground, but it very quickly got to feel normal. All the normal sized horses started to feel like midgets to me. The day I tried my mare (who was 16.2) I think I insulted the seller because the first thing I did after mounting was say how tiny she was
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Well. Now I know what I want to do when I grow up! 
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I’m 
good thing they didn’t play on words and name him Huge Jackman…
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I have the opposite issue, downsized from 16.3hh TB to a 15.1 hh (well kind of 15.1 square) paint, looks like a damn pony to me. Still adjusting, but love being able to throw saddle on with ease.
Still makes me laugh when I hear someone say “this is KBC, she owns the big white horse” size is relative! He also magically changes when I’m on him, doesn’t feel at all pony like
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Progress Report: For the last four days, I’ve pony-ed Hugh Jackman around the farm --along the trails where I ride, checking fences and generally letting him have a look at the place. He pony-ed perfectly with W his pasture mate, was perfect with William Tell, but tried to eat Max today --not mean, just “play biting” while we trotted along. It was a blustery day so perhaps the chill brought out his playful side. I discourage any frolicking on the pony-line, and he eventually settled down and got to work.
AND while DD (his owner for the last six-seven years) was here over Thanksgiving, she worked with him to load into my straight trailer with a ramp --he’s used to a slant load step up. He caught on. Yesterday I loaded him myself 3-4 times. Today (DD has left) I loaded him 5 times and completely shut up the trailer, butt bars and doors . . .he was good.
Tomorrow we have an appointment with MY vet to review the files from the previous vet, look at x-rays, feed, supplements, injections, etc and see what I can and cannot do with him. After I have a nod from the vet, we’ll start some ground work and in a week or two (no hurry) put a leg over him. I’ll have my barn girl/exercise rider on hand . . .just in case.
He seems very calm and pleasant.
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I would also be intimidated by an 18hh horse! I’m a pony kinda gal.
But as others have said, time and getting to know each other. When I got my youngster last year (who’s only 14.2 and that felt huge compared to the 13.3 pony), I immediately wondered if I’d bit off more than I could chew and was a bit intimidated. She was young and didn’t know much, got antsy tied up etc. A year later and we’re quite comfortable with each other, even her undersaddle spooks aren’t bothering me anymore.
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Foxglove I’ve done just about everything with horses, backed a couple, worked with OTTBs, fox hunted, showed hunter and jumper but I have never ponied a horse. I always envisioned loosing the horse and having a mad gallop home.
I pony on my own fenced property. Occasionally take a horse into the woods that are unfenced. I hope I ave taken each there enough time he could come back through the gate and not run off on the 30000 acres around us!
Say what now?
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