Smaller Sport Horses?

[lesson_junkie]

Just wanted to add-I foxhunt a 14h Connemara/Welsh pony. She does a great job. I would encourage any small adult rider to entertain trying a pony or small horse. Everything is easier, from blanketing to cleaning stalls-never mind mounting and dismounting, and I have never had more fun. I should have done it 20 years ago.

[Interstellar]

Thank you for the discussion guys! I’m kinda leaning towards a smaller range of 16 hand horses so that I will still be able to sell horses that I don’t need to keep. Thinking I might make the hony (love this term lol!) a small side project for myself and be ok with the fact that any I keep won’t be worth much without a good show record and lots of training.

[ladyj79]

A good horse is a good horse. If you can breed/develop a top quality horse, being in the 15h range is not an issue.

here’s one of ours from last year, jumped Dutch national championships, winning six year old classes in Europe, scouted by an Olympic rider and sold to the US for six figures.

15.2 Ustinov mare.

[MysticOakRanch]

@soloudinhere

I’m not sure the merger really did anything to clarify breed standing.

I agree, I think it is confusing! Several smaller registries all “rolled” into the newly named German Warmblood registry. I think part of the confusion is that each registry is still maintaining its own standards, rules, and name - eventually, maybe they will lose the individual brand name and just go with German WB? The transition period is going to be confusing for sure! To add to it, RPSI always confused people - “are those horses Rhinelanders (Rhineland Pfal Szar International)? No, they are Zweiburkers. WTH is a Zweiburger?”:lol:

[Man_in_Black]

@Ace

I am VERY surprised a GRP isn’t moving like a hotcake! Not that I know THAT much about them, but have always coveted those who own them. I prefer sport horses on the smaller size (say, 15.0-15.3 range) so long as the barrel takes up my leg. I’ll never quite get the appeal of a tiny rider on a huge horse unless it’s for step. I’d personally rather ride a sporty little thing. Touch of Class, anyone? Just to name one small-ish amazing ride…

I have a GRP (registered with RPSI). He’s Oldenburg/WelshX and should finish 15.2 but he is already built like a house so will certainly take up leg. I’m 5’ so the idea of a “hony” was appealing to me since I bought him as a 2yo - I didn’t want to be breaking and training something that would be gigantic. My plan is to eventually sell him as a Small Jr Hunter, but he has the movement for dressage as well. I don’t have any doubts about this horse making it down the lines as he has a big trot and lofty canter. I’m not sure that this horse has the athleticism to truly be a sport horse. He’s as lazy as the day is long.

The only issue that I have with my GRP is that he’s got a definite pony attitude… And so do I

[stoicfish]

@MysticOakRanch

Totally agree - a small horse has to have a good brain. I’ve bred a few -and lucky for me, they’ve mostly been super easy, super ammie horses. No pro wants a small horse, sadly. Personally, I like a hony - 14.2 to 15.2 is my preferred range of size. AND I like a horse that is a bit on the hot side, and has “personality”. But I am a very limited market:lol:

Someone I know is trying to sell a super talented 15.3 (barely) mare, and she is difficult and really a ride for someone who knows what they are doing. And she’s been on the market forever.

I also have a big pony (14.2) and he’s a ride for an experienced, confident rider - which is how I ended up with him. Most adults who are looking for large ponies and small horses want - safe, sane, easy to ride.

In general, the hony market is fairly limited - I do think the prices are a bit lower then they are for a 16+ hand horse. But if the horse has a show record, is easy to ride, going at least 1st/2nd level - I think there is a good market for those horses.

BTW, RPSI and a few of the other smaller WB registries have “merged” into Deutsches Sportpferd (German Sport Horse, or German Warmblood), so they are kind of rebranding themselves. I’ve known a few really nice RPSI horses, very high quality. The registry just isn’t as large or well known as Oldenburg, Hanoverian, Dutch WB, etc. I’ve always found it ironic that people think RPSI is a “lesser” registry, but Old NA is not.

That is a trend. And trends can change. I think the more people that look like they are having fun on smaller horses, the more people will look for a smaller horse.
Google Pumpkin…

[ladyj79]

No pro wants a crap horse at any size.

I know lots of pros in europe with smaller horses.

[Cancara]

I own and ride a 15.1hh mare who is incredible. Much admired and a beautiful mover, sound all her life and easy to handle. Even better- talented! Jumping clears at 1m10 tracks impeccably. Jumps higher at home. Have been considering putting in foal if her next two years performance is maintained and warrants it. A good horse is a good horse regardless of size as others have said. Certainly around me a horse her size would be a sought after mother- teen daughter share.

[MysticOakRanch]

@stoicfish

That is a trend. And trends can change. I think the more people that look like they are having fun on smaller horses, the more people will look for a smaller horse.
Google Pumpkin…

Yes, I know about Pumpkin, but right now, in this market, in the US - Pro riders want big horses. And Pumpkin is not 15.2 - he is 16 hands. From a marketing standpoint, 16 hands is kind of the “magic barrier”. Smaller then 16 and it is a dreaded hony. Creating a new trend is not easy, just saying… OP wants to know market potential for smaller horses.

[soloudinhere]

Well there is a lot of market for things above 15.1. Small jr hunters is a huge division and obviously they are getting those horses from somewhere.

But the market below that size is definitely smaller and going below 14h will be the kiss of death resale wise. The medium pony is the least popular size because it’s too small for most older children and adults and too much for a small child. Whatever you end up with needs to finish above 14h or you will have it forever.

[tuckawayfarm]

@MysticOakRanch

From a marketing standpoint, 16 hands is kind of the “magic barrier”. Smaller then 16 and it is a dreaded hony. Creating a new trend is not easy, just saying… OP wants to know market potential for smaller horses.

IME, this hasn’t been true. There is definitely a market for the small Jr. hunter. I’ve found the “magic barrier” to be 15.2hh. I don’t intentionally breed for the smaller size, but I’ve had quite a few over the years. It’s the true “honies” (14.3 - 15.1) that can be difficult to market, especially if they are athletic and on the spicy side.

Interestingly, in light of the remarks about pros not wanting small horses, all three of my jumper bred honies sold to the same petite Dressage pro.

[soloudinhere]

@tuckawayfarm

IME, this hasn’t been true. There is definitely a market for the small Jr. hunter. I’ve found the “magic barrier” to be 15.2hh. I don’t intentionally breed for the smaller size, but I’ve had quite a few over the years. It’s the true “honies” (14.3 - 15.1) that can be difficult to market, especially if they are athletic and on the spicy side.

Interestingly, in light of the remarks about pros not wanting small horses, all three of my jumper bred honies sold to the same petite Dressage pro.

Interested in what jumper lines you used to end up with a hony. I am looking for a hony that can really jump. Lots of dressage bred ones but harder to find a jumper bred pony in the states.

[New_Horizons]

Marissa,

I breed purebred Haflinger sporthorses specifically for dressage that have matured in the @15H plus range (some have matured up to 15.2H). My stallion was performance tested here in the U.S. and lifetime licensed and approved for breeding through his breed registry, RPSI, Weser Ems and AWS. I choose to get my foals registered and inspected RPSI because they are very supportive of their breeders. Almost all of my stallion’s offspring have sold inutero to dressage riders, sometimes two years in advance.

I tell you this because smaller sporthorse are indeed marketable and popular, and becoming more so as time goes by. I would encourage you to check them out if that’s what you are really interested in.