Short Rider + Big bodied tall horse

[ThreeWishes]

So, I bought my dream horse 6 years ago when he was 5 going on 6 years old. He was probably 16.1 and I am 5’ tall. In the years since then he continued to grow. Up …He’s 16.3 + now but mostly he grew round and out. He’s a lovely hunter. Personality ++++. A golden retriever in a horse suit. In the last couple of years I feel like I struggle with my tiny legs and my T Rex arms. He requires a lot of leg. Longer stirrups help but over fences I need to put them up higher than what is most effective on the flat. He is the tallest biggest bodied horse I’ve ever ridden in 30 years. 1400 pounds. Is this a losing battle of being so short or are there exercises to keep him crisp off my leg ? Exercises to really have an effective leg? He is a saint. I’ve just lately being struggling with my left to right. change. I know it’s probably mostly me and my own weakness (I’m old). Terrible rotator cuff issues.
Pics for reference
When I bought him

Where my leg hits now

Edited to add I mean exercises mostly for me! I know I have weakness in my left shoulder and back. The horse is a unicorn. I think my aids are just really getting muted/dull. I get the change 75% of the time. But I have to be 100% balanced tall and have a perfect canter. It’s the tall part that I suck at.

[TheJenners]

Oh boy that is a challenge. I am also a shortie buuuuut… my height is all leg, I have a short torso which has its own set of complications.

Honestly keeping him “crisp” off your leg needs to be exercises for him as well, not just you. Dressage lessons perhaps, or just a lot of transitions with reinforcement with a whip right behind your leg. I did this with a medium pony I got who was completely deadsided (and at 5 too) and now she has her own motor and is quick to step out when asked, and I no longer need to ride with crop or spurs except when it’s very hot out.

[LilyandBaron]

No answers, but Margie Engle must have a method…. Wonder if there are old articles of hers for ideas?

[ThreeWishes]

You’re so right. I was using a dressage whip earlier this year and it helped me so much with haunches in and shoulder in in lessons. I for whatever reason stopped using it and only ride with little tiny spurs. I’m going to try the assistance of the dressage whip touching his side. Because in hindsight that’s about as much pressure as I needed. I guess my short legs just don’t compute.

[AAHunterGal]

I was going to say dressage whip as well! Just a little flick to reinforce your leg and see if that helps things.

For yourself, yoga may help to try to elongate your legs while also working on strength. Riding is a sport that “shortens” us, so anything that we can do to help open back up helps a lot out of the saddle.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

The two of you are so adorable together! But yeah, as another five foot tall person, it’s challenging to ride a big horse. The short arm factor is just as frustrating as the short leg factor! Ros Canter somehow manages to do it.

I exclusively ride dressage now, and I feel much more secure on a big horse in a deeper-seated saddle that is designed to have a longer stirrup length than I did riding in a jumping or all-purpose saddle. I’m definitely not suggesting switching disciplines, but if you could get a chance to ride him in a dressage saddle and maybe take some dressage lessons, the deeper seat, dropping you hip/hip flexors into the saddle, might give you some additional security. It’s different than just riding with longer stirrups in a jumping saddle, which can throw you off balance.

[Punkie]

You and I are in very similar boats!

I’m 5’4" but ALL torso. I literally have a 27" inseam and have to ride in children’s leathers LOL! Yet somehow, 95% of my horses are GIANTS. My “smallest” is 16.1 but has a massive barrel and my two largest are a smidgen over 19hh a piece (all WBs). I don’t mean to keep buying the big ones, but somehow that’s what I have on my farm!

I find that pilates helps a lot with elongating what little bit of leg I do have and then tons and tons of core work. I am very stoutly built but I have incredibly strong legs, so for me a long spur is also a very helpful tool. I have the strength to support my horses through my calf and thigh, but dressage spurs (mostly blunt baseball bats and long, soft rollers) help me to have a little extra backup. I wish I had better advice/ideas about the arm issue; as you can see from the picture I’ve posted, I ride that struggle bus with pride! Extra long reins, breaking a bit extra in your hip, and using every inch of possible real estate is my best advice, but I’ll be paying attention to this thread to see if anyone else has useful suggestions!

Your boy is absolutely gorgeous and you look lovely on him!

[ThreeWishes]

Thank you!

[ThreeWishes]

Thank you! I definitely feel more effective riding super long in my stirrups. I think a dressage saddle would certainly help to open my hips and lengthen my leg. I’ve noticed that as my fence height rises and my stirrups shorten I compensate by getting tighter and subsequently shorter in my jump saddle.

[ThreeWishes]

Beautiful horse!!! Thank you so much for your insight. I also ride in childrens leathers. The struggle is real! I wouldn’t trade my horse for the world. I just felt so much more effective on the horses I’ve owned in the past who were shorter and more slab slided. Age doesn’t help and I have really muscular thighs and a J Lo caboose. It’s hard not to to feel perchy when the fences get 2”9 and up.
Pilates and yoga will be my New Years goal.

[ThreeWishes]

Also @Punkie I wonder if a longer spur would help. I was looking through pics and saw how much I need to turn out my toe to engage the tiny spur I use. Good thoughts.

[Bristol_Bay]

@ThreeWishes

I wouldn’t trade my horse for the world.

Okay, but would you sell him to me? He’d have a 5’9” home.

[ThreeWishes]

Lol! I bet you’d ride him better !

[cardinale]

@Impractical_Horsewoman

if you could get a chance to ride him in a dressage saddle and maybe take some dressage lessons, the deeper seat, dropping you hip/hip flexors into the saddle, might give you some additional security. It’s different than just riding with longer stirrups in a jumping saddle, which can throw you off balance.

Agree. Also, if you can ride in a dressage saddle and with a long leg, and even (eek) take dressage lessons–which are just basic riding–and do lateral work, your horse will become more attuned to your seat and leg aids, which will translate into better responsiveness and communication when you shorten your stirrups and ride in a forward seat saddle.

[ThreeWishes]

I switched trainers two years ago from a very regimented hunter barn to a coach with a strong eventing background. I take 2 lessons a week. In the last year I’ve been really working (struggling lol ) on lateral work. I can do a really lovely shoulder in at the sitting trot but not as good at the walk or rising trot. It’s there but I can’t maintain it all the way down the long side. When I sit the trot I can. Maybe because at the sitting trot I really reach down and I also have a lot of forward.

[Highflyer1]

Dressage whip for sure. I primarily event and do jumpers, not hunters, but I’ve also found the Le Spurs to be helpful. I have a lot of trouble getting the regular roller ball type on the horse consistently.
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[ThreeWishes]

Thank you !

[GreyDes]

You look lovely together!

One additional thing you may want to look at is your saddle fit for you. In the first photo, it looks like it’s putting you in a bit of a chair seat. That might be impacting your balance and contributing to some of the perching feeling.

[ThreeWishes]

Thank you ! That was my Antares.I rode in it for the first couple of years. When he filled out and broadened through the shoulder I sold it and bought an extra wide Voltaire at the behest of my new trainer. It’s definitely a much better fit.

[Jackie_Cochran]

The Le Spur looks interesting.

There is another spur like that, the slip on Bumper Spur, one that barrel racers use (not all bumper spurs are slip on, the other types use the Western spur straps).

It can go on the boot right above the sole/heel of your boot, so your leg aid would be a little bit further down his side. These slip on spurs are the dickens to keep on when walking on the ground since they do not have a strap to secure them to the rider’s foot, but it is an easier way to make your leg and inch or two “longer” to the horse and your leg aids may make more sense to the horse.