I had no idea how to do a search on this and what I did type in didn’t give me what I wanted…
How do you determine if the size of the rider is ok for the size of the horse? I know there are the lg hunters and the sm hunters…how tall of a rider “looks” ok?
Then there are the different body types-long torso vs long legged…
Not sure how tall Tori Colvin is-I know she rides a couple of the sm jr hunters and looks good on them. Lilly Keenen seems longer legged-not sure if any of hers are the smalls. Just trying to get a sense of rider size with horse size and what looks good.
If anyone has any suggestions of pics to look at…
TIA
The “fit” of a horse and rider has a lot more to do with their conformation than simply with height. A horse with a big barrel that takes up a lot of leg will often suit a tall rider better than a taller, but slab sided horse for example. And of course, some riders carry their height in their upper bodies, vs. having longer legs and so on. So it really is a very individual kind of thing.
this is a large pony at 14.2 hands. I am 5’6 with a short lower leg and longer thigh (and fatter :eek: ) It really really varies based on how you are built and how the horse is built.
Totally depends on the horse. I’m just a hair under 6’ w/ a 36" inseam - all of my height is in my leg. I think I look best on a solid 16-16.2h horse - bigger than that and I think we look too gangly and imposing! However, at my current lesson barn, I usually ride a 15.2 MorganX(we think!) and that’s just fine.
I do also often ride a 14.1 mare, who is pretty petite, and it still somehow works. I think she may just be magic:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/funnythat/14803352737/
(not the best pic, sorry!)
Dtr is 5’5, horse is 15’3-she has long legs. He looks kind of round-just don’t want her torso looking like a sore thumb sticking off him! lol Maybe I’ll have to post a pic and get some thoughts after we go see him. I know there are a lot of variables. RolyPoly-you look just fine-hard to believe the horse isn’t that big! Littlemiss-you look fine too 
If she is going to be doing the eq, the fashion certainly is for a larger horse. I’m not going to argue if that is right or wrong, just noting that is usually the case. Is your daughter done growing? I am almost 5’10 and long everywhere except my calf. The smallest I would feel good owning is a really thick 15.3. I currently have a narrow but growing almost 16.2 TB.
[QUOTE=RolyPolyPony;7723778]
I do also often ride a 14.1 mare, who is pretty petite, and it still somehow works. I think she may just be magic:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/funnythat/14803352737/
(not the best pic, sorry!)[/QUOTE]
Definitely magical! What a cutie too!
Jelleigh, your daughter’s height isn’t exceptionally tall, so I’m sure she will look more than fine on a horse of that size, unless he is exceptionally slab sided and his barrel doesn’t take up her leg. I’m about her size at 5’6" and while my own horse is 17h (he was not acquired on height whatsoever), I’ve ridden horses/ponies of all heights without looking ridiculous, except for the super dainty looking Welsh-type ponies.
Thanks-the pics I’ve seen of him and video rider is a couple inches shorter. I think my dtr may grow 1-2 in more at most. I don’t know how to post pics on here. I have pics of her on her 14’2 pony for a guide. I have had such a hard time finding a horse for her in my price range. This one has the most of what we are looking for in my price range at this point. Had wanted a larger horse-was hoping for the 16’2 or 3 but just havent’ been able to find it in my budget for the amount of training I need it to have-going over fences (didn’t need to be doing 3’ but needed to have the scope to get there), didn’t care about show record, but needed to be a decent mover (didn’t want to go too green b/c of her level of working w/horses)
I’m 5’7" with deceptively long legs. Most of my height is in my legs. I tend to ride horses that are right around 16 hands. Some work better than others…
This is my current horse She is 16 hands on a tall day. I think I look fine on her I do think, however, that sometimes I can look a bit tall on her in the upper body when I’m in two point.
This one is also 16 hands but carries himself more upright and I think I look a bit better on him.
This one is a hair shy of 16.2 but very narrow.
This one is a hair shy of 16.1, very slab-sided but again is more upright
IMO, it’s really hard to tell if you are going to fit a horse or not just from knowing the height. All the horses I posted are pretty narrow and they all wear the same girth size, but their proportions are different and how they carry themselves is different so I can look different on them. I think I fit them all, just some better than others.
I am 5’5" and I am currently riding a 15.3 h horse. I think we look fine together, and I’ve gotten compliments that we are a good looking pair. I have a long leg for my height, he has a well sprung barrel to take up my leg but he’s still leggy enough himself to look balanced. However, I feel from a show perspective I wouldn’t go any smaller than him. It’s all about the individuals you are pairing up. The last horse I rode was the same height but he had short legs and a round belly. I looked like I was an oversized pony kid
It sounds like your daughter should be fine. 5’5" isn’t extremely tall and 15-3 is a pretty decent sized horse.
Even if she gets to 5’7" 15-3 horse with a decent sized heart/girth will be fine.
If you are doing hunters, of course a nice visual pair is pleasing but not necessary if your horse has a nice soft stride, rythimic and nails every distance you will win. In the eq it’s more important that the visual is balance and pleasing.
Many people go for the 16-2 + horses because a 12ft stride is easier for a larger horse than a smaller horse.
So it really depends on the what your daughter is planning to do, what level she is competing and how she and the horse are built.
I am 5’9" and rode a 16 hand horse as a kid for years and won the eq a lot. But that was before the 18 hand Warmblood. For years I rode a 16-2 hand horse and did well in the hunters. Then rode the 18 hand horse for a while and honestly I did feel much more proportioned with him. So my next horse is 17 hands and I feel perfect on him.
Then I bought a smaller horse and how I know I am not hurting him I still don’t feel as good on him as I do on my 17 hand horse.
So it’s also a personal choice… as long as your weight isn’t hurting the horse your okay.
My 16-2 horse
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=101694103209015&set=a.142531842458574.23357.100001052770584&type=3&theater
My 18 hand horse
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=181871528524605&set=a.181869811858110.45003.100001052770584&type=3&theater
My 17 hand horse
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=539779172733837&set=a.142531842458574.23357.100001052770584&type=3&theater
My 16 hand horse
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=744753618903057&set=a.142531842458574.23357.100001052770584&type=3&theater
Aside from the horse’s barrel filling the rider’s leg the length of neck and overall length of horse has a lot to do with it too.
If you have a long torso, you will look more balanced on a long necked horse, but a shorter rider can get away with a more compact or shorter necked horse.
Put a short rider on a long necked, long bodied horse, and all of a sudden the horse looks longer than the Queen Mary.
Put a long torsoed rider on a short, compact horse and no matter how tall the horse is, the rider’s proportion will shrink the horse.
