Shorter riders, what have been your problems?

[ezmissg]

Yep, me too!

Just over 5’1" … short legs … UGH!

Half Chaps – Tredstep! They have separate inch measurements for height and calf width. I have large calfs too, so I got 15" x 15" and they are PERFECT…btw, this is one of those items you really need to have fitted through a local tack shop.

Tall Boots – had to break down and get custom Dehner’s after trying lots of other options. I LOVE THEM…when I first put them on, it was a lightbulb moment “Oh, THIS is what boots are supposed to feel like!”

Breeches – all come to my ankle. The only petite brand I’ve found is Tropical Rider.

Saddles – Not much problem with a jump saddle; I have a Prestige Nona Garson that seems to work well. Short flaps would be mandatory on a dressage saddle, but they are hard to find used, and I just don’t have $$$$ for a custom.

Horse – petite 15.3hh TB. There is no way I could fit to ride well on a horse over 16hh, and I hate the perched feeling. I understand the short arms thing too; somehow I’ve found a way to “ride with longer arms”, but I have no idea how that occurred.

Mounting – it’s never pretty! I have been forced to mount from the ground a few times by dropping my stirrup ALL the way down, but I had to pretty much crawl up – no grace AT ALL. I think my mare was embarrassed for me!

Reaching things at height – stools or climbing onto counters like a child going for the cookie jar.

I would give anything for another 3-4" of leg. <sigh>

[mcw]

5’2" with very short legs, especially from the knee down.

I prefer small horses, but don’t have too hard of a time on tall ones. It is the big barrelled beasts that I struggle with.

I found that I have to ride with shorter stirrups jumping to keep my balance in the right spot, and I have to be very aware of my upper body balance in order to stay centered since I don’t have much leg to anchor me.

The short arms thing is a pain, but my trainer used to tell me if I would put my shoulders back and down, I would be able to get my hands out in front of me. It works if I do that - hate it when she’s right

Definitely Tredstep for half chaps.

I don’t have too much trouble with saddles until they are a whole inch bigger than my own. Then the flaps get too long quickly and I feel like I am swimming in the saddle. I use child-length stirrup leathers, which my trainer calls my “anti-social” stirrup leathers (he is 6’3"). I teach a small gaggle of teenagers, and they love to make fun of me when I have to wrap their stirrups to get on to show them something on their horses.

Biggest pain to me is how everyone hangs things so high in barns and trailers! When I was a WS, I was too short to tie horses in my trainer’s trailer. So the ones I loaded had to hang out with me until she could come in and tie them up. Embarrassing. I always say that when I have my own barn, every bridle rack, saddle rack, blanket rack, etc. is going to be hung at Martha-height!

[MimsEppi]

Oh I’m so glad I’m not alone

I’m getting ready to start saddle shopping here in a week or so… I should try the Prestige saddles, it seems! (I’m 5’2, btw.)

[netg]

[QUOTE=mcw;5432178]
I prefer small horses, but don’t have too hard of a time on tall ones. It is the big barrelled beasts that I struggle with. [/QUOTE]

Same here. I was shopping in the 15-17hh range, but with a preference toward the shorter end. My requirement was that I be able to use my legs properly on a horse, regarldess of height - which would have ruled out some short horses with big barrels, but made my horse ok.

My trainer took this pic of me my first test ride on my horse so I could see how well I fit him. He’s 16.3hh, I’m 5’1", and the saddle definitely does NOT fit me, which is unsurprising since his previous rider is 6’ tall. That plus the bad car accident the day before/hip injury meant chair seat for me, but you can at least tell he isn’t really that big for me. I have an Ovation dressage saddle which fits me fine, and need a new jumping saddle which fits my horse - but the ones I borrow all fit me just fine, of various brands.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/5450741295_9d6f9ec50e_m.jpg

I also haven’t had arm length problems, but I think my arms are extra long or something. I tease my (5’ tall) mom because she mostly rides western, and has always had to stretch her arms straight out to get them past the saddle horn!

[artienallie]

@ake987;5431332

I’m 5’2" with the stupidest, shortest legs on earth.

Seriously.

I highly doubt that.

I’m 5’4", with a 26" inseam. I sit in an 18" saddle. Do the math on what that means for my length of calf.

Add in the fact that I’ve got skinny knees, normal calves and both cankles and a FOLD of breeches at my ankles, and you’ve got a recipe for absolutely NO tall boots fitting properly. NONE. Even customs don’t quite fit right, as they really can’t cut them to fit my leg.

:sigh:

[olim2005]

I wish this wasn’t an old post because I have so much to relate too.

I am 5’2" with no torso, long thighs, an shorter calves. Luckily, the thighs help me out a ton. I wish my calves were longer to wrap around the horse a little more. Lifting a big horses rib cage to go round can be challenging.

I do have longer arms from shoulder to elbow, but my forearms are shorter. So my arms hang down nicely from my shoulder, but to get my hands forward is more of a task.

I look “right” on a horse, but…I ride so much better the smaller the horse.

I think shorter riders stay on better for certain types of actions, like spooking, rearing, jumping better then taller riders. But unless you are riding a smaller horse…bucks are going to be really hard to sit too and sudden stops.

[Pippigirl]

I’m just over 5’1" short waist, short arms… All the problems people have when they start riding as little kids on ponies (short legs and arms) will end up dogging me for the rest of my life on horseback. Finding clothes to fit properly is pretty darn tough!

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Wait a minute, you mean breeches AREN’T supposed to come to your ankles? Who knew?

I am 5’1 and am a short-legged 5’1 at that. I ride a 15h Morgan with a wide barrel and that’s plenty enough horse for me. I am in awe of short-legged people who can sit effectively on massive 17h warmbloods and ride effectively. He is a lease but fortunately the saddle fits me. For years I rode in ill-fitting saddles on lesson horses.

It was not until I started riding that I realized how much having short arms truly sucks.

[xRecklessRenditionx]

TALL BOOTS and I can’t use my legs as effectively as taller people. My horse has a big barrel so it’s challenge to wrap my legs around him. Luckily I found a Amerigo monoflap saddle to fit me and my horse - which was a definite challenge. Also breeches. I need kid size for legs, but a ladies sized waist.

[kashmere]

Oh my. I am reading this with interest as I am basically Gumby come to life - 6’0 and just… limbs :lol: Funny to hear the polar opposite of my litany of complaints, which include:

• Breeches are essentially capris.
• Low Rise = v. sad muffin top / hope I’m wearing nice underwear, because someone’s going to see it!
• 3/4 length coats and shirts. Not in vogue… ever.
• Horse shopping! “Is she really 16.2? Really? Really??”
• Saddles. Just… saddles full stop.
• And possible the very worst… I can’t ride ponies.

Where are the perfectly proportioned horsefolk who are like 5’5 - 5’9? I’d like to give them the stink eye.

[Larbear]

@Impractical Horsewoman;8580755

Wait a minute, you mean breeches AREN’T supposed to come to your ankles? Who knew?

I wish breeches would come to the ankle. I have to fold mine…and they have to be.just.so. cuz if I have a wrinkle or whatever, it drives me crazy! The meshy things on the Fits breeches (to keep your legs cooler in boots) is completely useless for me because I have to fold mine!

[redalter]

So glad for this thread! 5’2" here, with short arms and legs. Sometimes I feel like a weeble.:eek:

For me, it’s having a good following hand over drops and downhill fences, plus all the other things that have already been posted.

My guy is just barely 16 hands and it works, though prior to him, I had a 16.3 and a 17.1 that also worked out just fine, so go figure.

TALL BOOTS.

So, I guess my calves are larger around than a pencil, so I struggle with that, plus the tops of the boots are so tall I look like some kind of pirate or something!

I do have the Donatello’s now, not a really expensive boot, but they fit!

I was in a tack store the other day, just trying on tall boots - I don’t know why- and this girl sat down next to me, probably 5’10" with skinny legs, tried on a pair and they zipped right up.
Damn.

[RegentLion]

[QUOTE=Larbear;5430227]
I find that because I am short (4’11-and-a-bit), I have to compromise rein length and body position. I am somewhat short waisted and I find that for jumping, on the landing in order to keep my upper body back a bit, the reins do have to slide a bit.[/QUOTE]

This is me as well!!!

I’m 5’ with most of my limited height in my torso. I look at home on ponies.

I finally found a dressage instructor that can work with my confirmation. Before this I couldn’t keep my shoulders back, elbows at sides, reins short (but don’t pull!), etc. It just was not conformationally possible. I don’t know what she did but I’m suddenly improving in my dressage eq. It’s nice.

I positively dread looking for a new saddle. We have no brick and mortar stores here so I’ll have to do it all online and I positively dread it. In the meantime a borrowed dressage saddle and DH’s 17" (and too big) pessoa are standing in the gap. Had to retire my “Prestwick Crown Royal” 16" flat pancake saddle… It’s just sad and done.

I seriously have no idea about flap length or position or seat size for myself!!

Horse wise, I prefer smaller or leaner builds. I prefer a horse responsive to the leg that doesn’t lean into my hand. I really simply don’t have the physical body size to muscle one around. Maybe I could gain some more but… Meh.

[Synthesis]

OMG this is cracking me up.
My proportions are so weird I started blogging as the T-Rex. Seriously, I have

• big head
• short waist
• big tail
• big and long legs (rel. to height that is)
• short little arms

Capris? I call those unfashionably short pants.
Breeches? Seriously, they aren’t supposed to come to your ankle? Really? I’m in my early 40s and its the first I’ve heard of this
Low-waist breeches = you can’t hide a small village in the gap of my waist band

I need an 18" seat saddle to accommodate my butt, yet SHORT and forward flaps. Regular calf blocks hit my Achilles tendon, knee goes over the front and thighs hit the blocks…

Built to ride, that’s me :lol:

[redalter]

[QUOTE=Synthesis;8581145]
OMG this is cracking me up.
My proportions are so weird I started blogging as the T-Rex. Seriously, I have

• big head
• short waist
• big tail
• big and long legs (rel. to height that is)
• short little arms

Capris? I call those unfashionably short pants.
Breeches? Seriously, they aren’t supposed to come to your ankle? Really? I’m in my early 40s and its the first I’ve heard of this
Low-waist breeches = you can’t hide a small village in the gap of my waist band

I need an 18" seat saddle to accommodate my butt, yet SHORT and forward flaps. Regular calf blocks hit my Achilles tendon, knee goes over the front and thighs hit the blocks…

Built to ride, that’s me :lol:[/QUOTE]

OMG, that’s me, too!!

I look down at my arms sometimes and think T - Rex!!:lol:

[Finding_Serenity]

5’2!

Normal waist and torso, short legs (Children’s breeches are long on me) and arms. My trainer is awesome because she’s shown me how to ride well with my elbows at my sides and doesn’t yell just because they “look” like they’re in my crotch. She’s happy if it’s a straight steady line from bit to elbow My boy loves it too (Short back and short stocky neck!) and only engages his hind end when my arms are in that spot, so I know we’re doing it right.

Biggest issues? Breeches and Saddles. Oh and leg. I have to use SO much more leg than my long legged friends. However my boy is adjusting and is becoming rather good at realizing what I’m asking for

I got a used Thorowgood saddle that I swear must have had custom flaps as I actually can put my leg on him now.

Breeches? Irideon has petites! 2 inches shorter than their normal length and their knee patches actually sit where they should be! No place stocks them except their manufacturing website: www.toklat.com. They’re discontinuing them too :no: due to the fact that no one seems to buy them. I didn’t even know they existed until this forum.

I actually manage to fit the Mountain Horse Venice boots, in their regular height. They dropped just right :lol: And I found with the breeches at the right spot, the zipper no longer eats my tendon and ankles.

[vali]

Saddle fit and breeches are the biggest challenges, but more and more saddle makers are making short flap saddles. I found a used Antares short flap 16.5 monoflap saddle last on the Antares website last year and they even gave me a discount of the listed price because they knew there were not many people who would fit into it. I love ponies and pony crosses, and like the fact I can ride a much wider range of horses/ponies than most people. I love the pikeur kids breeches, which are cheaper than the adult sizes of the same breeches. I have several pairs I have ordered from calevo and they are less than $100 a pair after you take out VAT. I also like the tropical rider petite size breeches. Developing core strength and doing a lot of pilates really helped my riding.