Recently, I have been in the market for a new horse. I have found a horse I am greatly considering, and he stands about 17.2. I am a bit under 5’6 and I have medium length legs. I have currently been showing a 15.1 horse and a 13.3 pony. How tall is TOO tall for me? I feel as if 17.2 would swallow me but love the horse’s characteristics. Tell me your opinions and tell me about you and your horse(s) 
I’m 5’7, with a slight build, long legs and a very short torso. My horses are 15.3 and 16.2 but I’ve ridden much larger and much smaller (14.2). I think it all comes down to comfort personally. I have a very specific type I like to ride, in regards to their way of going. As long as they go how I like, I haven’t run into much of an issue with size. So if you like how the horse is to ride, and will be able to do what you would like to do riding wise then I wouldn’t let size stop you.
5’2" with a small upper body and a bigger lower body, average length everything. 16.1hh with a narrow semi slab-sided build.
A narrow 17.2hh will feel very different from a big beefy 17.2hh. There is no magical “too tall” height–it depends on the horse’s build and what’s most comfortable for you. There are people taller than me who think my horse is too big for them, and there are people smaller than me who would think he’s too short for them.
If you’re comfortable on him and you like him, don’t worry about his height 
If you like everything else about the horse I wouldn’t let height stop you. Although I have never ridden a horse that is too big for me…I’m 6’ with long legs. It would have to be some 19h gigantosaur for that!
The size of their barrel makes a huge difference. This is me on my 16.3 slab-sided TB. It’s hard to tell in this picture, but I have little to no contact from about mid-thigh down. Keeping my lower leg still on him takes some extra work, especially while jumping.
https://fbcdn-photos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-0/1509144_10154795111410038_8930940744714431693_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoibCJ9&oh=1ab32bb700d15f0a7ddc8f92ae658ae2&oe=55A5BD28&gda=1436675345_77194dd3e407a389e53229317521969b
Here is the other horse I ride regularly–my uncle’s 14.1 WIDE cowpony. His barrel is a much better fit for my leg, and I don’t think I dwarf him all that much. I’ve looked much more ridiculous on some 16h horses. Please excuse the ears–he doesn’t really care for bareback rides!
https://fbcdn-photos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-0/10712891_10154795111125038_4710416230176370227_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoibCJ9&oh=a4a08fa68203c40368280c4a6ecfcb67&oe=55DAC6BB&gda=1440600004_f61a32edee191c676bfb4d1c38905b89
I’m 5’7 with pretty long legs and my guy is 16 h.
I honestly think I look a smidge big on him but it more has to do with the fact that he has a little bit of a short neck and is not particularly big in the ribcage. It more has to do with how they’re built then how tall they are!
Hi, I’m 5’3" with boots on. My last lease horse was just over 16.3 and I’ve ridden several 17h horses. I look OK on the taller TBs but absolutely silly on the WBs.
I’m 5’6" and my current horse is 16h on a tall day. Here we are.
I agree that the barrel will play a big part. A narrow 17.2h will probably be ok for you; one that is wide may make you look like a kid on a Thelwell pony. Here I am on a fairly narrow 18.2h horse. I’ll tell you what…my terrible back definitely appreciates the smaller horses these days. I see a tall, big-moving horse and my back just screams. Hopefully that’s not an issue for you.
I think it depends on how the horse is built. If he has a big barrel, you might feel small.
My mare is just under 16 hands, and I look small on her because she’s built like a tank and I’m a midget (I might be 5’1" if I stand on my toes). I make her look big… until you see her next to other horses.
I agree with SS. It totally depends on how the horse is built. I have a short mare (15.3) and tall gelding (17h) who have exactly the same sized body. I look the same on each of them despite the pretty big height difference. And when I ride them one after another there’s no real difference to me feel-wise.
But to answer the question - I am 5’5" and ride a 13.2 pony, and 15.3, 16.2, 17, and 17.1 horses.
I wouldn’t let the height dissuade you from the horse.
Also, if you are just looking at ads, I find most horses advertised at 17.2 are often inches shorter. So be sure to look in person, and if you have a stick, use it. 
Take a picture or video and see what you think…
I agree that a lot of it has to do with the horses build and the type of horse you’re comfortable riding. I’m 5’6" on a good day, however I feel more comfortable on the 16.2" to 17’2" warmbloods. Anything significantly shorter or slab sided makes me feel like I’m perched on top of a pony.
Keep in mind though that the bigger horses often take a lot more leg to keep together.
Nickelodian should chime in. She’s practically a midget and has two 17++.
I’m 5’8" and my mares are 16.2 and 15.2. The 15.2 is a TB but is big enough through the barrel that I don’t feel too big on her… They both wear the same size girths FWIW.
My guy is 17.2 but is mostly legs and is not super deep through the girth area. I’m only 5’4" and don’t feel too small on him.
http://s251.photobucket.com/user/jjakes7018/library/Patrickswell%20Stonehaven
My Mom’s horse is also 17.2 but is absolutely massive everywhere. I find that I have a hard time getting my leg on him. So I think it all depends not so much on the actual height of the horse but instead their build.
It depends on what you’re comfy with. I’m 5’7. I currently ride several 17.3-18hh warmbloods, an assortment of OTTBS from 16-17.2 hands, and various ponies 13-14.2 hh and do fine with all of them (I should note however that the ponies have a lot of bone and well-sprung ribs!). On horses less than 15 hands my stirrups go up a hold and generally down a hole for over 17 hands (I tend to ride slightly short by nature). If you like the horse and feel good, I’d say go for it!
ETA: like most others have said, it mostly matters how they’re built and move for what will be comfy more than height itself. Additionally, you can learn to ride bigger/smaller with practice. I was off ponies very early but later in life I found myself riding them. At first I felt like a giant. Now I can get my balance and don’t have a problem! The same can be said with the BIG pair of warmbloods I ride - they felt HUGE at first but when I got used to them it didn’t bother me in the least. But, you do need more fitness to deal with their movement in many cases.
I am 5’3" and have a 17h horse. However, like IrishDeclan My guy is pretty much all leg too. So I don’t look wierd on him. However, I do have a hard time getting up on him… No mounting from the ground for sure!
5’1 and I have two stocky 15.1h horses and a 14h Morgan.
I’m 5’6" and was riding something 17.3 for a while. I did look a bit small on him, but honestly if anything I felt safer going up to bigger jumps.
I’m 5’10" and I have two 16.2H mares with round barrels and a 17.1H gelding with slab-sides. They all ride about the same size but I fell off the big guy and it was a long long way down. Ouch!!
I’m 5’3ish with short legs. I don’t mind tall horses at all. In fact, my favorite of all time was a 17.1 TB. I’m not keen on tall horses with a big barrel, however, because I don’t feel like I can wrap my legs around them enough to be as effective as I want to be. As others have said, take the horse’s build into consideration more so than his height.
