Worried 15.2 too small to be my 3ft hunter

[StormyDay]

my paint is 15.3. He has always been super adjustable and when I showed him in hunters made the lines no problem.

My hony struggles getting the distances. He can do it, but it takes more work.

My chestnut OTTB is 15.3 and walks down the lines. I have to shorten him.

My chestnut mare is just under 15h. She also easily does the lines. She just has a naturally long stride.

My bay OTTB is 17.3 and if he started getting a little slow on course would have to add.

So it can really depend on the horse and how the horse is ridden.

[Renn_aissance]

I thought the same. Or TB/Percheron, which is a cross I like very much for a sane jack of all trades type.

He’s cute, he seems to have an appropriate movement pattern to get down the local 3’ lines once he learns to go with his back and shoulder more relaxed, and I would consider him as a project for the local showing and “I want a horse to have fun with” job. He doesn’t look like he is currently being schooled the way I would bring along a show hunter. He is shown with quite a short rein and restrictive arm. Can’t say from the video if that’s because of the way he’s been trained to go or a product of the rider. I don’t know the seller.

[Pokerface]

I’d bet good money on the “warmblood” part of him being Dutch Harness Horse. He seems cute and willing, but that head carriage and hollow back come naturally to him, and that can be hard to train out.

If you are looking at him and really just like the horse, even if he was an “off breed”, then it might be worth the gamble. If you feel like you are getting a deal because he’s a “warmblood” at an affordable price, I’d say walk away. There is a huge difference between a jump-bred warmblood and a harness-bred warmblood. Harness bred horses can be lovely, but you are starting at a bit of a disadvantage.

Lest anyone think I’m being snobby, my AO hunter was a draft cross in the days when TBs were predominant and smaller WB were being slowly introduced. My horse was bred to be an all-arounder (and he certainly was!), but he was a natural jumper and that part was easier. We just had to improve the flatwork. He was also 17hh and on the thicker side, so he stood out a bit.

So, in short, if you are confident in your abilities, he might make a cute lower level AA horse!

[omare]

Something to remember also young horses do keep growing–but I assume in this instance, you would not know the family genetics to take a good guess on whether he is likely done.

[2bayboys]

I thought of the Dutch Harness horse when I saw the video too. However, it seems likely the seller would have said so if that were the case.
Cause then you could sell him as “Dutch Warmblood” in the hopes a buyer wouldn’t know the difference. I think his breeding is a mystery. I like him, as a cute fun all around horse, something to go show locally and hunter pace and swim in the pond. I would vet very thoroughly.

[gertie06]

@em8310

I had a really bad experience with Apple Creek Farm. I am sure some of the horses they sell are fine, but a lot of what they say is a flat out lie. Happy to discuss my experience if helpful.

I was also warned not to buy from this farm. I have no personal experience, so I can’t validate anything. But the person who warned me had a very bad experience.

[Foitin]

Its nice he has a lead change! He might be good in the smaller jumpers, seems like that might suit him better and would probably be a lot more fun in general.

[candyappy]

@clburnham11

Thank you so much for making me aware of this!!

I read the relies on the thread and I saw more positive then negative. The horse in the video you posted looked worth going to see and giving him a test ride?

I can’t say what type of seller( honest or not) this is but you will always find people who can have a negative experience.

Have a thorough PPE by a vet you choose and trust , ride the horse, see them ride and handle the horse and watch them do everything with him you would on the ground and make a decision off that.

[Warmblood1]

FWIW, I’m not seeing DHH personally. I do not breed DHH but do breed KWPN and keep an eye on DHH lines. I see heavy Clyde influence and what I would guess to be WB jumper lines in the background assuming he is a WB cross.

He seems to have a lovely temperament and an adequate stride. I think he’d be a pleasure to ride and work with.

[RunAmuckDog]

@Warmblood1

I see heavy Clyde influence

Wondering if that could’ve also been an inspiration for his name?

[Renn_aissance]

For what it’s worth, I purchased a horse from a seller who was “well-known” to be shady, according to multiple people I trusted who had personal knowledge of the seller. I took the horse on trial, did a very thorough vetting including bloodwork, screened for everything that my trusted people said had been problems in their experience… and found that almost everything was exactly what the seller had advertised. (One of my trusted people later referred to the horse as “the one good one that ever came from that farm.”)

So you now have some information that you could use to inform the level of due diligence that you do, if you choose to pursue the horse. I didn’t read the thread because I think it’s unlikely I’ll ever buy a horse from this seller based on geography.

[Warmblood1]

@RunAmuckDog

Wondering if that could’ve also been an inspiration for his name?

I missed it, what’s his name?

I did read in the description that he is 15.2, 6 years and still growing. However, unless he is a hair away from 15.3, I would anticipate him staying at 15.2.

[clburnham11]

I did end up passing on him. Very cute but they have no history on him, can’t tell me where they got him, no papers, and he’s too far away for my own vet to go look at him. They also don’t allow trials. Not wanting to spend a couple thousand dollars for a vet to tell me he’s actually 12 or something! On top of really wanting something bigger.
But I so appreciate all the insight on this post!

[Pokerface]

@clburnham11

I did end up passing on him. Very cute but they have no history on him, can’t tell me where they got him, no papers, and he’s too far away for my own vet to go look at him. They also don’t allow trials. Not wanting to spend a couple thousand dollars for a vet to tell me he’s actually 12 or something! On top of really wanting something bigger.
But I so appreciate all the insight on this post!

It’s too bad, but I’m glad you found out early. People do sell horses through sales barns, often, but good sales barns will have the information, even if they don’t have the exact details. I’ve also had sellers link buyers to me, me being the original owner, so they they could get any information the sales barn might be unsure of.

[em8310]

I had this same view prior to buying my horse, but unfortunately did all of this and still ended up with something completely different than promised/expected. I also grew up riding crazy sale horses and will put up with a lot so this wasn’t a situation where I had unrealistic expectations.

[2bayboys]

They can’t tell you where they got him? Did he fall out of the sky? Lol

Big red flag right there.

[findeight]

Watched it, twice. Just does not strike me as a Hunter type regardless of size. Rider stays pretty darn close to the tack, never lightens the seat, never loosens up the reins. Hunter prospect needs to relax and flow, particularly if destined for an Ammy rider. Horse doesn’t seem to want to focus on the fence and show any real hints of form…I know, very low jumps but enough of them jumped in a basic “ gear up” fashion with stiff shoulder and no head movement to think he needs a different direction then show Hunter.

Hes cute, looks sound enough in this video (least below the knees) just not a Hunter.

Don’t know the seller but the no trials and no verifiable history deal is a huge red flag…makes me wonder if he goes safely with rider in two point on a more relaxed rein…hmmmmm.

Oh, I do love loose horses or livestock on demo videos, wandering Pony is a nice touch. Very professional.

OP, wait for your trainer to recover and help you find appropriate sellers.

[RunAmuckDog]

@Warmblood1

I missed it, what’s his name?

Clyde!!

It shows very briefly before the clip starts.

The full name of the clip is “Clyde, Warmblood Cross Gelding For Sale”. You will see it if you open the link in a new tab.

[attempting]

I think that mentality is kind of ridiculous. I’m 5’8 on a 15.3 horse, and I don’t look out of place on him. Sure, if I rode the 14.1 pony at my barn, I’d look silly, and if I rode my trainer’s 16.3 horse, I’d probably look better, but you don’t need a large horse to do well. I wish more people would realize that.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Amen to this. I’m barely 5’3”, and most of my horses have been under 16 hands - they have had plenty of ability and jump and step! My two mares (mother and daughter) are 15’3” and barely 15’2” respectively. The 15’2” hand mare I had in high school did hunters at 3’6” and Training level eventing, and had plenty of scope. Smaller horses are easier on themselves, easier to groom, mount, find clothes for, ride effectively, and they tend to have better balance.

I am an eventer so “getting the ideal number of strides in a line” is not essential to success - but ideally, a horse should be able to make the requisite strides in a line, though in the case of bending lines or rollback turns it doesn’t matter.

I know that in hunters, it is a criminal offense to do the add, but I don’t do hunters anymore.

My younger mare is extremely long (back and neck - basically a 16+ hand horse with short legs!), and she covers a ton of ground, always makes the time, and runs short in one and two stride in and outs/combinations. I am constantly setting up tight gymnastics for her to get her to compress herself and not stretch out too much in the air!

There is a trend – especially in hunters! – to prefer huge horses who can “walk the lines“, but honestly? shorter riders are going to struggle to ride as effectively on a horse that they are perched up on top of, and will look less balanced and appropriate. I had a TB who I bought as a weanling, he grew huge; very long-backed very long-necked, a tank - very wide - 1400 pounds! and every bit of 16’2”. I looked silly on him, had to do an exaggerated release in the air, my leg barely came down to mid barrel, and I struggled to get him underneath me and in front of my leg.

If you are only doing it because that’s “what you think wins“? (and are preferring huge horses for that reason), the slightly smaller but talented horses with plenty of scope and step are going begging - and they are way more bang for your buck.

One of my students (who I’m teaching basic dressage to, and tuning up over fences) is a former hunter rider; shorter than I am, with shorter legs – and her first horse was 17’1” and long. She had little control over him, was intimidated by him, could not get her leg on him effectively (or steer well), and when she had to euthanize him, started looking at horses and despite my recommendations, picked another big one - though not as big at 16’2”.

She “likes” the big ones, but I think that’s her hunter background. Her leg barely comes halfway down his barrel, though at least he is more short coupled than her last horse!

OK, off my soapbox– but I really think that smaller horses get a bad rap. They’re often more athletic, and if you can find one that jumps well and makes the strides and is “size appropriate”, rejecting them out of hand based only on their size is missing out. Just my humble opinion.