Why does everything have to be 16.2+?

[dontskipthecafe]

I’ve noticed that people have become increasingly fixated on tall horses. Many of the people I know won’t even go look at a horse under 16.2, especially a horse intended to jump, and I have no idea why. Especially when the people in question are my height (5’5") or shorter.

I’ve known 14.1 ponies who can jump 4’6" or higher, and my 15.2 TB mare appears capable of jumping the moon. And in my opinion, you look cooler going over mammoth jumps on an itty bitty horse

I also know that the average Thoroughbred used to be a lot smaller, and that enormous horses often have more health issues. Why the drive for everything to be 17 hands?

Admittedly, some of my big-horse-prejudice is driven by my incredibly terrible joints and the fact that dismounting from 16.2 (especially involuntarily) huuuurts.

[Pennywell_Bay]

[QUOTE=dontskipthecafe;8031243]
I’ve noticed that people have become increasingly fixated on tall horses. Many of the people I know won’t even go look at a horse under 16.2, especially a horse intended to jump, and I have no idea why. Especially when the people in question are my height (5’5") or shorter.

I’ve known 14.1 ponies who can jump 4’6" or higher, and my 15.2 TB mare appears capable of jumping the moon. And in my opinion, you look cooler going over mammoth jumps on an itty bitty horse

I also know that the average Thoroughbred used to be a lot smaller, and that enormous horses often have more health issues. Why the drive for everything to be 17 hands?

Admittedly, some of my big-horse-prejudice is driven by my incredibly terrible joints and the fact that dismounting from 16.2 (especially involuntarily) huuuurts.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you. I think a 5’2 person riding on a 17 hand horse looks ridiculous. “Suitability”?

If you posted this in Hunter/Jumper, people who show are going to have different input on the average non-showing rider.

However, with an emphasis on “lines” and “strides”, a larger horse can “generally” make it down the lines without the ammy owner putting in much effort or thought. I mean, god forbid.

Additionally, larger horses will look like they are loping to the jumps, where a smaller horse will look faster. Though I have seen some big horses with smaller strides and still see people missing. A big horse still won’t find your spots if you can’t see them.

I have a 15’3 mare who jumps 4 foot and makes the distance with ease. She still looks “faster” than the giant warmbloods at a show. But she can keep up with the hounds and has stamina, to boot.

[normandy_shores]

I think so many people are delusional about their needs and/or abilities. Of course they think they need a horse capable of 4’6, when in reality they’re likely to spend the next 5 years doing 3’ or below. Of course they need a 17.2h horse to fit their 5’3 frame!

I’m 5’2, and have two horses that are 15.1ish (big bodied) and a 14h pony. No idea what the pony’s ability will be as she’s just starting under saddle, but both my horses are suitable for the ammy wanting to do up to 3’. Neither are hunters, but there are so many perfectly capable 15-16h TBs who are tidy jumpers who can make the strides.

I do understand the folks who are ACTUALLY tall (5’9-6’+) who want a bigger horse – it is easier to feel balanced on something that isn’t too small. That benig said, my 6’ friend rode my big bodied 15.1h morgan/Canadian and fit him beautifully. Her leg was not hanging below his barrel, and they looked well matched. Often it’s about the build more than just the height. If my 14h pony were welsh instead of a morgan, even I (at 5’2 and a “stocky” build myself) would look too big.

I think a trend for smaller horses/ponies is coming back, for at least some people. They’re fun little sport car like rides, often easier keepers and low maintenance. All 3 of mine get fat on air and have good feet, it’s more of a challenge to keep weight OFF them.

[MojitoMare]

I’ve noticed this too. I know someone who insists on 17+ hand horses, and she is not an especially tall person. Problem is, the two horses she’s purchased (based only on their height, IMHO) have both had chronic lameness issues.

Her most recent purchase, a 17.2 hh 4 year old (at the time) WB/TB cross is now almost 6 and barely under saddle because he can’t stay sound. She purchased him at the same time I purchased my mare and they were for sale at the same price. I’ve been showing my mare for 2 years now, went to regionals last year and hoping to earn my bronze this year or next (AND she jumps! AND was a lesson horse! She’s a stellar little mare and I love her…but could be biased.) Friend wouldn’t glance at my mare’s sale ads because she’s 15.3.

I don’t know if friend’s horse’s size has anything to do with the unsoundness issues, but it seems logical to me that the big ones would have more stress on their joints. And she certainly hasn’t had any luck picking them out specifically for their size.

[Eleanor]

I like horses that are right around 15.3 - 16.1 anything bigger is just to much. with that said my gelding is 17.3 and that is only because he would not stop growing. I bred him and it is funny as mom are 16.2 and dad was 16.3 most of the foals on both sides are 16 - 16.3 some smaller I have not seen any as big as he is. But his granddad on moms side was 18.1 so all I can think is that he got it from him.

I did have him up for sale when he was 2 and 16.2 already, I knew he would end up being a big boy and so much more horse then I wanted. But as I got working with him I fell in love with his personality and keep him then when he was 6-7 he started to scare me. We had a few things happen and we both had a few falls. I ended up seeing a sports psychologist at a 4 day clinic and what can out was that I needed to ride the horse that I had. If I sold him fine, if I keep him fine, but I needed to ride him each time I got on him. It made a world of difference to my riding and my partnership with my boy.

If I was going to buy another horse (I’m not) I would look at anything under 16.2 as they are so much easier to ride and put together and finding a horse trailer they fit is easier as well.

[SnicklefritzG]

I’m 5’3" and my horse is 16:1 and is well built. His size is just right for me. Although I’ve ridden taller and smaller horses, I like this size. Most of my family members can also ride my horse and feel comfortable. Although I’ve ridden horses are tall as 17:2, I don’t think the rest of my family would be interested in even attempting to get on a horse that big, no matter how friendly. lol

[whitney159]

Let’s not forget that at least in advertising, a 16.2 hh horse is generally found to be 16.0 when seen in person. No not everyone fudges, but I rarely, when horse shopping, found one that was as tall as claimed when advertised. So if I was looking for something 16.0 minimum (I’m tall with a lot of upper body and like a bigger horse), then I would be looking at ads for bigger horses.

The other side of things is that I think americans just like things big. I did competitive horse judging in college. Back then in the QH world, my coach told me the rules of judging halter, and how simple they really were to follow and correctly place a class:
Big is better than little. Pretty is better than ugly. A dink is a dink is a dink.
He was right every time we watched a class get judged based on this. He only shared this gem of knowledge because of the dink part of the rule. If a horse is a dink, stop trying to talk him up, just place him at the bottom of the class and move on.

[2DogsFarm]

I’m going out on a limb here & guessing by “everyone” you mean “everyone under 50yo”.
I campaigned my just-under-16h TB as a Hunter/Eventer and never felt he was small. Got him when I was 39, lost him when I was 59.
While I still had him I got my TWH, who at 17h+ my vet called the Belgian Walking Horse.
I’m 5’5" but long-legged (32" inseam) so I got used to the size.

My current WB is every bit of 17.2, and as much as I enjoy riding him, at almost-65 my 12h pony is starting to look awfully attractive.
If only he was broke to ride…

[dontskipthecafe]

[QUOTE=whitney159;8031351]
Let’s not forget that at least in advertising, a 16.2 hh horse is generally found to be 16.0 when seen in person. No not everyone fudges, but I rarely, when horse shopping, found one that was as tall as claimed when advertised. So if I was looking for something 16.0 minimum (I’m tall with a lot of upper body and like a bigger horse), then I would be looking at ads for bigger horses.[/QUOTE]

I would definitely agree with this. The first person who tried to sell the aforementioned 15.2 mare to me had listed her on CANTER as 16.3.

Also… forgive my ignorance of showing, but what is a “dink”?

[clanter]

most people cannot even tell how tall a horse is, we had a Morgan mare who was 14.1h… when ever she was entered in pony class at open shows she got challenged

She appeared to be at least 15.1 or 2 … but she was actually a pony (but still a horse are there are no official Morgan ponies as all are horses in the eyes of the registry )

[SnicklefritzG]

If I were selling a horse, I’d take a photo with it being measured, so it if really were “just” 16 hands, people wouldn’t be turned off, assuming it was something less than that.

[kcmel]

I am 5’8" and all my recent horses have been ~16.2. That size just seems to be what I feel most comfortable on. I would not like anything taller! Also, I don’t have to buy new blankets! It does make horse shopping a bit harder, since this is the exact size that seems to be most popular.

That being said, I did just buy a coming 4 YO who isn’t quite 16 hands yet. I expect he will end up close to 16.1, but he is a warmblood cross so should be much bigger bodied than the tbs I am use to. (He does feel a little small now, and, alas, I do have to buy some new blankets :(. )

[batman_the_horse]

I am 5’6" and I am quite comfortable on my 15.3h mare. I also ride a 17.2h Oldenburg, but am much more “in sync” feeling on my little mare. She’s a big bodied TB, looks like a little warmblood, and I can really wrap my legs around her.

[dontskipthecafe]

I also enjoy riding bareback, and like being able to get on using a standard mounting block instead of having to find a fence/giant rock!

[RedmondDressage]

I’ve got a 16.3hh gelding who is an old school wb beast. I love him and being a bit taller and physically strong enough that he can’t bulldoze me around (which he is still inclined to do if he sees an opportunity), he and I are a good pair… That said, my youngster is 15.3, will likely top out at 16… He is very modern- a lot easier and more fun to ride and much more athletic. I refer to him as my Ferrari, and the other one as my '59 Cadillac As much as I love a big Cadillac, my future purchases will definitely be Ferraris!

[SnicklefritzG]

The horse I rode recently who is 17:2 and massive is known around the barn as “The German Schoolbus”.

thankfully, he does not require as much leg as you think he would.

[charismaryllis]

wasn’t teddy o’connor about yeah high? -holds out hand- and there’s another horse on the front page of COTH, jumping over great big stuff, who is also under 15hh. see also the thread in the dressage forum about showing h/ponies. ppl may want the big guys but the little ones are doing quite well.

[Denzel]

Also remember that for some people, size isn’t a predominant factor in choosing a horse! I am 5’5 and my horse is 17.2ish. (was 17.1 when I bought him as a 5 year old, and I refuse to measure him and find out how much he has grown since then!). When I was horse shopping on a rather limited budget in a h/j starved area, he was pretty well the only horse that checked all the boxes, he just happened to come in an XL package. Now, to my advantage, he is quite compact, so he doesn’t ride like a giant semi, which is certainly nice!

I do realize that there will always be challenges in our training, simply due to the fact that he is a big, lazy guy that has some belligerent tendencies, and I am short and do not have the leverage to necessarily have the most influence. For my next horse I want something that’s 16.1-16.2 because that is the size that I feel most comfortable on, regardless of the fact that I still fit the 13.2 pony at the barn. Also want to point out that height is not the only determinant in how a horse rides. I have ridden 17hh horses that I felt like I was way too big on, and I have ridden 15.3 horses that I felt like a peanut on. I have ridden everything from 13.2 to 18.1, and have felt comfortable on a wide variety of sizes due to their body shape and their way of going, regardless of height.

[SnicklefritzG]

and Sinead Halpin has a pony, Forest Nymph, who is eventing at a high level. I forget whether she has done * or ** events, but I think her owner is on COTH and can comment. That little pony can jump!!

[pologirl27]

Well I am 5’2 and consider 16.2 an upper limit!