The smaller dressage horse - 15.3...IS the market increasing for this size?

[theautumnleaves]

I feel like I am hearing that it is, but not sure; as I took time off from riding to have my human babies grow up a little.

Sooooo…I found this delightful bay mare that has excellent and stout conformation (big barrel), but also has dressag-ey movement (very mild winging), an extremely fab hind leg, and looks to have a great demeanor. She’s a PRE btw. But, she’s only 15.2 at 4. I am not sure I would ever WANT to sell her, as something about her is just pulling me in to go see her and she could be my daughter’s horse!, but is there a market if we aren’t a good match after all? I’m assuming she’ll end up 15.3 in work. I’m tall btw, but her build would make that ok i think.

thank you!!

[khall]

Me! I am tired of the 16.2 hh + horses. I have a 15.2 hh mare now and she is plenty big for me. I also have her 16.2 hh brother and he is a moose. Just bought a 84 blanket for him, his sister wears 80 BTW. I specifically bred a 15.3 hh mare to 15.3 hh stallion wanting a 15.3 hh offspring. I think she will end up 16 hh but look bigger because of her high set neck. Lusitano X. I have a 15.3 hh mare, dam of Lusitano X and she is perfect size.

[2tempe]

A about 15 months ago I bought a Lusitano. He is 15.3 (I’m short), and IMO the size is perfect! He is like a sports car, and very competitive in how he scores and we recently moved up to PSG.

I believe the market is slowly but steadily developing for small upper level horses for amateurs. It is a lot of work for some of us to ride those big warmbloods between the size and the need for leg to get them forward. The PRE and Lusitano are a bit more sensitive and responsive to leg and seat - a different ride. I would say that for the lower levels there is quite a reasonable demand. IMO those buyers are more open to both size and breed.

I have a friend, BTW, who is about 5’6" who is showing two Welsh ponies, both at FEI levels.

On the other hand I doubt that you will see many smaller horses at CDI’s or the upper echelons of dressage.

Lastly I will add that there is a clear increase in the number of PREs and Lusitanos I see at shows - so the breed part will be a factor as well as the size when considering future demand.

[joiedevie99]

Yes. I’m 5’8" and I show a 15.2 PRE that is everything I could have asked for in a dressage horse. We competed at small tour this year, and will make the move up to I-2 in the spring.

[netg]

My trainer and his wife have a 15.3 and 16hh KWPN and they get offered to buy them every time they go out in public. For a LOT more money than most of us would spend.

Great temperament + amazing movement + rideable size apparently equals great demand.

[ThreeFigs]

I’m getting older and figure my next horse will be much shorter than 16.1 HH Best Beloved Figmeister. IF there IS a next horse.

[Beentheredonethat]

I think you’re fine. I’m 5’9" and tall and have my 15.3 hand mare, but she has a huge barrel. I looked a little big on her, but it was fine. Now my 5’7" sponsor rides her and she looks perfect on her. Smaller horses are much more appreciated now.

[SendenHorse]

yes! don’t count on a sale, of course…
more people are commenting they want a smaller horse like i have. Agree people are tiring of the huge horses.
15.3 isn’t that small

[MysticOakRanch]

I am not that tall, but have a really long leg - I ride a 15.1 1/2 mare, and she’s not even that big bodied. I don’t even want to ride big horses anymore, I LOVE the little ones! And I do see more and more smaller horses - the GRPs are getting more popular. I have seen smaller horses in CDIs - including a Welsh Cob, a few PREs, an Arab cross, some smaller WBs, and I’m sure I’m forgetting some of them. Bigger is not better anymore!

[Covergirl15]

It seems like it in my area too! Actually, a lot of people around here are switching to ponies–GRP, Welshes, etc. But, it seems (and this is way overgeneralizing) that many AA dressage riders are tiny–in the 5’-5’3" range, and just don’t have the size to ride a big warmblood and be able to collect it, etc. so there is a definite appeal to riding the little ones! My trainer even is trying to sell her big WB b/c she wants something smaller.

[GraceLikeRain]

I think people would be much quicker to look at a 15.3 PRE than a 15.3 TB. A 15.3 PRE is very much in the normal range for the breed. 15.3 is far from abnormal in TBs but it seems like 70% listed are 16.2+. So, by comparison, I think it would appear small even if it rode the exact same as the 15.3 PRE. Maybe that’s just my perception.

Ironically, when I saw your title I thought “15.3 counts as small?!”. 15.3 is outside of the upper range of what I want next go around. “Smaller” horses are so much fun.

[Magicboy]

I think you’re right about the smaller height being more acceptable for PREs. although the gelding I’m riding these days is 16.2 which is really the upper limits for the breed.

[Manahmanah]

The giant warmblood fad is starting to go away.

[exvet]

As a welsh cob breeder and owner of nothing over 15 hands, I can say that there definitely is a market. However, I’m not sure it’s really growing. I think more to the point that certain breeds that fall into the cob/small hunter/petite dressage horse have come into the limelight. The attention has increased interest but honestly this has ebbed and flowed over the years. I don’t think they’re necessarily fads but I think there will always be a ‘rate’ limiting factor in terms of market size (no pun intended) for the ‘shorter’ mount.

[slp2]

I do think there is increase in interest in smaller horses–especially with the popularity of ponies in dressage lately. That being said—I still think they generally are priced lower than equivalently trained “large” horses. Fancy moving German Riding Ponies, are probably the exception to that. But I think there are more adults that are willing to try a smaller horse and prefer one. I just don’t think they always command the same price, and may take a little longer to sell.

I think any size that is out of the “average” range may take a little longer to sell. My hubby’s horse is 18 hands (with a huge, upright neck–so he looks even taller) and he was on the market for a while before we found him. I would not even looked at a horse that size for me (I’m 5’2"—hubby is 6’4"). Not everyone needs or wants anything that big! OTOH–someone in our barn has a 15.2 steady-eddy, solid 1st level horse for sale and hasn’t gotten any bites yet (her price is very reasonable).

[J-Lu]

My Trak mare is 15.1 hh and I was approached several times to sell her. Twice for children, twice for smaller adults, twice by professional trainers to train up and likely “flip” (she had a great brain and talent, I certainly didn’t train her to her potential). I ultimately traded horses with a woman (5’6") who wanted to earn her Bronze and take lessons/clinics on a “been there done that” horse and had a youngster she knew she couldn’t ride. I’m honest in saying that if that horse could regularly catch fire like a Phoenix as a 20-year old and rise as a 3-year old, I’d be the happiest rider on earth. (I’m 5’6.5") As one GP trainer said, she rides like a sports car and many people like that.

I don’t think there’s a “growing” market for smaller horses, but I do think there’s a “niche” market for smaller horses. And people who want them are willing to pay to get them.

[JLR1]

I do think there is a market for smaller mounts, but agree with J-Lu it’s definitely a “niche”…possibly older, petite, smaller budget, or in some cases just in love with the breed (Arab fan here:)). In 2013 Hilda Gurney was interviewed for an Arabian magazine and although this comment was in reference to Purebred Arabs can be extrapolated to other smaller breeds:

“…they’re not going to make it to the Olympics, they’re too small and they don’t want small horses in the Olympics. There shouldn’t be that prejudice but there is”. Hilda Gurney

https://issuu.com/thearabiansporthorse/docs/june-july-2013

If resale is important to you, I think a smaller horse, no matter how talented will never command the same price as an equally talented 16.0hh + horse.

[J-Lu]

Actually, JLR1, I disagree with you.

A smaller but talented horse CAN command a better price in it’s market than a 16+ hh horse. There are a zillion 16+hh horses in that market these days. MANY fewer quality 15-ish hh horses with talent. Those who want them (child or Jr riders, small adults, larger adults who don’t want a large horse) want them and will pay for them. The resale to other children/jrs/etc. can be significant if the horse is generous and has a good record. Not just small budget. I was not offered small budget for my 15.1hh mare.

[MojitoMare]

I just bought a 2 year old PRE filly and size was one of the deciding factors for me. I wanted something that would be under 16.1 or 16.2. I think my girl will mature right around 16 hands, her sire is 15.3.

[TickleFight]

There is a market for them, though I’m not sure it’s increasing in size.

In my experience selling horses people want geldings, 16+ hands. Preferably 16.2+.

You can always sell a nice, sound, well trained horse. How quickly and for how much is a different story.